Critical thinking skills workshops for OCA textiles students

Critical thinking skills are vital if you are going to be successful in your undergraduate studies but organising your thoughts in this way can feel confusing and mysterious. From the conversations I have had with many of you on the textile’s forum and with my individual students it is clear that lots of you desire more support and guidance. What I also picked up is that there is a feeling you need a safe place to ask questions and voice your concerns. Therefore, during this coming November, I will be leading 3 online study workshops for textiles students based around the critical thinking skills required for degree level study.
The sessions will be held via google meet on 3 consecutive Wednesdays from 5pm – 6.30pm and they will be open to all levels of study including foundations level.
The workshops will be a combination of tutor led presentation then subsequent open discussion. You will receive expert tutor advice and support in a friendly informal group setting. Allowing you to ask those tricky questions and develop your knowledge of academic thinking skills. Whether you have some understanding of critical thinking or no idea at all, these workshops will be suitable to you.

Session 1: 14 November

Introduction to critical thinking skills. Looking at what contextual research is.

Session 2: 21 November

How to analyse your own creative activity and output.

Session 3: 28 November

Explore reflective thinking and shaping your learning log.

The first session will introduce you to what critical thinking skills are and why they are important in academic study.  We will also investigate the value contextual research, where to look and how to go about it. Analysing your own work will be discussed in the second session.  We will start this by looking at my own art practices, the decisions I have made and how I have used contextual research to support this. The final workshop will be based on reflective thinking and learning log writing.  This will bring together what you have learnt in the first two sessions and help to consolidate your learning.
Once you have signed up you will be sent some preparatory material and guidance on using google meet a few days before the workshops.
To request a place on this workshop please complete the form by 10 November. Please note there is a non-refundable* £5 booking fee per student for this event. Payment links will be sent by the OCA accounts team.
If you have any questions please contact coursesupport@oca.ac.uk or myself – rebeccafairley@oca.ac.uk.  I look forward to seeing you in November.

Critical thinking skills workshop aims and learning outcomes.

Aims

1. To introduce the range of thinking skills required at undergraduate study
2. To enable the deliberate and well thought through study of contextual research
3. To encourage a more informed analysis of creative output, whether this textile sampling, drawing or other forms of artistic endeavour
4. To develop good quality reflective thinking that is recorded succinctly in a learning log

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the 3 workshops you will be able to

1. Understand the importance and relevance of critical thinking skills in undergraduate study
2. Identify the different aspects of critical thinking in relation to contextual research, analysis of creative output and reflective thinking
3. Use the range of critical thinking skills to analyse the work of others and your own creative endeavours
4. Bring together the strands of critical thinking to make informed judgements in the development of your creative practice.