Constructive Alignment in Animation

Planning Lessons and Assessment: Constructive Alignment in Animation learning and teaching

Abstract

In 1992, in order to widen participation from society in Higher Education, the UK Government introduced the Further and Higher Education Act. As part of the Act, 76 higher educational colleges, institutes and polytechnics were converted or absorbed into existing UK universities. This included most of the art colleges and art institutes in the UK. The efficient management and administration of the increased numbers of students entering the new universities has necessitated the standardization of the admission processes, design of learning and teaching practices and assessment methods. While studio practice and individual student development have always been central to learning and teaching in Art and Design, lecture and examination-based learning and teaching practices are considered the norm within Universities. This apparent incongruity of the two different types of learning and teaching practices has posed a constant challenge for Art and Design departments that are within Universities. As an attempt to examine how individualized learning and teaching for art and design might be delivered within the constraints of Art and Design education at a UK University, this paper examines the planning and assessment of two core modules in an animation programme.