Crafting in a virtual space: words and pictures

Hayes, Tracy ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6330-6520 (2021) Crafting in a virtual space: words and pictures. In: Learning and Teaching Fest: Sustaining our Development in Digital Learning, Teaching and Student Support, 7 July 2021, Online. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Craft has diverse meanings and uses. Here, we are going to use it in two ways: firstly, to refer to crafting stories with words (Hayes, 2020; Hayes, 2021a). We may choose to tell a tale, but it takes skill to ‘… craft something with power, something with emotion, something that lives and breathes within the hearts and minds of audiences ...’ (Hull, 2011). This draws on approaches used in creative nonfiction. Secondly, to refer to things that can be created using simple, everyday objects that can be creatively repurposed. This draws on approaches used in early years’ education. We can think of these as a form of applied creativity, whereby the crafting process transforms an idea into something tangible – an artefact - that can be shared with others (after Gauntlett, 2011). Crafting in this way can be an effective way of promoting participation and social interaction in a tacit way that bridges any communication challenges (Larmour et al., 2021) by shifting the focus away from more direct, potentially uncomfortable (discomforting) methods. The focus of the session is not on craft that is created alone, it is on crafting together, for example in a teaching session. We will put this into practice as we share experiences of crafting within research methods modules on BA Working with Children and Families – the challenges and joys of sharing pictures and stories in virtual spaces when we would much rather be together in one space. What I am taking forward from my experiences of teaching, learning and assessment during the Covid-19 pandemic, is that we need to retain space for ad hoc and informal creative methods that enable us to respond in a less pre-planned, more relaxed and playful way. This is something that can be encouraged across other subjects, so that it does not matter how skilled or creative we perceive ourselves to be, we can all join in without fearing critique (Hayes, 2021b).

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Departments:	Institute of Health > Social Work, Children and Families
Depositing User:	Tracy Hayes
Date Deposited:	03 Sep 2021 13:06
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2024 12:30
URI:	https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/6213

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