A new volume, Creative Pedagogies in Practice: Case Studies from Creative Futures Academy at UCD was launched in UCD’s James Joyce Library by Professor Colin Scott, Registrar, Deputy President and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Edited by Annette Clancy and Victoria Durrer, the publication reflects the pioneering work taking place at the Creative Futures Academy (CFA). The case studies presented in it offer ways of rethinking creative teaching approaches to equip learners with critical skills needed for the future. For a number of the contributors, it was their first time to publish research on pedagogy.
UCD Arts & Humanities College Principal, Professor Regina Uí Chollatáin said, “This publication will undoubtedly be an invaluable resource in assessing and breaking new ground in the creative and cultural arts and industries, and we look forward to showcasing the success of the programmes and collaborative networks within the Academy. The unique collaboration with our partners enables us to explore new and exciting avenues which enhance our research while we look at our academic and creative landscape through a new and exciting lens.”
Director of Creative Futures Academy at UCD, Professor PJ Mathews, said, “As we come to the end of the first phase of work of Creative Futures Academy at UCD, it is appropriate that we consider what has been achieved. This collection of case studies on creative pedagogy reflects on the work carried out by academic staff, supported by funding from the HEA Human Capital Initiative. A key objective of this funding has been to incentivise innovation in higher education provision, building on best practice nationally and internationally. This collection of case studies is conceived with that goal in mind and is offered as our contribution to contemporary thinking on creative pedagogy.”
The launch featured a discussion from a panel of contributors to the volume, reflecting on how new creative pedagogies may present both challenges and opportunities for traditional ways of “knowing” how to teach. The panel featured Professor Lucy Collins and Dr Nicolas Pillai, UCD School of English, Drama and Film, Dr Dónal Fullam, UCD School of Music, Gráinne Humphreys (Director, Dublin International Film Festival), was moderated by the editors Drs Annette Clancy and Victoria Durrer, UCD School of Art History & Cultural Policy.
Dr Annette Clancy, said, ”While the focus of CFA has rightly been on learners, it has also offered those of us who teach a valuable opportunity to reflect on how we teach - to pause, to look closely at our practices, and to ask what creativity means in our own classrooms. This publication is the result of that process. It captures a series of reflections by educators exploring how creative pedagogy shapes our identities and our relationships with students. Through coming together at a number of workshops, we began to see how creativity in teaching is not only about what we teach but about how we work and learn together. We hope that others will take the case studies and use them in their own classrooms.”
The Creative Futures Academy (CFA) is a ground-breaking partnership between three leading creative institutions: The National College of Art and Design, University College Dublin, and the Institute of Art, Design + Technology, aiming to support students in gaining new skills, fresh networks and opportunities for learning and career development. It has been funded by the Higher Education Authority.