University of the West of England

    MODULE SPECIFICATION

    Code: UA1A8V-40-2

    Title: CONTEMPORARY CONTEXTS: TOWARDS SELF-DIRECTED RESEARCH

    Version: 6

    Level: 2

    UWE credit rating: 40

    ECTS credit rating: 20

    Module type: Project

    Owning Faculty: FCA

    Field: Visual Culture

    Field Leader: A Partington

    Valid from: Feb 2010

    Discontinued from:

    Faculty Committee Approval: Quality & Standards Committee Date: 2 December 2009 – Chair’s action – 18/12/09

    Contributes towards: BA (Hons) Drawing & Applied Arts, BA (Hons) Fashion Design, BA (Hons) Fashion/Textile Design), BA (Hons) Fine Art, BA (Hons) Art & Visual Culture, BA (Hons) Graphic Design, BA (Hons) Illustration, BA (Hons) Photography, BA (Hons) Animation, BA (Hons) Interdisciplinary Textile Design, BA (Hons) Media Practice with Animation, BA (Hons) Illustration with Animation, BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Animation and BA (Hons) Media Practice

    Pre-requisites: Introduction to Visual Culture – UA1A8P-20-1

    Co-requisites:

    Excluded combinations:

    Learning outcomes:

    Upon completion of this module students will have demonstrated:

    Knowledge and Understanding

    i) familiarity with a range of contemporary cultural, historical and industrial contexts;

    ii) understanding of debates and issues that relate to contemporary practice in art, media and design;

    iii) informed understanding of the relationship of the student’s experience and practice to contemporary debates and issues (above);

    iv) knowledge of the differences between various models of critical analysis.

    Intellectual skills

    v) an ability to engage in sustained analysis and critical evaluation of contemporary art, media or design practices in their contemporary context;

    vi) the development of a coherent and contextualised argument/discussion using theoretical models of understanding.

    Subject/Practical Skills

    vii) an ability to develop research methods and information literacy, such as selecting relevant material from on line (as well as traditional library) sources;

    viii) an understanding that there are different areas of study within Visual Culture from which level 3 dissertation projects can emerge.

    Transferable Skills

    ix) understanding of self as creative practitioner within a wider cultural/industrial/professional context;

    x) application of the conventions of academic writing;

    xi) familiarity with primary and/or secondary research methods.

    Syllabus outline:

    The underlying concern of the module is to enable students to locate their experience and practice in the context of debates and issues that have been articulated around contemporary art, media and design.

    The module introduces students to a series of histories, intellectual frameworks and practices organised into a number of cross-disciplinary ‘strands’ such as Sexual Politics, Tastes & Values, Things, and The Creative Workplace. Each strand consists of a lecture programme that provides grounding in relevant literature, historical precedents, contemporary debates and possibilities for future research. The choice of strands, and lectures within them, aims to reflect the diversity of student interests and aspirations. Specific lectures within strands may include the following:

    The Creative Workplace

    Bleeding Specialism: what is the place of discipline specific skills in convergence culture?

    All Together Now: mapping the collaborative relationships between creative partners

    Your Brand Needs You! Subject, Self and Process: what makes you special?

    Sexual Politics

    New Feminisms, Relocated Pleasures

    Masculinities

    Re-occupying the Erotic Body

    Things

    Designing and Making Things

    Buying and Selling Things

    Having and Using Things

    Tastes & Values

    Why Do I Like What I Like? And Who Says What’s Good?

    Guilty Pleasures: Spectacle and Sensation in Visual Culture

    Debating Taste: Researching Tastes and Values

    Students are encouraged to reflect on their own practices (and those of others) in relation to the areas of study introduced on the strands. The matrix of lectures also enables students to look ‘across’ strands to develop their own interests, for example, where issues around The Creative Workplace meet issues covered in Tastes & Values.

    Teaching and learning methods:

    Students choose from the strands on offer and can either follow one all the way through or swap between them. Either way they are encouraged to take ownership of their area of study in preparation for level 3 Individual Study in Visual Culture.

    Students are attached to cross-disciplinary seminar groups during which they are encouraged to explore the position of their own practices (and those of others) in relation to the debates introduced on the strands. Seminars are also used to encourage students to discuss the lectures they have attended and to practice research skills, often in small groups. Students also receive advice about essay preparation (research, writing and interpreting essay questions) and support with their individual essay topic via group tutorials, before which they are asked to submit essay proposals. They are also advised about their options for level 3 Visual Culture (20 or 40-credit).

    All students are encouraged to use online support materials (on Blackboard). Each strand has an online presence including a strand overview, lecture outlines, audio recordings of lectures and digitised preparatory readings. There are also online support materials about the assignment, reading strategies, timetable, advice on essay writing, referencing and bibliographies.

    Distance learning students (outgoing exchange and work placement) are expected to attend taught sessions while they are on-site and make use of online learning materials while off-site. Email tutorial support is provided for off-site distance learning students. Outgoing exchange students are given an extra handout, which includes an option to address an essay question more specifically related to their exchange experience and a reading guide to assist with this. Similarly, work placement students are given an additional handout including an option to address a question that relates to work placement issues (eg. industrial contexts) and a reading guide to support this.

    Assessment criteria:

    The work requirement for this module is an essay (3,500 words) and level 3 proposal (500 words).

    Students are assessed according to their fulfilment of the learning outcomes in respect of the following criteria:

    Criteria

    Relates to learning outcomes

    Source of evidence

    i) clarity of objectives, understanding and addressing the question;

    i), ii), iii), viii)

    Essay (3,500 words)

    Level 3 proposal (500 words)

    ii) structure and coherence of discussion and /or argument;

    iii), iv), v), vi), vii)

    Essay (3,500 words)

    Level 3 proposal (500 words)

    iii) critical evaluation and/or analysis;

    i), ii), iii), iv), v), vi), viii), ix)

    Essay (3,500 words)

    Level 3 proposal (500 words)

    iv) research (breadth, depth, relevance, use of);

    i), ii), iii), iv), v), vi), viii), xi)

    Essay (3,500 words)

    Level 3 proposal (500 words)

    v) writing and presentation (articulation, accuracy, referencing, bibliography).

    vi), x)

    Essay (3,500 words)

    Level 3 proposal (500 words)

    Reading Strategy

    Students are provided with a selection of key readings on Blackboard. These relate to specific lectures. There is also a reading guide for each strand to help students find their way round a particular area of study. This identifies important texts and core debates.

    Students are also directed to the library resources, given guidance on relevant books and journals and encouraged to use the electronic search functions to access journal and other material, which they can do both on and off-site.

    Outgoing exchange and work placement students are given reading guides specific to their needs in addition to the strand-related readings outlined above.

    Key preparatory readings might include the following:

    Dormer, P. (1993), ‘What Is A Designer?’ in Design Since 1945, Thames & Hudson

    Hawkins, G. (2005), ‘Taste’ in New Keywords: A Revised Vocabulary of Culture and Society, Blackwell

    Jenkins, H. (2006), Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, New York & London: New York University Press (see ‘Conclusion: Democratizing Television? The Politics of Participation’ p240-260)

    Jones, A. (2003), ‘Introduction’ in The Feminism and Visual Culture Reader, Routledge

    Walker, J. A. & Chaplin, S. (1997), ‘Production, Distribution and Consumption Model’ in Visual Culture: an Introduction, Manchester: Manchester University Press

    Williamson, J., ‘Retro-sexism’ in Eye, no. 48, vol. 12, summer 2003, pp. 44-53

    Zolberg, V. L. (1990), ‘Bourdieu’s Aesthetic Violence’ in Constructing a Sociology of the Arts, Cambridge University Press

    Further reading:

    Barker, E. (1999), Contemporary Cultures of Display, Yale University Press

    Docker, J. (1994), Postmodernism and Popular Culture, Cambridge University Press

    Featherstone, M. (1991), Consumer Culture and Postmodernism, Sage

    Jencks, C. (1992), The Postmodern Reader, Academy

    Mirzoeff, M. (1998), Visual Culture Reader, Routledge

    These books will be on short loan in the library, but students are reminded that they may need to be prepared to buy their own copies of texts related to their particular concerns.

    Assessment:

    Weighting between components A and B (standard modules at levels 0-3 only) A: B:

    ATTEMPT 1

    First Assessment Opportunity

    Component A

    Description of each element Element weighting

    1. Essay (3,500 words) 80%

    2. Level 3 Visual Culture proposal (500 words) 20%

    Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is not required)

    Component A

    Description of each element Element weighting

    1. Essay (3,500 words) 80%

    2. Level 3 Visual Culture proposal (500 words) 20%

    SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT Attendance at taught classes is not required.

    Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………

    (Associate Dean/Programme Director)

Assessment: Profile of student achievement in relation to stated learning outcomes:

    CONTEMPORARY CONTEXTS: UA1A8T-40-2

    Assessment Criteria:

    Students will be assessed according to their fulfillment of the learning outcomes in respect of the following criteria:

    Threshold standard

    (UG Level)

    vi) clarity of objectives, understanding and addressing the question;

    The topic has been addressed using relevant material that the student has selected. The work demonstrates a competent understanding of the relevance of the question to the broader concerns of the module.

    vii) structure and coherence of discussion and /or argument;

    The objectives are clear and relevant to the topic. The question is addressed in a focussed way and the work is structured in a logical manner. The work demonstrates an ability to comment on information and ideas to form a developing argument.

    viii) critical evaluation and/or analysis;

    An attempt at analysis has been made in relation to the material presented. There is some evidence of careful and detailed consideration of key issues and an adequate ability to contextualise the topic within the broader concerns of the module.

    ix) research (breadth, depth, relevance, use of);

    Relevant research material has been selected using library resources and used to support key ideas.

    x) writing and presentation (articulation, accuracy, referencing, bibliography).

    The work is written and presented clearly. The writing is of a standard that enables ideas to be communicated effectively. Bibliographic details and references are accurate and follow accepted academic convention.

    Levels of Achievement

    80% and above -

    the work demonstrates an exceptional level of achievement in terms of understanding and engaging with a problem or question, in critical analysis of ideas and/or examples, and in the research and presentation of material. It represents an outstanding development of the student's individual knowledge and contributes to current issues/debate. The work exceptionally exceeds the threshold profile in respect of all five criteria, or is particularly outstanding in respect of at least one of the criteria and well exceeding the threshold in respect of the others.

    70% - 79% -

    the work demonstrates a very high level of achievement in terms of understanding and engaging with a problem or question, in critical analysis of ideas and/or examples, and in the research and presentation of material. It represents very considerable development of the student's individual knowledge and strong understanding of current issues/debate. The work well exceeds the threshold profile in respect of all five criteria, or is outstanding in respect of at least one of the criteria and significantly exceeding the threshold in respect of the others.

    60% - 69% -

    the work demonstrates a high level of achievement in terms of understanding and engaging with a problem or question, in critical analysis of ideas and/or examples, and in the research and presentation of material. It represents considerable development of the student's individual knowledge and understanding of current issues/debate. The work significantly exceeds the threshold profile in respect of all five criteria, or is particularly accomplished in respect of at least one of the criteria and exceeding the threshold in respect the others.

    50% - 59% -

    the work demonstrates understanding and engagement with a problem or question, critical analysis of ideas and/or examples, and in the research and presentation of material. It represents the development of the student's individual knowledge and understanding of current issues/debate. The work exceeds the threshold profile in respect of all five criteria, or is particularly competent in respect of at least one of the criteria and meets the threshold in respect of the others.

    40% - 49% -

    the work demonstrates engagement with a problem or question, and competence in critical analysis of ideas and/or examples, and in the research and presentation of material. It represents the development of the student's individual knowledge and reasonable understanding of current issues/debate. The work meets the threshold profile in respect of all five criteria, or is more than competent in respect of at least one of the criteria and approaching the threshold in respect of the others.

    30% - 39%

    the work demonstrates a lack of engagement with aspects of the programme of study, a lack of confidence in critical analysis of ideas and/or examples, and in the research and presentation of material . It does not convey any development of the student's individual knowledge or understanding of current issues/debate. The work fails to meet the threshold profile in respect of most of the criteria.

    20% - 29% -

    the body of work is substantially incomplete and demonstrates lack of engagement with the programme of study. It does not convey any development of the student's individual knowledge or understanding of current issues/debate. The work fails to meet the threshold profile in respect of all five criteria.

    0% - 19% -

    very little evidence of engagement with the module. No evidence of progression. The work fails to meet the threshold profile in respect of all five criteria.

    * for the purpose of assessment the level of achievement is measured against the overarching profile given through the five threshold statements.

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