LTR220408 LTR08/03/08

Enhancing the Use of the Crit

Background
Critiques, referred to as ‘crits’ play a crucial role in our learning and teaching.
This includes contributing to assessment, feedback and developing students’
approach to their professional practice. Our current practice, while having
considerable strengths, varies considerably between courses, faculties and
individual staff. Recently we contributed to the ‘Critiquing the Crit’ project
supported by The Art Design Media Subject Centre of the Higher Education
Academy (ADM-HEA). This concluded that in art and design education there
can be great value in crits but that there are important issues to address.

There are established strengths of using crits to support learning and

comparable approaches are used beyond practice based education. These
benefits include the development of presentation skills in a situation that can
replicate aspects of professional practice. Crits can provide important (often
formative) feedback, which is instant and can be ‘dialogic’. Also students can
judge themselves and their progress compared to their peers. Crits can also
be linked to group work and peer learning and can include outside clients.

From the (ADM-HEA) project, and more widely, there are concerns about the
fairness of crits as a form of assessment. This relates to disparities in the
cultural capital of students and where disability or English language skills are
a barrier. Also the stress that can result for students is recognised and there
are questions about the efficiency of the process. This is especially an issue
where there are growing student numbers, which can potentially also cause
pressure on staff. Also the provision of feedback consistently shows up as an
issue for the sector and for our institution in the National Student Survey.

In the glossary within our definitive validation documents we use the following
definition: “Presentation of work by students to an audience of peers and staff
to facilitate feedback for reflection.” While this fulfils the purpose of these
documents and was added to by the Terminology Working Party it is clear that
further consideration of the processes referred to by this term will be of value.

While we pay considerable attention to improving our practice and overall

approach to learning and teaching we have not previously focussed on this
area. This is particularly important now, to inform our planning for relocation
and to support us in taking full advantage of the new learning space. This
project therefore proposes to explore and enhance our use of the crit.

Project Aims
Engage staff and students in an evidence based discussion to identify the
current role that crits play in our learning and teaching in order to:
• highlight existing strengths and good practice
• identify and explore issues and limitations
• identify areas and priorities for development
• feed into wider efforts to enhance our learning and teaching

Head of LE & PPD First Circulation

LTR220408 LTR08/03/08

Method
We will conduct an initial review in order to identify the range of our practice.
This will mainly utilise structured discussions with staff and students and will
also explore how they experience the crit to identify the main issues. This will
involve students and staff from both faculties and a range of courses. It will
inform further research, which is likely to include some or all of the following:

• Make the crit a theme for at least one ‘round’ of peer observation.
This will need the support of the Quality team and involve identifying how
well the current questions and process of peer observation relate to crits. If
necessary these can be supplemented.

• Develop an online space to share reference materials, for example about

the pedagogic background and to extend and evidence this discussion.

• Video crits in different courses to facilitate wider discussion and follow ups.
Also this would help us to identify the possibilities of using this technique,
which has been used at other institutions, more generally.

• Run small scale pilots testing innovative approaches to improve the

efficiency and effectiveness of crits. In these explore how to give a greater
role to peer involvement and the use of digital and networked technology.
The laptop pilot project would offer one clear opportunity for this.

The findings from this project will be considered in relation to the ADM-HEA
project mentioned above. Also this will be widened by including reference to
other relevant research and projects such as the Re-engineering Assessment
Practices (REAP) conducted in Scotland.

Head of LE & PPD First Circulation