- Considering what context my work will exist in
- About taking ownership of my practice
- Not just about essays
- Research is the driving force but it exists in many forms
- Relationship between all modules (studio practice, PPP, CoP) - linked through analysis, reflection and evaluation
This lecture looked into the experiential learning cycle of ...
Knowledge --> Analysis --> Comprehension --> Application --> Evaluation --> Synthesis
It highlighted the idea that the process is far more important than the outcome. This is something I feel like I began to realise last year through our studio briefs, when I started to view the success of my work through what I had experienced during the process, as opposed to how much I liked the final outcome.
CoP is supposed to be about exploring what you don't know in order to develop.
Don't focus on what you already know.
Make mistakes and embrace failure.
Idea Generation
Stimulated Approach: To generate possibilities you have to look at things external to you. It's about seeing what's there and developing individual ideas and responses to this.
Systematic Approach: Collection and modification of findings. Exploring possibilities, going through processes, working and playing with what you've got.
Intuitive Approach: Primarily based on internalised perceptions and knowledge. May be more spontaneous.
All processes are integrated. It's important to reflect upon all of these approaches and keep feeding ideas through more research.
What is Research?
- Finding facts, which leads to knowledge
- Developing and extending what you already know
- Collecting a variety and range of information from different sources
- Analysing, looking, reflecting
- Asking why? What if?
Primary Research: Specifically generated by you and targeted at a specific problem.
Secondary Research: Information that already exists, like data. Things that you collect and then analyse, or other things that have been found out that you can relate back to your subject/brief/problem.
Quantitive: 'Facts and figures' - data that can be numerically measured.
Qualitative: Beliefs, opinions, attitudes. Subjective data that cannot be measured numerically and thus cannot necessarily be proved or disproved.
What is Information?
The result of processing, manipulating and organising data in a way that adds to the knowledge of the person receiving it. Raw data is processed to create meaning. It should be sufficient, competent, relevant and useful.
We can collect information through Primary Quantitive, Primary Qualitative, Secondary Quantitive or Secondary Qualitative.
Phase 1: Assimilation - The accumulation and ordering of a range of information.
Phase 2: General Study - Investigation into the nature of the problem and possible solutions, looking at the broader aspects.
Phase 3: Development - Selection and refinement of possible solutions
Phase 4: Communication - The delivery of the solution(s) to other people.
Again, this is cyclical. So the phases can be approached in a different order, revisited or repeated etc. in order to aid knowledge and understanding as well as development and success of the outcome.
It could all start with Analysis:
- What is the problem?
- What do I need to know more about?
- What already exists?
...Developing on to Research:
- How many ideas
- Brainstorming
- Lots of possibilities
...Moving on to Evaluation:
- What answers the brief?
- What looks best?
- Does it work? etc
...Developing a Solution:
- About compromising - What you want to do/ What's possible/ What's appropriate etc
All a non-linear process.
"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing"
Wernher von Braun
I really like this quote because last year I felt like I had no idea what I was doing in CoP. I wish that had lead me to research, but this year I know that at times when I feel totally lost I should just turn to further basic research.
CoP is about developing knowledge. Research isn't just reading; it can be writing, making, discussing etc.
What do I need to know?
Theoretical Knowledge: Knowing THAT something exists/ works/ something is...
Practical Knowledge: Knowing HOW something exists/ works/ something is...
Contextual Knowledge: Knowing WHERE something exists/ works/ something is...
THAT = CoP
HOW = Studio Practice
WHERE = PPP
We've been told that there should be a better sense of synthesis in this year than first year. I think this is really important. CoP last year felt a bit detached. We only focussed on the practical element once we'd finished the written element. This year it sounds as though it's going to be far more integrated.
Research is play with a purpose. We develop an increasingly independent view of the purpose of the research and why we're doing it/ where it will take us etc.
CoP will lead us to asking the questions:
What do I want to know?
&
What do I need to know?
Every individual has their own view of the world that influences the research we do and the knowledge we aim to obtain. Independent way of looking at things - Paradigm Position
YOU are the one that defines your research.
What can we study? = Ontology - What's already out there?
How can we know more about it? = Epistemology - The theory of knowledge. How can we know? Concepts of truth, belief etc - how can we validate these. About Objectives and Subjectives
Facts (truth) ----> Knowledge <---- Opinions (beliefs)
Methodology: How do we study something
Considering Approaches, techniques, analysis, interpretation
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