No Outcome / New Term

--> Whoa. I can’t believe I have neglected this for so long! Working at two institutions really took it’s toll and I needed a big break this summer. I was super lucky to go to Japan! Which was amazing.! I also bought a house (eeek!) so you can imagine those two activities have taken over my time over the last few months, as well as having a well deserved rest. It’s the start of a new term now though, I’m three weeks back in, which leaves you feeling whether the summer break actually did happen or not? Last week I kick started the new term at the annual Graphic Design Educators Network at the fabulous Institute for Arts in Sheffield. I spoke about No Outcome – a paper I’ve delivered at three separate conferences now. No Outcome is a fortnightly workshop I run at Nottingham Trent University, where students have the opportunity to make and play free from the pressure of assessment. I believe that assessment can kill innovation and students, who saddled with a huge fee and looming debt, are acting like consumers. I passionately do not want them to see education as a product to be purchased, with a degree classification – or any grade, at any stage, becoming a currency that they exchange for a job. I want them to learn and play and make and take risks and grow and intrinsically make and play for the sake of making and playing not for any external gain – or worry.  The paper was well received and I met some amazing other lecturers and academics who I hope to collaborate with this up and coming year. I love this back-to-school, new start vibe around this time of year. Perhaps that’s the outlook I can have with this blog… new start, back on it.