Professor Bernadette Blair
Emeritus Professor in Art and Design Pedagogy
Contact
- Email: b.blair@kingston.ac.uk
- Location: Kingston School of Art, Knights Park
- Faculty: Kingston School of Art
- School: School of Design
- Department: Department of Graphic Design, Department of Illustration Animation
About
I came to Kingston University in 2001 initially as Director of Undergraduate Programmes in Art, Design & Architecture. Subsequently I worked as Director of Academic Development for Studio-based Learning & Teaching, Acting Head of School of Design and as the course director for the MA Design with L&T in HE. I gained my Doctorate in Education in 2006 and was awarded my professorship in 2012.
I have been an external examiner on both undergraduate and postgraduate design courses in graphic design, illustration, multi-media, fashion design, A&D pedagogic practice here in the UK as well as in Singapore, China and Greece. I continue to supervise and examine PhDs, and course validations internationally. This practice continues to give me a global understanding and currency of design practice, theory and pedagogy. I am actively involved in research projects and PhD supervision at Kingston School of Art and in research at other institutions.
Areas of specialism
- Art and design pedagogy
- Graphic design
- Studio pedagogy
- Assessment and feedback
Qualifications
- Doctor of Education, Institute of Education, University of London
- MA in Art & Design Education, Institute of Education, University of London
- MA Printmaking, Wimbledon School of Art
- BA Graphic Printmaking, Regional College of Art, Bradford
Professional membership
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Research
My research interests focus around the student experience in studio learning and teaching, particularly with an understanding, interpretation and emotional implications of verbal and written feedback and formative and summative assessment on student learning. I am a consultant in design at numerous institutions and continue to widely disseminate and publish my research through publications and keynote presentations, both internationally and in the UK.
Publications
Number of items: 6.
Article
Yorke, Mantz, Orr, Susan and Blair, Bernadette (2014) Hit by a perfect storm? Art & Design in the National Student Survey. Studies in Higher Education, 39(10), pp. 1788-1810. ISSN (print) 0307-5079
Orr, Susan, Yorke, Mantz and Blair, Bernadette (2014) 'The answer is brought about from within you' : a student-centred perspective on pedagogy in art and design. International Journal of Art & Design Education, 33(1), pp. 32-45. ISSN (print) 1476-8062
Book Section
Blair, Bernadette (2011) At the end of a huge crit in the summer, it was “crap”- I’d worked really hard but all she said was “fine" and I was gutted. In: Bhagat, Dipti and O’Neill, Peter, (eds.) Inclusive practices, inclusive pedagogies : learning from widening participation research in art and design higher education. Hemel Hempstead, U.K. : Council for Higher Education in Art & Design. pp. 159-175. ISBN 9780955947346
Blair, Bernadette (2008) The understanding and interpretation of verbal formative feedback in international student learning. In: Houghton, Nicholas, (ed.) Enhancing curricula : using research and enquiry to inform student learning in the disciplines. London, U.K. : Centre for learning & Teaching in Art & Design. pp. 276-296. ISBN 9780956038203
Blair, Bernadette (2004) Interpretations of assessment: a study of students' understanding of the assessment criteria through the practice of formative feedback. In: Davies, Allan, (ed.) Enhancng curricula: towards the scholarship of teaching in art, design and communication in higher education. London, U.K. : Centre for Learning and Teaching in Art and Design. pp. 74-90. ISBN 9780954143930
Conference or Workshop Item
Blair, Bernadette (2010) Lost in translation? – an examination of the perception, interpretation and impact of verbal feedback on international design students in the UK. In: ConnectED 2010 - 2nd International Conference on Design Education; 28 Jun - 01 Jun 2010, Sydney, Australia.