Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.
Required skills
well-developed ceramic skills
communication skills to engage in informed discussion around materials, processes and their relationship with ideas
critical thinking and analytical skills to evaluate and make judgements about relationships between ceramic materials, techniques and processes
initiative and enterprise skills to:
develop individual ways of working with materials and processes
identify and act on opportunities for own practice presented by different materials and processes
learning skills to develop and refine own skills to a professional practice standard
literacy skills to analyse varied and technical information about ceramic materials and processes
problem-solving skills to identify and resolve technical problems in ceramic work
self-management and planning skills to:
develop own ways of working with ceramic materials and processes
research and organise sustainable supply of materials and processes
technology skills to use the internet as a research tool.
Required knowledge
ways in which a wide range of ceramic materials and processes can be used, adapted, combined and challenged by the professional artist
physical properties and capabilities of the selected materials and processes
types of technical and other data that may need to be stored for safety and other reasons
characteristics of different materials under different treatments and the potential of these characteristics to achieve different effects
cost and supply parameters for ceramic materials and tools in the context of professional practice
storage requirements and options for different materials
intellectual property issues and legislation associated with ceramics as a professional practice
sustainability issues for the professional operation of a ceramics practice
OHS requirements for the set-up and operation of a professional work space.
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Physical properties and capabilities may include: | properties of clay bodies, such as: fine or coarse fired strength: robust or fragile green strength or fragility high fire or low fire opaque or translucent plastic or short vitrified, sintered or raw white or dark properties of: glaze materials colouring oxides and commercial stains various model and mould-making materials. |
Ceramic materials may include: | cardboard and paper commercial ceramic colours decorating slips and engobes glazes latex oxides pottery plaster range of casting slips range of plastic clay bodies resins shellac silicones wax. |
Safety issues may relate to: | dust and airborne particles electrical safety equipment used fire fumes kilns manual handling requirements noise sharp objects use and labelling of chemicals use of equipment with moving parts wet surfaces work posture. |
Data may include: | firing logs material safety data sheets (MSDS) quantity calculations recipes for bodies, slips, glazes and decorating materials records of experimentation technical data sheets (TDS) throwing logs. |
Ceramic processes may include: | firing processes, including: raku, earthenware, midfire and stoneware firings in a fuel fired kiln raku, earthenware, midfire and stoneware firings in an electric kiln forming techniques including: deformation, alteration and assembly techniques extruding handbuilding (model, pinch and coil) mould making, slipcasting and press moulding ram pressing throwing and turning glazing techniques, including: brushing dipping layering pouring spraying surface decorating techniques, including: additive processes: applied slip, sprigs and other added components subtractive processes: carving, incising, impressing and eroding use of colour use of pattern and texture. |
Cost and supply parameters may include: | budgetary restrictions capacity to share costs with others continuity of supply delivery issues location of suppliers potential for use of found objects terms of payment use of freely available natural materials use of recycled materials. |
Creative and professional opportunities may relate to: | creative potential: communication of ideas personal affinity with particular materials and processes potential for combining materials and processes potential for interactions of different materials and processes themes in work professional potential: collaboration emerging market trends professional development saleability. |
Limitations and constraints may include: | availability of supplies access to skilled and experienced personnel financial expenditure location and geography safety aspects of materials and processes skill level required for use of selected materials and processes storage facilities studio space timeframe transportation. |
Different ways of working with materials and processes may involve: | combining materials and processes in new ways making samples, prototypes and maquettes varying established approaches to achieve new effects working collaboratively with a particular material or process. |
Own ways of working may include: | approaches that reflect and support individual voice particular nuances and subtleties unique to the individual artist. |
Safe work practices may include: | completing MSDS correct disposal of waste materials dust and fume extraction ergonomic safety managing risk procedures for using kilns and other specialist equipment reporting accidents and incidents use of tools and equipment using clearly designated wet and dry areas using personal protective equipment (PPE). |
Sustainable supply is: | available when needed environmentally friendly of appropriate quality safe within budgetary requirements. |
Appropriate handling and storage may include: | alternative casting materials: silicone, resins and waxes appropriate racks, shelving and cupboards for: biscuit fired work damp work in progress decorating materials dry work in progress glazed work plaster moulds smaller quantities of dry materials tools and equipment appropriate storage containers and rooms for storing: bulk dry materials casting slips plastic clay pottery plaster liquid materials, including: commercial colours solvent-based liquids water-based liquids. |
Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.
Observation Checklist