Spaces and Stories meeting
May 13th 2009
Present: Laura M, Hannah, Cath, Danny
Apologises: Laura E, Elisabeth
Note Taker: Danny
This was our second project meeting of the new term and we discussed the
following:
What needs to be recorded on the history project website
History researchers to post updates about their progress to date/ any
recent progress as they go along. This will be met with an update from the
existing Reinventing Spaces project so that both strands of the research
can be connected and be in constant dialogue so as to inform one
another.
A dedicated item on the website about the project, and any problems or
difficulties will posted up by the history researchers.
Any findings, useful materials, field notes of any sort. Each item posted on
the website should come attached with name and date so that the
organisation of the material is easy at a later date.
Cath has changed the website to resemble the RC team webspace
The researchers have their sitebuilder training on 14th May
Student researcher’s management of project
Need to prioritise particular elements of the archival research as such
research can produce so much material things can get overwhelming. It
might be helpful if each researcher takes a particular line of enquiry to
follow up in these initial stages e.g. architecture, or a particular building,
pedagogy.
Cath advises students to focus on topics that interest them- as well as
noting that research will always contain elements of drudgery!
The MRC
The researchers visited the MRC. They reported that the MRC staff are
friendly and helpful. They came across an overwhelming amount of
material and links to material (noted above). They will return to the MRC
and see if there is further assistance the MRC staff can give them
regarding identifying useful sources/ archives.
Cath says that Cecily Jones is the departmental MRC contact- the
students are to make contact with her regarding the project.
Research Progress
Hannah reports that online video/audio material of David Medd can be
found on the British Library. The three researchers divided these up
amongst themselves to write notes on. The weblink to these videos will be
put on the history website.
The copyright of these films needs to be checked for the sake of potential
future public use.
Laura M has contacted Andrew Saint the journalist who had written the
David Medd article in the Guardian. Andrew Saint is happy to help with the
project. Laura M says that he has written a lot on the architecture. The
researchers are to draft questions to ask of Andrew following the exam
period as this could be a good entry point into the research.
Hannah suggested looking into the Architect’s Association/ British
Architects Society.
Laura notes the shift as part of the post-war settlement in which central
government took an interest in the building of schools. Cath says that this
is of real interest as presumably attached to how the government
envisaged schools to be built was a vision of how they were to be used
and the types of pedagogy employed. Danny points out that this may be
an interesting link with the Building Schools for the Future project taking
place up and down the country at the moment.
The team should consider where comparison can be made throughout the
research project, e.g. temporal comparisons or comparisons between
institutions. This may allow the researchers to work close to home over the
summer if appropriate.
Research Method
Oral history looks like it may be an important strand of the research, based
on the progress made so far. It may be worth doing some earlier reading
on the methods/methodology around oral history in arts/social science.
Conference
13th July Oxford Brookes: Bob Fox on Hong Kong learning spaces.
4th-6th December University of Sheffield: History of Education Society
Annual Conference; ‘Space, Place and Materialities of Education- abstract
due in July.
Researchers to investigate the keynote speakers on the handout Cath
provided in the meeting.
Cath will make contact with Catherine Burke regarding the project.
Action
Sitebuilder training 14th May
Contact Andrew Saint, think about what questions to ask him
Contact Cecily Jones regarding the project
Research the History of Education Conference
Next meeting 27th May, 4pm