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Memorandum submitted by Dr Helen Nicholson, Royal Holloway, University of London
Executive Summary 1. Creative Partnerships have provided outstanding opportunities for the professional development of university students at undergraduate and postgraduate level, where sustained partnerships with schools have become integrated into the university curriculum. 2. Creative Partnerships have offered career opportunities in creative learning for new graduates. 3. Creative Partnerships have encouraged links with the university to facilitate research and inquiry in schools and by artists and other creative partners.
Dr Helen Nicholson is Reader in Drama and Theatre at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her PhD, supervised by Ken Robinson, analysed the values of arts education. She has since published extensively on drama and learning, and is co-editor of the leading international journal Research in Drama Education.
1. Impact of Creative Partnerships on teaching and learning at university level Slough Creative Partnerships has had a major impact on teaching and learning within the university, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. There are now courses that explicitly focus on creative approaches to learning, and teams of students regularly work in schools to develop as practitioners and to undertake research into their own practice and those of others. The undergraduate degree in drama and theatre at Royal Holloway, University of London, one of the most academically prestigious in the country, has high numbers of students opting to take courses in creative learning; in 2007-8 half the cohort of final year students will follow a course that involves working with Slough Creative Partnerships, a total of 45 students, and all MA students contribute to the research and evaluation.
2. Early career opportunities and professional development for new graduates. The experience of working with Creative Partnerships have inspired graduates to pursue careers in this field; graduates now work professionally as creative partners, within creative learning departments at theatres including The Royal Opera House and The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, and as well as choosing to train as teachers within the Slough area. The link between Cape Town and Slough has been an excellent opportunity for graduate students to understand the links between citizenship, literacy and drama by working in a four month project in South Africa within a year-long programme to explore the links between Slough and Cape Town schools.
3. Research, knowledge transfer and University Partnerships 3.1 Local Networks The university has worked alongside Slough Creative Partnerships to develop their research profile and spirit of inquiry. The aim of this programme has been to encourage teachers and creative partners to reflect on their work and to develop an understanding of why and how their work has impact on young people's learning. Training has been provided in action research methods, and there have been many different forums for discussion created to enable teachers and artists to analyse their practice. Local contacts and networks have significant impact on teaching and learning as research can be responsive to local needs and interests.
3.2 International Research and Dissemination Collaboration with schools in Cape Town provide opportunities for research and challenge ideas of creativity in context. On an international level, keynote speeches at conferences in Norway, Germany and Hong Kong and invited lectures at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, Griffith University, Brisbane, Sydney University, Australia and the University of Tokyo have been used to discuss the work of Slough Creative Partnerships.
4. Recommendations It is recommended that the impact of Creative Partnerships on universities is recognised through structured and responsive funding on local level. This collaboration enables: · knowledge transfer between schools and universities · professional development of students · early career opportunities · development of research and research cultures both locally and internationally.
June 2007 |