Transforming Pedagogies: Adapting art school peer group design critique (the ‘crit’) for the humanities

Abstract

This article examines practice-based teaching methodologies found in the studio-based design critique (‘crit’), and how they can be adapted to essay-based modules in the Humanities. Based on a small case study of a masters level module on film theory at a British university, the group crit was introduced as a mode of experiential learning in order to improve formative feedback. Structural and methodological changes were made to the module to improve student engagement, student writing, and the overall research environment. Changes resulted in an improvement in the students’ essay-writing skills, and a high-level of student satisfaction in module feedback and quality, but the changes also increased student apprehension about the level of assessment as well as a fear for possible negative emotional responses in the crit environment. The article concludes with reflective strategies for mitigating challenges and future avenues of research into using the crit in the Humanities.