IL005-15 Applied Imagination: Theory and Practice
Introductory description
“The imagination is an essential tool of the mind, a fundamental way of thinking, an indispensable means of becoming
and remaining human.” – Ursula K. Le Guin “The Operating Instructions”
What is 'imagination'? Can we measure it? When and how do you use your imagination? Do different disciplines
engage and treat imagination differently? Is imagination important in academic studies, the working world, or wider
life? What would it be like to not have an imagination? How could you get others to manifest their imaginative and
creative thinking? This interdisciplinary module is grounded in critical pedagogy and designed to enable you to make
connections between the 'imaginative' thinking and practice deployed within your own and other disciplines and to
autonomously explore and develop your own theory of applied imagination by exploring the relationship between
theory, practice and playful exploration. Our sessions will be interactive and co-created as we seek to better
understand the role of imagination in our own lives, in knowledge and its creation, in wider society and in making
change.
Module aims
The intention of the module is to support students to:
- Appreciate the value of understanding different disciplinary approaches, imaginative and creative practices, research methods, and perspectives in response to certain questions.
- Understand how to apply the communicative and collaborative skills used in the module to their work and
imaginative practices. - Develop an understanding of imaginative practices in different contexts and consider ways of
communicating those practices and approaches, their value and impact to other people in other areas of work. - Engage in inter- and transdisciplinary processes and learning
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
Indicative weekly topics
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Introduction to applied imagination.
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Insight management in business and organisation
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Imagination in Chemistry: self efficacy
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Imagination and belonging: critical questions of us, them, home, and empathy
5 Imaginative stimulus: how can we stimulate the imagination and share feedback in ways that helps imagination grow?
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CONTEMPLATION WEEK
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The medium is the message: how form tells its own story
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Language, story and metaphor
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The dark imagination: weapons, war, propaganda, suffering.
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(Re)Imagining the future: where do we go from here?
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Explore understandings, and practices of the imagination, its manifestations and expressions through reflection, practice and critical engagement
- Engage with interdisciplinary ideas and practices in relation to the imagination.
- Explore an area of imagination which interests you through practice, theory and critical reflection
- Imaginatively develop and respond to questions, ideas and problems.
- Explore how your learning sits in the wider field of the study and application of imagination
Indicative reading list
Reading lists can be found in Talis
Research element
Research is defined by BERA as the development of new knowledge. In this module you will have the opportunity to develop new knowledge in the classroom, through digital technology, through your Student Devised Assessment and your Reflective Learning Journal. Knowledge will be developed independently as well as co-created.
Interdisciplinary
The module is an interdisciplinary module designed to enable students to make connections between their own discipline/s and the 'imaginative' thinking and practice deployed within other disciplines. The module will help students develop an understanding of the current uses of 'imaginative' thinking and practices across a range of disciplines and the relationship of imagination to the abstract and complex concerns of those disciplines (= multidisciplinary); to synthesize these into an imaginative approach to managing their own imaginative learning and research (= interdisciplinary) in ways which may lie beyond the scope of a single discipline (= transdisciplinary).
Subject specific skills
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Appreciate the value of understanding different disciplinary approaches, imaginative and creative practices, research methods, and perspectives in response to certain questions.
- Understand how to apply the communicative and collaborative skills used in the module to their work and imaginative practices.
- Develop an understanding of imaginative practices in different contexts and consider ways of communicating those practices and approaches, their value and impact to other people in other areas of work.
Transferable skills
- Independent learning
- Oral and written communication
- Interdisciplinary learning
- Collaborative team working skills
- Research skills
- Time management
- Critical thinking
- Project design and management
- Pedagogic and epistemic understandings
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Other activity | 18 hours (12%) |
| Private study | 52 hours (35%) |
| Assessment | 80 hours (53%) |
| Total | 150 hours |
Private study description
Private study hours include background reading, completing reading/other tasks in preparation for timetabled teaching sessions and follow-up reading work. Mid module, you will be required to produce a formative assessment, an 'Imaginative Stimulus', which will form the basis for the later assessments and give an opportunity to play with ways of applying the learning of the module to practical outcomes. In contemplation week (W6) you will be asked to engage in contemplative practices, as well as to continue your critical reflection. Throughout the module you will be asked to contribute to the shared OneNote and Teams space, which will form a shared and co-created resource and offer means of developing our learning community.
Other activity description
Interactive Sessions
These weekly interactive sessions will likely include a combination of workshop, lecture and discussion.
Optional Hour
This optional hour will run following the 2 hours and will be an opportunity to respond to wider issues and questions emerging from the module. It will be student led with the support of the module convenor(s).
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A5
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| Reflective Learning Journal | 50% | 40 hours | Yes (extension) |
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In this reflective learning journal, you are asked to critically reflect on your learning journey during this module. Reflection should begin before the module, and include the development of your SDA. Your journal can be in the form of your choosing, and may be multi-media. It does not have a word count but should represent the culmination of 40 hours of work across the course of the module. You are encouraged to write in the first person, and to draw on your own experiences and responses to the theory and practices you engage with during the module. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Student Devised Assessment | 50% | 40 hours | Yes (extension) |
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An imaginative form of assessment devised by the student with the support of the tutor might include a short story, poetry, a play, a short film, a graphic (animated) short story, original music composition, workshop. This project allows you to critically engage with applying theories and practices of imagination in the creation of your piece. Ensure you are communicating how and why you have arrived at the definition of imagination you are engaging with, and the reasons you have chosen the form you have, bearing in mind Marshall McLuhan's assertion that 'the medium is the message'. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Detailed written and/or oral feedback will be provided by the tutor(s) to you for each element of the assessed work, with an emphasis on development and learning. Formative oral feedback will also be given, particularly for the Imaginative stimulus, at relevant points within seminars throughout the module and as you devise your own forms of assessment. You will also be encouraged to share your developing work with other students, and to offer supportive and critically engaged feedback on their work.
Courses
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of TMAA-G1PE Master of Advanced Study in Mathematical Sciences
- Year 1 of TMAA-G1P0 Postgraduate Taught Mathematics
- Year 1 of TMAA-G1PC Postgraduate Taught Mathematics (Diploma plus MSc)
- Year 2 of UFIA-W620 Undergraduate Film Studies
- Year 4 of UFIA-QW25 Undergraduate Film and Literature
This module is Option list A for:
- Year 3 of UFIA-QW25 Undergraduate Film and Literature
This module is Option list B for:
- Year 3 of UFRA-R10P Undergraduate French Studies
This module is Option list G for:
- Year 3 of USX2-Y202 Undergraduate Social Studies [2 + 2]
This module is Unusual option for:
- Year 2 of UFRA-R101 Undergraduate French Studies