Lecture Format for years 2,3,4 in 2020 (Trimester 1): Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, lecture delivery has been redesigned for the New Media Art cohort. All lectures will now be delivered at a pre-arranged time (applied to your timetable) via an online teaching facility (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams). Full details of how to access these lectures will be included in induction guidance. Attendance at the live delivery of lectures is very much encouraged as this will provide you with opportunities to engage with your lecturer and peers, enhancing your learning experience. However, we appreciate that live attendance is occasionally not possible so the lectures will be recorded and available for asynchronous learning. The only difference to normality is physical presence.
Tutorial format for years 2,3,4 in 2020 (Trimester 1): Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, tutorial delivery has been redesigned for the New Media Art cohort. All tutorials will now be delivered at a pre-arranged time (convenient to your tutorial groups and the delivering lecturer). As with all lectures, these will be delivered via online teaching platforms and normal attendance regulations will apply. It is expected that your participation is as would be in a traditional face to face situation (e.g. take part in group discussions etc.)
Workshops and Seminar Sessions: We are arranging for some seminar/feedback sessions to be delivered on campus later on in the Trimester and these dates and locations will be notified to you in due course. All sessions will be conducted under the social distancing regulations that are in place. It is envisaged that small groups will meet to share practice and engage in peer to peer and staff feedback. These sessions will also be used for the planning and implementation of the interim New Media Art Showcase exhibition planned for January 2021.
Module Detail: Individual details will be circulated by module coordinators on how assessments will be undertaken during the 2020/21 session, but please be assured that your lecturers have been working hard on creating some very relevant and innovative solutions to the current situation. This information will also be available in module handbooks and on MyUWS.
Field Trips and Research Excursions: In some cases we will be planning field trips and visits to relevant sites for research and practice. These will be conducted under the social distancing regulations that are in place and are likely to be limited to small groups.
Although we are all working in a challenging and unprecedented situation, we believe that this can bring several positive benefits and opportunities:
1: You will receive the same financial renumeration for being a student at UWS but will not have to pay out as much on travel and accommodation.
2: Although we pride ourselves on our current delivery to our students, it is likely you will receive a greater personal touch during 2020 as your tutors, year leads, and programme leader will be timetabling additional online communication and resources for you. We aim to create a lively, engaging and stimulating experience for our students so that, when we return to campus, you will feel part of our UWS and the wider creative industries community.
3: myUWS and My Day web platforms will play a central part of your module delivery, not as a replacement but as a substantial addition to your studies. All course materials, lectures and resources will be made available to you on this platform. If you are unfamiliar with these platforms you will be given the opportunity for additional training at induction.
4: In relevant practical modules your practical work will be formalised in a unique and creative way, aiming to keep you up to date with current technologies and processes that will benefit your practice. Live online, virtual, and recorded materials from our partners in the Creative Industries are already being planned for presentation in 2020/21.
5: The creative industries have been hit hard by the global pandemic and we have identified this as an opportunity that our new and current students can invest in, develop new skills and take the lead in being the innovators as tomorrow’s creative makers. What better time to study and practice what you love and prepare for entry into a very new and exciting industry when it returns to the new normality?
6: Some changes have been made to the trimester delivery and options to your programme for 2020. We have worked very hard to make sure your learning experience has actually been enhanced rather than restricted in the new normality. These changes are subtle but important and will be published through your programme hand books and the relevant programme structure as soon as they are available.