Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Photography + AI Workshop
Size of student group: Up to 6 students
Observer: James Stringer
Observee: Reinis Lismanis
Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action.
Part One
Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review:
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?
This is an optional sign-up workshop for 2nd and 3rd year BA as well as MA Fine Art Photography students only. This workshop is part of a wider range of regular Thursday workshops led by Specialist Technicians in Photography, covering both analogue and digital contexts in a wide range of topics.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
I have been working as a technician in the Photography Resource Centre since November 2023, which means that some, if not all, students will be familiar with me, and might have attended previous workshops run by me.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
The students will gain insights on machine learning pre-ChatGPT boom exploring AI in the context of images, they will learn the concepts of building custom datasets to train generative AI. The students will also become familiar with a range of widely available still and moving image generators, and practice on a selection of these.
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
I anticipate that students will create their own AI generated images, animations or short videos.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
Some students might have a lot of experience working with AI whilst others might have none, so keeping the session balanced and engaging for all is important.
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
I will email the students who have signed up to make them aware of the observation in advance. I will also mention this in person at the start of the workshop.
What would you particularly like feedback on?
Accessibility, level of engagement, clarity of delivery.
How will feedback be exchanged?
I would ideally like to receive short written feedback that we can also discuss in an informal manner in person.
Part Two
Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:
Accessibility.
The layout of the learning space was well thought out, with you sitting at the head of the table and the students gathered around. The general vibe was relaxed and collaborative. I liked your approach to working with the students via Microsoft Teams, using it well as a repository for files and to collate the workshop outcomes. This made bringing the created ai content together much easier – it was a good idea to have them work on sections of a larger narrative so that you could then edit the parts together to ensure an output.
Workshop Structure and pacing.
I think the workshop structure could have allowed for more time to work on the final activity. Whilst showing a film mid-way provided a break from the heavier context of the presentation, I think you could have shown an excerpt or shorter version to add more time to the practical section of the workshop. Another option would be to simplify the main activity itself – however I could tell that the students did enjoy adding complexity to their ai stories. I think the workshop was the right length but could possibly have benefitted from a short mandatory break or walkaround. Whilst you did give them the option of a short break, this was rolled in with the start of the task.
Engagement.
I felt that the students remained well engaged throughout. Your use of pauses to demonstrate various technology such as Pix to Pix during your presentation added some engaging bursts of energy to ensure that students didn’t drift off. I observed some students looking at their laptops during the session but on closer inspection they were frantically researching and bookmarking your slide references. Students responded enthusiastically to the task and responded with excellent contributions.
Clarity of Delivery.
Your clarity of delivery was excellent. You gave a focused introduction to the topic with a summary of what to expect from the workshop and where to access the resources (from the slideshow). You engaged with the students immediately after your introduction by inviting them to share previous experiences with the technology.
Presentation of the background material was very clear, the slides were designed to be highly readable and visible to all via the projection in the centre of the room. The information was well structured and contained excellent visual and written references. I was impressed by how you traced the history and development of machine learning and ai technology across developments in contemporary art practice.
Overall the workshop was highly successful in exploring ai technologies within a Fine Art Photography context. The students were focused and engaged, which was reflected in the excellent ai story produced by the group as a final outcome.
Part Three.
James’s feedback has provided valuable insights into the delivery of the Photography + AI Workshop. His comments regarding the workshop structure and pacing are particularly helpful. I acknowledge that while the students were engaged, allocating more time for the final practical activity could enhance their learning experience and allow for greater exploration of the AI tools.
To address this, I plan to:
· Re-evaluate the length of the film excerpt shown during the session, considering whether a shorter version or focusing on key segments would free up more time for practical application. This applies to other workshops too – it is important to consider time spent on looking at existing work in contrast to actually making something during a workshop.
· Explore the possibility of simplifying the main activity slightly, while still maintaining its core learning objectives, to ensure all students have ample time for hands-on work. Although sometimes specific tasks can help lead the workshop, a simple and clear task can allow for more freedom and exploration.
· In future workshops of a similar length, I will incorporate a short mandatory break to help maintain focus and energy levels throughout the session.
I appreciate James highlighting the positive aspects, such as the student engagement and clarity of delivery, and will aim to integrate these structural adjustments without compromising these
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