Research Design Overview: In this intervention, students were asked to create a “stuckness” drawing during a one-to-one tutorial. The purpose of this exercise was to help students articulate and express any feelings of being blocked, either creatively or emotionally, in their work. The drawings served as a starting point for deeper reflection and were followed by specific questions that aimed to explore the root causes of their struggles and potential ways to overcome them. The drawings were shared later in the tutorial, which allowed the students to gain insight into their challenges after receiving some feedback on their work.
Data collected: Students’ Visual and Verbal Responses
Student 1:
- Drawing Description: A figure stuck on the floor with thumbs up, representing the student’s continued enjoyment of their work despite feeling stuck due to tiredness and fatigue.
- Verbal Reflection:
“I struggle with anxiety and depression… but I’m still enjoying it. I like working at night; it’s when I’m most creative. I get up at 8am and am stuck because of tiredness, my drawing shows me stuck on the floor with my thumbs up because I’m still enjoying it. I always knew I wanted to go into fine art.” - Analysis: This drawing symbolizes the internal conflict between enthusiasm for the creative process and external factors like exhaustion. The “thumbs up” indicates resilience in continuing despite these struggles, showing that the student is still engaged in their artistic practice despite feeling fatigued.
Student 2:
- Drawing Description: A lonely figure submerged in water, looking down, representing feelings of loneliness and being stuck.
- Verbal Reflection:
“I feel like I’m not making progress… I’m burnt out from being too busy, and I don’t do what I should. I was managing a café but I’ve stepped down lately so that I can have less responsibility at Joe and the juice.” - Analysis: The submerged figure reflects the student’s sense of drowning in responsibilities and emotional weight. The theme of burnout is prominent, with the student feeling lost in the current of their work and personal life, symbolized by being overwhelmed and unable to progress.
Student 3:
- Drawing Description: Quick, scratchy marks representing fluctuating energy levels, symbolizing bursts of inspiration and moments of exhaustion.
- Verbal Reflection:
“I get drained when things don’t go well. I need more space to make it my own. Sometimes I have so much energy and ideas, and other times I feel completely drained. When I get interesting conversations or see unique art, it energizes me. But when things don’t go as planned, I feel alone.” - Analysis: The scratchy marks show the student’s emotional rollercoaster of creativity—bursting with ideas at times but drained when things do not go as planned. The struggle between needing space and energy to create is a recurring theme, showing the internal battle between feeling inspired and exhausted.
Student 4:
- Drawing Description: Lines symbolizing the passage of time and the student’s feelings of being out of sync with others, overwhelmed by the fast pace.
- Verbal Reflection:
“It feels like I’ve been dropped in late, and everyone else knows what they’re doing. The lines in my drawing I learned as a kid, and they symbolize time passing. Everyone is moving fast, and I’m unsure. I haven’t used workflow before, and it feels so different from what I’m used to. Everything’s on my notes.” - Analysis: The lines represent the student’s perception of time passing quickly, while they feel stuck in the rush. The disorientation and feeling of being behind are symbolized through the chaotic lines, highlighting the student’s struggle with adjusting to a fast-paced academic environment.
- Student 5: Drawing Description: A USB stick and a hand, symbolizing tech and cyber-reality, reflecting the student’s interest in cyberpunk and technology.
- Verbal Reflection:
“I’ve been pushing myself with cyberpunk themes, but I’m running out of ideas. I need to be more organized and explore other materials. My work with 3D models and sculptures has been good, but I use a lot of cardboard and paper and I’m running out of ideas. I should look for more materials in skips, it’s on me to be more organized.” - Analysis: The USB stick and hand represent the student’s exploration of tech and future-themed work, but also signal their creative block. Despite using limited materials, the student recognizes the need to explore new resources to avoid feeling stuck, reflecting the desire to push creative boundaries despite limitations.
Student 6:
- Drawing Description: A chaotic and fragmented figure, symbolizing a disrupted journey.
- Verbal Reflection:
“I’m behind due to visa delays and neck injury, and I’ve lost motivation. I’m doing rushed work. I enjoyed ‘A Blue Matter’ in sculpture, but it’s a mess right now. It’s been tough—administrative delays, personal setbacks, and trying to catch up has made me feel like I’m just rushing through things.” - Analysis: The fragmented figure represents the student’s sense of disarray, combining external setbacks like visa delays and health issues with the pressure of catching up. It visually captures the feeling of being derailed by both personal and academic challenges, which has left the student feeling overwhelmed and stuck.
Data from Method 3: Thematic Analysis of Drawings and Verbal Responses and Groupings of “Stuckness” Across Students’ Drawings:
Emotional Struggles and Resilience:
- Student 1: Resilience despite exhaustion (thumbs up, stuck on the floor).
- Student 2: Emotional exhaustion and loneliness (submerged figure).
- Student 3: Internal conflict between energy and fatigue (scratchy marks).
These drawings emphasized the contrast between emotional struggles and students’ resilience to continue despite these difficulties. Despite their emotional and physical limitations, students like Student 1 remain engaged with their artistic practice, symbolized by their thumbs-up.
Creative and Artistic Growth Amidst Struggles:
- Student 4: Time passing, feeling behind (lines representing disorientation).
- Student 5: Creative exploration and material limitations (USB stick, hand).
- Student 6: Fragmentation and struggle to catch up (chaotic figure).
While many students struggled with creative blocks, they also showed an awareness of the need for growth. Student 5, despite feeling constrained by their materials, recognized the importance of creativity and self-motivation. Similarly, Student 4 expressed a desire to catch up, which reflects an openness to overcoming their creative barriers.
Personal and Academic Contexts:
- Student 2: Burnout from external work pressures (lonely figure in water).
- Student 6: Delays, setbacks, and loss of motivation (fragmented figure).
These personal contexts heavily influenced students’ experiences of being “stuck.” The stress from balancing external responsibilities, like jobs or administrative delays, played a significant role in their emotional and creative difficulties.
1. Emotional Struggles and Self-Expression:
Correlation between burnout, fatigue, and creative stagnation:
- Students such as Student 1 (struggling with tiredness and anxiety) and Student 2 (feeling overwhelmed by burnout and loneliness) used their drawings to express feelings of emotional exhaustion. These students felt creatively blocked, symbolized by images of being stuck (e.g., a figure lying on the floor or submerged in water).
- The common emotional struggle of burnout and tiredness correlates with creative stagnation, as students found themselves physically and emotionally drained, unable to make significant progress. Despite this, many students (e.g., Student 1 with the thumbs up) expressed resilience, continuing to engage with their work even though they felt stuck.
- Emotional burnout, coupled with personal responsibilities, often led to creative blocks where students felt disconnected from their creative flow, as seen in Student 2’s representation of a lonely figure overwhelmed by work and burnout.
2. Artistic Struggles and Growth:
Correlation between creative struggles and the desire for artistic exploration:
- Student 5 (with their tech-related drawing of a USB stick and hand) and Student 3 (with fluctuating energy levels represented by scratchy marks) illustrated a struggle between creative constraints and the desire for new ideas or freedom in their work.
- For Student 5, limited materials (such as cardboard and paper) contributed to creative blocks, yet they recognized the need to explore more diverse materials to push their creative boundaries. Student 3, experiencing alternating bursts of energy and exhaustion, showed that their creative struggles were tied to external factors such as burnout but also reflected their desire for creative freedom.
- The link between creative stagnation and the pursuit of new artistic possibilities emerged in these students’ reflections. While they felt blocked, they were aware of the potential for growth if given the opportunity to explore their work in different ways (e.g., through new materials or finding more space for creative freedom).
3. Personal and Academic Contexts:
Correlation between personal setbacks and emotional/creative blockages:
- Student 6, who faced visa delays and a neck injury, used a fragmented figure to represent their sense of being “derailed” by external setbacks. These personal issues led to frustration and a feeling of being stuck, not only academically but also emotionally.
- Personal disruptions (such as Student 6’s visa issues and health problems) often compounded their academic challenges, leaving them feeling disconnected and unable to engage with the academic or creative processes. The struggle to catch up contributed to feelings of creative exhaustion, where the pressure of trying to meet deadlines felt overwhelming, much like Student 4’s experience of being overwhelmed by the fast-paced course.
- The correlation between personal struggles (e.g., health, administrative issues) and academic delays had a clear impact on students’ emotional states, which, in turn, influenced their creative output. Students felt disconnected both from their academic journey and creative process.
4. Struggle to Find Personal Artistic Path:
Correlation between lack of structure and the desire for more creative autonomy:
- Student 4 expressed confusion about the new workflow and course structure, feeling lost and “dropped in late.” The lines they drew symbolized their sense of time passing quickly, while they remained unsure of their path. The struggle to understand the workflow contributed to their creative stagnation.
- Student 3 also mentioned needing more space to make their work their own. This desire to break free from constraints and gain autonomy over their creative process reflects a desire for independence in their work.
- The lack of academic structure and freedom to express personal creativity were strongly correlated with students’ feeling of being “stuck,” as they felt pressured by external expectations and overwhelmed by having to meet standards that didn’t necessarily align with their artistic needs.
5. Resilience and Coping Mechanisms:
Correlation between resilience and continued creative engagement despite struggles:
- Despite the overwhelming nature of their struggles, many students continued to engage with their work. Student 1 expressed enjoyment of their work despite fatigue and exhaustion (“thumbs up”), suggesting that emotional exhaustion didn’t fully deter their creative passion.
- Student 5 also found ways to express themselves creatively, even while recognizing that they needed to explore different materials to keep progressing.
- The resilience and desire to continue working even in the face of frustration and fatigue demonstrate a correlation between personal investment in creative practice and the ability to push through feelings of being “stuck.”
6. Connection Between External Pressures and Internal Blockages:
Correlation between personal pressures (work, health, home) and emotional/cognitive blockage in creative work:
- Student 2’s feeling of being “burnt out” from balancing work and creative practice directly correlates to the image of a lonely figure in water. The image signifies emotional isolation and creative blockage.
- Similarly, Student 6’s fragmented figure represents the disarray caused by personal delays (visa and health issues), which directly affect their ability to produce cohesive academic and creative work.
- The external pressures, such as work, personal health, or administrative challenges, were key contributors to the emotional and creative struggles students faced, highlighting the interconnectedness of their personal and academic experiences.
Summary of Correlations:
- Emotional Struggles & Resilience: Emotional exhaustion (tiredness, burnout, loneliness) correlated with creative blockages. However, students also showed resilience, continuing to work despite feeling stuck.
- Artistic Growth & Struggles: Creative blockages were tied to material limitations or a lack of freedom. At the same time, students expressed a desire for more creative autonomy and exploration.
- Personal Contexts & Academic Challenges: Personal disruptions (visa delays, health issues, work-related stress) compounded students’ feelings of being stuck both emotionally and academically.
- External Pressure & Internal Blockages: External pressures (e.g., work, administrative issues) were key factors contributing to emotional and creative struggles, making it difficult for students to progress.
Strengths of the Stuckness Drawing Method:
- Authentic Engagement and Reflection:
- In contrast to other methods, the “Stuckness Drawing” provided a space for deep, reflective engagement later in the tutorial. This timing, post-discussion of academic work, allowed students to open up authentically about their emotional challenges. Many students, including those feeling overwhelmed or tired, were able to express their vulnerabilities and personal obstacles, like homesickness and burnout, making the method highly effective for uncovering emotions that may have been suppressed otherwise.
- Flexibility and Inclusivity:
- The approach, especially the flexibility in timing, made it easier for students who may not have been as prepared to engage fully with the task. For instance, in Group 3, students were able to create their drawings on the spot or share their experiences more openly without the pressure of having everything “figured out” from the start. This inclusivity helped to meet the varying levels of preparedness and emotional comfort across students.
- Student Empowerment and Voice:
- The method gave students an active role in their learning process. By allowing them to visualize and articulate their sense of being stuck, they were able to take responsibility for their emotional and academic growth. The exercise emphasized their agency in the process, and it was empowering for students to know their voices were being captured and considered part of the pedagogy, fostering a deeper sense of belonging and ownership over their experience.
- Cohesive Pedagogical Approach:
- By incorporating the drawings into an ongoing, iterative dialogue throughout the tutorial, the method fostered continuous reflection. Students were able to revisit and build on their initial reflections as the tutorial progressed, which helped contextualize their feelings and led to a better understanding of their learning journey.
Limitations of the Stuckness Drawing Method:
- Timing and Group Dynamics:
- While Group 3 benefitted from the “Stuckness Drawing” intervention later in the tutorial, this timing also led to some challenges. Since it was not used as an icebreaker like the other methods, some students may have felt pressured by the need to have something they feel stuck with at that point in the session. Any pressure from this may have led to incomplete or rushed responses, diverting from more considered concerns for depth of reflection.
- Additionally, some students disclosed personal challenges later in the tutorial, meaning that earlier in the session, these emotional struggles were not yet apparent. This delayed disclosure might have impacted the overall depth of understanding between tutor and student earlier in the session.
- Technical Difficulties and Preparation Challenges:
- As noted, some students encountered technical issues or had not received emails with prior instructions, which would have somewhat limited their ability to fully engage with the task. Without clear instructions or preparation time, some students might not have been able to make the most out of the activity, potentially leading to shallow or incomplete reflections.
- Time Constraints:
- The 30-minute tutorial format continued to be a constraint. While the method encouraged rich personal engagement, time limitations meant that students often had less time to fully explore the emotional weight behind their drawings. There was also a challenge in balancing the depth of conversation with the pace of the tutorial, especially for students with more complex or emotional experiences that required additional time to unpack.
- Unequal Participation:
- The varying levels of confidence and comfort with expressing themselves verbally meant that more marginalized students or those with less academic or language fluency took longer to warm up. This discrepancy in engagement created uneven dynamics in the tutorial, where some students were more apt to articulate their emotions and struggles, while others needed more time and support to do so effectively.
Suggestions for Future Iterations of the Stuckness Drawing Method:
- Integrate Stuckness Drawing Earlier in the Tutorial:
- Consider using the “Stuckness Drawing” exercise earlier in the tutorial as an icebreaker like the others or as part of an initial reflective phase. This would allow students to begin expressing their emotional state before delving into more structured academic work. By doing so, the intervention could potentially loosen up the students and make them more comfortable with discussing their challenges throughout the session.
- Provide Clearer Preparation Guidelines:
- Offering more explicit instructions or examples ahead of time, especially for students who may not be familiar with using drawings to express emotions, could help them engage with the task more effectively. This would reduce any hesitation or confusion, ensuring that all students come prepared to reflect meaningfully.
- Allocate More Time for Reflection:
- Expanding the time dedicated to this exercise, either by extending the length of the tutorials or by ensuring that this is the primary focus of the session, could help deepen the reflection process. More time for both the creation of the drawing and discussion would allow for a more thorough exploration of students’ emotions and creative blockages. Though this is challenging within structured tutorial / imbedded curriculum sessions.
- Provide Extra Support for Marginalized Students:
- Offering additional time or alternative formats (e.g., written prompts, one-on-one follow-ups) for students who require more time to warm up or process their emotions would help level the playing field. This would encourage more balanced participation and ensure that all students feel equally supported in expressing their concerns.
Final Summary of Observations:
The “Stuckness Drawing” method effectively engaged students in authentic emotional reflection, providing them with a creative outlet to explore their academic and personal struggles. The intervention’s timing in Group 3 proved successful in fostering deep engagement, though it also highlighted certain limitations, including time constraints, technical issues, and the pressure students felt. Despite these challenges, the method demonstrated strengths such as empowerment, inclusivity, and emotional expression. For future iterations, refining the approach—adjusting timing, offering clearer guidance, and providing more reflection time—could enhance its impact, fostering a more supportive and empathetic learning environment.
In summary, the stuckness drawings revealed the complex interplay between students’ emotional struggles, artistic challenges, and personal contexts. Creative blockages were not solely due to artistic factors but were also tied to personal, academic, and emotional struggles. A common theme was students’ resilience, as they continued to engage with their work despite feeling “stuck,” showcasing their commitment to growth and creative exploration.