Object-based self-enquiry: A multi- and trans- disciplinary pedagogy for transformational learning

Abstract

This article reflects on the coming together of two pedagogic practices – museological teaching practice and learning development – to develop a form of object-based self-enquiry. This teaching practice has emerged from a shared practitioner interest in the use of museum and special collection objects as mediating artefacts (Vygotsky, 1978; Engeström, 1999) for increasing learning awareness. It considers the design and development of workshops which use museum objects as a focus for surfacing student self-perception of the role of values, assumptions and habits of mind in meaningful learning, particularly where these become influenced by disciplinary ways of thinking and practicing. 

Keywords

object-based learning, learning awareness, self-enquiry, transdisciplinarity

Author Biography

Graham Barton

Following an early career in commercial property as a Chartered Surveyor, Graham Barton switched to parallel careers in performing arts, as a musician/sound designer/producer, and Higher Education, in the latter specialising in English for Academic Purposes and Learning Development. His educational interests have emerged from these personal and professional changes, and from finding ways to draw on educational theories as vehicles to help learners engage with transformative learning. Areas of pedagogic research interest include academic study as creative practice, contemplative practices for self-enquiry in learning, sound arts practice, threshold concepts and practices, disciplinary discourses, three-dimensional conceptual mapping and other creative methodologies for developing student meta-, epistemic- and systemic cognition.

Judy Willcocks

Judy Willcocks is Head of the Central Saint Martins Museum and Study Collection (UAL) and an Associate of the Museums Association with twenty years’ experience of working in museums. She has a long-standing interest in developing the use of museum collections to support teaching and learning in higher education and teaches an archiving unit for Central Saint Martins’ MA in Culture, Criticism and Curation. Judy is also interested in developing relationships between universities and museums in the broader sense and is the co-founder for the Arts Council funded Share Academy project, exploring the possibilities of cross-sector partnerships.

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