Whether we are aware of it or not, we are making judgements about quality all the time. We prefer certain things to others. The easy bit is to like or hate something. The difficult thing is to explain why. Critical study helps develop a vocabulary to explain the basis for making judgements and to give reasons for opinions.
Explorations of the local neighbourhood provide opportunities for exploring environmental issues. These might be related to environmental design, such as the positioning of road signs or the design of a park. Or they may focus on management issues such
as energy conservation, waste disposal, littering or graffiti.
How might people be helped to make informed judgements about aesthetic and design qualities? What are useful criteria? How might environmental problems be identified and the need or opportunity for change or improvement?
Evaluation
When evaluating the work in terms of knowledge, understanding
and skills, ask:
What was the plan for learning?
What was actually learned?
What is the evidence for this?
What do the participants know that they did not know before?
What do they understand that they could not understand before?
What can they do that they could not do before?
Skills developed through MYNAH projects include:
• analytical
• communication
• critical
• design
• observation
• social
• spatial
• synthesis
• verbal
• visual
The important thing is that participants enjoy learning.