Developing Professional Training for Photographers : supporting active learning
Kolehmainen, Raija (2024)
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024051511950
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024051511950
Tiivistelmä
The aim of this development project was to develop the professional training of photographers to better support active learning and motivate the students to learn the necessary skills of professional photographer. This project is based on constructivist theory and active learning methods.
The project was carried out in Tampere, Finland, at Visuaaliviestinnän Instituutti VVI Oy (Institute of Visual Communication, (later VVI)). VVI is a private vocational education institute, which has a long tradition of training professional photographers (founded 1969) and is specialised in commer-cial photography. The need for the development project stems from the need of the new generation of students for a more activating and motivating education and the need of the institution to expand its educational offer to new groups of learners and to ensure the desirability of education in the future.
This project was implemented as two case studies using iterative service design approach and action research methods. It was documented as a diary-based thesis. Research data was collected through discussions, participant feedback and participant observations to generate key insights, which were then applied iteratively to improve training. The primary research data consisted of student feedback and the secondary research material consisted of the researcher's observations during the training sessions and reflections after them.
One learning module, “Building a Picture”, of the training program of basic vocational qualification was selected as the primary target for development. As a result of the project, the content and learning methods of this learning module were redesigned using active learning methods. Also, a corresponding short course was developed for non-professional photographers. The diary entries cover the whole project, which was about 11 months from May 2023 to March 2024.
As a result, the following learning activities are recommended for use in the professional training of photographers: preliminary learning materials, preliminary research assignments, introductory presentations, learning and feedback discussions, group assignments, classroom and studio demonstrations, and problem-based learning assignments. The recommended characteristics of these activities are described in more detail in the reflection section of this thesis. The results of this study can only be generalised to students at VVI because of the case study nature of this study and the specific student profile of the institution, but further research on how these activities work in other environments and for different learner groups is encouraged.
The project was carried out in Tampere, Finland, at Visuaaliviestinnän Instituutti VVI Oy (Institute of Visual Communication, (later VVI)). VVI is a private vocational education institute, which has a long tradition of training professional photographers (founded 1969) and is specialised in commer-cial photography. The need for the development project stems from the need of the new generation of students for a more activating and motivating education and the need of the institution to expand its educational offer to new groups of learners and to ensure the desirability of education in the future.
This project was implemented as two case studies using iterative service design approach and action research methods. It was documented as a diary-based thesis. Research data was collected through discussions, participant feedback and participant observations to generate key insights, which were then applied iteratively to improve training. The primary research data consisted of student feedback and the secondary research material consisted of the researcher's observations during the training sessions and reflections after them.
One learning module, “Building a Picture”, of the training program of basic vocational qualification was selected as the primary target for development. As a result of the project, the content and learning methods of this learning module were redesigned using active learning methods. Also, a corresponding short course was developed for non-professional photographers. The diary entries cover the whole project, which was about 11 months from May 2023 to March 2024.
As a result, the following learning activities are recommended for use in the professional training of photographers: preliminary learning materials, preliminary research assignments, introductory presentations, learning and feedback discussions, group assignments, classroom and studio demonstrations, and problem-based learning assignments. The recommended characteristics of these activities are described in more detail in the reflection section of this thesis. The results of this study can only be generalised to students at VVI because of the case study nature of this study and the specific student profile of the institution, but further research on how these activities work in other environments and for different learner groups is encouraged.