Accomplished

Highly trained or skilled in an activity.

Adaptive

The ability to put into action the process of adapting or being adapted.

Alternative

A choice of two or more things, propositions, or courses of action that are different or unusual, and offer the possibility of choice.

Analyse

Break a subject or complex situation into separate parts and examine each part in detail; identify the main issues and show how the main ideas are related to practice and why they are important.  Reference to current research or theory may support the analysis.

Analysis

The breaking down of exploration, ideas, and resolutions to be able to assess the potential of each.

Aperture

The opening in a lens through which light passes to enter the camera.  In photography, the pupil of your lens is called aperture.  You can shrink or enlarge the size of the aperture to allow more or less light to reach your camera sensor.

Apply

To make use of relevant, suitable skills or knowledge, for a particular purpose.

Appropriate

Suitable or fitting for a particular purpose.

Articulate

To be clear and succinct.  Demonstrating fluency and coherency.

Assess

Estimate or make a judgement on something.

Assessment 

The action of making a judgement on someone or something.  In the context of UAL delivery of specifications this would be against an individual or group's body of work.

Audience

Specific to whom products, images, and ideas would be directed.  For example: peers, artists, performers, theatre groups, online communities, applications to Higher Education Centres, external clients, galleries, retailers, and marketing companies.

Autonomy

Demonstrated ability of independence.  In particular, managing time and making objective decisions based on creative developments.

Benchmark

A standard or point of reference against which things can be compared.  A benchmark acts as the minimum threshold of performance.

There are National Benchmark Standards.  Individual centres will have a record of the last three years' grade profile statistics from which to calculate individual benchmark standards.

Benchmarking

Benchmarking is the process assessors or others go through to ascertain the minimum threshold of performance.  This process is used to ensure that staff measure submissions using the same minimum requirements across courses and pathways.

Breadth

Including many things: the wide scope or range of something; broad array; range or extent.

Coherent

Having a logical and consistent approach to work in progress.

Communication Skills

The ability to share or convey ideas and feelings effectively.  Examples include verbal, non-verbal, visual, and written.  There are specific units aligned to the development of these skills in some of the UAL specifications (e.g. Level 2 Art and Design).

Complex

A problem specific to the vocational area that has several interrelated elements.

Comprehensive

Including or dealing with all or nearly all elements or aspects of something.  Large content or scope; wide-ranging.

Concept

A general notion formed by a considered or intuitive thought process. The formative stage of ideas.

Consolidate

To bring together, combine, strengthen, and make more solid into a single more effective or coherent whole.

Consumer

Specific to whom products, images ideas and outcomes would be designed and produced.  For example: site-specific art in the landscape.

Contextual/Context

The analysis, evaluation and understanding of the broader context/situation within which the line of enquiry may be situated.

Contingencies

Plans for unforeseen circumstances, or something that might happen in the future; usually caused problems making further arrangements necessary.

Convergent thinking

A type of thinking that focuses on coming up with the single, well-established answer to a problem.  This contrasts with divergent thinking where judgement is deferred while looking for and accepting many possible solutions.

Creative Community

A group of people interested in creative activities or a group of creative practitioners.

Creative Industry 

An industry that is based on work in which original ideas are important, such as work in art, design media, computer software, performing arts etc.  The creative industries encompass a huge diversity of roles, employers and skills.

Creative intention

The idea, concept, theme, purpose or experience intended to be communicated or accessed by an identified audience or consumer.

Creative outcome

Can be the culmination (final outcome of a creative process) or the evidence generated by the student during the creative process which demonstrates skills, materials and ideas.  See outcome.

Creative Practice

Could include, but not limited to practice within the areas of fine art, interactive arts, graphics communication, photography/lens‐based media, fashion/textile design, three‐dimensional design, and media.

Creative practitioner/ Creative practice

1. The act of taking a creative and reflective approach to work by constantly trying new ideas, solutions and applications of skills.

2. Creative practitioners may change roles throughout their careers in response to changing demands, e.g., in the economy, personal choice etc.  They are likely to develop a deep knowledge and level of competencies in a particular field of activity.

Creative problem-solving

Process of searching for a previously unknown and original solution to a problem.  A problem that requires a creative process or practice in solution.

Creative Process

The term used to describe a succession of thoughts and actions leading to original and appropriate productivity for the development of ideas.

Critical

1. Critical thinking: the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.

2. Critical ideas: Thinking and ideas that respond to criticism, discussion, and evaluation in the creative arts.

3. Critical reflection: a purposeful activity for making considered changes and improvements to practice, knowledge, and meanings made from learning.

4. Critical analysis: an expression of the writer’s opinion or evaluation responding to, interpreting meaning, and making judgements about specific creative practice.  Critical analysis of others' work should always take into account the opinions of others in order to form a considered and objective opinion.

5. Critical evaluation: a piece of writing and/or recording using appropriate language to look at the project as a whole and discuss its successes and weaknesses, thereby helping others to understand to what extent the initial aims were achieved.

Cultural

The ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a society relating to the arts and intellectual achievement.

Decisive

Demonstrating the ability to make decisions quickly, resolving a problem efficiently; producing a definite result.

Demonstrate

To make evident the application and ability of skills, or the understanding of knowledge.

Depth

The extent to which specific topics are focused upon, amplified, and explored.

Describe

Defines and explains the topic or activity giving detailed information.

Develop

To identify and build on an idea.

Developed

Advanced or elaborated to a specified degree.

Differentiate

Identifies the differences between two or more things.

Dimension

Referencing the form or shape of something to particular measurements; the measurable extent of something (e.g. length, breadth, depth or height).  In art and design, we refer to two-dimensions, three-dimensions and four-dimensions.  See additional terms for specific meanings.

Disciplines

Disciplines include, but are not limited to the art forms within the area of fine art, interactive arts, graphics communication, photography/lens‐based media, fashion/textile design, three‐dimensional design, and lens based media.

Divergent thinking

A thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions.  It typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing, non-linear manner, such that many ideas are generated and are used in opposition to convergent thinking.

Ethics

The moral principles and values that define what is good for individuals, society, and the planet, and that govern our behaviours and decision-making.  Students should give consideration to the impact of their practices on individuals (fellow students, intended audiences), the environment (studio, local, global), and living things (animal, plant, nature etc.).

Evaluate

To judge or determine the significance, worth, or quality of something and come to a valid conclusion or reasoned judgement.  Formal evaluation is advisable during and at the end of units.

Evaluation (summative)

A method of recording evaluative thoughts/observations at the end of the learning activity, covering all criteria.

Summative evaluation is mandatory for the synoptic unit for most UAL specifications.  See individual specifications for details.

Exceptional

Unusually good; outstanding. This should not be interpreted to suggest that absolute perfection is required in a student’s work.  Rather it would be more appropriate to look for work that is outstanding, even if it contains some small mistakes, omissions, or imperfections.

Experimentation

Trial of different methods and techniques.

Explore

Search and investigate.

External Moderation

A process of ensuring the maintenance of standards defined by interested external bodies; to maintain consistency of marking, and fairness to students across all specialisms within the qualification and against national standards.

Flexibility

Demonstrating a willingness to change or modify approaches to thinking and making.

Formative Assessment

A form of assessment that refers to a wide variety of methods that teachers use to conduct in‐process evaluations of student comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course.

Four/4 Dimensional

The exploration of narrative and images by time‐based processes such as film, animation, and photography.

Fundamental

A central or primary rule or principle on which something is based.  As an adjective: something of central importance.

Global Majority

A collective term that speaks to and encourages people to think of themselves as belonging to the global majority.  It refers to people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and/or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’.

Ideation

The process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas.

In-action reflection

This is the process of reasoned decision-making whilst the process of making or drawing is actively happening.  In art and design, we talk about iterations or making and drawing.  The process of making small adjustments to the elements in play in order to solve problems.

Indicative

Serving as a sign or indication of something. ‘Indicative content’ in this sense refers to suggested activities, processes, and themes for exploration within the curriculum.

Industry engagement

In the context of UAL specifications, this relates to your collaboration with groups or individuals who are already operating within the commercial sector of the creative industries, or who require the services of a creative practitioner to meet their needs.  Understanding the needs of the creative industries and deepening your understanding of the specialist field you wish to pursue at a higher level of education is related to this in terms of progression.  See progression.

Initiative

The ability to assess and initiate things independently.  To use strategies and actions to resolve problems and improve something.

Innovation

A new (to the student) and different approach discovered and developed by the student and applied to their work that influences meaning and presentation in a positive way.

Insight

The capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of something; process, skill, theoretical approach etc.

Integrative

The combining of two or more things to form an effective unit or system.

Interactive

Allowing a flow of information or approaches to influence each other.

Interim Assessment

A point of formal assessment, usually at the mid-point of a period of study.

1. Evaluate where students are in their learning progress against the assessable criteria/outcomes/descriptors.

2. Determine whether they are on track to perform well on future assessments and identify areas for improvement.

Internal Assessment

Assessment conducted by a centre's internal staff in accordance with the standards and expectations of UAL.

Internal Moderation

Moderation conducted by a centre's internal staff; the process of ensuring the maintenance of standards, consistency of marking and fairness to students across all specialisms within the qualification.

Internal Verification

Verification conducted by the centre's internal staff; the process of ensuring that staff who assess a particular qualification are assessing students to the same standards.

Iteration

In art and design, we talk about iterations of making and drawing.  Through the repetition of a process applied to a set of elements or ingredients, and through successive re-arrangements and practical application, we obtain successively closer approximations to the solution of a problem.  'How many ways can I?' and 'what happens if?' are questions often asked in relation to this approach to thinking and making.

Lateral thinking

The solving of problems by an indirect and creative approach, typically through viewing the problem in a new and unusual light.

Mastery Model of assessment

The final grade assigned to the unit is based on a student’s work; demonstrating achievement of all of the assessment outcomes to 100% of the Pass, Merit or Distinction standard. If a student achieves a combination of grades for these, the lowest grade will be awarded for the unit overall.

Methodologies

A system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity, that enable the narrative/project to be researched and developed.

Milestones

A time when a piece of work must be finished or something must be achieved.

Negotiate

The ability to bring about a discussion in order to reach an agreement or compromise.

New technologies

Any set of productive techniques which offers a significant improvement (whether measured in terms of increased output or savings in costs) over the established technology for a given process in a specific historical context.

On-action reflection

The process of reasoned decision-making after the process of making or drawing has been paused or completed.  The process of looking back and considering what has been done against specific objectives at a point in the creative process. 

Outcome

Creative products or an end result or performance.

Perceptive

The capacity of having or showing sensitive insight into something.

Plan

A detailed proposal for doing or achieving something.

Practical problems

Problems that are rooted in physical and logistical aspects, for example: materials, techniques, processes, and time constraints.

Practical skills

Skills performed by hand or with human intervention using equipment, tools, or technology requiring guidance, force, or movement.

Premise

A position or proposition from which an idea, theory, or undertaking is introduced, e.g. a proposal for a project.

Presentation

How work is organised, sited/contextualised, exhibited, or explained to an audience.

Problem-solving

Students are expected to find solutions to problems that are complex and non‐routine.  The process of finding solutions to complex and non‐routine ideas.

Production

The process of transforming tangible inputs (e.g. materials) and intangible inputs (e.g. ideas) into a creative product or end result.

Professional development

The process of practicing, developing, tracking, and documenting the skills, knowledge, and experience to enhance your work practice and career.  Within the context of UAL specifications this includes the development of English and maths specific to the subject, independent time management and planning, as well as all the creative skills required to make a successful practitioner.

Professional practice

Activities which will help you apply knowledge to a specialist subject, industry, job role, or workplace.

Proficient

Being competent or skilled in doing or using something.

Progression

This is the process of developing or moving to a more advanced state.  In terms of vocational education, this can be from one level of study to the next, e.g. Level 1 to Level 2, Level 2 to L3/Foundation, or L3/Foundation to Higher Education, apprenticeships, or employment.  There is a link to industry engagement and collaboration with external groups that supports your ability to focus your decision-making and choices of next steps.

Project

A self‐directed, large‐scale activity requiring planning, research, exploration, outcome, and review.

Property/Properties

An essential or distinctive attribute or quality of a thing.

Range of

A variety, an assortment, a gamut.

Reasoned

Thinking or decision-making based on logic or good sense.

Reflective

The ability to contemplate and deliberate on experiences and knowledge, and use that to progress or make improvements.  In art and design, we refer to in-action reflection and on-action reflection.  See additional terms for specific meanings.

Relate

To link or make a connection.

Relevant

Closely connected or appropriate to what is being done or considered.

Research

Identify and collect data or information about a subject and present it in a codified or structured form. Research does not imply any analysis of the data collected, although that may be implied by the context.  Research does not imply any judgement about the data collected but may well be combined with related verbs (analyse, evaluate) to ensure that these actions take place.

Scaffold

Within teaching this refers to a variety of instructional techniques used to move you progressively towards a stronger understanding and ultimately greater independence in the learning process.  Like physical scaffolding, the supportive strategies are incrementally removed when they are no longer needed, and the tutor gradually shifts more responsibility for the learning process to the student.

Scope

The extent of the subject matter that something deals with or to which it is relevant.  The scope of research was wide and relevant to the problem set.

Seminal

Influential, formative, strongly influencing later developments (e.g. a seminal work).

Social

Ideas and concepts relating to society and its organisation.

Social Responsibility

Acknowledging and being accountable for the impact one's choices and actions can have on society and the wider community.  See ethics, and sustainability.

Solution

A particular instance or method of solving; an explanation or answer to identified questions or problems.

Solve

Find an answer to, explanation for, or means of dealing with a problem, mystery etc.  Sudents are expected to draw on their practical, theoretical, or technical knowledge to address/inform actions and problems in a range of contexts and situations.  Problems are expected to be complex and non‐routine but well‐defined.

Specialist Practice

The process where the student exercises individual control and reasonable responsibility over the creation, communication, and presentation of creative outcomes within a chosen specialist discipline.

Specialist Terminology

The language, words, or terms associated with specialist knowledge.

Standardisation

The process by which the centre ensures the alignment of standards for Fail, Pass, Merit, and Distinction grades across each pathway within a qualification.

Suite

A room designated for a particular purpose, e.g. a computer suite.

Summative Assessment

Assessment, generally undertaken at the end of a learning activity or programme of learning, is used to make a judgement on a student’s overall attainment.  A key purpose of summative assessment is to record, and often grade, a student’s performance in relation to the stated learning outcomes, assessment objectives, or assessment outcomes of the unit(s).  This needs checking against synoptic assessment.

Sustainability

At its broadest level, refers to the Earth’s ability to continue functioning in a manner that supports humans and other ecosystems.  It is the prevention of depleting natural resources to maintain an ecological balance.  The concept of sustainability is composed of three pillars: economic, environmental and social.  It focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability and needs of future generations.

Sustainable

The consideration to the conservation of natural resources to prevent depletion.  To consider the implications of ideas against the backdrop of maintaining an ecological balance.  

To be upheld or defended.

Sustained

To apply skills and knowledge in a consistent and persistent manner to ideas and problems towards a resolution.

Synoptic assessment

A form of assessment carried out by centre staff or an external examiner, which requires a student to demonstrate that they can identify and use effectively, in an integrated way an appropriate selection of skills, techniques, concepts, theories, and knowledge from across the whole vocational area, which are relevant to a key task.

Synthesis

The combination of ideas, creative thinking, application of skills, and working methods to form a consolidated idea and or outcome.

Technical Problems

Problems that arise through the use of materials, machinery and equipment.  Can be traditional or digital.

Technical Skills

The skills relating to a particular art, design method or craft; or its technique.

Thematic/Theme

An identified or selected topic or body of topics chosen for exploration and investigation.

Theoretical problems

The interrogation of ideas or the theory of a subject or area of study rather than its practical application.

Three Dimensional

Something that has or appears to have length, breadth and depth, e.g. a three-dimensional object.  

Transferable Skills

Skills that are beneficial and useful across professions, sectors, and activities.

Two Dimensional

Something that appears to have length and breadth, but no depth, e.g. a two-dimensional object.

Something can be described as two-dimensional if it is lacking in depth or substance; superficial.  This meaning might be used when analysing the work of others.

Understand

Use practical, theoretical, or technical understanding to address problems that are well-defined but complex and non‐routine.

Use

Employ something for a purpose.

Various

Of different kinds, several, many.

Visual Diary

A collection of evidence.  A physical or digital collection or a combination of these.  It can include video or audio files, with students talking about their work and ideas, and be in the form of a scrapbook, sketchbook, notebook, or a combination that is best suited to the students and their learning.

Visual language

The language of visual communication expressed through its formal elements (e.g. line, shape, form tone, texture, pattern, colour) to produce images and objects that embody meanings, messages, feelings, and ideas.

Vocational

The developing work is directed at a particular occupation or employment.

Walkthrough

The act of talking students step-by-step through an example assessment experience such as a project or assignment.

Workshop

A specific room in which specific materials and tools are used in the manufacture of visual materials and outcomes, e.g. woodwork, photography darkroom, printmaking etc.

Workshop Protocols

Refers to the health and safety requirements related to a creative studio/environment/space/theatre etc.