My project focus as a transition tutor on BA Illustration Year 3, will be to investigate engagement with the progression activities I have been developing with the year 3 team.
Through my research, I aim to find out what makes students attend progression workshops by simultaneously researching what might prevent them from accessing these sessions.
The progression workshops in year 3 are focused in Unit 9, and feature mandatory, day long sessions in which students work with staff and peers to plan their next steps after graduation.
My artefact aims to address the attainment gap on BA Illustration by employing strategies within a co-creative ‘transition’ workshop to make course content more accessible, inclusive and diverse. The artefact acknowledges that intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1990) plays a role in students’ engagement (Appendix A) and will work towards increasing participation from students from black and minority backgrounds, students with disabilities and students with intersecting identities to create a shared research platform.
I am a Transition Tutor for BA Illustration, a new role created when I became a lecturer on the course. This was introduced to help the transition between second and third year for students, and to establish a link between these year groups through workshops that focus primarily on progression aims for third years, and on meaningful research methods and criticality for second years. The sessions I run aim to support students progressing into their final year and towards graduation, and collaborate with Academic support to ensure there are sessions in place to prepare students for future units.
My experiences as both student and teacher have led me to a deeper awareness of how important inclusivity is. Although I do not have a personal experience of disability, I have previously endured mental health issues that impacted on my experience at University; it was this experience, and the invaluable support of my personal tutor that inspired me to consider the Lecturer position I now hold, so that I may help students who also face barriers to their learning. Furthermore, a previous SEN teaching role showed me the importance of addressing the intersectional needs of students, whose disabilities frequently intersected with their faith, race and class, compounding on their experience of learning and attainment. This artefact aims to address the intersections of identities faced by illustration students that impact the learning experience and ultimately attainment, by actively embracing how diverse cultural backgrounds and experience feed into the extensive, engaging ideas of our students.
‘Creative arts students’ identities are profoundly intrinsic to their practice’ (Sabri, 2017, p.3)
I believe that this intervention is needed to empower students, as the past 2 years has demonstrated students’ hesitancy to share ideas, resulting in low attendance to group tutorials and transition workshops. Reasons for this may be due to a barrier to learning within the teaching environment (Sabri, 2017, ), unfamiliarity with the subject or confidence in sharing cultural knowledge that is often closely linked to personal experience. The workshop will be focused on celebrating difference, as ‘ignoring difference within groups contributes to tension among groups’ (Crenshaw, 1990), in order to build a community of practice and knowledge sharing amongst the cohort. Furthermore, it aspires to see greater attendance by asking students to enjoy being critical thinkers and critical friends, and feel enthusiastic about contributing to their own and each other’s learning simultaneously:
‘The most exciting aspect of critical thinking in the classroom is that it calls for initiative from everyone, actively inviting all students to think passionately and to share ideas in a passionate, open manner’ (hooks, 2010, p.11)
To reduce the attainment gap on this course my artefact will be the introduction of a new workshop to transition activities that can encourage a more inclusive community. To support my understanding of how to do this, I have focused on the work of Duna Sabri and her report on the reasons for inequality in students’ attainment. The artefact I aim to deliver recognises Sabri’s research in which she refers to Nancy Fraser’s view that ‘a matter of misrecognition and lack of value attached to non-dominant cultures in our society’ is one cause of the attainment gap, which I aim to address through a workshop designed to move away from a Eurocentric or white London-centric (Sabri, 2017, p.3) standard:
‘Historical and ecological whiteness have imparted the normalisation of standard cultural practices that stem from colonial hierarchical structures. These norms and practices need to be critically interrogated when attempting to increase diversity in academic roles in UK higher education.’ (Garrett, 2024, p.3)
My intervention artefact will be a co-creative workshop, ‘Teach Me Something New’ as part of my transition teaching that aims to bring third year students together to create the content of a research sharing platform that can be accessed by all final year students (Appendix B). This will be held in the first term of year 3 and is intended as an initial workshop that can be develop into a subsequent session later in the term, depending on the students’ direction. This idea reflects on Paulo Friere’s concept that a pedagogy ‘must be forged with, not for, the oppressed, ’ (Friere, 1970, p.40). Students will be actively involved in creating the content within the session, that will be developed from their own final year topic research and made into a shared resource or platform for the year group, such as a padlet or zine; both content and final presentation will be defined by the students of each year, and be built upon with each consecutive cohort. Previous content sharing by students on the padlet platform and sandbox zine have proved successful with previous years and aims to evolve in a subsequent transition workshop later in the term (Appendix C). Co-creating in this way intends to consider how:
‘Students can bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and lived experiences to the table, challenging and enriching existing academic approaches and thinking.’ (O’Hara, 2023).
In situations when students share knowledge with staff, I am aware there can be a power imbalance with students deferring to staff opinions in what Mary Pratt describes as a ‘Contact Zone’ (Pratt, 1991,):
‘social spaces where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other, often in contexts of highly asymmetrical relations of power’ (Pratt, 1991, p.34)
In order to for this not to affect the dynamic within the workshop environment I have taken inspiration from ‘Critical Pedagogy’(Freire, 1970) and will support students’ gaining knowledge by participating in the teaching process with each other, alongside dialogue with the workshop leader, rather than solely instructing them. In this context students are not merely passive recipients of the teacher’s information, but active contributors to the educational experience. I have also taken note of Dr Gurnam Singh’s position on critical pedagogy who highlights the need for ‘teaching the human being’ ‘not just as a thinking being, but as a thinking and doing being, and not elevating one higher than the other’ (Singh, 2018). A main aim for the workshop environment is to treat all ideas as equal.
With this in mind, I will also reflect on‘Persona Pedagogy’ (Thomas, 2022) to influence an introductory exercise in the workshop, and ask students in their small groups to share their research topics anonymously. Students will select a topic different to their own to research, understand and teach each other in an exercise that aims to ‘build an environment where individuals feel more comfortable and secure to bring their true authentic self’, working towards ‘transformational learning’ (Thomas, 2022, p.3):
‘Sharing stories of difference and diversity can contribute to others’ understanding and expansion of their world view’. (Thomas, 2022, p.3)
The themes, and references presented on the platform can be taken into consideration when making minor modifications to reading lists and course content by the Illustration Programme team’s regular meetings on the course structure and intentions. The resource/platform will also be supportive to the current year’s cohort for knowledge sharing during their final Units.
The workshop intends to diversify the influences shared on BA Illustration and move away from a potentially eurocentric lens. The resource aims to broaden the conversations on Illustration and value all ideas from wider perspectives within a global framework in order to be more representative of the students cohort. The central idea behind this is to appeal to a greater number of students, and particularly support those who have felt their project ideas’ ‘irrelevant’ or ‘objects of history lacking any agency’ (Singh, 2018) by cultivating a workshop/studio culture that embraces all subject matter of relevance and significance.
‘We should aim to deploy a broader canvas – visual, auditory, tactile, that can engage and stimulate’ (Hill, 2018, p.23)
Simultaneously the workshop plans to make students feel comfortable in expressing their ideas, even if they are not culturally familiar to the rest of the group or the teaching staff, in order to see greater participation in course activities. Reflection on bell hook’s concept of ‘Engaged Pedagogy’ further underpins the concept of this workshop, in order to emphasise that each student has a ‘valuable contribution to make to the learning process’ (hooks, 2010, p.21). My hope is that by co-creating the content of the workshop and outcomes directly with the students, they will feel that their input is more valued and inclusive to their needs.
I also look to Jo Shah’s ideas on decolonizing the curriculum and aim to use this as an opportunity for both students and staff to learn from each other through participation in the workshop, and reflect on the material produced within both Illustration Programme and student representative meetings:
‘Expanding our knowledge base to consider broader contexts that exceed limiting eurocentrism and to ensure that such knowledge is treated equally and in balance.’ (Shah, 2018, p.16)
I aim to support all students achieving the most out of the course by providing Transition sessions in conjunction with Academic Support. Through taking attendance and researching UAL’s data dashboards, I am aware of the challenges in encouraging more students to attend these workshops, and how this impacts attainment (Appendix D). My hope is that if I can employ strategies to increase participation, more students will find these sessions accessible and join them to support their learning. Therefore, to promote further social justice on the Illustration course, I have initially consulted the disability guidelines set out by UAL (Appendix 2: ‘Inclusive Group Work). I noted that groups of approximately 5 students can help prevent barriers to communication, which is something that I aim to implement within this workshop structure by splitting a larger group into smaller satellite groups within the studio. From positive feedback received last term in response to a similar method used in a transition workshop, I have the confidence that students may feel supported with their participation, resulting in the ability to share knowledge more comfortably in a smaller group. It is also an aim to take feedback regularly throughout the year, integrating them into transition workshops, so that all transition sessions, including this artefact, can evolve to continually strive to be more inclusive by listening directly to students’ needs.
References
Crenshaw, K. (1990) Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review.
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York Seabury Press.
Garret, R. (2024) Racism shapes careers: career trajectories and imagined futures of racialised minority PhDs in UK higher education. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2024.2307886 [Accessed 12th June]
Hill, V. (2018) ‘Critical Pedagogy Bites: Delivering a Decolonised Curriculum’, Decolonising the Arts Curriculum: Perspectives on Higher Education. Available at: https://issuu.com/susanbubble/docs/final_decolonising_zine2.compressed [Accessed: 8th July 2024]
hooks, b. (1994) Teaching to transgress: education as the practice of freedom. London: Routledge.
hooks, b. (2010) Teaching critical thinking: Practical wisdom. New York: Routledge.
O’Hara, M. (2023) We’re better together: let’s co-create! Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/news-and-views/were-better-together-lets-co-create [Accessed 14th July 2024]
Pratt, M. L. (1991) Arts of the Contact Zone. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25595469 [Accessed June 8th 2024]
Sabri, Duna (2017) Students’ Experience of Identity and Attainment at UAL. Available at: https://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/id/eprint/14370/1/year%204%20report%20-%20%20final.pdf [Accessed 5th July 2024]
Shah, J. (2018) ‘Why/how to decolonize art and design?’ Decolonising the Arts Curriculum: Perspectives on Higher Education, Available at: https://issuu.com/susanbubble/docs/final_decolonising_zine2.compressed [Accessed: 8th July 2024]
Singh, G. (2018) Vicki Hill: Pedagogy Bites #4: What does it look like in practice? 9th March. Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6ghTlyBDNk [Accessed June 8th 2024]
Singh, G. (2018) ‘Why/how to decolonize art and design?’ Decolonising the Arts Curriculum: Perspectives on Higher Education, Available at: https://issuu.com/susanbubble/docs/final_decolonising_zine2.compressed [Accessed: 9th July 2024]
Smyth, J. (2011)Critical pedagogy for social justice. New York: Bloomsbury Academic and Professional.
Thomas, C. (2022) Overcoming Identity Threat: Using Persona Pedagogy in Intersectionality and Inclusion Training. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11060249 [Accessed 12th July 2024]
Appendix A – Data Dashboards
Trends (Trends have been identifies with coloured circles)
I have assessed the data dashboards for attainment on BA illustration according to student profile and cross referenced this with access to academic support, as this gives a good indication of students that are attending the transition workshops I run.
The main takeaway from looking at the Illustration data dashboards, is that female, home white students that attended Academic support sessions, were most likely to attain a 1st class or 2:1 Degree than any other student profile. In general, students attained higher when they had accessed academic support, although some results do not represent this, such as for home B.A.M.E students, there was a significant increase in 22-23 for attainment. This suggests that although these students did not access academic support, there has been a positive movement towards closing the attainment gap perhaps due to an increased dedication towards social justice strategies such as the UAL mentoring scheme. When looking at the data for all students, there was an increase in attainment for those that did access academic support.
The lack of data for many student profiles for either access or non access to academic support, mainly those from minority backgrounds and home Polar4 Q1-2, is a cause for concern in relation to attainment, demonstrating that more needs to be done to support higher grades for these students.
Declared Disability There is no data for students with a declared disability having accessed Academic Support in 22-23, and a 21% decline in attainment since last year for those who did not.
Home B.A.M.E, Home Asian, Home Black, Home Mixed, Home other, and Home Polar4 Q1-2 Except for Home BAME in 22-23 (87% increase in attainment), there is 0% data for students in these groups for the past 4 years on both sides of the dashboard. Furthermore when looking closer at the data dashboards to see the attainment of students who have accessed Academic Support, Home Black, Home B.A.M.E, ’Home Mixed’ and Home Polar4 Q1-2 have 0% data for attainment in the 1st or 2:1 category for 2022-2023, which means that all these categories had less than 10 people accessing Academic support on BA Illustration. In comparison, 100% of home white students who accessed Academic support attained a 1st or 2:1. For those students who have not accessed academic support, and attained a 2:1 or a 1st, there was a significant increase from 0% to 87% for Home B.A.M.E students which suggests access to Academic support did not support this increase, however there is the potential for this figure to rise if students did access it.
International Students The UAL data dashboards for BA illustration show international students have attained less 1st’s and 2:1s than their home white counterparts for the past 4 years despite having attended academic support sessions or not. (Except 2020 for international students who did not access Academic Support)
Home Polar4 Q1-2 and EU students There is no data for the past 4 years for students with this profile which highlights a need to support these students with their attainment.
Appendix B – Workshop Plan and Materials
Workshop plan for TutorsPrint out for folded booklet given to each student
Appendix C – Padlet and Zine examples from BA Illustration
Dungeness Trip Padlet Example of student updated padlet during a trip workshop to Dungeness. Students formed small groups and were each given an individual prompt or task to work on together as a group. Results in the form of photographs, drawings, sculptures and more were posted up to share with the year group.
Padlet created by Jen Franklin for Year 3 Dungeness Trip
Sandbox Zine A riso zine produced by and for Camberwell illustration students.
Open Call for Sandbox ZineStudent content for Sandbox
It is important to acknowledge that more needs to be done in relation to decolonisation in the HE setting. Although there is more diversity within student and staff populations and policies to both protect and support minority groups at UAL, ‘colonial perceptions and mindsets are embedded into the fabric of our institutional structures’ (Jethani, Panesar and Patel, 2018). What struck me from watching the set materials presented online, was the majority of negative and narrow viewpoints that viewers expressed within the comments section, displaying a troubling, wider perspective on this issue. It is not clear if these comments originate within the UK specifically or if they come from a global perspective, but the concerning element was how so many displayed a lack of knowledge, understanding, empathy and willingness to learn or change.
In his Ted Talk challenging traditional diversity teaching, Asif Sadiq refers to the lack of relatable role models and senior figures during his experience at University: ‘How can I become something I can’t see?’ (Sadiq, 2023). This addresses that in Higher Education, there needs to be more diverse role models in order to shift away from a predominantly white demographic amongst both curriculum content and teaching staff. In Garett’s study ‘Racism Shapes Careers’, she notes that ‘professorships are predominantly occupied by white professors (90.1%)’ (Garrett, 2018).
Within my research I came across the student led campaign ‘UAL SO WHITE’ from 2016, that exposed how only 9% of academic job roles at UAL were occupied by B.A.M.E staff. Looking at the most recent report from 22-23, this has risen to 24.8% and 10% for ‘other’, with the result that proportionally (and optically) this is an improvement, however white staff still are in the majority. This review also does not take into job satisfaction, and the turnover of staff in these roles.
In their study Garrett also explains how PHD students were likely to have positive experiences when supported by mentors who share their heritage, however ‘their support systems usually came from other forms of mentorship and community formed by others’ rather than the institution itself’ (Garett, 2024). The hypervisibility of racialised minority academics was also noted to potentially discourage students from pursuing academic careers. This highlights that although a relatable role model was supportive, the pressure minority academics felt in these positions alongside experiencing differential treatment, shows that they find it harder to progress in their roles because of the institutional environment. Bradbury suggests to shift the focus ‘from proving that white people gain, to examining how they gain; this is a more in-depth question which is more likely to reveal and disrupt racial inequality’ (Bradbury 2020).
I found Duna Sabri’s report from 2017 on student’s experience of Identity and Attainment at UAL really interesting to reflect on in my own teaching. They mention the importance of the ‘feedback conversation’ (Sabri, 2017) and how tutors are more likely to respond with ‘I don’t understand’ to international, black and minority ethnic students, and how this can be perceived as a ‘rejection of their work’ (Sabri, 2017). This shows a need to broaden our understanding as teachers; to ask more questions, be curious and both acquire and share knowledge with students who may offer new or different perspectives on diverse cultures in order that students from all backgrounds feel a sense of belonging equally.
Bradbury, A. (2020) A critical race theory framework for education policy analysis: the case of bilingual learners and assessment policy in England, Race Ethnicity and Education, 23:2, 241-260, DOI: 10.1080/13613324.2019.1599338 [Accessed: 12th June 2024]
Garrett, R. (2024) Racism shapes careers: career trajectories and imagined futures of racialised minority PhDs in UK higher education,Globalisation, Societies and Education, pp. 1–15. doi: 10.1080/14767724.2024.2307886. [Accessed: 12th June 2024]
Sadiq, A. (2023) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it right. TEDx [Online]. Youtube. 2 March. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR4wz1b54hw [Accessed: 12th June 2024]
On BA illustration I am a transition tutor and provide a series of workshops for both second and third years to support their student journey and progression aims for post-graduate life. I aim to support all students achieving the most out of the course by providing this additional teaching in conjunction with Academic Support. Through taking attendance and researching UAL’s data dashboards, I am aware that there are students that regularly do not attend these workshops, and that this may impact on their attainment 1. Through this intervention, I want to address why some students are not accessing transition workshops, and the strategies I can employ to continuously evaluate and create a more inclusive learning environment.
To do this, I aim to directly involve the students in BA illustration to understand what it is they want and need from the course. I look to Paulo Freire’s teachings in Pedagogy of the Oppressed for further reading on why this is important: ‘a pedagogy which must be forged with, not for, the oppressed (whether individuals or peoples) in the incessant struggle to regain their humanity.’ (Freire, 1970)
My strategy will be to co-create forms of feedback with the students, asking them how they feel we could make things more inclusive on the course and relate this back to their illustration practice. Furthermore I aim to collect student influences and share them amongst the cohort so that a sense of community and openness can be fostered within the studio. This practice once established as part of my role, could be echoed at the beginning and end of each year in order to embrace the diversity of individual year groups. I aim to further understand bell hooks ‘Engaged pedagogy’ to support this, in order to emphasise that each student has a ‘valuable contribution to make to the learning process.’ (hooks, 1994)
Key References for further reading:
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York Seabury Press.
Hooks, B. (1994) Teaching to transgress: education as the practice of freedom. London: Routledge. (Chapters 1 – 5)
Hooks, B. (2010). Teaching critical thinking: Practical wisdom. New York: Routledge. (Teaching II – Democratic Education, III – Engaged Pedagogy)
Smyth, J. (2011) Critical pedagogy for social justice. New York : Bloomsbury Academic and Professional. (Chapter 3: Students as Activists in Their Own Learning)
The UAL data dashboards for BA illustration show international students have attained less 1st’s and 2:1s than their home counterparts for the past 5 years (4% improvement during this time). There has also been a 4% drop in attainment since 2019 for students with a declared disability, and 17% since last year. Furthermore when looking closer at the data dashboards to see the relationship to Academic Support, I can see that Home Black, Home B.A.M.E, ‘Home Mixed’ and ‘All Declared Disability’ students have 0% data for attainment in the 1st or 2:1 category for 2022-2023, which means that all these categories had less than 10 people accessing Academic support on BA Illustration. When you compare this to 100% of home white students who accessed Academic support attaining a 1st or 2:1 this highlights the need for an intervention. ↩︎
When considering how I have encountered faith in my own teaching practice at UAL, I was conscious and shaken by how I initially struggled to think of an example. This alone highlighted that being aware of a student’s beliefs or religion is something I need to address through greater awareness and acknowledgement, in order to ensure inclusivity in my teaching. This also surprised me, as in a previous role at a SEN secondary school, the intersections of disability with not only faith, but gender, race, sexual orientation and age for both students and staff was a main concern within my teaching.
This school had an extremely diverse student population and celebrating many different religions was an important part of the school’s calendar alongside the everyday experience for the students (Their Cultural Competency statement). Acknowledging the individual needs of each student and how this interacted with their faith e.g. fasting during Ramadan (and if students needed greater care during this time) was an important aspect of my teaching role. It was vital to make sure each student was fully supported through an individualised approach to enable their participation in the school community.
The following words from Professor Simran Jeet Singh made me reflect on my previous experience, that I compared with my role at UAL where he explains ‘each community is diverse’.
‘One of the real challenges we’re facing in our society is a tendency to try and paint entire communities with a single brush stroke’ (Jeet Singh, 2016)
Therefore at UAL, I understand it is not enough just to acknowledge that faith is important to many of our students, but to understand that there is diversity within communities. The intersection of faith with gender, sexuality or race can result in tensions or impact on how an individual may disclose parts of their identity. For example, in Sabah Choudrey’s Inclusivity guide, they commented that BAME Trans people can experience situations such as:
‘Religious communities overlapped with ethnic communities, and losing one often meant losing the other’ (Choudrey, 2016)
As teachers we need to show students how we can provide support or adaptations, such as giving the space and time for prayer within sessions, that can improve the learning experience without explicitly singling individuals out and risking an identity threat. I thought the idea of providing a visible ‘Equal Opportunities statement’ as mentioned in the guide, could reassure BAME, Trans and QTIPOC that there are positive, visual representations of them could be a good idea moving forward. This also made me conscious about choosing spaces that makes people feel comfortable (particularly external venues for exhibitions and events) as the intersections of faith with sexuality or race, may make some venues unsafe for some to openly visit.
After looking at the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion report for 22/23, I noted that 29% of students at UAL (26% at CCW) had declared their religion, which is a significant number when you consider that is almost 1 in 3 students. Furthermore I noted that for most colleges there are 2% of students that fall into an ‘other’ category which made me question what other faiths are not being included in part of this survey and how UAL can recognise this to impact and update their guidance resources.
Despite my (shameful) initial blank on how I have encountered faith as part of my teaching at UAL, I realised that religion has actually played a big part in many students’ experience and work. For example, a student’s project last year focused on the words of her pastor and the Christian experience. This situation showed me that as the role of her tutor, it was important to both encourage and guide feedback in group tutorials, so that religion could be discussed in a sensitive yet supportive way through peer relationships. The following words of Kimberlé Crenshaw echo this idea by outlining how aspects of identity are the results of relationships in various contexts:
‘identity isn’t a self contained Unit, it is a relationship between people in history, people in communities, people in institutions’ (Crenshaw, 2018)
In another instance, a group of students responded to a project proposal in a way that disrespected the practices of a particular religion. I realised I may encounter future situations where students pose a threat to others and their beliefs, and this further emphasised that I need to be able to guide my students in understanding discrimination and inequality with the aim to promote a respect for multiculturalism in group discussion. To give me insight on this I turned to Bell Hooks’ chapter ‘Embracing change Teaching in a Multicultural world’, where she explains that creating a teaching environment where ‘there is respect for individual voices’ through alternative strategies can encourage more critical feedback and ultimately benefit students, even if at first there may be resistance to these methods:
‘Moving away from the need for immediate affirmation was crucial for my growth as a teacher. I learned to respect that shifting paradigms or sharing knowledge in new ways challenges; it takes time for students to experience that challenge as a positive.’ (Hooks, 1994)
Crenshaw, Kimberlé, Kimberlé Crenshaw: What is Intersectionality?, National Association of Independent Schools, online video recording, YouTube, 22nd June 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDtnfQ9FHc>, [Accessed: 13th May 2024]
Hooks, Bell. Teaching to Transgress : Education As the Practice of Freedom, Taylor & Francis Group, 1994. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ual/detail.action?docID=1656118 [Accessed: 16th May 2024]
Jeet Singh, Simran. Challenging Race, Religion, and Stereotypes in Classroom, Trinity University, online video recording, YouTube, 1st December 2016, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CAOKTo_DOk>, [Accessed: 13th May 2024]
On reviewing the three interviews that discuss the intersection of disability with other identity factors I have made the following reflections.
Ade Adepitan discusses his experience of how disability interacts with his race when he says ‘I intersect disability and race so I see discrimination from both angles’. This is highlighted when discussing the challenges faced that include verbal abuse and accessibility. In the discussion with Webborn the intersection of race and disability is highlighted on public transport with reference to Rosa Parks and segregation because of race.
‘the BAME community and in particular the black community, for hundreds of years we have faced oppression’ because of systemic racism.’ (Adepitan, 2020)
This brings attention to a present-day echo of this segregation on public transport, with the defining of spaces and their users continuing systemic discrimination. What I found very poignant was the idea that by creating limited space for groups of people, we are not creating an environment of equal opportunity. With the separation of space, we are othering groups of people by limiting their movement; a detrimental act to fostering communities of inclusion.
Christine Sun Kim has a different perspective on her disability and how it interacts with her experience of being a mother and an artist. She describes how the social support in Germany facilitates her practice as an artist and ability to be a mother at the same time, something she suggests wouldn’t have been possible for her in New York due to physical and financial constraints. With this she emphasises the importance for her to thrive as a result of ‘the benefits of a government that supports their citizens’ (Sun Kim, 2023).
Christine Sun Kim. Shit Hearing People Say To Me. 2019
This is paralleled in the interview with Chay Brown, when they mention the importance of organisations adopting a ‘person centred’ approach in order to provide adequate access and mobility. As a trans, neurodiverse and gay man, Brown highlights how this is essential for promoting inclusion. In particular they reflect on ‘hidden’ disabilities such as anxiety disorders, and how this affects the ability to integrate into a queer society because of the ‘unspoken codes of behaviour’ (Brown, 2023), that can further exacerbate the feeling anxiety. Within the LGBTQ+ community he believes that ‘if we’re not working for disabled trans people, we’re not working for the trans community because we’re missing people out’ (Brown, 2023). This is further reinforced by Kimberle Crenshaw’s theory that ‘ignoring difference within groups contributes to tension among groups’ (Crenshaw, 1990)
After watching all three videos, what becomes apparent is that through the interviewees different relationships to intersectionality, they address how progress can be made within society to be more inclusive and promote equality. Adepitan explains how the Paralympics empowered disabled people and therefore they were given their ‘opportunity to shine’. Reflecting on how this interacts with his race, he feels lessons from this could be taken when thinking about the Black Power movement which has been a lot slower to progress: ‘Harder progress is that one that’s systemic’. As a deaf female parent, Sun Kim presents her perspective of how life in Berlin allows her varying types of space to be both be an artist and a mother as an improvement from her life in New York where many of her contemporaries struggle with debt and an unaffordable way of life.
These examples indicate that the right steps are being made for inclusion and greater equality for intersectional groups, however this seems mostly in specific areas or within smaller organisations such as Parapride mentioned by Brown. If larger institutions addressed the intersection of communities with a person-centred approach that acknowledged ‘intragroup differences’ (Crenshaw, 1990), we can aim to ‘dismantle discrimination towards minority groups, and promote empowerment for intersectional communities.’ (Brown, 2023).
Using three words that stood out from each interviewee, I have created a small Mnemonic device SEE to encourage me to think about this within my own teaching context, making sure that I am addressing the needs of everyone and providing an inclusive learning space.
Shine: Create a more inclusive space for students to learn and thrive by addressing factors such as physical access, quiet spaces, interpreters, materials (printed, online and access to these). This list aims to be developed in connection with my colleagues. Echo: Actively aim to prevent the echoes of history and not repeat systemic failings. Empower: Empower students to feel comfortable to talk about their experience with others and listen to their needs to provide tangible responses.
Moving forward, I am concerned about the Government’s changes to the UK’s welfare system, with the likelihood that people with depression or anxiety could lose sickness benefits. This seems to be to be a far cry from ‘government that supports their citizens’ mentioned by Sun Kim. As a transition tutor supporting students with progression aims for beyond graduation, I’m aware of how this may disadvantage our current students with mental health disorders in the future. I aim to research more into this with a view to identifying other organisations that can offer support.
References
Adepitan, A. (2020) Paralympics: Ade Adepitan gives amazing explanation of systemic racism. 16th October. Available at: www.youtube.com.watch?v=KAsxndpgagU. [Accessed 20th April 2024]
Brown, C. (2023) Parapride: Intersectionality in Focus: Empowering Voices during UK Disability History Month 2023. 13th December. Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yID8_s5tjc [Accessed 20th April 2024]
Crenshaw, K. (1990) Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review.
Sun Kim, C. (2023) ‘Friends & Strangers” – Season 11 | Art21. 1st November. Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NpRaEDlLsI. [Accessed 19th April]
Session to be observed: Animation Pitch Presentations Size of student group: approx 20 Observer: Becky Allen Observee: Vida Vega
Part One
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum? The pitch session is the first formative assessment point for students on MA Animation. The aim is to present their project ideas for the first time, showing a viable plan for what they intend to make and how they intend to make it between January and June.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity? I have been lecturing on MA Animation for 2 years, this cohort joined LCC in October 2024 and I have been working with them since they joined.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes? 1. To quickly capture the audience’s attention and provide a short overview of the project. 2. Practice pitching a timed presentation, presenting as a professional rather than as a student 3. Offer critical, friendly feedback to peers
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)? Students will give a presentation of their work and answer questions as well as provide verbal feedback to their peers. Prior to the session they will upload their pitch documents and animation work in progress so it can be referred to during the session.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern? Some students are nervous and/or have neurodiverse needs and may find presenting challenging. I am keen to create a positive and supportive environment of critical friendship within the session to ensure everyone can participate comfortably.
How will students be informed of the observation/review? I have emailed them in advance to let them know and I will remind them of this at the start of the session.
What would you particularly like feedback on? Critical friendship and the overall engagement of the session. Did students engage (especially the ones not presenting), did the presenter get constructive feedback? Was the session supportive and inclusive?
How will feedback be exchanged? Email would be great! Or we can talk a little next Monday 26th Feb?
Part Two
Observations
I observed a presentation and feedback session for students to present interim snapshots of their animatic animations. Students presented as individuals or in groups to a student group with 3 tutors in a relaxed session.
Vida provided clear guidelines for timing at the beginning to make sure the session ran smoothly, and sent a schedule emailed ahead of the session to staff and myself to be prepared for the morning’s activity.
In general this was a very positive feedback session for students at this interim stage.
Vida recognised how to make an inclusive environment with the use of 4 digital displays around the teaching room, which was useful for making sure all students had visibility to the presentation, especially as students were sitting at different angles. I thought this catered for students with different needs in terms of where and how they might be sitting, acknowledging that some students may feel more comfortable further from the front, or may have visibility needs that could be met with additional access to screens.
There was a central table set up around which students were seated that helped with students feeling involved and felt deliberate in being set up for the discussion element of the session and to encourage the critical friendship element mentioned.
A Tripod and camera was set up to record presentations for later reference and a student was also documenting using an ipad. This will be helpful for students to reflect on their feedback after the session and consider their own presentation in quiet, reflective time after. It also supported the professional aspect to the session.
Vida encouraged the group to provide suggestions for peers – this delivery was gentle and friendly, with particular emphasis on how feedback is helpful to everyone. This was successful as students were keen to offer verbal feedback after each presentation, reinforcing the idea of critical friendships developing and supporting inclusive engagement.
Students were comfortable presenting their work to the group and peers were engaged and asked useful questions. The students seemed very at ease to speak out or put up hands to pose questions which suggested this practice of giving feedback is well integrated into their experience. Their comments were wide ranging but constructive in general, giving useful perspectives on how elements of the animations could be enhanced or developed.
It was fun to see the students keeping time for each other with use of a newsprint banner held up at the ‘2 minutes left’ stage. This seemed like a great technique for students to be involved with time keeping and support peer relationships. As each student was allocated a set time to present their ideas according to a schedule this gave a more professional feel to the session whilst giving each student an equal opportunity to present.
Verbal feedback was given to each student about their film with an emphasis on positive reinforcement to their ideas, giving confidence to the student.
There was use of two other staff member’s perspectives and questions to support feedback and provide constructive comments from different approaches. These were successful contributions, giving the student well rounded responses from which they can develop their animations.
It was encouraging to see how the technical hitch with sound for one student resulted in a positive outcome for their presentation on family relationships. The student reading the script over the film because of the audio not working gave a very personal element to the presentation that resonated strongly with the group. Both Vida and the other tutors turned this around to frame the situation as a positive experience rather than negative, which was beneficial for the student, providing comments that reinforced the theme of the work and gave them confidence.
Suggestions
Perhaps you could think of ways to integrate more peer led feedback within the staff feedback so there is a less separation and it feels more like a discussion. By giving students and staff the same space to respond this may help develop the critical friendships within the group There are different ways you may want to approach this, such as asking students to write anonymous feedback or questions that staff could read out? Or rearrange the space so that staff weren’t positioned in front of the students (like a panel!). Or simply, students and staff could have responded simultaneously, and not just the staff responding straight after the presentation.
Could students provide written feedback in some way to give constructive feedback to each student? (like we did in our microteaching sessions) Perhaps on post-its or scrap paper? Anonymity may support a more critical approach from the students.
Staff could pose questions to the group to encourage students to be more involved with feedback. Perhaps you could develop a series of prompts to call out or have a few presented on the digital display after each presentation?
Presenter couldn’t see time-keeping banner so it might have been helpful for student keeping time to be positioned where they could be seen.
Questions
How could you integrate both staff and student feedback so there is less separation?
Could you use the digital displays to support the feedback session by providing written prompts?
As well as the video recording of the session, how could you offer students other types of recorded responses? For example, perhaps a student could scribe for the presenting student so they can keep a record of student/tutor feedback notes, or students could fill in feedback forms.
Part Three
Becky’s comments are extremely valuable and thought provoking, particularly in regards to breaking down some of the boundaries between staff and students when giving feedback.
I think I tend to begin with comments myself because it can take students some time to warm up and feel comfortable speaking during the session and we are usually pressed for time during crits, but that isn’t to say these sessions have to be run in this way. Building in time to collect feedback in a variety of ways (like post its or written digitally) to be read out anonymously is a good idea that I can see would help students who feel less comfortable speaking in front of the group.
I also like the suggestion of asking students to scribe for the presenter, or having feedback forms to fill in to provide a framework for the session and to prompt reflection. This is something I will definitely build into the next presentation.
I also agree with the idea of breaking up the way staff are sat in the room! It wasn’t intended as a panel, more to do with wanting to make the 2 supporting members of staff who were guests and not super familiar with the space / class feel comfortable. I also felt like I needed to be in the front to help out with technical issues. I realise this sounds like a lot of excuses for why having a panel at the front is a good thing but I actually really like the idea of spreading us out, perhaps around the table so that we are all sitting together equally.
Posing questions after each presentation to prompt responses from students is also a good idea that flows on naturally from the use of feedback forms. I wonder if there could also be a space given for the presenting student to ask questions to the group, asking for feedback about specific aspects of their work.
time keeping – the banner is a really nice touch that gives the session an informal and friendly feel but I agree that it can sometimes be hard for the presenter to see. I would like to set up a screen with a timer that the presenter can see in front of them to help them be aware of time. This is something that is used during the Annecy animation festival pitch sessions and think it would be good to model and implement with our students.
Over all I think we can provide a bit more structure for students to provide critical feedback during the sessions as well as perhaps a bit more time on the day to ensure everyone has the chance to contribute in a way that they feel comfortable. Currently each time slot is only 15 mins (5 mins to present + 10 for feedback) which is tight and doesn’t leave much space for reflection.
Session: Concrete Future Workshop Size of student group: up to 25 Observer: Chris Rowell Observee: Becky Allen
Part One
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum? Concrete Future is workshop run once each term to support year 3 BA Illustration students with their progression aims. Each term the workshop is different and builds upon the previous session. Concrete Future runs alongside their core teaching and is reviewed at summative assessment points.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity? I have been working with all third years since the end of their second year (June 2023 – present). This Concrete Future session is on a sign-up basis and therefore this group may be comprised of students who have not worked together before.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes? The session strives to build upon student’s progression aims and support the development of their professionality:
Demonstrate the integrated use of sustainable, coherent and critically engaged and personally defined research methodology and developed from a wide range of relevant sources
Demonstrate a very high level of autonomy in your independent and collaborative Illustration practice through the proactive and personally defined management of your own learning and the use of critical reflection and self- evaluation methods
Professionally communicate your practice, research, ideas and skills in visual, verbal and/or written forms appropriate to multiple and varied audiences demonstrating your critical understanding of Illustration in the wider context
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)? A Task sheet/booklet will completed containing the following:
Students will start forming a Vision statement
Students will start forming a Mission statement
Students will prepare 5 progression goals according to SMART principles.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
Whole group interactions – We may have a quiet group that respond minimally to interactive group questions and discussion.
Students may be uncomfortable working in groups with peers less known to them and therefore confidence to give feedback may be limited.
Students may not have attended the original (mandatory) session in term 1 and therefore may not be aware of all terms or tasks mentioned previously.
Students may not have brought adequate resources to work with – e.g. laptop, notebook/sketchbook
How will students be informed of the observation/review? Students will be informed in an email prior to the session (in a reminder email) and also told at the beginning of the session.
What would you particularly like feedback on? It would be helpful to get feedback on:
Level of student engagement with the tasks during the session
Student engagement with each other when giving peer feedback – was their feedback critical, constructive or compassionate? How can I support this?
Student responses to tutor led discussion – I want to encourage a relaxed and informal session to encourage students to speak up and interact.
Is the session inclusive and responding to a range of student’s needs. How could I make it more so?
How will feedback be exchanged? Through use of this document and a follow up tutorial.
Part Two
Introduction
The session began with a well-explained task that set a positive tone for the whole lesson. Your approach to welcoming latecomers was very good, striking a balance between acknowledging their presence and maintaining the session’s flow without being overly punitive.
Presentation and Visual Aids
One challenge observed was the use of the visual aids, particularly the projection screen. The small screen made the typeface difficult for students to read the content. You were probably stuck with the projector size but was there an alternative? Also, I don’t think the colour contrast on the slides helped (white text on a maroon background) – I think a stronger contrast would have made it easier to read.
The use of flip chart paper to list responses to the initial question about job roles within the industry, such as freelance and art direction, was done really well. This method effectively engaged students and visualized their contributions. However, the opportunity for an even more engaging and interactive task was missed. An active brainstorming activity where students could move around and participate more dynamically might have fostered a more engaging environment. Get the students to do the writing on the paper and presenting back.
Student Engagement
The session included various questioning techniques that, while effective in some respects, predominantly featured closed questions. This limited the potential for open debate or interaction, which could have enriched the learning experience. Future sessions might benefit from incorporating more open-ended questions to stimulate discussion and deeper thinking.
The observation also highlighted a concern with student preparedness, noting that few students had brought laptops. One suggestion might be to make lesson more accessible to mobile devices, such as integrating QR codes for accessing resources, could enhance engagement and accessibility for all students. i.e have a handout were students scan the codes and this takes them directly to the sites (students often forget their laptops but never their phone!)
Group Dynamics and Individual Attention
The natural formation of small groups was a positive aspect of the session, indicating a comfortable and collaborative learning atmosphere. But you could mix this up a bit. Just giving them numbers (or colours) and getting them to mix in different groups gets them out of their seats and mixing and talking with others – it will change the energy and dynamics in the classroom. Also, think about the late-arriving, one student who arrived late and came and sat next me didn’t really integrate into any group (but you did come over and check that she was OK which was great).
Mission and Vision Statement Task
The task of writing mission and vision statements, while well-structured, appeared to be somewhat daunting for students. An alternative approach might involve exploring the purpose and benefits of such statements before diving into writing. Introducing a discussion on good vs. bad mission statements, possibly through comparing examples, could provide clearer guidance and inspire more thoughtful personal statements. Say for example, you just get them to right down their mission statement in 20 words and then they shared them in pairs or in their groups – and then in the wider group would have made it easier for them to comment on what they liked (or didn’t like) in a mission statement.
Classroom Management and Pace
Your movement around the classroom was adept, engaging with individuals and groups effectively and ensuring that students remained focused and understood their tasks. This proactive management helped maintain a good pace throughout the lesson, moving seamlessly from one activity to the next. Well done!
Goal Setting and Ongoing Tasks
The SMART goal-setting exercise, while intended to be practical, came across as vague. A more detailed framework or examples could help clarify this task’s objectives and make it more actionable for students. Tbh I just don’t think you had time to do this effectively in a one hour session – I would have saved this for another session.
The emphasis on ongoing tasks, such as website creation and refining mission and vision statements, is very positive, encouraging continuous learning and application beyond the classroom.
Conclusion
The session demonstrated several strengths, including effective classroom management, a good pace, and initial engagement strategies. At the end when you said that this was usually a two hour session it made more sense to me – I think you were trying to do a little too in one hour. If you had done less in the time it would have given you more opportunity to make the activities more interactive and deepening the exploration of mission and vision statements to make them more meaningful and engaging for students. Well done Becky, I think the students found it a useful session and it will help them in the transition to their next steps beyond the course. Thank you for inviting me to the session.
Part Three
There are a number of very useful observations that I can reflect on and develop moving forwards.
Digital presentation: In future I could book a larger screen (would need to look into this as these screens are all we have on the course), or perhaps I could use 2 screens to help with students being able to see the presentation. The colour combination of the text and background can be changed to enhance visibility using this website as a guide: https://toolness.github.io/accessible-color-matrix/ (recommended by Vida in my peer observation.) I could also take on board the suggestion of having QR codes available to take students directly to the presentation I was showing so they can read this on their phones. I will have to experiment with this as at times it is difficult to link directly to moodle so perhaps I could use another hosting platform for students to view this.
Mixing groups of students: I like the suggestions for mixing up the groups by using colours or numbers to change the dynamic. This could have been done fairly simply by pairing people with the coloured sheets they took. It is always a concern of mine that some students can be left on the edge of a session due to arriving late or not knowing peers as well so this could really help that moving forwards.
Open interaction: I can focus on the types of questions I will ask in future to incorporate more open ended questions to encourage deeper discussion. I tend to try ‘fill the gaps’ in student silences and am anxious about students not engaging. Therefore I will need to give careful consideration to the type of questions I use in order to encourage students to interact more dynamically with each other in the hope that it leads to more student debate on the content.
Statement writing: I take on board the comments about preparing students for writing these kind of statements, however they have already been given an ‘about’ task to research and write, and they have spent a group tutorial working together to develop a starter for these. That said. it is good to know that students may still have felt a bit daunted by this task (perhaps students attend this session to make up for not doing their ‘About’ tasks?!) and that a different approach is needed. Showing comparisons is a great idea on what may be seen as good or bad, and limiting the response to the writing task with a number of words to use rather than constructing full sentences could be incorporated into future sessions. I can see how this may open up more of a discussion between students and be a softer way to introduce statement writing, especially when they will be presenting it to their peers for feedback.
Time: Time was a big issue for this session, and I had to cram a lot into a one hour session. An unforeseen year group meeting was set up for that afternoon unexpectedly which meant that it had to be cut short. In future (if something like this happens again which is likely!), it may be better to run the session in two parts at different times, so that the content isn’t squeezed into a smaller time frame. The SMART goal setting section would have benefitted from having more time to develop. Giving examples and a more detailed framework are very helpful suggestions for how I can improve this element, as well as the workshops in general. It would be useful to give clearer directions on how to do these, and break down each criteria in more detail so that students are more prepared in how to use them
Thank you for the great suggestions Chris and for taking the time to observe me.
Session to be observed: Concrete Future Workshop Size of student group: 15-25 Observer: Vida Vega Observee: Becky Allen
Part One
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum? Concrete Future is workshop run once each term to support year 3 BA Illustration students with their progression aims. Each term the workshop is different and builds upon the previous session. Concrete Future runs alongside their core teaching and is reviewed at summative assessment points.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity? I have been working with all third years since the end of their second year (June 2023 – present). This Concrete Future session is on a sign-up basis and therefore this group may be comprised of students who have not worked together before
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes? The session strives to build upon student’s progression aims and support the development of their professionality:
Demonstrate the integrated use of sustainable, coherent and critically engaged and personally defined research methodology and developed from a wide range of relevant sources
Demonstrate a very high level of autonomy in your independent and collaborative Illustration practice through the proactive and personally defined management of your own learning and the use of critical reflection and self- evaluation methods
Professionally communicate your practice, research, ideas and skills in visual, verbal and/or written forms appropriate to multiple and varied audiences demonstrating your critical understanding of Illustration in the wider context
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)? A Task sheet/booklet will completed containing the following:
Students will start forming a Vision statement
Students will start forming a Mission statement
Students will prepare 5 progression goals according to SMART principles.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
Whole group interactions – We may have a quiet group that respond minimally to interactive group questions and discussion.
Students may be uncomfortable working in groups with peers less known to them and therefore confidence to give feedback may be limited.
Students may not have attended the original (mandatory) session in term 1 and therefore may not be aware of all terms or tasks mentioned previously.
Students may not have brough adequate resources to work with – e.g. laptop, notebook/sketchbook
How will students be informed of the observation/review? Student will be informed in an email prior to the session (in a reminder email) and also told at the beginning of the session.
What would you particularly like feedback on? It would be helpful to get feedback on:
Level of student engagement with the tasks during the session
Student engagement with each other when giving peer feedback – was their feedback critical, constructive or compassionate? How can I support this?
Student responses to tutor led discussion – I want to encourage a relaxed and informal session to encourage students to speak up and interact.
Is the session inclusive and responding to a range of student’s needs. How could I make it more so?
How will feedback be exchanged? Through use of this document and email correspondence.
Part Two
Level of student engagement with the tasks during the session
17 students came – great turnout for an optional session!
At first students were quiet but nodding and following the introduction. Everyone was engaging quietly, writing on the sheets of paper given and looking at the prompts on screen. As the session went on, they were talking more with each other and asking questions.
The session itself is quite introspective, as one of the students noted of one of the prompts “it’s a big question!”. I thought it was good and reassuring that you reinforced that it’s ok to be hazy on some of the answers at this stage, encouraging engagement at different levels and creating a safe space in which to open up and share their thoughts.
Mission statement / vision statement. The level of detail that each of these tasks requires follows on naturally, encouraging more focus and defined reflection from the students (constructive alignment!).
SMART goal setting in groups / pairs – most people started doing this on their own rather than together. But everyone engaged with the task and was thinking and writing throughout. It’s a tricky to encourage interaction and peer feedback in such a short session that requires individual writing time as well.
At the end of the session when you explained to me and Chris that normally this would be a 2 hour session that made a lot of sense, there is a lot of reflection to squeeze into 1 hour and balancing giving students enough time to think individually and also to interact with each other is challenging. I think you did the right thing and gave the students more time to engage with the questions on their own as ultimately the session is about goal setting and defining their individual practices.
Student engagement with each other when giving peer feedback – was their feedback critical, constructive or compassionate? How can I support this?
Some students who seemed to know each other were happily chatting and offering feedback based on what they already knew of each other’s work. The ones who came in late and sat alone / didn’t know anyone else in the room were a little more isolated.
Maybe during the activity when they write feedback for one another the booklets could be handed to you and shuffled before being given back out to ensure all students swap equally and have a chance to make new connections whether they know the group or not.
Another small suggestion: you could move students around when the group tasks start so that latecomers have a chance to move onto tables / into groups that are of equal size.
The prompts you gave were really useful: Ask a question, Identify something that works well, Acknowledge what could be developed. Good structure to ensure the feedback is constructive and compassionate. It may have been nice to get the students to do this verbally as well, both to build rapport and to practice giving critical feedback to one another in person. It’s hard to comment on how critical and constructive their feedback was since most of it was written and handed directly between students.
Student responses to tutor led discussion – I want to encourage a relaxed and informal session to encourage students to speak up and interact.
Students answered questions that were offered as prompts (what jobs might one get after an illustration degree) and were comfortable speaking during the session.
I really like the writing on pieces of paper to record student responses on the wall – I sometimes forget how personal and tactile analogue activities are. Simple and informal but very effective at acknowledging / validating student responses. I found this also encouraged students to expand on their thoughts in a very natural way and engage with you, directing you to write more. Maybe you could do this at different points throughout the session?
A student asked a question “what does it mean – what are you committed to?”, it might be good to unpack terminology like this a little at the start by asking students for some examples and having a group discussion before getting everyone writing – a little like you did at the beginning of the session with the question about what jobs they might get.
Maybe leave more silence for students write in response to the prompts – it can be hard to write and listen at the same time. I personally struggle with leaving silences during workshops I’m running but I realise how important those moments are, how sometimes it’s important to be there in support, hold the space and do less. Perhaps they could collaborate and do the task together in pairs to encourage more discussion?
You mentioned a really good point about writing a statement about yourself in 4 different ways and how an “arrogant” tone is actually just normal and confident. This was an excellent point though it perhaps only made sense to those who had been in Nick’s class. Is there a way of folding it into this session? Expanding on it and unpacking it a little?
Is the session inclusive and responding to a range of student’s needs. How could I make it more so?
The screen the presentation is on is quite small, making it hard to read the type from further back in the space. Having printouts to support students who can’t see it / are seated facing away is a really thoughtful detail. Your offer to move the screen closer to people was also very helpful.
Having a coloured background on your presentation slides is great in terms of inclusivity – is there sufficient contrast between the type and background colours? I find this tool useful for testing colour combinations and making sure I’m designing templates inclusively: https://toolness.github.io/accessible-color-matrix/
You could save a couple of empty chairs at the tables closest to the entrance for late comers to make it easy for people to slot in unobtrusively.
I wondered if the session was intentionally focusing on UK employment or if it could be expanded a little to touch on international jobs / job market as a nod to some of the international students in attendance.
The printed sheets you provided are great for students to fill out and take away, directing the session and encouraging reflection.
The flexibility of having the list of “who is your inspiration?” on Moodle for people to access from phones / laptops as well as printed out for those without devices made the session accessible for everyone – fantastic. In my department at LCC, we’ve been advised to embed slides / tasks on Moodle a minimum of 24 hours before a session so students can read the materials beforehand. I always make changes to my documents up until the last minute so a way round this is to embed the presentation on Moodle (google doc / onedrive) labelling it as a draft so that you can continue to work on it but students who wish to can also get a sense of the session in advance.
I loved the excerpts (e.g. SMART goal setting: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely) you picked from the book you mentioned in the session:“The profitable artist” Peter Cobb and Felicity Hogan. It gives students the chance to dig deeper if they want andI am going to look it up for myself!
Part Three
Vida’s notes on how to make the digital presentation more accessible was really useful. Using more than one screen or a larger format using a projector would be more beneficial for visibility moving forwards so that more of the group are able to connect with the presentation.
The online tool for testing colour combinations is a very useful resource that I will definitely use when making future presentations. This will be so helpful to make sure that I am able to communicate clearly and inclusively.
Creating areas with empty seats at the front for late students to fill is a brilliant idea for making latecomers feel at ease joining the session. This will also help with the flow of the session so I do not have to find seats each time a student joins us. If these areas are not filled by latecomers, then I will need to ensure the groups are evenly spaced at some point during the session – perhaps when we break out to do timed tasks.
Providing a focus for international career opportunities is a very valid suggestion and something that is on my list to explore and incorporate into these sessions. Currently I am trying to find leaver information or data that indicates career paths of graduated international students, as well as home students seeking employment or opportunities abroad. This is definitely something I want to take into account and develop for future sessions as part of mr role.
Notes on how to use Moodle more efficiently is a helpful suggestion and using draft modes as well as published content is something that would help the session. This way, I can edit the document as we progress throughout the session with student contributions and publish this subsequently to the workshop, without disrupting the student accessible version
