Triptychs are contemporarily known as works of art that are divided into three sections. Originally representing the holy trinity, the three segments of a triptych are still an effective device for communicating themes such as narratives, transformations, or pieces of a whole.

Collaborative Learning Activities Emphasize Diversity and Teamwork

In my triptych project, the individual expectations were thus:

• Students will collaborate in groups of 3 to gather resources for, organize the layout of, and determine how to represent a triptych.
• Each student will sketch their own segment of the triptych for approval by the teacher.
• Each student will produce one segment of their group’s triptych with media of their choice.

Because each student is of a different skill level and uses his/her own style to produce artworks—the groups were challenged to create a sense of unity in an environment of intense variety. Essentially, each student’s panel could be built using a variety of media, techniques, and subjects–but the triptych as a whole had to appear as a cohesive whole–a unified statement–‘Un Bel Composto’, if you will. This encouraged students to be accountable for their own work but also work together towards a balanced composition. Students were encouraged to use design elements and principles of their choosing (such as line, color, emphasis, symmetry, etc.)  to unite their visions.

Student Behavior & Safety

Student behavior is assessed and monitored according to district standards and policy:

• Follow directions when given by faculty and staff.

• Be on time to class with the required materials.

• Participate appropriately in school and class activities.

• Respect the rights and properties of others.

• Follow school and district policies.

For the triptych project, students in upper division courses were allowed to choose their own groups because I had previously assessed the AP students to possess a self-directed work ethic capable of making group decisions based upon artistic opportunity rather than social liability. Students in lower division courses were assigned group members by randomly assigning students group numbers. This ensured that students were working in diverse groups of varied ability and interest. When comparing the statements each group designed, I found that the AP student themes were more easily related through subject matter rather than design principles or elements. Conversely, the lower division themes were extremely diverse and necessitated the use of design principles and elements to connect each panel.

Again, student accountability was enforced by ensuring that each student was responsible for creating their own panel. Although I did not have any students refuse to participate, this system allows me to see each student’s individual effort. Group communication and cooperation can be assessed based upon how well the triptych conveys a unified statement.

Pacing

Art class is one of the hardest classes to pace properly. Class time is largely devoted to hands-on activities–but knowing how much time is needed can be difficult to predict. For this assignment, I gave students fifteen days to complete their triptychs–but Thanksgiving break and additional student holidays can derail student momentum. That is why I assign due dates that allow for at least five days of assessment and grading. During that time, students who are finished will be graded in class while students who are not finished will be allowed to work until there are no longer any finished projects to assess. By that point, the student will be given a choice: turn the project in late or incomplete.