Every year we welcome a new cohort of students from all corners of the globe and all types of cultural background, all very eager to learn techniques and principles particular to their field of study.
I want to break the methodology we teach open somewhat, partly in de-colonising the curriculum and also to embrace the “Roots” of many of the techniques we use. We teach what we feel to be the “correct” method but these methods are simply homogenized variations on principles that have been gathered from around the globe and regulated within our own style and twist as there is no strictly correct method just one in a long line of variations and many of which having derived from the respective countries that we gather our students from where the root technique may have been used for hundreds of years.
I’m hoping that we can forster a greater sense of inclusivity when we appreciate diverse cultural practices rather than forcing singular cultural norms for craft and design methodology.
I propose a branch of Technical moodle that perhaps other departments can build on where we have the induction methods with video and written information that we are accustomed to but then a breakdown in various other methods from around the world of how similar techniques are carried out, all recorded and growing each year.
This could encourage studio breakout sessions for students to demonstrate methods to their cohort and explain the historical context for the methods. We also run wednesday lecture series where practitioners in root techniques could discuss their practices and how it fits within their cultural context such as methods traditionally carried out by mainly one sex or that have a strong religious meaning.
All these facets could highlight the contributions that our diverse cohort bring with them and making higher education a two way path rather than them being just the vessel to be filled .