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How can a student best learn from a practitioner?
Most educational experience suggests that the 'guru' method - or in art the 'atelier' method - is unlikely to produce intrinsic deep learning, rather a superficial striving for imitative style. Awareness of tutors' professional practice is helpful, but a distance must be kept so that the student begins to develop their own way of working, and is not overwhelmed by the 'master'.

The student needs to be provided with a framework for learning in which to develop the skills of meta-learning - learning how to learn. Fortunately this discovery-based approach parallels that of practice, and the practitioner can take the role of "expedition companion", sharing the processes of the journey, rather than too much emphasis on the destination. The student must be given freedom to venture and take an unknown path, to ask questions and disagree, to identify their own philosophy and practice, to develop a critical attitude, and ultimately take responsibility for their learning and development as an aspiring professional.

 

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