Creating a Community of Inquiry

What is a community of inquiry? Lipman 2003, Biesta 2014 and Dewey 1934 believe it is a conceptual investigation into problematic situations.
My problematic situation?  

The FE Art courses I teach have both practical art and theoretical contextual studies elements, the conflation causes the problem. Students come to art school because they are practically interested in making art and are indisposed and resistant to writing and committing themselves to paper. Why is this?

Research hopes to investigate how writing culture is currently viewed. To this end a reflective diary project has been established with 29 participants, in addition participants may also join a book club, interviews and critical incidence will be recorded with the intention of discovering some of the themes and threads, indicating possible issues, hindrances and hang-ups to written success?

Does the concern lie in student expectations not being met or learning differences such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and Autistic spectrum disorders adding extra difficulties? Possibly a long held belief from childhood or early schooling that they are ‘no good’ at writing?

Early indicators show that a non-traditional approach to this matter is very helpful. Divergent undertaking could include oracy, talking about art as a way into some of the critical, Philosophical and political issues, reading texts together in non-judgemental discussion groups and listening to audio and video recordings of artists and critics talking about art and then finding ways of recording this in the learning journal and sketchbook.

Validating student voice and experience is an important part of the democratic classroom as advocated by hooks 2007 and Freire 1968. Sharing stories about their understanding of sorting out the real from the fake news, looking at texts from different sources, on screen, social media, websites, forums, Ted talks, in books and journals and lectures. 

Discovering together what they think and believe, taking steps to construct an informed opinion. Critical thinking is at the heart of what could be a developing skill in reasoning, questioning and making enlightened judgements. Critical thinking could affect the way students regard their own art and the art of others, and their ability to know and engage with problem solving and creative thinking.

Biesta, G. J. J., (2014) The Beautiful Risk of Education, Oxon, Paradigm Books, Routledge.
Dewey, J., (1934) Art as Experience, New York, Pedigree Books, Berkley Publishing Group.
Freire, P., (1968) Pedagogy of the Oppressed, London, Penguin Books.
hooks, b., (2007) Teaching Critical Thinking, Practical Wisdom, New York, Routledge.
Lipman, M., (2003) Thinking in Education, 2nd edition, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

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