Evidence-based practices at Ballarat Clarendon College

[On-screen text] This video demonstrates how evidence-based practices can work together in a Visual Communication Design lesson where students are applying design strategies they have previously been taught. 

You will see the teacher using techniques aligned to the following areas of practice: 

• Revisit and review 
• Monitor progress 
• Rules and routines 
• Organise knowledge 
• Scaffold practice 
• Vary practice 
• Explain learning objectives  
• Respectful interactions 

Chloe Rees, Year 11 Visual Communication Design teacher, Ballarat Clarendon College: Hello, my name's Chloe Rees and I'm a Year 11 Visual Communication Design teacher at Ballarat Clarendon College. Today I'll be teaching convergent thinking and discussing how that's really important when thinking about all of the different design possibilities. Come along. 

Chloe Rees: All right guys, our starter task for today: it's a 2 marker, so 2-minute starter task. 

[On-screen text] Revisit and review 

• Include regular, short, appropriately paced reviews 

Chloe Rees: Quickly read the direction and then I would like you to start: 2 minutes, 2 marks. Let's go. 

[On-screen text] Monitor progress 

• Monitor errors to provide feedback, additional instruction or guidance 

Chloe Rees: Well, remember to look at the characteristics on the board when you're drawing.  

30 seconds. 

[On-screen text] Rules and routines 

• Use routines that prepare students for learning 

Chloe Rees: Pencils down in 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1 and eyes on me. 

[On-screen text] Organise knowledge  

• Include examples and non-examples  
• Integrate visual and textual representations 

Chloe Rees: I want you to self-correct as I take you through the answers on the next slide. 

So, looking at my model example of my model response to this, we can see that I've used visual language through the use of line where I've taken that thick continuous line and I've used it on the outside of my shape. 

I've worked with shape again down the bottom to have that blacked out area. And I've also then used the design principles, if we're linking back to visual language over here, of using figure ground and having the animal placed in the centre of the design. So the design principle of balance there. 

So for you to be awarded the full marks here, you need your animal in the centre, like my model example, you needed a shape on the outside and it needed to be black and white only. 

So this is a great opportunity for us to practise and revisit that learning from our prior lessons and units – not just in Unit 2 but earlier on in the year, in Unit 1. 

Can you take out your homework for me, please? 

[On-screen text] Revisit and review  

• Focus on knowledge and skills that will maximise learning progress  
• Design review for high participation rates (turn and talk) 

Chloe Rees: Homework was to look at the Australian Olympics uniform and to think about the elements and principles that you can see within the work and how they've been used to create an effective design. 

If you're all on the left-hand side of me, you’re partner A for the turn and talk, and if you're on the right-hand side of me, you are partner B for the turn and talk. 

[On-screen text] Scaffold practice 

• Use scaffolds to guide practise and application of learning (conversation topic guidance and acronyms) 

Chloe Rees: Partner A, I would like you to talk about the one design element that you have discussed in your response for homework, and then partner B, I will want you to discuss the design principles. 

Remember that when we're discussing the design elements, we're using the acronym of FAT CAT PELTS to pick the most dominant element.  

And the design principle we're using the acronym of COPS HEART BIG CHIPS to pick the dominant principle. 

I'm gonna check your homework while you're doing your turn and talk. 

Turn and talk. Partner A.  

Class: [Interposing voices.] 

[On-screen text] Monitor progress 

• Check for understanding frequently 
• Monitor errors to provide feedback, additional instruction or guidance 

Chloe Rees: Good job.  

Good job. 

Soph, great work, good work. 

Excellent work. Just make sure that you write it – yep, you've got the design element. So just list an element of colour. Principle of pattern. 

Rory, you're ... Is this your response here? 

Student: Yeah. 

Chloe Rees: Yep, and you've spoken about the element of line, element of colour, principle of hierarchy.  

Element, principle, element, principle. 

Now I want you to hop into the turn and talk here for me.  

Student: Oh, okay. 

Chloe Rees: So include Isaac in the turn and talk today. 

Design element, design principle. Bridge we spoke. One element, one principle, and ... 

Class: [Interposing voices.] 

Chloe Rees: Rightio, let's come back together in 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1. 

[On-screen text] Vary practice 

• Encourage students to question and explain their thinking  

Chloe Rees: Layla, what was one of the design elements that you discussed? 

Student: I chose colour. 

Chloe Rees: And why did you choose colour? 

Student: Because I thought, like, the green and gold, it's pretty like significant to like Australia and how it's recognised in the uniform. And I thought that was a – it's like a constant theme in the uniform. 

Chloe Rees: So it's consistent in the uniform. And you've linked it back to other things that you know about Australia as well. So you've used some prior knowledge in your response there.  

If you were describing the use of colour, what words would you describe the colours? Would they be bright? Would they be dull? 

Student: Yeah, bright. And, in my mind, they’re kind of like they're kind of gradient into each other as well. 

Chloe Rees: Perfect. So they've got separate block colours, but they're also working together to create that gradient. 

Chloe Rees: Design principle. Jiya, what design principle did you discuss? 

Student: Balance. 

Chloe Rees: Balance. And what did you say about balance in your design? 

Student: It used like a symmetrical design, which made it like cohesive to look at. 

Chloe Rees: And why was it symmetrical in design? 

Student: Because that like made sure one side didn't like take more attention than the other. 

Chloe Rees: Good. And we know that from our prior knowledge with balance as a principle, when something's symmetrical in vis comm, it must be a mirror image. So we're talking that it has that mirror image there and really using evidence like Layla and Jiya did in terms of their response. So we're linking back to that evidence that we can see in the collected resource imagery that we've collected. 

[On-screen text] Explain learning objectives  

• Explain the learning objectives  
• Connect to and build on students’ prior knowledge 

Chloe Rees: Let's move into our lesson for today. 

Today we are going to be looking at convergent thinking strategies to resolve design solutions. 

We have looked at convergent thinking in Unit 1, in Outcome 1, when we created our lighting designs. And convergent thinking was really important in that part of the design process because it allowed us as designers to think critically about our work and make decisions in reference to our design briefs. The design brief that identifies your design problem as a designer that you're solving throughout the design process. 

So there are particular points in the process that we need to do convergent thinking so that we are making sure we're delivering on the things we have agreed with, with our client. 

[On-screen text] Organise knowledge  

• Connect familiar with unfamiliar content  
• Build metacognitive knowledge 

Chloe Rees: And if we think back to Unit 1, Outcome 1, when we've used convergent thinking, we have used convergent thinking techniques such as PMI, POOCH, a SWOT analysis. And we're going to revisit those today in order for us to stop and think critically about is our symbols and are our jerseys meeting the needs of the brief before we move into the next stage of the design process, where we're delivering and we're creating those final presentations of our work. 

[On-screen text] Revisit and review 

• Match techniques to the purpose of the review 
• Focus on knowledge and skills that will maximise learning progress 

Chloe Rees: Part of our review today is linking back to last lessons jerseys, where we started to use the icons that we had developed in previous lessons and we used those to create patterns. We really focused on the design principles, where we were arranging our symbols to create pattern, to create balance. If we're thinking back to our homework review, to use colour. Layla, like you discussed as part of your homework review, to make a cohesive design. 

[On-screen text] Respectful interactions  

• Establish and maintain a culture where feedback is valued  

Chloe Rees: We're going to spend 5 to10 minutes today revisiting that before we move into the next stage of using convergent thinking. Before we do that, we are going to a turn and talk so that we get feedback. We know, as designers, the more feedback that we get, the more successful we are in identifying what areas of the design brief we haven't yet identified. 

[On-screen text] Scaffold practice   

• Use scaffolds to guide practice and application of learning (conversation topic guidance and acronyms) 

Chloe Rees: Partner B, you're going to go first today in your turn and talk. Why would the design appeal to the target audience? What I want to hear when you're discussing the target audience is the characteristics that we use to identify a target audience. So that's age, interest, SES [socio-economic status] and location. We need to draw upon this language that we use to identify that target audience in your discussion. 

Partner A, you're going to go second and you're going to come back to the language that we discussed as part of our starter task and our homework review, where you're going to discuss the elements, thinking about FAT CAT PELTS as our acronym to pick the most dominant, and the principles COPS HEARTS BIG CHIPS. When you're doing your turn and talk, you're referring to your work: your work that we worked on last lesson. 

Partner B, can you do your turn and talk? 

Class: [Interposing voices.] 

[On-screen text] Rules and routines 

• Use prompts and signals to maximise efficiency and minimise distraction 

Chloe Rees: Have you got all of your work? Righto, Isaac, I want you to go first in your turn and talk and then Grace, you turn in to turn and talk. 

Student: But I think just kind of like through the use of braids and stuff and like the change of colours.  

[On-screen text] Monitor progress 

• Frame feedback constructively 

Chloe Rees: Oh, good. This is working really well. And then you've used that cropping. Yeah, perfect, perfect. Have you thought about using that over here, so that you're then linking that design, because you've used it in these 2 designs here, but you might want to think about – you could even put it on the sleeve here in that section where you haven't yet got. That might be something to consider when we move post the turn and talk. 

Lucy, this design here. I would take some of these characteristics that you've used – the elements and principles over here – and implement them into your work over here. 

[On-screen text] Monitor progress 

• Guide attempts to respond 

Chloe Rees: The target audience that you're working with Rory? Who's your target audience? 

Student: Uh … 

Chloe Rees: So look back to your design brief. You've got your design brief in there so let's have a quick look in there. 

Student: Ah, young adults living in the Wimmera. 

Chloe Rees: Right, young adults living in the Wimmera. Connor, do you think that that would be meeting those needs? 

Connor, what elements and principles have you discussed? 

Student: I discussed. Oh, we were doing this piece around. 

Chloe Rees: Yep. 

Student: But I think the principle, yeah, elements of line.  

Chloe Rees: You've used really well? 

And when we move post the review, I want you to think about using this space here, this negative space that you haven't yet used in your design. 

[On-screen text] Explain learning objectives 

• Refer to the learning objectives and success criteria throughout the lesson 

Student: Can you change what our jersey looks like? 

Chloe Rees: Yep. Art and that’s where the convergent thinking is going to be really important. So when we do the convergent thinking and post the turn and talk, you'll be able to use that information. 

Student: Because I was going to get rid of these lines.  

Chloe Rees: And that's fine and that's part of this process so that's a really good pick up. 

Let's come back together in 5 … 4 … 3 …  2 … 1.  

The target audience, Lucy, of your design. Tell us who the age is of your target audience. 

Student: So my target audience is the Australian women's team who have a wide range – from like young teens to like 30-year-olds. 

Chloe Rees: So you've got a primary audience and then a secondary audience. The interests of your target audience?  

Student: They love playing cricket. 

Chloe Rees: So that'll be really important as part of your symbols that you're using, your work and the location of where we would see this design. 

Student: So you’d see it on TV when they're playing or when you're at the match. 

Chloe Rees: So you've once again got a primary and a secondary audience. 

The design elements that you've used, Veronica, in your work today? 
Student: I used like colour and shape and tried to incorporate pattern as well. 

[On-screen text] Organise knowledge 

• Build metacognitive knowledge 

Chloe Rees: And what's the next step for you working with those elements? Do you need to make a change to those elements? 

Student: Yeah, I think I need to develop them a bit more, because my designs are quite simple, to make it more interesting. 

Chloe Rees: So we're thinking that we might use more complex lines. We might layer up the elements and principles with our work as your next step. 

The design principles that you've used, Ada. 

Student: I’d say I’ve used the design principles of balance, so, like, some of the, like, try to keep symmetrical or like with the colours, but from there, from, so it was coming with lighter and darker. 

Chloe Rees: And what's your next step, thinking about balance? What could you do to enhance the balance of your work? 

Student: I'm thinking adding a bit more line or a bit more, like, symbolism in parts of it. So it's more [inaudible]. 

Chloe Rees: Yep, and to draw the attention to particular parts of your design. 

[On-screen text] Monitor progress 

• Draw on student responses to check your practice (adjusting lesson timing) 

Chloe Rees: We're gonna use our turn and talk to implement the feedback and the discussion that you've been having with your partner. We are going to spend 5 minutes because, through the turn and talks that I could hear and what I've seen in your workbooks, we need only 5 minutes to go back. This is your opportunity to use that feedback and to implement it into the designs.  

[On-screen text] Organise knowledge 

• Include examples and non-examples 
• Build metacognitive knowledge (scaffolding the use of feedback) 

Chloe Rees: I had a really good discussion with Connor, where he was using the feedback that Rory had given him to say, I think you need to go back and add work into this section of the design that you haven't yet thought about. So it's 5 minutes. We've got our pencils, we've got our texters out. Remember that we are in the develop stage of the design process. So these are quick, they're rough ideas, but it's capturing the thinking down and the thinking that your peer has just given you. Five minutes. Let's add in those quick designs. 

[On-screen text] Monitor progress 

• Check for understanding frequently 
• Use predictable routines and provide constructive responses 

Chloe Rees: So, this is where I want you to use that chance to go back in here. Rory, this is where I want you to use your chances to go in here and fill up these spaces a little bit more. So, think about the design principles of hierarchy and how you can continue to use that direction down your page. 

What are we doing with our feedback? 

Student: I'm just adding more colour into some of the designs because they're – some of them don't have much. 

Chloe Rees: Yep, and what you might want to do too with your colour too. So you've got your flat colours here. You might want to use more of a gradient in the centre, so then you're creating that sense of contrast with the principles as well. 

Lucy, what feedback were you given? 

Student: I'm just going to add some more colours, so I can add the yellow and green because I have to have it. 

Chloe Rees: And when you're using colour, I want you think about a variation. So go from light to dark or dark to light. And then the amount, how you can create contrast as well with that set of white colour in the background. 

Layla. 

[On-screen text] Vary practice 

• Encourage students to question and explain their thinking  

Student: I’m just going to add detail because I've got a lot of white space that I think needs to be filled. 

Chloe Rees: Okay, so what are you thinking the detail could be with that white space? 

Student: Think I might just use a bit of line to kind of like draw more attention to the main … 

Chloe Rees: Yep. And because you've got that sense of organic line, I would continue with that organic line because otherwise you'll have too much contrast in the work. 

Student: Yep. 

Chloe Rees: Veronica. 

Student: I'm just adding more detail and also like adding to the snake lines and patterns. 

Chloe Rees: Yep. And this space here, what you could do is you've got that curved line here. You could curve it up within here as well. Or you could play around with a little bit of pattern in the space here. 

Bridget, what feedback were you given? 

Student: I think I just have, like, a lot of empty space and the colours were kind of all over the place, so I want to change a piece of colour.  

Chloe Rees: And thinking maybe about, you could use, if you want to limit your colours. So thinking about maybe one or two colours per section. That would really help in terms of that and that would respond to the feedback that you were given. Which you could start to experiment with very quickly down in this design here.  

That's looking really good, Rory. Really good. I can see you've taken that from this design here, so well done.  

Connor, that's looking great. 

I'm going to give you 3 more minutes and then we're going to pause and we're going to continue to use this feedback. But looking at the feedback from your peers in a different way. 

[On-screen text] After 3 minutes of independent practice 

[On-screen text] Rules and routines 

• Use prompts and signals to maximise efficiency and minimise distraction 

Chloe Rees: Can we start to put our lids on our pens and have our mini whiteboards out ready for our next part of the lesson?  

I could see during our time of going back to our work, I could see that we were putting in the feedback through the discussions and through your own self-reflection post the discussion as well. So that was really pleasing to see that we've implemented that in.  

[On-screen text] Explain learning objectives  

• Refer to the learning objectives and success criteria throughout the lesson 
• Connect to and build on students’ prior knowledge 

Chloe Rees: Linking back to our learning intention for today, I want to come back to what is convergent thinking? Thirty seconds on your mini whiteboards. What is convergent thinking? 

In 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1 and chin. 

[On-screen text] Monitor progress  

• Monitor errors to provide feedback, additional instruction or guidance 

On our mini whiteboards I can see that we all have critical and reflective thinking on our designs. Critical and reflective thinking. Lucy, on your mini white board, you've got critical and reflective thinking in going back to the brief. That's a really important step in us being reflective because we're looking at what is the design criteria, what's that telling us and what haven't we yet done to go back. It also allows us to think about feedback. Veronica, you've got that on your mini whiteboard. It is feedback. It's feedback from us and it's feedback from our peers, just like we've done in our review today. Jiya, on your mini whiteboard, you've got that it's critical thinking, but it's thinking about what parts of the design are not effective and what changes can I make to make it more effective. All of those things is a part of being convergent in our thinking. Being critical, being selective and thinking about what are the next steps for me as a designer. Mini whiteboards down and to the side, please. 

[On-screen text] Organise knowledge  

• Demonstrate, narrate and think aloud 
• Connect familiar with unfamiliar content  

Chloe Rees: When I introduced our lesson today, I spoke to us about convergent thinking and thinking back to Unit 1, Outcome 1. And if we think back to Unit 1, Outcome 1, we used convergent thinking to be really critical in our thinking when we were making decisions around the lighting design that we were creating. We were critical in thinking about are we meeting the needs of our target audience? Are we meeting the needs of the design brief? And when I'm thinking about those needs, I'm thinking about the purpose. I'm thinking about the final presentation format. I'm thinking about the context of where I will design. 

I'm also thinking, when I'm being convergent in thinking, the good design principles. And we've spent a lot of time together in Unit 1 and in Unit 2 this year considering good design principles. Thinking about the context that the design is intended for. So when we're being convergent, I want us to think back to those 10 design principles and are we meeting those. When we're being reflective, we're being reflective in thinking what are our next steps? 

What are our next steps in meeting the design criteria, but also, what changes do we need to make to get there. And testing ideas. When we're testing our ideas, we're sharing those in a critique, like we've done in 3 lessons ago prior, where we shared with our groups, we were testing our thinking around: Do you think this would work? Do you think it would be well perceived from our target audience? All of those things allow us to be critical and reflective and be convergent in our thinking.