Week 7

What happened?
Our group met for the lecture, where two of the members didn't turn up and one was late.

In the lecture we discussed and voted in our groups the criteria we would be assessed on in the second assignment. It also turned out we did not need to create our own criteria for the first assignment.

After we had had a long discussion as a class on what out criteria should be, it was apparent we would be marked on the process we used to get to a finished artifact.

Then in the workshop, one of the missing group members turned up and we got to work on figuring out how we would complete the 2nd Assignment: create a time-based 3D Artifact. We figured it would be best for everyone to learn the 3D program Blender over the week before the deadline and then we all create the artifact in the next meeting.


Thoughts, feelings, assumptions, beliefs, values, attitudes...

It is a slight relief that the essay will not be assessed on our criteria, and I feel it is also good news that the 2nd Assignment will instead be assessed on it. I think this will make work easier and produce a more interesting result from all of the groups.

I think the group will be a lot more pressured in this second assignment, with only one week to learn the tools and complete it as a group.

I am getting slightly annoyed at one of the members who has missed some of the lectures, and feel they aren't putting enough work into the group. However, my opinion may change by the deadline of this new assignment.

Reasoning and thinking behind actions and practices...
I think we are all able to complete Assignment 2. However we did get easily distracted in the workshop and may not focus on this assignment as much as the previous one.


Evaluation
Good: Making decisions as a group fairly effectively with little disagreement.

Bad: Group getting distracted, some may be taking too much time off.


Reconstruction
Focus more on the assignment and aim to help get the others more focused, too.

Week 6

What happened?
Our group met early so we could have extra time to work on our essay. Some of us huddled round one computer and continued to expand paragraphs, others went off to their own computers and did research.

Although we were spread out, with some doing different tasks, we each did our part for the essay and all "rotated" our jobs.

We then got news that our lecturer was not going to be in today to do the workshop (there wasn't a lecture), so the groups were instructed to create their own criteria for the 2nd Assignment. Our group was focused on the 1st Assignment so we did not focus on this next task much.

We continued to work on the essay till the end of the lesson.

Thoughts, feelings, assumptions, beliefs, values, attitudes...
I felt thinking up our own criteria for the 2nd Assignment, where we have to make a 3D artifact, was harder. I think this is because the spectrum that is on offer is so vast, creating points to be marked upon, are that much harder to pick.

Even though the group member that hadn't put in much work was late to the meeting, I felt he put in a decent amount of effort into working on the essay this time.


Reasoning and thinking behind actions and practices...
I think we are all happy with how the essay is coming to a close and are optimistic about its quality, however we got too focused on it and neglected other tasks.


Evaluation
Good: Working great, together as a group, wrapping up the essay well.

Bad: Group becoming too focused and neglecting other tasks.


Reconstruction
Take more time to step back and organize ourselves as a group.

Week 5

What happened?
Our group met in the lecture theatre, one of our members had a doctors appointment, 2 were delayed because of canceled trains and one didn't turn up to the lecture.

In the lecture, after our 2 delayed group members had turned up, we were asked to create our own criteria in our groups to be marked on for the first assignment. After we had completed this every group shared their few assessment points they had come up with.

Then in the workshop we were given a sheet listing all of the criteria that were given by the groups in the lecture, and in our groups we crossed off the points we didn't want to be in the criteria until we had six criteria left.

After this we continued to expand our essay as a group, each inputting our own comments as one person types up everything into a suitable essay format.

It should also be noted that the member that left the group has suddenly decided to be involved again.


Thoughts, feelings, assumptions, beliefs, values, attitudes...
It will certainly be interesting to see how us giving ourselves our own criteria to be marked on effects how we make the essay. I feel this will be a good skill to learn.

I hope that the member that left the group and is now back puts in suitable work for the group and doesn't drag us down or drift off again.


Reasoning and thinking behind actions and practices...
I think we are all happy with how we are working, and are optimistic about finishing the first assignment.


Evaluation
Good: We completed the tasks given to us effectively and properly.

Bad: The group member let back in may slow processes down.


Reconstruction
Speed up the process of writing the essay.

Week 4

What happened?
My group and I went to the Duchamp, Man Ray, Picabia exhibition at the Tate Modern.

(http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/duchampmanraypicabia/default.shtm)

We arranged to meet at 11:30, but everyone turned up about 5-20 minutes late. We purchased tickets and went to the exhibition. I did a sketch of one of the paintings, and took down the description (we weren't allowed to take photo).

After about 45 minutes we had finished looking at everything and had picked our favourite, worst and most desired and so we left.


Thoughts, feelings, assumptions, beliefs, values, attitudes...
I did not enjoy the exhibition, and did not think it was relevant to Experimental 3D. However, it was a good way of further socializing with the group. I was also pretty annoyed that I wasn't able to take photos inside the exhibition.


Reasoning and thinking behind actions and practices...
I think we were all so quick in the exhibition because we all thought that it was not relevant to the module.


Evaluation
Good: The group got on well, despite bad feelings about the exhibition.

Bad: No one from our group liked the exhibition, or thought it was needed for the module.


Reconstruction
Bare with exhibitions that we are told to go to. Even if group feels that they are unnecessary.

Here are some of the photos I took (when I was allowed)...