DMICC – 130508 DMICC08/03/03

RAVENSBOURNE COLLEGE OF DESIGN AND COMMUNICATION

UNDERGRADUATE EXTERNAL EXAMINER ACTION PLAN 2006-2007

Name of Course: BA (Hons) Moving Image Design (Level 2 and 3)

BA (Hons) Design for Moving Image (Level 1)

Name of Examiner: Glenn Carwithen

Areas of Concern

Comment requiring
action/identified need
1. (Q7) During this years feedback
session with the final year
students, it was again
mentioned that the shared
studio space was not ideal. It
was felt that the cohesion of the
course members had suffered,
and that the lack of a
designated work area had
impacted on the vitality of the
year.
I understand that this matter
was considered as part of the
Action Plan 2005-2006, and I do
realise that a solution is not
possible due to the
unavailability of more space.
However, the problem remains,
but because of an awareness
that it exists, the situation
Proposed actions and Timescale Responsibility Evaluation Course Committee update
delivery method method 2007-2008
The matter of sharing Ongoing Subject Leader Student The allocation of space has
space was alleviated and Course feedback been further refined with a
somewhat last year, by Team the booking system of the
drawing up a External en-suite meeting room
Graphics/Moving Image Examiner installed by Graphics &
timetable for the studio Report MID/DMI when needed for
areas. This helped to tutorials.
stop any clashes that
had occurred in the past. There has been no
complaints this term so far.
It is not possible within Feedback forms will be
the current building to monitored. Monitoring will
give students a separate continue.
studio space.
No severe problems -
There appears to be no Complete
major adverse results of
this situation, however
the core team will again
monitor this throughout
the coming year.

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should be monitored on an
ongoing basis.
2. (Q12) To maintain the emphasis Continue to emphasise Ongoing Subject Leader Student Ongoing
on the generation of good ideas. to students the value and and Course work
importance placed on Team Complete
good ideas. External
Examiner
Continue to use Report
Formative Assessment to
encourage and critique
students' creativity.

Good Practice (Quality Team comment: are any actions needed to maintain and embed this?)

1. (Q4) "One to ones" between the individual student and the lecturing staff allow the progress of the work to be carefully monitored and
the student to be steered in the most useful and constructive way, appropriate to their talents and skills.
2. (Q7) This moving Image Design Course is running extremely successfully, producing a body of work across the students of the quality
that the industry demands as an entry level. The introduction of the Motion Control camera produced some interesting work, which was
good to see.
3. (Q8) The course has maintained it's aim of supplying the knowledge and skills that the industry demands as an entry level into the
professional world of Moving Image Design. I was pleased to see that the students were being encouraged to experiment with new
technologies and the new and interesting ways of utilising the possibilities of Moving Image Design, across an ever widening arena. The
Major 2 and the Negotiated Group projects seemed to lend themselves well to this way of thinking. As ever, the technical abilities shown
by the students on this course has been extremely high. However I was delighted that this year the quality of the core ideas, that then
drive the projects, were noticeably stronger across the range of work. I hope that this emphasis, on the generation of the idea, will
continue.
4. (Q10) The work was impeccably prepared for our ease of viewing. We had ample time to examine the work, and were given access to
look at the students work in depth, from the sketchbooks of idea generation, research, production folders - everything to fairly assess the
finished job. The process was open, and allowed discussion with both teaching staff and students.
5. (Q12) The course continues to respond to the ever changing needs of the industry and provides the students with the skills and
knowledge that will be required to start their professional lives. The involvement of industry practitioners as speakers or visiting lecturers
continues to work well, as does the hard work to facilitate work placements for the students.

Quality Team Updated May 2008

DMICC – 130508 DMICC08/03/03

RAVENSBOURNE COLLEGE OF DESIGN AND COMMUNICATION

UNDERGRADUATE EXTERNAL EXAMINER ACTION PLAN 2006-2007

Name of Course: BA (Hons) Moving Image Design (Level 2 and 3)

BA (Hons) Design for Moving Image (Level 1)

Name of Examiner: Marc Ortmans

Areas of Concern

Comment requiring Proposed actions and Timescale Responsibility Evaluation Course Committee update
action/identified need delivery method method 2007-2008
1. (Q8) Producing creative thinkers Emphasis on Ongoing Subject Leader Student The core team and
that also have technical know encouraging students to and Course work sessionals continue to
how and expertise is a difficult experiment and the Team encourage creative thinking
balance to deliver and importance of ideas External at all levels.
Ravensbourne has generation continues to Examiner
demonstrated its course play a key part of the Report Completed
structure can achieve this curriculum. The External
consistently well. However, Examiners noted this
creative experimentation could year:
be given more time encouraging “However I was delighted
greater emphasis on the value that this year the quality
of ideas generation and play. of the core ideas, that
then drive the projects,
were noticeably stronger
across the range of work.
I hope that this
emphasis, on the
generation of the idea,
will continue”
2. (Q9) The students felt there was A number of tutors are Ongoing Subject Leader Student Continuing with a choice of
a good number of tutorials allocated to each unit in and Course feedback tutors. Continuing writing

Quality Team Updated May 2008

DMICC – 130508
throughout their course. These
last 15-20 minutes. However, it
was difficult to guarantee that
they received the same tutor on
the same project, and as a
result the need to familiarize the
tutor reduced the time value of
the session.
Discussed ways of improving
this - an online diary, a board or
sheet on the wall, or assigned
times.
3. (Q9) Group crits - Many
students believed that more
regular feedback would be
beneficial and to this end more
group reviews/crits of projects
would be an advantage.
Quality Team
DMICC08/03/03
order to give the students Team information on sheets.
a choice of tutor and to External Continuing to put up sign in
give them more of a Examiner sheets for students.
width and breadth of Report
specialist advice. Complete
Tutors are encouraged to
make notes of tutorials
and put them in a
clipboard file so that all
tutors working on a
project can read them.
We will encourage all
tutors, including
sessionals, to be more
descriptive in the
recording of feedback
they give.
There is always a sheet
on the wall with time
slots for students to see
a tutor at a specific time
for every tutorial and
every critique. This will
continue to be done.
Each unit is allocated the Ongoing Subject Leader Termly Regular tutorials and
number of tutorials and and Course timetable critiques are offered, as
formative and summative Team before.
critiques as required for External
the value of the unit. This Examiner Complete
will continue to be Report
adhered to.
The importance of
Updated May 2008
DMICC – 130508 DMICC08/03/03

attending sessions
offered will be
emphasised with
students.
4. (Q9) External Input - Students The Course Team will Ongoing Subject Leader Student There was an abundance of
would value more lectures, continue to further align and Course feedback guest lectures and
masterclasses and workshops - these lectures with Team masterclasses last year from
these were highly valued. specific units in order to External some of the top Companies
make them relevant to Examiner in the World such as:
the curriculum. Report Lambie-Nairn, Kemistry,
Devilfish, Framestore CFC &
English & Pockett.
Complete
5. (Q12) Fast track briefs - While Level 3 is designed to Ongoing Subject Leader Student N/A
the students work to faster brief give students the and Course feedback
schedules in their second year, opportunity to work in Team
this does not seem to exist in more depth than at any External
their final year. other level and allows Examiner
them time to perfect their Report
We proposed short 'quick and work in order to achieve
dirty' exercises and it was a higher level of finish as
warmly welcomed. well as more in depth
analysis as expected by
Concept - A brief is issued in the Industry.
morning with a deadline in the
afternoon. Once handed in, the Short project work, such
students, together with staff, as described, is included
would listen to each being early on in the curriculum
presented. With little more than at level 1.
paper and pencil this 'raw'
reactionary response session As in points 2 and 3
would expose ideas and the above, there is ample
students would subsequently be opportunity within the
asked to judge a winner. Apart timetable for students to
from focusing on the power of discuss and bounce

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ideas (not execution) it would ideas off each other, if

deliver a refreshing alternative
to the longer timeline projects
and inject a sense of
exhilaration and the 'rock n roll'
of design. The industry is
interested in Big Idea value -
this would reveal it. Strong
conceptual thinking is
commercially appealing.
they were to attend
these. Alternative ways
of encouraging students
to think quickly and less
rigidly might be possible
in the earlier stages of
each project and will be
investigated.

Good Practice (Quality Team comment: are any actions needed to maintain and embed this?)

1. (Q4) The development steps through the course projects and the approach to briefs is based on current industry practice. This ensures
students achieve well against the learning outcome objectives. As last year it appears that the students and lecturers continue to
maintain a frequent and constructive dialogue throughout the project stages and are well advised and encouraged.
2. (Q8) Students leaving Ravensbourne probably leave with a more comprehensive knowledge of the range of communication design and
technical understanding of how to achieve a successful execution than anywhere else. The curriculum that achieves this is valued by an
industry that provides less and less ongoing professional training. Producing creative thinkers that also have technical know how and
expertise is a difficult balance to deliver and Ravensbourne has demonstrated its course structure can achieve this consistently well.
3. (Q10) We were given full access to the students and all their work. We did not need to request any additional materials as it had already
been neatly prepared and presented for easy viewing. The allocated room was quiet and sufficiently spacious for reviewing work and
meeting students individually. The AV equipment had been set up in advance and worked well throughout. Full marks for logistical
organization.
4. As last year, I would like to congratulate the course and college staff for their dedication and passion. The students certainly recognize
the huge level of support they receive from their tutors and I think the tutors deserve a formal commendation for their personal
contribution to the continuing success of this course.

Quality Team Updated May 2008