Designing the Future Vocational Applied Learning Conference Launceston June 2009 Tam Paul Professional Learning Team Tasmanian Polytechnic

Playscapes Project

The Spiral Garden Art is the vehicle through which we make connections between our inner life and the world. The world is a mystery and through the arts we engage in dialogue with the mystery. The arts give us forms that allow us to express ourselves in ways that integrate the head, heart and hands.

Who is Involved? Boat Harbour Primary School students, teachers and parents Students and teachers from Childrens Services, Construction and Art, Craft and Design departments of the Polytechnic Artist in residence Anne Dunham

The Task Make a series of playground sculptures - Playscapes – in the form of mobile picture frames that enable changing views of the landscape and environment in the Boat Harbour Primary School grounds Create sculptures that will become part of the learning and play experiences of the students

How will it work? Anne Dunham will conduct a series of initial workshops to explore the possibilities of materials such as metals, wood, clay, glass, enamel and mosaics Polytechnic students will travel to the school and work on site Parents and community members will contribute expertise and resources

Student Learning Outcomes Execute project – from idea to exhibition Design and create their own works for a specific purpose, ie, sculptures that interact with their environment and enhance their play spaces Develop skills and techniques working with materials such as wood, metal and glass Exhibit their works in the grounds of Boat Harbour Primary School to the wider community

Applied Learning (Herrington, Reeves, Oliver, 2003) ill-defined, complex tasks, with real-world relevance sustained over a period of time provide different perspectives provide the opportunity to collaborate and reflect inter-disciplinary integrated with the assessment create polished products valuable in their own right allow competing solutions and diversity of outcome

Elements of Effective Learning relevant and interesting active and engaging flexible and adaptable practical and reflective self-directed and supported meaningful assessment

Students are our Assets Discover their talents and passion Nurture their abilities Realise their potential

Ken Robinson Its education that will take us into this future we cannot grasp We dont grow into creativity, we grow out of it... Or rather we get educated out of it Creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value which comes about through inter-disciplinary ways of seeing things

Some more inspiration…