Design Cycle
The Digital Art Lab project was dedicated to explore new opportunities for creative education. By thoroughly investigating the target audiences and environment, we gained insight into the field. A design cycle was used (see image left) to make our productions suit the project’s goals. During this project also several field research techniques were used. These techniques guaranteed that the Digital Art Lab would provide a relevant development to both CKC and other partners involved. The techniques included: antropological research, survey research, data collection, interviews, and participatory observation by exploratory productions/events.
Research Methods
To get the Patching Zone team integrated into the CKC and get acquainted with the local community, our team took lessons from the teachers of the CKC Design Team. The goal of this antropoligical research was to see how the CKC teachers did their job, which teaching model they used, and how they presented themselves and their work. Each team member took on a discipline that was unfamilair to him/her. Linda Kronman undertook Timothy Kok’s hip hop lessons, Emöke Bada undertook Annelies de Graaf’s Textile lessons, Berit Janssen undertook Ingrid Reker’s Sculpture lessons, and Lennart Boers & Loes Bogers undertook Vincent Zaalberg’s bass guitar lessons. For the first time, our team experienced first-hand how skilled the CKC Design Team teachers were and how diverse their teaching methods/styles were. The pilot year would eventually show how well the teachers worked together and learnt from each others expertise.
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Surveys
This pilot year we have conducted 3 surveys to analyse the development of the knowledge and skills of the CKC Design Team. Specific questions were asked about their knowledge/experience with certain software, concepts and teaching methods. The outcome of these surveys is still being analyzed.
Participatory Observation
These observations were usually done during a production or event. For instance, during the CKC’s Open Day and CKC op Straat (e.g., street workshops) or in the Krokus Holiday workshops, we did informal interviews with the partcipants/made direct observations/wrote personal analyses of these events and posted them on our blog. On other occassions (e.g., Floor Storm, Erasmus Brainstorm sessions, Digital Hang-Outs) we were more direct and started collective discussions about their interests and hobbies.
Interviews
We have interviewed the CKC Design Team as well as adolescents on the street of Zoetermeer. The video interviews with the CKC Design Team were done in collaboration with ArijJan Verboon from Kunstfactor (e.g., a national organisation for the development and promotion of arts). Again the development of the teachers was central to the line of questions. Unlike the in-depth interviews with the CKC staff, the street interviews was conducted with the local youth in Zoetermeer. We were particularly interested in what they do for recreation. For instance, what they do for entertainment, where they chill in Zoetermeer and what they would like to be good/better at.