Tools and tips for creative blended-learning

How do we encourage our pupils to engage, to feel heard and valued, to remain creatively curious at a time where not all provisions remain available to them, whether in the classroom or our local communities? 

What if we just stopped and actually used this time, right now, to revisit why we love the creative arts; to delve into a world of play and reconnect with ourselves as practitioners and to help support our pupils throughout their own turbulent times? I can hear you now: “That sounds great! But how?! In what time will I do that?!” 

Well, let me help you with some EdTech and activity suggestions.

On my return to school, it was decided that our pupils would be in classroom bubbles, and it is the teachers who move throughout the day. This has meant a strategic rethink of our projects, and how we can best continue to teach ‘table-top creativity’ and blended learning with limited media and access to facilities. I won’t lie, it hasn’t always been easy, but what challenges ever are?

So here we go, my top 3 tips for table-top creativity and blended learning success:

1. Think Digital

There are an overwhelming amount of creative apps available, but which ones can actually enhance and deepen the learning of our pupils as opposed to providing a ‘nod’ to blended learning; which ones are the ones that they will keep experimenting with and want to play with?

Here are my favourites:

Adobe Capture – a great application that can be used to take pupils’ drawings from class and turn them into the most beautiful kaleidoscopic outcomes! This is great as it really extends the scope for pupils drawings and is an excellent way to combine, experiment and manipulate.

Stop Motion Studio – a free stop-motion app that will work on both apple and android devices. I challenged my pupils to recreate a still life, but I wanted the objects to roll into place and then roll back out! They did a great job!

Comic Life – an app where pupils can document the progression of their work in a step-by-step guide for others to follow by inserting videos and photographs. This is great as a reflection tool and really ensures that pupils consider the different steps needed from process to product.

I understand that not all of our pupils have access to digital technology at home as we await provisions to be further rolled out. Have a look at what your school can offer.

2. Skill and Media Transition

Be very precise in identifying the skill you are teaching and how it has been adjusted for COVID by looking at the stems of creativity. For example, what techniques can be adjusted? Mono printing with wet media for me currently is not a viable option, as I have no sinks and no space, so I have been creating mono-printing, mark-making workshops that use oil pastels, graphite and coloured pencil instead! It has been brilliant! Each pupil is given a set of their own equipment, so sharing is limited, and we play with how marks are transfered. We then manipulate this further by creating repeat patterns in Adobe Capture – great fun!

3. Sculpt, but use paper!

I have been looking at how pupils understand images. They are bombarded, as we all are, but do we actually ever really look? I have recently given my pupils an image of Sonia Delauney’s work.

We analysed it, broke it down, and I then asked them to recreate this abstract 2D piece as a 3D paper sculpture. With limited equipment of scissors, pencils, coloured pencils and a small amount of glue, they were able to work wonders. This really enhanced their understanding of colour and the possibilities of how we understand an image… I think I might try a cubist piece next! How does this work with blended and remote learning though, I hear you ask? Well, this task would work brilliantly with the Comic Life app, where pupils could then provide a breakdown of their sculpture and give it to a partner for someone else to make!

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Kim Adams
My name is Kimberley Adams and I am a creative leader with more than 10 years of experience in the classroom and counting! As a sector leading educational consultant I have embedded new creative initiatives in schools across the UK and continue to work closely with schools in Wales; developing their creative departments through sector leading hands on, practical training. I also work as an PGCE consultant helping to guide and develop the pedagogical aspirations of future teachers.
@kimadams83