Lead Department
Architecture
Coordinated by
Deirdre Ryan (deirdre.ryan@mtu.ie)
Active Members
4
Purpose
The Creative Literacy Learning Community explores how engagement with the arts can enhance communication, critical thinking, and design literacy among students. By incorporating both visible and invisible literacy skills—reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, representing, and creating—this initiative aims to cultivate design thinking, advance communication techniques, and foster a culture of research and dissemination.
Through interactive arts-based literacy events, this Learning Community seeks to create a space where staff and students can explore new methods of creative expression, deepening their ability to convey ideas effectively and engage with broader perspectives.
Summary
The Learning Community will operate through fortnightly meetings in Semester 1 to discuss and plan a series of arts-based literacy events for Semester 2. These short, engaging sessions (max. 50 minutes) will focus on a variety of creative activities, including:
- Viewing and discussing short films to explore visual literacy and storytelling techniques.
- Readings and discussions on architectural icons to connect students with historical and contemporary design thinking.
- Creative drawing exercises to encourage conceptual thinking and representation skills.
- Poetry and creative writing workshops to enhance verbal and written communication.
The interdisciplinary collaboration between Architecture and the Student Engagement & Retention Office ensures a diverse approach to creative literacy, enriching student learning experiences and encouraging innovative ways of thinking.
For the 2023-24 academic year, this Learning Community aims to integrate arts-based literacy into academic practice, develop engaging events for students, and foster a more holistic approach to communication and design education.
