Teaching - Learning - Assessment
This page contains samples of some of the Units of Learning I have planned which are also linked to the overall Curriculum Plan also available on this website. On this page you will find examples of some of the units of learning I have prepared for my previous experiences in teaching. You will also find a sample lesson plan and assessment rubric for one of these units of learning that further demonstrates some of the approaches to teaching, learning, and assessment I have prepared for the classroom. The units of learning provided here illustrate my interest in integrating digital media within art and design education as well as providing rich art and visual culture references to support student engagement, foster the development of key skills and achieve crucial learning outcomes for Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle Visual Art. With my focus on the development of critical thinking skills and creative capabilities within the art and design classroom I hope to encourage young individuals to use these skills and competencies within other subject areas, in their daily lives, beyond school and in the working world.
Units of learning
Public Sculpture Design
This unit of learning was designed to accommodate a research project conducted in the 2nd Year of the PME. The research project explores whether and how specific methods grounded in IBL pedagogy can impact on the development of second-level students critical thinking and creative capacities. The unit of learning asks students to examine their surrounding environment through photography of areas in Galway city centre. The students are then asked to consider their chosen area and design a public sculpture in response to a social issue through imaginative composition and design work.
Paper Sculpture (Stop motion Animantion)
This unit of learning focuses on the investigation of household appliances and tools that have movable parts through observational drawing. The drawings are then simplified into simple 2D shapes that are then traced and repeated to construct a paper/card sculpture. The process of recreating the simplified shapes, cutting them from card, and assembling them into a sculptural form is then documented through stop motion animation and edited to present an animation alongside the sculpture they have created.
Self Portrait - Painting
The idea for this unit of learning comes from a self portrait I painted during my studio practice module during Year 1 of the PME. The portrait was inspired by Richard Gerstl’s 1907 painting titled Self Portrait Laughing in which Gerstl’s expressive laugh and emotion is captured and emphasised by strong lighting illuminating his features from below. Similarly, to my own self portrait visible on the left, in this unit of learning students are paired up and asked to take pictures of each other’s face, while shining a light source from below and making an expression. The photos are then printed and used as a reference for sketching, colour mixing and for their final painting with acrylic on board.
Assessment Practices
From my recent completion of the Professional Master of Education in Art and Design with Digital Media, I have knowledge on and experience with the most up to date assessment procedures and practices. During my two school placements, I was tasked with assessing student work by undertaking both formative and summative assessment practices. Prior to starting school placement, I also created an assessment design plan for one of my units of learning. Although this plan was designed for a specific unit of learning it is easily adaptable to suit any scheme of work. I have found that using this assessment design plan can be beneficial in helping to structure assessment practices throughout a scheme or unit of learning. The layout of this plan happens in four stages including: research, initial ideas, process of development and realised work. A variety of assessment practices can be found in each of these stages so that students can be provided with timely and relevant feedback at each stage in the unit of learning. Keeping in line with the new Junior Cycle (JC) Visual Art assessment framework, I recently also conducted a Subject Learning and Assessment Review (SLAR) with colleagues which is designed to allow teachers to engage in professional conversations about student work and maintain a fair and uniform level of standards throughout the country. The screencast video below provides more information on the JC Visual Art framework, the design plan, and outcomes of the SLAR.