Research

​In relation to my educator philosophy, here is a selection of research articles that more particularly relates to my pedagogical interests and quest.

​Beyond Backwards Design
Michal McReary's article on Grant Wiggins Universal Backwards Design concept of instruction points to how UbD, often referred to as a student centered approach, as an inherently quantitative measure contradicts the explorative, and improvisatory aspects of creative processes. And this so imply since it is designed to start with defining the objectives or outcomes of the work. The pre-determined nature of the goals (and the 'truth'), directly undercuts the explorative part of not just collaborative work, and it's presumed discoveries, but of the entire learning process as such.

Since exploration and improvisation are generally not thought of as specific goal oriented pursuits, but rather journeys of discovery, and as such unlike what we commonly know as the scientific process, whereby a theory is presented and then tested. A practical analogy of the processes of creative work, lies in the field of archeology, which starts with excavation; followed by an explorative search, possibly based on a prior single find or notion. The similarity is that the quest (not the assumed or desired result, which is unknown) determines the explorative process. And the outcomes, results, and findings, again never initially prospected, and thus unspecified, are unknown until unearthed, analyzed, identified, and documented.

If the students are the ones setting the actual goals, and these goals in turn are less rigid, as in for instance goal: realization of the sonic properties of an instrumentation in relation to a context, then the idea of using UbD as an educational process design may very well serve a creative purpose. And if, in addition, the steps on the way to the outcome, once specified, may be altered as necessary. But if the UbD on the other hand is designed, interpreted, and implemented as a more closed, content-oriented syllabus framework, more of a recipe, it will likely be creatively counterproductive.