I was a little underprepared for this session, but at the same time, I also wanted to bring a matter newly experienced for discussion to the group for reflection. So I brought in a toilet roll tube and improvised. I think it is worth me highlighting that the idea to use an empty toilet roll had arisen from the discussion with one of my peers, which I referred to during the cohort session as a collaboration.

I read out a key learning outcome, which I wanted my peers to understand through their interactions with this empty toilet roll. I asked them to each pass it round in its original state. After the first cycle, I made an initial cut into the roll with a pair of scissors and then asked them to continue to alter it however they may wish as they passed it round for a second cycle. It was a simple exercise as I released control over how my peers interacted with the object. The outcome was a deconstructed and sculptural piece shaped by many hands. The original state of the empty toilet roll had changed, appearing entirely differently.

So, was this what I had intended from the outset? No. Initially, in my mind, I wanted everyone to look through the tube to understand the effects of holding narrow views and perceptions of a subject. Following our alterations, I wanted to highlight that one can gain a wider perspective with some effort – in this case, analysis and critique. I wanted to explain a way to approach research that would encourage students to see a piece of information as the starting point but which needs to be interrogated, critiqued and other views sought, so that students can get broader perspectives to help push their thinking and the development of their projects. And also to encourage them to reflect on their own positions in relation to their findings and how their research process informs the development of their project.

I think my peers’ interactions during the exercise and reflections afterwards was a lot richer than I had anticipated. One had mentioned that the first two people to make tears into the roll had followed the line where the cardboard overlaps to form a cylinder, which can be likened to following proscribed, traditional or mainstream thinking. The exercise could be understood as an invitation to risk going beyond one’s internalized beliefs.

Another peer mentioned that as tutors, if we want students to expand their process and initial held beliefs, it would be worthwhile making this more explicit in the Briefs rather than relying solely on the Learning Outcomes. The exercise also highlighted what may be hidden in the Briefs and Learning Outcomes that we develop for our students. Some peers mentioned the effectiveness of collectively adding our efforts as the roll was passed round, which could be a metaphor for shared knowledge and contributions.

Helpful feedback received that could have improved the exercise included presenting the Learning Outcomes as a visual material such as on a slide. Other suggestions that I had considered relevant as others presented during the session included (re)designing how the Learning Outcome is presented to students and explaining terms like ‘Analysis’ and ‘Evaluative’ in alternative ways that would allow students to understand easily and immediately.

I currently do not use objects during my teaching sessions, but will definitely explore for future sessions. The exercise showed that Object-Based Learning could be very useful to help deconstruct and unpack conceptual or theoretical ideas that might be difficult to access for students. I also enjoyed the collaboration that happened from the very beginning to end drawing parallels to our ambitions to encourage co-operation over competition in BA Architecture. Also highlighting that no one has authority on knowledge. We all contribute to the ongoing development of ‘knowledge’.

The matter that inspired the exercise? Not of importance in this post. The Learning Outcome? Please see below. What we did collectively? Was far greater than I had anticipated, even if I had planned and come prepared to the session.

LO1 The ability to undertake detailed research and analysis to support the development of design briefs and proposals in relation to broader social, cultural and environmental contexts. (AC Enquiry)

Extracted from BA(Hons) Architecture’s U9 (Stage 3) Learning Outcomes