SDP Learning Agreement

I have included my learning agreement in my blog as I think it will be useful to look back on as I progress in this project. I found it really quite difficult to wrote this as I have never done one before and was not sure what to include.


NAME:                                   Mikaela Dowling    

COURSE:                             BA (Hons) Costume with Performance Design        

UNIT TITLE:                                    Self Directed Project                    

REF. NO./LEVEL:               CSS518

WEIGHTING:                        2.0      

DURATION:                         9 Weeks       

HOURS OF STUDY:          300 Hours    

Unit Leader:                         Adele Keeley

DESCRIPTION:

For this assignment I will be designing and creating a proto type costume for the ‘Spirit of the Sea’ carnival in Weymouth. I will look at mythological sea beasts to inspire my design. I will also be working alongside a school in the Weymouth area to mass produce my proto type for a group of year 5 students (approximately 20 costumes to create). I will go into the school a number of times to help the children create/decorate their costume to be worn in the procession. As the young children will be wearing the eye catching costumes, I need to consider a number of things when designing them and making the prototype, such as the weight of it and how it will be worn/carried. When making the prototype I will also need to consider that the procession is on the windy sea front so the costume will have to withstand this.

As the project is self initiated, and I will be working independently for most of it, I will create a timetable to effectively plan my time.

I decided to do the ‘Spirit of the Sea’ project as it gives me a unique chance to do both the designing and the making of a costume proto type. I also wanted to do a project were I could be creative, and have the freedom to take the project in any direction, but with a few general limitations. Even though I am a maker I feel it is important to be able to display ideas and create designs, and this is one of my weaknesses. I will work in a sketch book and try and present it all effectively, showing my research, development and designs, improving my presentation skills. I also wanted to work on this project as it gives me a chance to teach, and work on something extremely exaggerated at the same time. One of the main learning objectives for me would be how to work with and communicate my ideas to the children, but also taking into consideration their creativity and how to work that into my design. This would be great practise as I am considering teaching in my future. I also want to use the university workshop as I have only used basic stuff in there before. I think with some guidance I would be able to create something extravagant in there, at the same time learn new techniques and how to use machinery that I have never used before. These new techniques and skills, would be useful as they could be used in other projects and areas of study. Also, being able to use the specialist machinery would be helpful as I could take this with me into industry.

For this assignment I will design and create a proto type costume to be used in the ‘Spirit of the Sea’ carnival. I will also create a supporting sketchbook to show how the project has developed from start to finish. I will take my proto type to the carnival organisers to see if it is suitable and in keeping with the carnival. If so, I will then make the base of 20 costumes to take into the school I have been assigned and work alongside the children to bring them to life. I will also create a blog to keep record of my development. I will keep my costume quite basic as I do not think in the time allowed I could make 20 extremely extravagant costumes. I will however think of ways to make the costumes simple, but very effective. 

Aims:

A1       To provide opportunities for self-initiated, autonomous learning

            and develop the ability to plan time and work independently

A2       To provide opportunity to study the contextual development of costume and performance design

A3       To further develop the creative, intellectual and practical applications of research and contextualisation within a self initiated environment

A4       To propose, develop and evaluate professional aspirations through professional development planning

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this unit you will be able to:

LO1     Identify and define the context for the development of your own work towards professional aspirations

LO2     Demonstrate an understanding of the development of Costume with performance design

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LO3     Have developed the creative, intellectual and practical applications of research and contextualisation

LO4    Consolidate and demonstrate professional aspirations and planning                      through your Progress File