BUILDING BRIDGES

1. BUILDING BRIDGES Interdisciplinary design based education projects involving I.T. delivery ; Reflections on 2 case studies

2. BUILDING BRIDGES • Format: • BACKGROUND: PRACTICE / EDUCATION CROSSOVER • BACKGROUND CASE STUDIES PROGRAM • BACKGROUND - I.T. AS EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY TOOL • CASE STUDY A ISSUES EXPLORED & REFERENCES • CASE STUDY A FEEDBACK & REFLECTIONS • CASE STUDY B ISSUES EXPLORED & REFERENCES • CASE STUDY B FEEDBACK & REFLECTIONS • REFLECTIONS, DEVELOPMENTS & FUTURES :PRACTICE / EDUCATION CROSSOVER / INTERDISCIPLINARITY • REFERENCES

3. BUILDING BRIDGES • BACKGROUND PRACTICE / EDUCATION CROSSOVER • practising landscape architectworking mainly in participatory / community development contexts within regeneration initiatives and health sector environments • diverse types of clients and project teamprofessionals/ lay people • interdisciplinary working is vital to: • effectively develop relevant brief& project design / development programme • facilitate equitable inputof all stakeholders in the process • maximise the creative potentialof all parties and the of the project as a whole • overcome traditional barriersbetween development / design professions which lead to misunderstanding, inefficiency, antagonism, mistrust and stifle creative potential. • model this approach in education through involving practice clients / project teams in educational projects. This has, without exception, proved a mutually beneficial arrangement for all parties concerned

4. BUILDING BRIDGES • BACKGROUND CASE STUDIES PROGRAM • 1997: Ivybridge - Landscape Strategy for 2011 Structure Plan Housing Implications: (South Hams District Council), (PGDip Landscape Design course) • 1998: Modbury – Conservation Area Landscape Appraisal (Modbury Society & South Hams District Council), (PGDip Landscape Design course) • 1999: Barne Barton – Community Landscape Development Strategy (Barne Barton Community Forum & Plymouth City Council), (PGDip Landscape Design course) • 1999: Community Food Production and Nutrition Project, C.R.O.P.S Project / Keyham, Plymouth (community participatory design exercise by Architecture degree students, a Community Trust and Plymouth City Council), (BA Hons Architecture Stage 2 & 3 Option Project) • 1999 Plymouth City Centre Urban Landscape Analysis & Strategic Development Project – (Plymouth City Council Urban Design Group) (PGDip Landscape Design course) • 2000: Rame Peninsula – Sustainable Tourism Strategy (Project Explore & Caradon District Council), (PGDip Landscape Design course) • 2000: Therapeutic Courtyard Design, J.A.C.A.T. Centre, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (collaboration between degree students from Designer-Maker course in Exeter and Architecture students in Plymouth for practice client, Exeter Health Care Arts), (BA Hons Architecture Stage 2 & 3 Option Project) • 2001: Liskerret Centre, Liskeard – Landscape Design, Community Support Facility,(Liskerret Project & Caradon District Council). (PGDip Landscape Design) • 2001: Ecumenical Meditation Courtyard & Pavilion Design (Kingsbridge Community College), (BA Hons Architecture Stage 2 & 3 Option Project) • 2001 – 2002 Plymouth East End Renewal - Community Urban Landscape Strategy (Plymouth City East End Renewal Partnership) (PGDip Landscape Design course) • 2002 Combined University of Cornwall, Tremough – Campus Landscape Design (Collaboration with Falmouth College of Arts, Duchy College), (PGDip Landscape Design course) • 2002 Royal Naval College, Dartmouth – Campus Landscape Design (Collaboration with Falmouth College of Arts, Duchy College), (PGDip Landscape Design course)

5. BUILDING BRIDGES; • BACKGROUND - I.T. AS EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY TOOL • RATIO (European Objective 2 & 5B – 1997 / 8) teleconferencing network training video programs “Community Empowerment” • aims of this project: • facilitate delivery of learning to widely distributed students remote from conventional centres of learning. • provide accessible learning resource of course reference material. • provide venue for non-site based interactive learning / teaching. • provide a common platform for exchange between diverse audiences / users • As Course Director PgDip Landscape Design & Studio Tutor BA Hons Architecture, developed tutorial support and coursework development via e-mail and e-mail forums

6. BUILDING BRIDGES • CASE STUDY A ISSUES EXPLORED & REFERENCES • I.T. AS EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY TOOL • continuous access to teaching / learning resources • continuity of postgraduate conversation / use peer support as a learning resource. • visiting lecturers / on-line participation • continuity across the course / on-line record / reference resource. • Marlanddeep learning, peer self education • Forsyth, Joliffe & Stevenstechnical skills acquisition / barriers of language • Sharpe R. & Bailey“Flexible access...Time for reflection, reference & response...Interaction among large numbers (especially one to many)...Encouraging clarity of expression...Formalisation of knowledge on an indexable, searchable system...Easy to learn, robust technology...” • Race & Brown “study syndicates/ agony column / café” • PRACTICE / EDUCATION CROSSOVER • Plymouth City Council Centre, Urban Design Group for the student coursework • Analogy of forum structure as rooms within a building • INTERDISCIPLINARY WORKING • to investigate, analyse and reflect on the site from a variety of interrelated user client perspectives • coursework to comprise an Urban Landscape Analysis & Strategic Development Project.

7. BUILDING BRIDGES • CASE STUDY A FEEDBACK & REFLECTIONS • I.T. AS EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY TOOL • The balance of core- assessed coursework to non-assessed e-mail forum • separately assessed e-mail coursework to complement a conventional component in the pilot exercise. Ratio of 75% conventional coursework: 25% email forum coursework. • Follow with a 100% e-mail forum based coursework component. • Follow with a mix of e-mail based and conventional coursework as skills and familiarity increase. • E-mail forum contribution over-complexity“collaborative” learning as “added value”Graham G., Scarborough, H., & Goodwin C. • Technological Issues & User familiarity with e-mail forum • training / familiarisation exercise across half of the programme as a staff supervised element of the programme • Trailing the e-mail forum with the students as a non -assessed component with a series of simple assessed tasks across one module • more substantial involvement of the forum in subsequent modules. • PRACTICE / EDUCATION CROSSOVER • mature response / respect for feedback • INTERDISCIPLINARY WORKING • appropriate challenging brief / innovative respectful response

8. BUILDING BRIDGES • CASE STUDY B ISSUES EXPLORED & REFERENCES • PRACTICE / EDUCATION CROSSOVER • Client mission statement to involve abroad spectrum of artist / maker / environmental designers in the furnishing of the health care environments • Diverse, site specific client/ tutor team: Psychologist / clinician / councillor Arts administrator, Artist / maker, Landscape architect • I.T. AS EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY TOOL • Case study A used to generate a responsive course design for the second Case Study • Facilitate effective distance communication for design development collaboration • Provide a common language of communication between 2 groups of design-based students from different disciplines. • INTERDISCIPLINARY WORKING • Shared general brief / Specific variations incorporating objective & outcome variation • shared process Schonunderstanding the means and methods employed and results achieved, within a “ACTION (in spontaneous routines) /SURPRISE RESULT (failure) / REFLECTION / QUESTIONING ASSUMPTIONS (testing) / ON THE SPOT INNOVATION & EXPERIMENTADAPTION (based on circumstances) “ • Group work assessment design- Gibbs & Habeshaw negotiated brief, outcomes, product within outcome framework • Student / Peer Review in Formative Stage Assessment • Shared group grade / specificity from pre-negotiation

9. BUILDING BRIDGES • CASE STUDY B FEEDBACK & REFLECTIONS • PRACTICE / EDUCATION CROSSOVER • objective feedback from the full range of professionals involved. • INTERDISCIPLINARY WORKING • Peer review at formative stage only • cultural issues • I.T. AS EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY TOOL • Strengths • Student: • frequent communication / exchange a wider range of information / wider access & contact with tutor • Teaching Staff: • opportunity for continuity of teaching / learning • shared environment with students / staff from different backgrounds communicate. • Weaknesses • Student: • difficulty in maintaining a conversational design development • Teaching Staff: • variable levels of access and confidentiality - reduced the possibilities and ease of communications • Opportunities • Student: • un-pressurised, considered refection before response / debate and formulate response / air criticisms • time saving flexibility of development processes. • Teaching Staff: • Time efficient, flexible learning delivery environment • Opportunity for remote teaching and learning • Threats • Students & Teaching Staff: • Lack of participation • Cultural differences • memory transfer capacity

10. BUILDING BRIDGES • REFLECTIONS, DEVELOPMENTS & FUTURES • PRACTICE / EDUCATION CROSSOVER / INTERDISCIPLINARITY • Shamanism, mystery & opportunity • Recognition of the value of difference • Common ground, a semiotic ‘Check Point Charlie’ • Understanding design cultures, intensity of programme, space to learn and peer educate • Appropriate learning paths / acceptance of risk in the early stages & negotiated briefs

11. BUILDING BRIDGES • REFERENCES • Sharpe R. & Bailey P.‘Evaluation and design of technologies to meet learning outcomes”, Issue 15 1999 Journal of Computer Assisted Learning pp. 179-188, • Graham G., Scarborough, H., & Goodwin C.,Implementing Computer Mediated Communications in an Undergraduate Course- A Practical Experience, JALN Volume 3, Issue 1 May 1999, p.9 of 14 • Schon D.A.,Educating the Reflective Practitioner, Jossey Bass Inc., 1987, San Francisco. • Gibbs G., Habeshaw S. & T.,53 Interesting Ways to Assess Your Students, Technical & Educational Services Ltd., 1986, Bristol. • Gibbs G.,Learning in Teams: A Tutor Guide, Oxford Centre for Staff Development, 1995, Oxford. • Marland P., Towards More Effective Open and Distance Teaching, Kogan Page, 1997, London. • Forsyth I., Joliffe A., & Stevens D.,Preparing a Course, Kogan Page, 1995, London. • Race R. & Brown S.,500 Tips for Tutors, Kogan Page, 1993, London.