Fun in Failure
Melvin van der Woude (Master of Arts Education) and Gina Sanches (Master of Arts Education) graduated with their arts education design Fun in Failure.
Fun in Failure" was developed by students Melvin van der Woude and Gina Sanches in their roles as project leaders for the Arts Education Project subject of the Master of Arts Education at the Amsterdam School of the Arts (AHK). The project aimed to introduce girls to the world of IT through art, engaging them in creative coding where experimentation, cooperation, and appreciating mistakes are important core design values.
Melvin explained, "The world of art often involves experimentation with the aim of achieving an unpredictable result. This idea is reminiscent of the thinking of Black Mountain College (Díaz, 2014), where artists such as John Cage, Josef Albers, and Buckminster Fuller use experimentation to develop a holistic system of 'total thinking.' The 'Fun in Failure' project brings these philosophies together by connecting art and IT, with experimentation and appreciation of failure at its core. This is not only relevant for the further development of the art education profession but also has the potential to transform the way we learn and innovate in the world of IT.
Recommendations
Gabriela Acosta Camacho, study leader, program coordinator, and Arts Education Project module tutor, remarked, "Melvin van der Woude and Gina Sanches have designed a very relevant arts education project for their graduation. Fun in Failure responds to the need for a more inclusive tech world and better gender balance among future programmers. It does so in a playful, artistic, and highly effective way.", remarked, "Melvin van der Woude and Gina Sanches have designed a very relevant arts education project for their graduation. Fun in Failure responds to the need for a more inclusive tech world and better gender balance among future programmers. It does so in a playful, artistic, and highly effective way."
Roos Peters, Deputy Director of Codam, commented, "This project has had a lasting impact, with it still being used to introduce girls to technology and programming, both by Codam, Gina and Melvin. In doing so, the workshop serves as an inspiring example of the relationship between creativity and programming."