The inclusion of arts-based approaches in teaching and learning can be inclusive of a broader range of learners. Art is a non-verbal form of communication and arts-based approaches can integrate embodied emotion thereby combining thoughts and feelings (Segal-Engelchin et al, 2019). When used in teaching this can create a reflective space where students self-define their experience and decide how to represent it. The interpretative level is increased again when the students are encouraged to explain their image. The art-work represented in this poster reflects the various scholars and ideas that have shaped the scholarship of a particular SoTL scholar in Ireland, namely Dr Marian McCarthy. This artwork was commissioned by Dr James Cronin, University College Cork, to mark her retirement as Vice President for Learning and Teaching at University College Cork and was created by artist Maia Thomas. The poster provides a starting point for viewers to consider their own SoTL journeys. They are invited to enter this reflective space to sketch their own SoTL tree and to write a short interpretative statement about their drawing. This poster will include an overview of other professional development workshops for staff (Thomas and O’Mahony, 2020) focussed on integrating arts-based approaches in teaching and learning. These workshops include a graphic jam to unlock participants’ visual libraries, prompt participants to identify visual metaphors to make complex ideas more understandable and to consider how to marry visual and verbal information to design impactful teaching (Clark and Paivio, 1991) and lessen the cognitive load for students (Sweller, 1998).

1. Arts-based Approaches to Unlock Thinking and Prompt Reflection
Artist: Maia Thomas https://maiathomas.wordpress.com/
Authors: Catherine O’Mahony, James Cronin and Marian McCarthy, Centre for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning, University College Cork
Draw your SoTL Tree
Can arts-based approaches help support
reflection on SoTL, and uncover the ideas and
practices that shape us as SoTL scholars?
The SoTL Tree illustrated here captures the
experiences and influences of one SoTL
scholar, Marian McCarthy.
What does your SoTL tree look like?
Do you draw from a multi disciplinary base?
What practice(s) reach out from your core?
Arts-based approaches can be used to unlock thinking, or to summarise or prompt reflection
on thinking. The use of arts-based approaches in teaching and learning can be inclusive of a
broad range of learners as art and images can transcend languages, geographical boundaries
and cultures. The translation of abstract concepts into images and metaphors can make them
more concrete and more memorable, and thus reduce the cognitive load for students. Art
integrates embodied emotions and cognition and can combine thoughts and feelings. The
creation of artwork as an assessment output can have a double interpretative level. The artist
defines their experience, creating a reflective space between subject and composition, and
can enhance this further by talking about and explaining the image they created.
Arts-based approaches were used with academic staff (faculty) at University College Cork to
encourage their use in teaching, learning and research. Workshops began with a graphic jam
to unlock participants’ visual libraries (1). Participants collaboratively developed visual
metaphors based on difficult concepts (2), then compared images and reflections (3).
Please take a sticky-note and sketch your
SoTL tree with 1-2 roots and shoots.
Then stick it up here and also upload to
Twitter using the hashtag #SoTLTree
Contact Details: Catherine O’Mahony Twitter: @cath_omahony
Step 1: Graphic Jam
Start by quickly drawing
a representation of a
series of words or ideas
(10 seconds or less per
word) e.g. dog, house,
community, education.
Step 2: Visual Metaphor
Working in your group, identify a difficult
concept/question in your course. What
image or series of images could help
explain this concept? Why did you think
of this image? Does it describe what you
want it to? How does this reflect your
current understanding?
Step 3: Compare and Reflect
Examine how your image compares to
others. What is similar? What is
different? How do you now feel about
your image? What does this suggest
about the broader understanding of
the concept or questions being
explored by the group?