Rob Wilson

June 2013

- explore and explain Vibrational drawing and connection with String theory vibration

- creative process drawing

- whiteboard animation

- Write on Autoethnography as the real research; becoming the practice and the research all rolled into one

- Oral history interviews in all aspects

Version 4 Of my Research Proposal for UAL follows

Research Proposal / Programme of Research

TITLE

Facilitating Imaginative and Creative Learning in Later Life through Drawing.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

To design and test a Drawing curriculum for Seniors considering new and convergent knowledge in:

- mind/brain ageing

- life long learning [LLL] as it relates to positive mind/brain health especially.

- new teaching and learning strategies appropriate for Seniors.

- new strategies and metrics for healthy ageing.

AIMS

1 To establish whether there is a correlation between the practice of Drawing and healthy ageing[1]

2 To investigate whether an embedded benefit of regularly engaging with Drawing as a mean of communication and discovery by visual artists is reflected in the healthy ageing of Senior artists.

3 To develop a Drawing curriculum for Seniors LLL based on the findings of 1 and 2.

4 To establish my Drawing practice as the main focus of the research through the reflective analysis of my experience and practice as a senior artist.

STATEGIES

1 To investigate the convergence of thinking in the areas of Drawing and healthy ageing and LLL and their relationships.

2 To investigate research evidence that suggests that healthy mind/brain ageing and wellbeing depends on its exercise and that involvement in LLL, especially the Arts may provide one of the best forms of mind/brain exercise.

3 To investigate the use of Drawing in educational models and systems and the problems and opportunities that may currently exist within current curricula.

4 To investigate new teaching and learning strategies which are applicable to Gerogogy.

5 To establish the effects of involvement with Drawing on Senior artists healthy ageing, on a retrospective basis, in the context of the topic.

6 To develop my studio Drawing practice to be reflexive to the research so that each informs the other in constant dialogue.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Historically age related dementia and brain disease were thought to be due to irreversible brain cell loss. Cognitive deterioration along with social isolation was regarded as an inevitable result of ageing.

The research problem surrounds rapidly ageing populations and the socially important need to identify new and innovative solutions for healthy ageing.

In the past decade there have been research initiatives in new areas of Gerogogy, Geroneurology, and Gerosociology suggesting that involvement in the Arts leads to healthy ageing[2].

Although Drawing has played a significant role in Art pedagogical programs historically[3], there is little evidence of Drawing in LLL

programs for Seniors in the U.K. There have been studies carried out in the U.K. by various agencies in the past 20 years regarding the benefits of developing creative initiatives at all levels of LLL5, however few programs have been established for Seniors LLL6. Also the percentage of Seniors involved in LLL has been decreasing7.

Some writing has been done on ageing and creativity8 and although there has been some commentary by senior artists9 there has been very little biographical or autobiographical documentation of/by Senior artists that reflects directly on their ageing process.

CONTEMPORARY CONTEXT

There is new evidence as to how the mind/brain ages and speculation as to the beneficial relationships between healthy brain ageing, regular neural exercise through intellectual engagement, and LLL10.

There is recent research that links healthy ageing directly to participation in the Arts2.

New techniques for teaching and learning have been developed that are particularly appropriate to Seniors [Gerogogy]11.

There are some new initiatives in establishing Seniors Arts programs12, however there is little being done involving the practice of Drawing as a component of the Art programs. There are no known investigations into the linkages between Drawing and Geragogy as to healthy ageing in an effort to propose new, practical opportunities in LLL.

THEORETICAL CONTEXT

The theoretical basis of the research is rests on two hypotheses:

· that healthy mental ageing is based on :

- a healthy mind/brain which is dependent on

intellectual exercise

- healthy social stimulation.

· that both of the above can be achieved through the exercise of Drawing in a social context [Social Drawing]

Although this research is rooted in the practice of Drawing, new developments in Neuroscience and Gerontology will inform the program design and context.

METHODOLOGIES

· Review literature, research and data that take into consideration debates in the areas of convergence of thinking about Drawing and its relation to LLL and healthy ageing. [Aim1]

· Auto-ethnographic and autobiographic methods to establish a reflexive studio practice which will place myself and my studio practice at the center of the research in an effort to assess the effects of my practice on my healthy ageing. [Aims1&4]

· Research in a series of Seniors’ Drawing workshops to determine relative values of social stimulation presented by various Drawing exercises and teaching and learning strategies. [Aim 1]

· Oral history interviews with Senior artists to explain their retrospective experiences in the context of the topic. [Aims 1&2]

· To use all of the above to inform the design and testing of a Drawing curriculum for Seniors. [Aim 3]

· An attempt will be made to subject myself to periodic fMRI’s and other forms of neural imaging to establish autobiographical connections in the context of the topic.[Aim4]

FINAL OUTCOME

An exhibition of the artwork created and a written thesis including a proposed Drawing curriculum.

[1] Healthy Ageing is defined as: ongoing activities that reduce risk of illness and disease and increase positive physical, emotional and mental health outcomes and enhance quality of life.

[2] The Creativity and Ageing Study, Final Report PDF, G.D. Cohen, [April 2006]

Opening Minds through Art (OMA) at Colonial: Miami, E Lokon, [June 2010]

[3] The Arts and Education: Knowledge Generation, Pedagogy, and the Discourse of Learning, Review of Research in Education, V. L. Gadsden,[Feb 2008], University of Pennsylvania

Dewey, [1934] Eisner, [1982 and 1994] and Gardner, [1989]

5 Schuller, T. and Watson, D. (2009) Learning Through Life: Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning. Leicester: NIACE

Robinson Report,[2006], referenced in MSL

6 Ageing Artfully Report, Barings Foundation, D Cutler, [2009], [ISBN 978-1-906172-06-0].

7 J Benyon, [2010], referenced in MSL.

8 On Late Style, E. Said, [2007], Patheon

9 Audio Arts, W. Furlong, [2007] Connecting Lines: Artists Talk About Drawing CD [2010] part of National Life Stories project of the British Library. Senior Artists Dictate History, Chinese documentary film, [2006] to present [ongoing project]. Senior Artists Initiative Philadelphia, ongoing documentation process.

10 Multiple articles, books and blogs by Dr.Goldberg and Dr. M Merzenick and Dr. J Simons within the past five years, who are referenced in the MSL. Also various research projects initiated by Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Gardner, [1998-2006]

¹¹ M. Formosa [2002] Critical Gerogogy; E. Wenger [1998- 2002], R. Parker [1996-2012], on Parallel Communities of Practice; Y. Engerstom on Activity Learning; M. Czikszentmihalyi [1996- 2012] on the importance of play in learning; J Cornelli and C.Danoff [2012] on Paragogy ; J. Merizow on Transformative learning.

12Ageing Artfully Report, Barings Foundation, David Cutler, [2009], ISBN 978-1-906172-06-0