Overview
Project Title: Lifelong Learning Illustrations
Project Sponsor: Dr James McMillan, Senior Clinical Teacher (Teaching and Scholarship)
TILT Medical Artist: Eve Laws, Student Placement Rachel Bessell (Medical Art MSc 2021-22)
Our BMSc students are given a presentation on the importance of lifelong learning by Dr James McMillan. The subject of lifelong learning is vast and has been interpreted by many researchers in different ways, taught in many different educational settings, and is valuable both professionally and personally.
Feedback from the students on the presentation prior to the project had been neutral, and some students mentioned they were unsure of the link between lifelong learning and medicine. Visual material with a narrative style would help to connect the relationship between the two and improve student engagement with the subject.
The idea was to make the content as engaging as possible, and the medical artist would take the lead on specific visuals.
Concepts: Travellers Map
The PowerPoint lecture utilised an ‘explorer’ graphic/illustration to represent the lecturer on his journey – a theme which was continued in the bespoke map illustrations by Eve Laws. Creating a map that could be displayed in the corner of each presentation slide would keep the students on track and relate one slide to the next. This also engaged the students in a creative and more personal way.
Explorers Discovery – Rock Carvings
Continuing the exploration theme, the bullet point list of characteristics of a lifelong learner would be converted into an engaging graphic. This graphic would have creative icons for each trait and each trait would be highlighted one at a time, creating a memorable flow by doing so.
Engaging Activity – Wimmelbilder Illustration
As a one minute activity, the students would be invited to view a detailed illustration covering a large scene with many scenarios happening at once. They would then be asked to pick out aspects and scenarios that they felt related to lifelong learning. The following slide would highlight each aspect, and due to the ‘busy’ nature of the illustration, the students would likely miss a few scenarios – giving them time to reflect on the extensive nature of lifelong learning. Wimmelbilder, meaning “teeming picture book” we know very well from the children’s book series ‘Where’s Wally?’ and originates as far back in paintings by the likes of Peter Bruegel the Elder (1530 – 1569).
Our student placement Rachel Bessell utilised her talent to create the illustration.
Final Outcome
Final Map Illustrations
Characteristics Illustration
Wimmelbilder Illustration
Final Comments
The trial session recieved very positive reviews from the students, with the design helping to “create a consistent narrative” (James McMillan). It was a pleasure to work on this topic and more illustrations will likely follow for the following year.