Month: March 2011

MONDAY 14th

5.30PM

CAMPUS 1 : 37 YARBOROUGH ROAD

PROF MIKE NEARY

STUDENT AS PRODUCER

http://studentasproducer.lincoln.ac.uk/

http://www.lsjnews.co.uk/2011/03/11/lsj-tv-summary-bulletin-100311/

second segment in the bullietin

 

The Government through Michael Gove MP are planning to enforce that work based skills are learnt at schools to make sure leavers fit straight in to the moulds pre made by the employer.

We have to take in to account that even if we ever did have a completely free education cost wise and opened the doors to everyone we might just find inside a bleak mess and not quite what we have anticipated. To make sure Learning is priceless we must also find a way of removing social forces such as ’employability’ , work skills and wage slavery.

“The call for more recognition of workplace skills was backed by Confederation of British Industry. Its chief policy director Katja Hall said: “Every school or college leaver needs the right skills, knowledge and attitude for success in today’s competitive workplace.

“But currently employers find that too many young people lack employability skills such as customer awareness, self-management and problem solving.” BBC News

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12701594

 

The rationale behind the idea of the Alternative Art College (AAC) is to show that you can gain the same if not a better understanding of a topic than you could if you were to pay £9,000 to study at an education institution. The AAC are against anything that appears to support wage slavery, what is meant by this is any system that has not got a scheme that supports equal wage to equal input.

Our aims are to develop an intellectual capacity on a subject through seminars, events and workshops that support the passion and interest of the student.

AAC stand for much more than just an alternative way of learning but also a protest against the government’s consumer based style on knowledge. Why do they feel the need to make it something that is only financially accessible, knowledge should be priceless.  Know when it comes to employability it’s about taking those assets that have been gained in the events  set up to then further develop the individuals knowledge of that area.

Employability is a term that refers to someone gaining employment and maintaining it, now this doesn’t take in to account that the employer doesn’t have systems in place that this knowledge that was mentioned earlier can be furthered. It is crucial to most systems that the employees understanding of an area is in relation to the outcome.

To touch on the aspect of moving from education to employment firstly it needs to be noted that from the perspective of the employer (as a capitalist regime) is effected mainly by two issues financial gain and product-ability. this is why it becomes difficult when moving from the environment of the institution to the different landscape of the employment world. this is where if you are willing to work for free in the form of intern-ships companies will automatically focus on those so its about finding a way to get to the area you want but at the same time protecting yourself. its a two way street.

This isn’t just at companies but also at institutions that the basics are supplied to fulfil the criteria and is then up to the accord of the consumer to do as they wish with it. What the AAC want to show is that it is possible to gain this ‘further’ insight in a free capacity. Also it is crucial that we find a way of taking out the aspect of students and employees being seen as consumers and buying in to a product instead of equal intellectuals developing there knowledge.

To paraphrase Walter Benjamin, a man makes shoes for another’s needs rather than needs of his own. It’s about finding a point where we can be part of a system but get equal participation in response.

http://arthousefestival.co.uk/

The website is up so have a look at the, short list of films that will be played.

It will be at kind bar before break your socks from 7pm – 10pm

If you want to enter a fim contact them via the website or email: info@arthousefestival.co.uk

The event itself is the most contemporary short film festival Lincoln has to offer, it will run monthly and  showcase the best movie/film/direction/production talents Lincoln and further a field has to offer.

 

Thank you very much for everyone who attended and of course to our guest speaker Dr Mary O’Neill

The event whent smooth and was a good start lets keep this going.

If anyone has any ideas for events we could do or topics we could discuss let us know.

Knowledge is Priceless

Universities in England wanting to charge fees of £9,000 per year could have to spend £900 of that income on access for poorer students.

The Office for Fair Access (Offa) has published guidelines showing how much universities should spend on fee subsidies and outreach projects.

It sets a sliding scale ranging from 15% to 30% of fee income above £6,000.

Offa’s director, Sir Martin Harris, says poorer students might feel they “cannot afford to go to university”.

Paying back

The guidelines from Offa provide the clearest rules so far on how much universities should spend on ensuring that higher tuition fees from 2012 do not exclude poorer students.

Universities which have a “low proportion of under-represented students” are being advised to spend about 30% of fees above £6,000.

This would mean that some of the most prestigious universities charging £9,000 per year would have to spend £900 of this fee income on projects to support and recruit students from poorer backgrounds.

In universities which have a “high proportion of under-represented students”, the guidelines suggest payments of 15% of anything above £6,000 – or about £450 if fees were set at £9,000.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12665503

 

37 Yarborough road

Lincoln

Ln1 1 ht

https://alternativeartcollege.co.uk/the-college/ Map on this link.

 

Surrounded by institutions and universities, there is newly occupied space where education can be re-imagined. Amidst the rising fees and mounting pressure for ‘success’, we value knowledge in a different currency; one that everyone can afford to trade. In this school, skills are swapped and information shared, culture cannot be bought or sold. Here is an autonomous space to find each other, to gain momentum, to cross-pollinate ideas and actions.

If learning amounts to little more than preparation for the world of work, then this school is the antithesis of education. There is more to life than wage slavery.

This is a part of the latest chapter in a long history of resistance. It is an open book, a pop-up space with no fixed agenda, unlimited in scope, This space aims to cultivate equality through collaboration and horizontal participation. A synthesis of workshops, talks, games, discussions, lessons, skill shares, debates, film screenings. Our time in this building is short, we have the next couple of weeks to zhumba, zhumba, zhumba.

Lets take education into our own hands. Propose a session, share your knowledge, extend your skillz, or just come down to 5 Bloomsbury Square, though the door is on Bloomsbury Way, opposite Swedenbourg House.

 

http://reallyfreeschool.org/