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This Case Study is an Extract of the Paper ‘Practical Design for
Social Inclusion’ written by Steve Thompson (University of Teesside,
UK) Carrie Singleton (University of Teesside, UK) and Paul Davies
(Destinations, Saltburn, UK) and presented by Steve Thompson at the
5th Community Informatics & Development Informatics Conference 2008
Monash University – Prato. The Paper was supported by the Arts &
Humanities Research Council project Practical Design for Social
Action (PRADSA)
The project aimed to engage Year 9 Middlesbrough-based school pupils
in creating a multi-media digital arts installation, to run in the
University of Teesside’s Octorama. The theme for the exhibition was
‘Dreams, Hopes and Wishes’ and pupils worked on the project using
voices, music, images and animation to create an immersive
experience within the octagonal installation . The exhibition took
place at their school in March 2008 and received hundreds of
visitors.
Data was collected from the pupils through an evaluation survey and
they were asked to contribute to a project blog.
The school is based in East Middlesbrough and data for the Ward (Beckfield)
shows high levels of economic inactivity, poor health and
deprivation. The school is located in East Middlesbrough’s Education
Action Zone (1 of 12 zones in the UK; 1 of 20 schools in the EM EAZ).
According to the website:
‘The Zone serves an area of severe socio-economic deprivation. The
percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is approximately
60% overall, and unemployment rates are very high. Parental
expectations of education are low, and pupils generally lack
confidence in themselves and also have low expectations.’
http://www.millenniumschools.co.uk/pub/middlesbrough/eaz/
(downloaded 24 September 2008)
The project began following discussions between the Community Media
Coordinator and the Head of Art and Design at the School. The latter
expressed a desire to ‘put art on the map’; to present art as a life
skill rather than as a hobby. The design parameters were to provide
something that would be challenging, inspirational and rewarding
with a high profile for the students. The CMC started the project
with a presentation to the pupils which included a mock-up of the
Octorama, followed by his facilitation of a discussion about
designing a media exhibition. The CMC supported the pupils to make a
decision on the theme of their exhibition. At the time they were
studying the work of the surrealists and they suggested, and agreed
upon the theme of Dreams. They identified a broad range of meanings
within the theme including dreams and nightmares but also ‘Dream
home’ and ‘Dream job’. The latter had a more aspirational quality so
it was agreed that the theme would be extended to include hopes and
wishes. This process of decision making grounded the project in
their current school-based topics of interest and also the personal
interests of the children (aspirations).
The CMC adopted an approach which emphasized the pupils as project
workers and collaborators. They were asked to take responsibility
for the success of the project, a process which is reflected in the
evaluation data:
I found a sense of responsibility by acting as an adult
Amazed that it had actually done up because I didn't think we would
be finished in time
Happy and shocked to think that we had put this together
Taking responsibility for personal role on the project, delegation
and negotiation were important elements of the learning process
(particularly related to ensuring the success of the exhibition), as
well as learning about the digital media. However, one event
regarding identifying project representatives to take to the BBC
also demonstrates the tensions involved in taking responsibility and
negotiating roles within the project. It was not possible for all of
the pupils to visit the BBC studios and six representatives were
selected which caused tension and disruptive behaviour within the
class from non-attendees, as the Community Media Coordinators’s blog
illustrates:
The following week the normal session at school took place. I viewed
it with some trepidation… I expected the rest of the class to be
totally rebellious. However, just the opposite was true. The kids
that had shouted me down the previous week were polite and
professional and wanted to know what I needed them to do to move the
project forward. They had learned something about negotiation and
how to get on.
Collaborative use of ICTs
Both sets of participants were enthusiastic about the collaborative
nature of the projects. They seemed enthused by group work towards a
common goal rather than more individualised tasks.
The Dreams blog, which the young people contributed to after their
trip to the BBC, documents the young people’s enjoyment of sharing
their project ideas with members of the public (the audience was
mainly comprised of participants of the wider SID project [Social
Inclusion Demonstrators] ). As the following students said:
I think that it went really well and we have gained some more people
to help us create the Octorama!!! (Bethany)
We got asked many questions and many people of the public were
willing to help us in our project… They are going to help us by
doing open days and workshops to help us to create the images and
audio. I am very happy and I think we could create all the 5000
pictures we need…they were very helpful and they are trying to get
many more schools and communities [involved] and I am confident we
will complete this project. (Mark)
It was one of the best trips I have been involved with. I am so glad
we got to be chosen to be part of the Octorama project. (Ricky)
Enhancing digital inclusion?
Identity, well being and self-esteem
One of the most common themes to emerge from the DHW evaluation was
a sense of pride at the finished piece of work. There was a sense of
pride that each individual’s artwork appeared in public but a more
collective sense of pride that the all class members had been
involved in a large and successful project.
I felt quite proud that were able to produce something excellent
with hard work put into it (DHW16)
In addition, it was clear from the evaluation that the pupils were
pleased that they could contribute positively to the school’s
identity within the local community.
The good things to come out of the exhibition were that [the] school
got great recognition and were put on the map (DHW16)
We received publicity and recognition for our hard work (DHW17)
Sense of pride in their achievements overlapped with enhanced
self-esteem. The data shows that project participants were delighted
by the positive comments from visitors and felt that they had
personally gained from participation in the project.
Skills development and qualitative outcomes
DHW participants were asked to comment on what they had learned from
the project. Learning about the technology (skills development) was
an important aspect of the project, particularly the media
applications:
How to make pictures on Photoshop (DHW12)
How to use computers to make art (DHW18)
How to run the main screens and electrics (DHW03)
There were also important qualitative outcomes including:
That you can achieve (DHW06)
That timed projects are hard (DHW08)
How to be responsible (DHW13)
That anything can be possible (DHW15)
Indicative Links
www.octorama.co.uk
www.tvcm.co.uk/AV/dhandw.wmv Video of the build and exhibition
content
http://www.tvcm.co.uk/AV/oremsby_voices.wmv Interviews with
participants
http://tvcm.co.uk/2007/10/ormesby-dreams-of-octorama/
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