OUIL501 self evaluation

OUIL501 Self-evaluation

To begin on a positive note, I think in some aspects of CoP I have made great improvements on last year, especially regarding my written submission. The topic I chose to write about was so interesting to me that I really, really enjoyed the research period and think I managed to take a very thorough and balanced approach to this research, which I’m sure will put me in good stead for CoP3 next year. I definitely learned a lot about research, and feel I am becoming more confident in being able to draw connections between different texts and schools of thought that may not be apparent at first. I’m glad that I managed to find a topic to write about that was not directly related to illustration, as I feel that this discipline can feel too inward looking, but that was still related to me via the broader field of the visual arts.

Although I think I am starting to get my head around how CoP works, in truth I still feel

a strong disconnect between the written and practical sides of the module. I really struggled to make

visual documentation throughout the first half of the year. In fact, it was only really when I had a

fully formed essay that I felt able to start making practical work. I found it very hard to balance the

acts of writing and researching with drawing, the two parts are not working together for me yet.

Perhaps this is just an example of poor time management skills, and I realise I will have to improve

upon this next year.  My main concern about moving forward into CoP 3 is that I have not made

sufficient progress in synthesising the two halves of the module. At least I know that this is an issue I

have, and so I will be prepared to ask for help and perhaps try and find new ways to approach work

if I suspect. Hopefully the more regular 1-1 tutor contact for CoP 3 will help keep me on track.

Although the consistency of my practical output during this module was poor, I am actually very

pleased with my final practical outcome. Once I hit upon the idea everything else – the content, the

aesthetics – fell into place very organically and (to me) justifiably. It is hard to comment on how

different my outcome would be had I been more diligent in sketchbooking etc, because I think my

outcome is effective. It may be simple, but it is considered, and fun, (I hope) an interesting response

to an interesting topic. Successes in previous modules certainly helped me with the book format.

One thing that I have really struggled with in CoP this year is consistency. The ‘long & thin’ structure of the module, with fewer classes spread more thinly across the year has meant that all too often I’ve been getting to stressed out and busy with other modules and that CoP has been shelved, in favour of other things that have seemed more urgent at that moment in time. I realise that this is completely the wrong way to approach CoP, and means that I have lost out on the opportunity to build on the time management skills that I will inevitably need next year.

Although it has been tough at times, I’m still proud of the work I have done for CoP this year. There is still a lot I need to accomplish in terms of really getting my head around how the module works as a whole, and I hope to be able to move forward by getting really stuck into both research and visual investigation over the summer; I am determined to have a good head start by the time we come back in September. My main aim for CoP 3 is to start managing a cohesive body of work, which fits together under an overarching question, rather than two distinctive ‘written’ and ‘practical’ elements. Both parts of my work need to be feeding off of each other, in a way that is almost cyclical.  The successes that I had in researching my topic this year mean that I am actually looking forward to beginning research for my dissertation, and the trouble I had with my practical work is making me more determined to smooth this problem out next year, and move forward successfully.