I emailed my lecturer yesterday to find out what is required of me to finalise the Creative Futures module. In reply, I have to complete an assessment form and a Professional Practice file/blog.

I established right at the outset of this module, that I was not happy with this Creative Futures module. I even discoursed with my personal tutor and the course leader in depth about my feelings. 

I agreed to meet up with the Creative Futures lecturer to consider the bare minimum I could do just to pass this module. We discussed and decided that I could write my own personal blog reflecting my experience as a mature student embarking on a degree or as I call it a mid-life crisis as I’ve always called this..!!

As part of the module, we had to work in a group too and create a fictitious product that we would need to present at the end of the module in the style of the Apprentice. I found myself just joining a group and came up with the idea of Juzt Adjuzt Specs, this part of the module was ok I suppose. 

I felt though that I was left to get on with it on my own with very limited or no input from the other members. As I came up with the concept, branding and design idea on my own, I considered presenting this on my own too. The reality was that even though two of the other members of the group turned up on the video presentation, there was hardly any involvement from them. 

The presentation went well as expected, but I do feel that I have not received enough feedback from the lecturers regarding the other members of the group and their involvement.

The other part of the module is loosely based on a personal blog such as this one however I should also:

“Reflect on the guest speakers who visited as part of the Creative Futures programme detailing what you learned and gained from the talks and how you can apply anything you learned to your own practice.”

I made a criticism about this and in response I received

Regarding the speakers, they covered a lot of topics that are relevant regardless of what subject area you are studying such as self employment, promoting your business, finance, getting clients, keeping clients, self promotion, online presence, social media, setting fees/rates and other transferable skills that are important across many areas. This was addressed and explained by Cerys and I to everyone when we presented lectures together.

So I now feel that the original agreement has now changed without any consideration and there is still an expectation of me to watch videos on subjects such as Art & Dementia, The Wonderful Wide World of Artist Residencies and Hallmarking…!! I have advised that I will be submitting this blog along with the assessment form; however I am not going to be sending any written content based on videos of subject matter that is not relative to my life, my degree or my future.

Overall in conclusion I do think that the ending of this module cannot come any quicker, I put a lot of time and effort into the presentation and thought that that would be it, job done, alas no.!!

I endeth my rant…I mean reflection..!!