module specification

SM5073 - Workshop Leadership (2024/25)

Module specification Module approved to run in 2024/25
Module title Workshop Leadership
Module level Intermediate (05)
Credit rating for module 15
School School of Art, Architecture and Design
Total study hours 150
 
114 hours Guided independent study
36 hours Scheduled learning & teaching activities
Assessment components
Type Weighting Qualifying mark Description
Coursework 70%   Plan and deliver a workshop drawing on practical and researched best practice
Coursework 30%   Submit a written plan supporting your workshop
Running in 2024/25

(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change)
Period Campus Day Time Module Leader
Spring semester North Wednesday Afternoon

Module summary

In this module you will gain the skills and experience to confidently lead theatre and performance workshops within a wide range of community contexts and is designed to facilitate your progress from theatre student to creative practitioner.  You will explore games, exercises and strategies to engage, inspire and develop creativity and skills with others in group work.  You will be introduced to pedagogic and leadership theories to stimulate workshop design and address the concerns and practical implications of professional/client group communication.  We will use evaluation and feedback processes to guide the planning and delivery of your own workshop with an accompanying plan. Insight, knowledge and skills into the potential and methodologies of workshop leading within the wider context of participatory and performative theatre work.

Prior learning requirements

SM4010
Available for Study Abroad? YES

Syllabus

Students will have the opportunity to observe and participate in practical sessions and seminars led by professional workshop leaders and be introduced to different theories and methodologies for leading creative learning and engagement activities in theatre and associated environments. We will consider ways to assess client needs, engage with different groups, and utilise feedback in a reflexive learning environment towards the development of a responsive praxis.
In exploring the leading of workshops towards community engagement we will consider questions such as: what do we mean by the word community? what might the facilitation of new skills and the value of creative performing arts practices be in that context?
The first half of the module will provide practical exercise and workshop experiences relating to particular case studies and objectives: this will lead onto the examination and exploration of the skills and strategies required for workshop leading towards the planning and delivery of workshop in external community environments and/or in a final workshop festival and the submission of an accompanying workshop plan.

Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity

This module involves practical studio based workshops underpinned by independent research and reflective activities.
Scheduled teaching provides the guidance and foundation to ensure that independent study is effective in addressing the module’s learning outcomes and assessment tasks.

In-class activity makes use of varied student-centred approaches such as active and blended learning, so that a range of learning strategies is deployed, and individual learning styles are accommodated. Information is provided through a range of means and sources to minimise and remove barriers to successful progress through the module. The course team seeks to embed the University’s Education for Social Justice Framework in fostering learning that is enjoyable, accessible, relevant and that takes account of the social and cultural context and capital of its students.

Activities foster peer-to-peer community building and support for learning. Reflective learning is promoted through interim formative feedback points that ask students to reflect on their progress, receive help where they identify the opportunity for improvement in learning strategies and outcomes and make recommendations to themselves for future development. Throughout the module, students build a body of work, including written reflections on progress and achievement.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module you will:

Knowledge and understanding
LO1 understand the creative learning possibilities that can be gained through participatory performative workshops and their application and articulation in community and professional environments

Transferable skills
LO2 demonstrate knowledge of leadership styles and learning methods in the context of best practice for engaging with different client groups in practical creative workshops.

Subject specific skills
LO3 utilise a range of exercises and methodologies in the design and delivery of a practical theatre workshops with supporting written plan articulating clear aims.

Behaviours and values
LO4  use inclusive engagement and leadership methods to encourage different group’s participation in activities with transformative potential

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