Self Evaluation Form

Self-Evaluation Form
Course title: BA (Hons) TEXTILE DESIGN
Student name: Amy Bairstow Date: 25/01/13	Unit title: UNIT 1  Introduction to Study in Higher Education
Your work will be assessed against the marking criteria specified below.  The process of self-evaluation enables you to reflect upon how well you have met the marking criteria. In the spaces below, identify and evaluate your learning and development with reference to the marking criteria:

Research: Systematic identification and investigation of appropriate sources – How thorough was your visual and textual research for your Rough Guide project and the study tasks on your blog? During the Rough Guide project I feel I used visual research predominantly to collect information, through taking photographs to document both specific details and overall atmospheres of my area I gathered a range of visual research to support the project. Textually, I wrote myself notes in my sketch book to gather information quickly or to portray the sound of an area. With more time, I could defiantly improve my reaseach both visally and textually, by focusing more specifically in one area of Brich Lane, rather then attempting to cover the entire breadth of it. On the study tasks on my blog, I have supported tasks with both textual and visual research, by using my own images, my own work and images to support my text. I have used both books from the library and the internet to source my textual research, however it has predominantly been internet research, and so could improve research by going to the library to source more information from books and academic texts. Analysis: Examination and interpretation of resources – How well have you selected and made decisions in choosing visual material for your Rough guide and also the analysis in your rough guide study task and other study tasks for the blog. For the Rough Guide, I had a few options that I could have used as visual material, as discussions with my peers lead to a variety of possible choices to use for the page manipulation. However, I feel I made the decision with the brief of manipulating 100 pages in mind, and so chose a plain page that I could then develop. Once I had selected my page, I stuck with my decision and therefore found it easier to develop each page in a slightly different way. On my study tasks I have continuously selected and made decisions in attempt to make my posts more concise and interesting. The balance between my visual material and my textual research has been considered by interjecting images in amongst the text to make it easier and more desirable to read. Having said this, in reflection, some of my study tasks contain too much visual material, and so the point I am trying to make in that post, is overdone and can become repetitive in some areas. However overall I feel I have made decisions about visual material well by maintaining a balance throughout the Rough Guide adn the Blog study tasks.   Subject knowledge: Understanding and application of subject knowledge and underlying principles – How well have you gathered new knowledge and applied it to the Rough guide and research for this and your study tasks? By collecting information through my own personal experiences in the form of drawings and notations, I feel I gathered a much greater knowledge of the area of study. For instance, the Rough Guide enabled me to build upon two sketch books full of new knowledge I had acquired just through looking and observing the area. My study tasks have really encouraged me to find new knowledge and I have ensured to research around the task at hand in order to write the task. I found it essential to gather both primary and secondary research throughout the study tasks, by visiting the area of study and taking pictures, writing personal notes, and then supporting and furthering my knowledge my researching around that subject. I could improve my subject knowledge my reading more academic texts to develop my understanding and keeping up to date with blogs to help me with less formative texts. Communication and presentation: Clarity of purpose; skills in the selected media; awareness and adoption of appropriate conventions; sensitivity to the needs of the audience – how well have you carried this out in relation to your projects? I have found it quite difficult to adopt the appropriate conventions of blog writing, as I  have struggled to find an appropriate balance between being analytical and colloquial. In the study tasks, where we are encouraged to embed quotations, I have struggled with being analytical in these sections, as other posts follow a more laid back approach and so am aware of a jagged structure to my blog. However I have ensured a sensitive approach to the target audience in places by being aware of a more informal tone, with options of adding humour in places and bringing personality to my writing. I have also used images and taken care with layouts of my blog in following the conventions of other blogs. In certain posts on the other hand, I am aware I have taken on a more formal tone and so could have been more sensitive to the needs of the audience, however I have used these different tones of writing in response to the task set. Personal and professional development: Management of learning through reflection, planning, self-direction, subject engagement and commitment. how well have you managed your time in this unit and reflected in your blog? Have you understood and read all the Health and Safety advice and attended the induction on this? I have used my blog as a place to reflect on technical blocks, drawing days, lectures and my own work development and feel it has helped me keep track of my progress. Using the blog has also helped me manage my time, as reflecting after a day’s work has sometimes inspired me to try a new approach of working the next day. I also used my blog as a way of documenting my work through taking photographs of it at different stages of development. This really encouraged me to constantly document and reflect whilst enabling me to see all my work on one post, this way I could eliminate the sections I felt wasn't working or that I needed to work harder at. During the drawing workshops I could have managed my time better, as some drawing days I didn't produce as much quality work that I wanted to. Managing my time better could have ensured better quality drawings as I felt at a constant rush to produce as many drawings as I could instead of taking the time to consider the lines I was creating. The blog has defiantly made me take a much more professional approach to my work as posting it online made me value it more, taking care in the presentation and documentation. I have attended the Health and Safety induction and am aware of the precautions needed to be taken when setting up an exhibition space, how to ensure safety in the studios and who to go to in the case of an emergency.