Co-creating group critique as feedback: a case study on reimagining ‘crits’ with students

This paper presents the results of an experiment in collaborative pedagogical design in which students and staff at two art schools in Scotland and Finland worked together to redevelop approaches to group critique (crits). They focussed on how students might better understand the feedback they rece...

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Main Authors: Marianne Greated, Magnus Quaife
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE) 2025-03-01
Series:Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.aldinhe.ac.uk/index.php/jldhe/article/view/1324
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author Marianne Greated
Magnus Quaife
author_facet Marianne Greated
Magnus Quaife
author_sort Marianne Greated
collection DOAJ
description This paper presents the results of an experiment in collaborative pedagogical design in which students and staff at two art schools in Scotland and Finland worked together to redevelop approaches to group critique (crits). They focussed on how students might better understand the feedback they receive: asking what kinds of feedback are valuable and how the crit might better facilitate this. A workshop was developed that encouraged participants to reflect on previous experiences of group teaching, explored a range of models, and facilitated the collective imagining of possible alternatives, which were then tested and reflected upon with the same staff and students. Group crits are a ‘signature pedagogy’ (Orr and Shreeve, 2018, p.88) in contemporary higher art education and exist in various forms, from the infamous ‘convener’ at Goldsmiths to ‘studio seminars’ at the Academy of Fine Art in Helsinki, and are often an important part of assessments in the United States. There have been several publications addressing different aspects of the crit in the past decade however despite this, literature aimed at students suggests there are still problems. The question arises as to how much meaningful change the analysis on crits has led to, and how to look for new ways to develop group teaching. There is a significant potential for group critique to be understood as a key moment of formative feedback. We argue that by offering students agency and deepening their understanding of pedagogical processes, the co-creation of group critique can help us better realise this.
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publisher Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE)
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spelling doaj-art-e54c44984dcc4e0bb6c322b419a09d3d2025-08-20T02:49:23ZengAssociation for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE)Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education1759-667X2025-03-013510.47408/jldhe.vi35.1324Co-creating group critique as feedback: a case study on reimagining ‘crits’ with students Marianne Greated0Magnus Quaife1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6178-7060University of EdinburghThe University of the Arts Helsinki This paper presents the results of an experiment in collaborative pedagogical design in which students and staff at two art schools in Scotland and Finland worked together to redevelop approaches to group critique (crits). They focussed on how students might better understand the feedback they receive: asking what kinds of feedback are valuable and how the crit might better facilitate this. A workshop was developed that encouraged participants to reflect on previous experiences of group teaching, explored a range of models, and facilitated the collective imagining of possible alternatives, which were then tested and reflected upon with the same staff and students. Group crits are a ‘signature pedagogy’ (Orr and Shreeve, 2018, p.88) in contemporary higher art education and exist in various forms, from the infamous ‘convener’ at Goldsmiths to ‘studio seminars’ at the Academy of Fine Art in Helsinki, and are often an important part of assessments in the United States. There have been several publications addressing different aspects of the crit in the past decade however despite this, literature aimed at students suggests there are still problems. The question arises as to how much meaningful change the analysis on crits has led to, and how to look for new ways to develop group teaching. There is a significant potential for group critique to be understood as a key moment of formative feedback. We argue that by offering students agency and deepening their understanding of pedagogical processes, the co-creation of group critique can help us better realise this. https://journal.aldinhe.ac.uk/index.php/jldhe/article/view/1324fine artcontemporary arteducationcritiquecritfeedback
spellingShingle Marianne Greated
Magnus Quaife
Co-creating group critique as feedback: a case study on reimagining ‘crits’ with students
Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education
fine art
contemporary art
education
critique
crit
feedback
title Co-creating group critique as feedback: a case study on reimagining ‘crits’ with students
title_full Co-creating group critique as feedback: a case study on reimagining ‘crits’ with students
title_fullStr Co-creating group critique as feedback: a case study on reimagining ‘crits’ with students
title_full_unstemmed Co-creating group critique as feedback: a case study on reimagining ‘crits’ with students
title_short Co-creating group critique as feedback: a case study on reimagining ‘crits’ with students
title_sort co creating group critique as feedback a case study on reimagining crits with students
topic fine art
contemporary art
education
critique
crit
feedback
url https://journal.aldinhe.ac.uk/index.php/jldhe/article/view/1324
work_keys_str_mv AT mariannegreated cocreatinggroupcritiqueasfeedbackacasestudyonreimaginingcritswithstudents
AT magnusquaife cocreatinggroupcritiqueasfeedbackacasestudyonreimaginingcritswithstudents