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Holt, J., 2021.

Designing filmmaking: shaping first-year curriculum for transition, progression and effective collaboration

Output Type:Journal article
Publication:Art, Design and Communication in Higher Education
Publisher:Intellect
ISBN/ISSN:1474-273X
URL:www.ingentaconnect.com/content/intellect/adche/2021/00000020/00000002/art00005;jsessionid=23x7swv9qnpmr.x-ic-live-02#
Volume/Issue:20 (2)
Pagination:pp. 185-200

This article evaluates a transition intervention project aimed at first-year undergraduate filmmaking students in the Manchester School of Art. In response to recently identified shifts in confidence and resilience linked to an increased rate of withdrawal, a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning research project was undertaken to address the issue and develop a transition strategy to promote engagement, confidence and progression. Research into studies of first-year transition and retention, and an analysis of both the pedagogical context of the course and wider ecology of the discipline, informed a remodelling of the autumn term curriculum with a focus on the first six weeks of study. The research revealed key themes of consequence to first-year curriculum design, including the impact of art and design's 'pedagogy of ambiguity' and the significance of belongingness and community to filmmaking students.