Romy de Vos on including Visual Thinking Strategies in course design

1. What was it like for you as a student to join these workshops series?
"As a student, I found it super fun to participate and contribute to curriculum renewal. I am now in my master's in Anthropology, after my bachelor in Anthropology. Usually, as a student, you only contribute through evaluations and notice small changes, so to experience from this side how something completely new is introduced was great. Feeling that you belong and that your input is valued is very satisfying. Your vision as a student is taken seriously and that makes it extra fun."

2. How was the collaboration with the lecturers? What was the atmosphere like?
"The cooperation with the teachers went very well. Everyone was included, everyone's opinion was heard and everyone's input was actively sought. Both teachers and students had valuable input and there was mutual respect for each other's contributions. The teachers brought in their organisational and subject knowledge, while we students shared our experiences. This made the conversation valuable and created a nice atmosphere where opinions and input were highly valued."

3. How did you experience the Visual Thinking Strategy session?
"The Visual Thinking Strategy session was a lot of fun. I love going to museums and seeing art anyway, but this was a whole new way of looking. You are constantly made to think about what you see and why you think you see it. This process makes you aware of your own thinking patterns and why you draw certain conclusions. The artwork actually serves as a tool to look at yourself, as a kind of mirror. I found this a very fun and valuable way to work with, especially within Anthropology, but also in other fields."

4. How did you experience the set-up of the workshops?
"I really liked the format of the workshops. It started with trying out Visual Thinking Strategies, Nature Based Learning and Art Based Learning. This gave a clear idea of what these methods entailed. Later, we had a brainstorming session within the Anthropology Department, which provided new insights. It was also nice to work with other groups and hear from them how they apply these methods. I found bringing all these insights together very valuable."

5. What do you take away from it?
"The workshops have made me more aware of my thinking processes. Now when I see something, like a photograph, I think more consciously about why I see something the way I see it. Although I only attended two workshops, I find that this awareness comes back to me from time to time. I am going to write my thesis for Anthropology next year and want to combine this with photography. The insights from the workshops can help with this, as I am now more conscious of images and their meaning."

6. Do you have any suggestions?
"I found it valuable to have a session with just the Anthropology department. This wasn't actually planned, but arose because we had another event. It gave us a chance to go deeper into the subject matter with a small group. Perhaps in the future, a workshop could be planned first and then a brainstorming session immediately afterwards. It is also important to create moments where different departments come together, but also to deepen with one's own department."