Rationale

In her article ‘Art and Imagination: Reclaiming a Sense of Possibility’ Maxine Greene states that ‘Classroom encounters with the arts can move the young to imagine, to extend and to renew…If the significance of the arts for growth, inventiveness and problem solving is recognized at last, a desperate stasis may be overcome.’(Greene 1995 p.378).

This course is designed in keeping with this philosophy while providing students with visual thinking, critical thinking, and presentation skills. This will be accomplished by providing students with the tools needed to look, discuss, research, interpret and respond to a wide variety of artefacts using various contemporary creative vehicles of expression.

The development of these visual thinking skills is considered essential in navigating a visually saturated society where it has been estimated that over 85% of all knowledge is attained visually. “In spite of this, visual training, visual language and literacy, have not as yet achieved an equal position beside the other fundamental literacies-verbal, oral, and numeral” (Hudson, 1987, p. 277).’ This short course gives students the time and space to fully engage with the world of visual media while cultivating an expansive mindset that investigates humanity, our relationship with nature, objects, people, emotions, cultures etc. This course fulfils the need to encourage students to develop into conscious citizen who have the capacity to think, question and research which can lead to change, development, innovation, and ways forward, 'In a democracy, an aim of education is to promote the development of responsible citizens who think critically, act constructively in an informed manner, and collaborate in the conscious formation of personal and communal identities.’ (Freedman and Stuhr, 2004, p.824).

Students will also develop their ability to compile the information and present their thoughts through verbal articulation. These skills are required to participate in Junior Cycle CBA’s, this course gives students the time to confidently achieve this through engaging with exercises that develop their vocabulary, voice projection and confidence in public speaking. The fear of public speaking, otherwise known as Glossophobia is an extremely common phenomenon and affects 75% of Irish people at some stage throughout their lives, this course aims to reduce this figure and alter the current fear of public speaking and presenting within this fun and supported environment (Fritscher, 2021).

Overall this course will support young people to look, see and think about issues relevant to their lives. Through these explorations they will be encouraged to value noticing and thinking while building confidence in their sense of self. Their ideas about the world can be expressed and challenged in a safe and nurturing environment that allows them the space and time to feel comfortable sharing the results of their explorations with others in creative and innovative ways. This sharing can take place in multiple ways, between groups, classes, the school or to the wider community. And finally some inspiring words from Dr. Seuss - “You'll be sort of surprised what there is to be found once you go beyond Z and start poking around” (Seuss, 1955).