1. The initial intention to register for this course was to create a visual arts project. I was never really sure what the theme would be until the third week of the session when we were asked to choose an idea that we were interested in exploring visually. I decided to select a theme related to advising. I remember looking at the Brooklyn College website to find that the advisement center posted “go get advised” and thought this was going to be my project for this course so I could make my image more appealing than what currently reflects on the website.

2. I appreciate that the course was more hands-on with applying theory to our visual artwork because often we need to express what we are feeling, thinking and see through art. Personally, I wasn’t sure if I would be ‘free’ to create my . Especially since this project involved changing a website that was designed without me even knowing it.

The expectations were not political. Ken Tobin suggested that those of us in the learning sciences strand that still needed to take courses, consider taking this course as an option. This resulted in being the best option for me.  I have been thinking of researching a different way using visual arts and wasn’t sure if this type of research for an urban education program would be accepted. This course confirms that all kinds of research can be considered. I want my project to evoke feelings of connection to those in the college community and those interested in joining the college community.

3. My unfinished sketch is closer to completion. I created one 11×17 picture to begin my journey of putting together a display for Fall 2018’s Urban Education gallery event. The theme virtual advisement seems catchy to me I didn’t want to include center because center sounds permanent as if it cannot be changed as space.

4. I did develop a relationship with the material that is in my office. I am careful to include new furniture in my area. Every piece of furniture has meaning around the theme virtual advisement. As an advising administrator for over ten years, I see so many students that avoid meeting with an advisor until they want to register for courses. Or they had an issue with a faculty member because for one reason or another they feel as if they are a burden because they are seeking for advice or the fear of being labeled as being needy or lost. At times, faculty feels as if they are not sure what to do in a situation with another faculty member, what their positionality is in their department and need help with a student encounter. I feel compelled to create a visual art piece that would encourage anyone to escape to the virtual space or thought.

5. Why did I choose the materials? I am interested in putting together a virtual model for any audience to see and imagine. How did the materials you used mediate your thinking? Perception means a lot to me. I remember the first day I showed my colleagues in this course the picture of a student entering in an empty advisement center with caution. I wouldn’t want students to think that seeking to advise in space is scary, but rather an inviting place where students can: feel safe, drawn to a caring and mindful place where students can discuss their concern; faculty can inquire about situations; discuss policy and practice of CUNY and campus-wide initiatives. I am drawn even more to pay attention to detail of each that walks in the office or center feeling different and encouraged to participate in campus-wide activities as a result of interactions in the virtual advisement center/place.

The relationship over time with the materials changed, at first I was going to draw an advisement virtual center using my partner’s structural engineering magazines, but I couldn’t find one that would capture what I was thinking. Then several colleagues in the course suggested that I use what I have in my office since I made an advisement meditation “sanctuary” where students can meditate on the pictures and reflect on their purpose of being in college. My partner said, “keep it simple and use what you have, the ideas will come!”

6. I found it necessary to add some text to my imagery because the photos didn’t do enough to tell a story.
7. My thinking around arts-based exploration has changed that I am considering using a multimodal dissertation that involves imagery along with a mixed method approach to describe the importance of retention at all levels, aesthetics being essential too. Environment matters and being self-aware as Gestalt describes is important.
8. My scholarship has changed about creating images. It is a trial and redo process. There are no errors. Some of the best mishaps turn out to be the best projects because they are in the moment of an idea yet to be shared with the audience that you will share it with.
9. Nothing unexpected happened with my project. I found my original video that started this journey to make a better space for advising (see dropbox).
10. The objectives changed slightly. I wanted to present my arts-based research project to my office, but now I just want to show how advisement can be an intriguing experience.
11. The strengths of my process: each day I think carefully what I would like to keep in my own office so that students are welcome even when I am not physically in the office. No pictures of racial biases are present in my space at work. Neutral photos are displayed so that students can bring their concerns or issues to my workspace without a piece of artwork evoking judgment. I hope to remind them to think of their projected positionality as they persist in college and careers within the society.
12. I didn’t like that my project took so long for me to decide what I wanted to put together for the virtual advisement. I have the ideas in my head, but the materials are hard to acquire. I know that by August my more finished product will hopefully inspire others to consider arts-based research.
13. I anticipate using arts-based methods for future scholarly activities and especially for my remaining courses here at the Urban Education program.
14. My experience was awesome. I was able to explore other modalities that I would never think of in a doctoral program. The professor was great. Gene added more context to arts-based research course. I appreciate Wendy Lutrell’s visit she help shaped my landscape and purpose to the virtual advisement center. I too experience much of what was discussed in her chapter reading “Pregnant Bodies, Fertile Minds”. Perhaps I will interview a few students for my presentation, it will add richness and context to the purpose behind the virtual advisement center. Victoria Wrestlers work was also inspiring. This course has motivated me to consider arts-based research for my research interest with retention.
15. I would recommend this course to any student that wants to add some more meaningful images to their dissertation in a doctoral program. This course was very encouraging, I know it was important to write on the website but for me attending every class was more important. I think that there is something about visually seeing art together like the experience we had at the American Museum of Natural History. I need to look at in person visual art and discuss what I am thinking with others around me.

The Powerpoint is too huge I will send it to Gene’s dropbox instead.

-Lisa Millsaps

I would like to engage all students, faculty, staff and prospective students with these type of catchy themes.

The virtual advising place should be a space where students, faculty, staff can discuss their concerns, reflect and gain more tools to be successful.

Let me know if you can view this.
These are pictures that I think speak better than my voice as of now. I hope to invoke a mood to seek for advice.

Will send from the message board tonight.

Lisa

Victoria Restler was an awesome guest speaker. As a result of her presentation I am even more inspired with my visual arts advisement center.
Shawn, I think of your project and how you are resensitizing your emotions through art to send a message to educators that will view our pieces during Fall 2018 semester. My hope too is that audiences will look at the story that your telling that will bring about change in schools, our families (as parents) and  especially within our communities regardless of race.

When I thnk of an advising center I see a safe place where students, staff, faculty, prospective and readmit students go to discuss issues, concerns, and passions about career and major choices. The faculty go to discuss creative ways to engages students in the class especially those that are struggling with coursework or visually don’t appear to be engaged with the content. These types of students seek for advise about their families, parents, teachers and the school administration that pressure them about completion of a specific career choice and want to know why? This virtual advisement center is a place where students can seek realignment of their career and academic life long goals without influence from others. This place can be for those that just want to hear themselves reason with academic choices they have made.
More to come…

The Cougar Diorama at the Grand Canyon. I imagine that I am that lady cougar lying there and my husband is the male cougar and we are going to take over the landscape.

It is amazing how art can evoke and promote reflexivity over and over again.

Pictures of AMNH. Thank you Gene and Cristina for making this all possible!

Each time I go to the American Museum of Natural History I have a new experience. Cristina’s activities deepened my thinking of doing visual and arts-based research. I didn’t have to think twice to draw what I saw from the diorama below. I became lost with the diorama as I was drawing a portion of the scene that stood out to me.  The sharing opportunity was memorable because I believe we all have a stronger connection with each other and with the course as a result of this authentic experience.

Reflecting on this picture brings back more memories and raised awareness that visual and arts-based research welcomes multiple voices, meanings, and perspectives.  I remember visiting with my son’s class last year, and if I recall correctly, each of the students thought that the animals were real. They also had to draw and reflect on what exhibit stood out to them, but because of the day time rush experience being at AMNH, I am not sure if the students captured the dioramas? Perhaps a night experience would be best for them.  What I take from these varied experiences is that regardless of the groups that visit AMNH, each person will define his or her own meaning of what he or she believe’s to be important.

As I think about my own project I am no longer concerned of the message that my visual media project will convey but that it will evoke a feeling of wanting to go to see an advisor. More reflections to come, stay tuned.

This week I would like to mostly reflect on Wendy Luttrell’s Pregnant Bodies, Fertile Minds Chapter 3 reading in my post. Tara represents many of the young ladies that I meet with as a college administrator, pregnant or have had several children for many reasons and are just simply trying to finish their courses to complete their Bachelor’s degree without considering longevity as a career woman, self-worth and value in society. They experience difficulty managing conflicting emotions which are highlighted in the girls’ debate over their self-portraits ( Luttrell). It reminds me of the interactions that I have with students who are interested in returning back to college or throughout their college experience that is struggling with their own identities, family, career choices, and hardships of life as pregnant mothers.

The stories that are submitted to my office at work that I read in my position as a Readmission Coordinator for at-risk students, who suddenly left the college or were academically dismissed, are almost identical to the high school pregnant students in the chapter reading.

I am saddened to read that with all of the resources that are available to students outside of poverty-stricken high schools that students still resort to participate in at-risk behaviors that lead to pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection/diseases.  The student poverty, especially in our inner-city schools, is disheartening. Our school communities need to do more to keep our students more occupied with enriched activities that build self-confidence, self-worth, and a family within the school community to remain encouraged about future self-worth, career readiness, and identity as a mother into adulthood in society.