I downloaded the raw data from Microsoft Forms, then I formalised the data using charts and percentages and including any comments for each question, then I analysed each question, then compiled an analysis of the questionnaire for each Year group, then made an overall analysis.
Here are the 4 stages:
I need visuals?
Year 1
The response rate was 7 out of 34, 21%.
This suggests the keen and friendly ones filled in the form, and may not be a representative sample.
Generally the Drawing exercise at the beginning of the session was a positve experience for the respondents, apart from the one who stated that they didn’t like their fellow students, so that is a personal issue and anomoly.
I am glad that I included a comments box, and that the student used it to detail why they gave a negative comment so I could see it was an anomoly, and not related to my Drawing exercise, so I could discount it. In future I will always include a comments box for this reason.
I could investigate further whether it relaxed the students generally for the session and so promoted engagement, or whether it helped them directly engage with the Adobe software, or if it is a mix of the two.
Year 2
The response rate was 7 out of 34, 21%.
This suggests the keen and friendly ones filled in the form, and may not be a representative sample.
1. Most respondents prefer to work Analogue.
This reinforced my epistemological findings, Bespoke Tailoring students make physical garments and are comfortable working Analogue so there is nothing unexpected in the data or comments. Those that prefer working Analogue agreed that it helped them relate to the Digital aspects of the session. This reinforced my epistemological findings, and encourages me to continue to develop this for students. The respondent that prefers working Digitally had not used ProCreate so the question was irrelevant.
The only comment shows the Drawing exercise was both constructive and mindful:
‘It doesn’t necessarily works as a connection to digital aspects, but helps wake up cognitive functions a little bit’.
2. All respondents level of digital literacy at the start of the year was either intermediate or beginner.
This indicates it is important to make it straightforward for students to engage with Digital software.
3. Unexpectedly, most students experienced challenges or barriers during the drawing or digital activities (e.g., physical, technical, or learning-related challenges)?
This is striking, and needs clarity as it could mean they found challenges such as signing in to a computer, which is common, or barriers such as using a mouse, which students don’t often reveal. Could I have worded the question better?
4. All respondents found that the drawing activity helped them to engage with the digital activity.
This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
5. Most respondents found the Drawing activity helped them to adapt to digital tools, none found it didn’t.
This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
6. Most respondents found the Drawing activity made them feel more engaged with the digital software, none found that it didn’t. 86% strongly agreed or agreed.
This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
7. All the respondents felt the Drawing activity made them feel more included in the session.
This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
8. All the respondents found the Drawing activity built confidence in their ability to generate ideas.
This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
9. All the respondents found it valuable to briefly discuss their drawings.
This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
10. Most respondents agreed that the focus on Process rather than Result in the drawing activity encouraged them to engage creatively with Digital learning in the session, although one respondent disagreed.
This further encourages me to develop these sessions. I do not know why one respondent disagreed, they did not leave a comment.
11. Most respondents found the analogue drawing exercise helped them to see that digital work can be open and creative, rather than ‘binary’ (perfect/imperfect), with one respondent neutral.
This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
12. Most respondents found the drawing exercise made them feel more relaxed about taking on new digital learning in the session, with one respondent disagreeing.
This further encourages me to develop these sessions. I do not know why one respondent disagreed, they did not leave a comment.
13. Nearly split in half, respondents found the drawing activity fostered a sense of community and group bonding in the session, encouraging peer-to-peer learning and teaching or were neutral about it.
This is positive, but needs more investigation to develop these sessions.
14. Most respondents found the collaborative drawing activities (using one large piece of paper) increased the sense of community and group bonding compared to the individual drawing activities, with almost a third somewhat or neutral.
15. Almost half the respondents found the drawing activity made it easier to discuss/raise questions during the digital activity, with the other half neutral.
This is positive, but needs more investigation to develop these sessions.
16. Almost half the respondents found the drawing activity stimulated creative thinking for the rest of the digital session, with the other half neutral.
This is positive, but needs more investigation to develop these sessions.
17. Most respondents found the drawing activity helped somewhat to understand how digital work can be used as part of the creative process, with a third neutral.
This is positive but cooler, but needs more investigation to develop these sessions.
18. Almost all respondents found that the analogue drawing activity had an impact on their overall confidence when engaging with digital tools. No one found it was detrimental.
This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
There was only one comment or suggestion about the drawing activities or the sessions in general, which I think was related to the inital open drawing session at the beginning of the year, not the tech sessions. This is a positive comment.
Year 3
The response rate was 5 out of 34, 15%.
This suggests the keen and friendly ones filled in the form, and may not be a representative sample.
I did not do drawing with Year 3 in Year 1 as I did not start teaching on the course till the following year, so this was the first time I had done drawing with them. They were surprised and unused to creating drawings as Fine Art with an open exploration, as they are taught to be as precise as possible.
At the time of the sessions they were under pressure, there was a deadline for submissions and the final year is also a time of great focus on the Final Major Project.
In the sessions I wanted to comfortably take them out of the comfort zone, so in Question 2 I wanted to know if they were happy to do drawing in the session, that it didn’t seem like a chore or a box ticking exercise or a mandated task. The Drawing exercise at the beginning of the session was a positve experience for the respondents. They requested some earlier in the Design process, and also later when they could draw from their initial Toiles to get more inspiration.
I could investigate further whether it relaxed the students generally for the rest of the session and so promoted engagement, and how much it contributed to the creative development of their work.