Object based Learning TW Workshop

Subject

  • What object-based learning is and how it can be beneficial in Art and design setting?
  • Object based learning is a learning approach that uses objects to facilitate thinking and learning in a way that is multi sensory (sight, touch, smell, sound, taste) 
  • The objects are used to stimulate the learner’s imagination and to help them apply their understanding to other contexts and issues. (Romanek & Lynch)
  • Questions and questioning, spark curiosity and generate dialogue and critical discussion.
  • Constructivism (process of knowledge construction), learning is an active process that takes into consideration the experiences and the mind of the learner. Wealth of experience
  • Bring forth what is already known 
  • Learners must be able to associate their past experiences (personal and poignant) with the material presented
  • It can be beneficial to an art and design setting as learning is usually visual and sensory. 
  • When learning in an art context we are learning about objects from our subjective lenses (richness of personal experience)
  • The dialogue produced from the object as the focal point leads to a spark in ideas (snowball, hive mind, web, brainstorm)
  • Centres a posteriori knowledge (knowledge with experience)
  • We are constantly learning.
  • We take new information, apply it to our past and construct new meaning from it.
  • Informal education, free choice (freedom to ponder) learning encourages independence (think for yourself)
  • Makes more abstract concepts real to the learners.

Questions:

Can we group the types of questions together?

Materials, Historical Implications, Aesthetic Value, Environmental Relevance, Complementary information, Object’s history, Value, Relation to other objects, Social implications, Use.

What is it used for? USE

Where did it come from? HISTORY

How was it made? PRODUCTION

Who put it together? HISTORY

What’s it made of? MATERIAL

How old it it? HISTORY

Thinking around the object, where the learning happens.

Next step, putting the objects in context (framing the bigger picture, subject, theme)

We don’t always have to know the answers. It’s about the discussion and dialogue generated.

How can students relate and bring themselves to the discussion?

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *