DA1D06 - Self-Directed Study 1: Let’s Play 01 Sep 2024 - 31 Aug 2030 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: DA1D06
Module Title: Self-Directed Study 1: Let’s Play
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Games and Design
Faculty Sub Group: Design
Module Leader:
Module Team: Deb Jones, Emma Marshman
First Intended Intake: SEP 2024 Final Year of Intake: 2029
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 40 Credit Level: 4
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100059 - fine art
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2024
Valid To 31 Aug 2030

Module Aims

Teach skills of perception and interpretative approaches

Develop confidence, initiative and imaginative approaches to media and processes

Enable the generation of ideas, concepts, proposals, and solutions in response to set briefs and self-directed study

Enable critical engagement with the work of other practitioners, both past and present, in relation to own work

Develop skills in professional studies such as presentation, marketing and photography

Teach good practice in health and safety

Teach ethical practices when undertaking research and developing projects

Content Summary

This is a self-directed module in which the student must devise a project of their own and must have it agreed to by tutors.

Each student is required to work in media or medium of their own choice and agreed with lecturers in response to a broad project brief and the workshops previously delivered. The essence of the project must include initiatory research into ideas, processes, materials, and artists within the contexts in which each student decides to work. They must them develop an element of independence through which they will explore and further develop skills in the application of a range of processes and materials.

A key aim in this module, aside from the ability to devise and undertake an independent project, is the development of a personal visual language with which to investigate, analyse, interpret and articulate responses to a personally chosen subject matter, agreed with lecturers.

A digital visual journal will be used for primary and secondary sources, observational research, concept development, and critical evaluation of practice throughout the module, through which the student will document development.

The module will include external visits to museums and galleries, which will directly inform the research and critical understanding of each student’s practice.

By the end of the module, which will run for 12 weeks, the students will present a fully resolved, complex, conceptually underpinned, body of work in an end of year exhibition. They will then present their ideas and work to peers and tutors in a final presentation, discussing and evaluating starting points, influences, concepts and processes with an understanding of how they wish to proceed in year 2.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 4
Seminars 12
Tutorials 2
Practical Classes and Workshops 12
Supervised Time in Studio/Workshop 42
Independent Study 160
Directed Study (including online independent learning) 138
Formative Assessment (Scheduled) 2
Groupwork 12
External Visits (including fieldtrips) 12
Problem/Challenge based learning 4
Total Hours Selected 400

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Research, synthesise, and critique knowledge, underlying concepts, and principles of creative visual practice and theory both within and outside the context in which they were first studied.
LO2 Analyse own and others’ practical and intellectual practices with a global focus and apply learning to the development of new understanding and ways of working.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Project Output 1 Coursework and Visual Journal completed in response to project 0 N/A 80 No 40
Synchronous Onsite Oral Assessment Oral Assessment (Internally assessed, Onsite) 1 Presentation of research topic 10 N/A 20 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Project Output 1
Oral Assessment (Internally assessed, Onsite) 1

Reading List

Cotton, C. (2021) The Photograph as Contemporary Art. London: Thames & Hudson.

Demos, T. J., Scott, E. E., & Banerjee, S. (2022) The Routledge Companion to Contemporary Art, Visual Culture, and Climate Change. London & New York: Routledge.

Godfrey, T. (2020) The Story of Contemporary Art. London: Thames & Hudson.

Grau, O. & Hinterwaldner, I. (2020) Retracing Political Dimensions: Strategies in Contemporary New Media Art. Danube: De Gruyter.

Jiehong, J. (2021) The Art of Contemporary China. London: Thames & Hudson.

Hudson, S. (2021) Contemporary Painting. London: Thames & Hudson.

Nagawa, M. & Alkauskas, K. (2024) Insistent Presence: Contemporary African Art from the Chazen Collection. London: Thamaes & Husdon.

Paul, C. (2022) A Companion to Digital Art. Chichester: Wiley.

Ramírez, M. C. (2016) Contingent Beauty: Contemporary Art from Latin America. Houston: Museum of Fine Arts/ Yale University Press.

Tormey, J, Selby, A., Sawdon, P., Marshall, R. & Downs, S. (2019) Drawing Now: Between the Lines of Contemporary Art. London: Bloomsbury.