Pedagogical challenge: supporting creativity at a distance

Creative work consists of many stages and some sort of impression often modifies the process. Landscape experience is an integral part of developing a reflective and professional creativity within the landscape field. The ambition with the method- development workshop was to test and reflect on how traditional fieldwork and sensory landscape experience can be conveyed online and applied in the participants’ own tuition.

Within distance learning collaborative technologies offer a range of new ways of supporting learning by enabling learners to share and exchange both ideas and their own digital products. The workshop aimed to test some of the challenges and opportunities from the perspective of learners’ needs, as well as from the view of available programs.

During the workshop, the participants experienced the seashore in real time (using a mobile phone camera). Following this, the participants gathered sensory impressions gained from the livestreaming and presented them on a digital white board, Mural.

The sensory experiences were categorised, discussed and compared to traditional field work We also discussed technical aspects such as the pros and cons of various kinds of cameras and microphones. To sum up, we all contributed with our personal reflections on how well the method had worked and the whether it would be feasible and constructive to apply in our teaching during the extent of the distancing measures.

Some reflections from the Mural session: Many of the “usual” reflections, found after a real site visit were presented in the brainstorming session on the joint whiteboard. Additionally there were comments on the technical aspect and limitations of the method.

Summer feeling, Landscape view, less sense of an edited view, Technical issues; Privacy issue e.e. people sunbathing; windy, bumpy, bright; Rhythm and static interplay and contrast

Some reflections from the film in real time: The purpose of the exercise needs to be clear before filming. This needs to impact on the choice of technical equipment, as some experiences are conveyed adequately through a mobile phone camera, whilst others require equipment that is much more sophisticated.

Interaction with the filmmaker can have a positive significance and being able to use the person filming as an avatar is perceived by some as positive.

The noise of the wind in the Mobil phone is problematic; The technique worked to get a feeling of being on the site; The mobile phone camera has a lot of potential, but we need to know the perspective of the user experience and what we want to say with the film.

Concluding remarks: Film is a representation of reality. It is important to see both the micro and the macro perspective, that is lost in a film sequence. 

• Plan your filming, be clear of the purpose and what you are trying to relay and set up a script.
• Involve a studio manager who can hold the exercise together, while someone else is filming.
• It could be positive to have one person filming another, in order to provide someone to relate to.
• When introducing a new tool, it is positive to to it in two stages: 1. Introduce the tool and iron out an technical/practical issues and 2. Use the tool for its’purpose.