Multimedia Representations of Students Work Over Time

Descriptive Review Process for a Piece of Work

Pat Carini, The Prospect Archive and Center for Education and Research, Bennington, Vt.

 

1. Introduction

• Literal descriptions of a work can provide common understandings, ground it for everyone, and provide a foundation for less literal interpretations such as the author’s intentions. Rounds of descriptions can guard against over-reading, reading into, or reducing the work through over analyzing or theorizing.

• Participants are seated in a circle and each person speaks in turn.

2. Reflection/Recollection on medium or motif.

• 1 round

• Write down meanings, ideas, words, etc. and share.

• Leader restates emerging ideas, understandings, themes, complementarities, patterns and divergences.

3. Present Work

• Pass work to each participant 2 – 3 times or present it in full view.

• Allow ample opportunity for observation and reflection.

4. General first impressions.

• 1 round

• In a few words:

• What is your immediate impression?

• Do you get a general feeling from this?

• What surprises you? Puzzles you?

• Leader restates emerging ideas, understandings, themes, complementarities, patterns and divergences.

• 1 – 3 rounds

• What are the noticeable elements and details?

• What do you see directly on the surface of the work?

• If it is a piece of writing, paraphrase what happened.

• What is the sequence of events? Actions? Characters? Setting (Draw it)?

• Leader restates emerging ideas, understandings, themes, complementarities, patterns and divergences.

6. Less literal

• 1 – 3 rounds

• What images come to mind when viewing the work?

• “It seems like . . ..”

• Leader restates emerging ideas, understandings, themes, complementarities, patterns and any divergences.

7. Author’s presence, voice, evidence of intent, purpose, or choices.

• What do you think the author/artist wants to say?

• Where does our interpretation come from? The author? Ourselves?
  How much can we trust our description of the work?

• Leader restates emerging ideas, understandings, themes, complementarities, patterns and any divergences.

8. Final restatement.

• Leader articulates meanings involved that emerged from the description of the work.