The PgCert experience has changed my life. I see myself now as an Educator (over a Researcher) and have actively changed my career direction due to the lessons I have learned over this course. I have shifted from being a member of the Research Pathway to the Teaching Pathway and have newfound clarity in how I want to positively impact others.
The challenge is however that there is a LOT that I want to achieve and do (ASAP). With that in mind, I originally focused my ARP on content creation – having witnessed my own students’ shortened time spans and ability to learn from bite-sized content snippets. As documented in my own (1st) Ethical Action Plan, I aimed to: explore how higher education content (specifically in my field of fashion marketing) can be transformed into concise, engaging formats suitable for social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. It will evaluate the effectiveness of “snackable” content in maintaining academic integrity while increasing accessibility and engagement for students.
I believed this research was valuable for several reasons:
Increased Accessibility: Social media platforms offer an accessible way to deliver educational content. By transforming traditional academic materials into “snackable” formats like short videos or infographics, more students—including those who might struggle with conventional methods—can access and engage with content more easily. This inclusivity is crucial for students with varied learning preferences, time constraints, or disabilities.
Engagement in Learning: Today’s students are digital natives, accustomed to consuming information quickly and efficiently through SM platforms. By aligning educational content with these familiar formats, institutions can boost engagement, making learning more attractive and digestible. Increased engagement can lead to improved retention and comprehension, as students are more likely to interact with content that feels relevant and engaging to their everyday lives.
Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Real-World Skills: The project highlights how higher education can adapt to modern communication methods, preparing students for the digital-first world they’ll face in their careers. Learning how to navigate and use social media platforms for knowledge dissemination equips students with practical skills they’ll need in many industries, from marketing to education.
Promoting Lifelong Learning: Short-form content can reach individuals beyond traditional students, offering continuous education opportunities to graduates or working professionals. This fosters a culture of lifelong learning, where individuals can continue to access educational content in a convenient format as they progress through different stages of their lives.
Only problem? A) This was WAY to ambitious for the amount of time we have on the unit and B) it isn’t clear what I am actually addressing.
Attached are the very helpful notes from Karen on how to possibly improve this research. They complimented my Tutorial 1 peer feedback well where colleagues stated I need to be more realistic with what I can achieve during essentially 4 weeks. My social purpose element also needs to be much clearer.
I am worried as this is the busiest time of year, I am leading a unit with 180+ students and am filling in for staff illness and the time I have to address this project is limited.
Given the focus on understanding and appreciating each other’s experiences and diverse backgrounds, for me, this unit as well as proposed intervention, can be represented by the quote from Sydney J. Harris: “The purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.”
The second unit of the Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) has provided an important opportunity to reflect deeply on our roles as educators and the broader inequalities and injustices embedded within society. The opportunities for reflection within this unit (See Blog posts 1-3) was critical given the historical and ongoing injustices that impact marginalised groups. Engaging in challenging discussions and immersing myself within provocative readings with peers has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth. This development has allowed me to consider, design and begin to implement an intervention aimed at enhancing inclusivity and accessibility within my teaching context at LCF. The intervention, grounded in the principles of intersectionality, focuses on leveraging e-learning materials to support students with diverse needs.
1.2 My Positionality
My approach to higher education is heavily influenced by social constructivism and the theories of Paulo Freire, who emphasised the importance of co-creation and dialogue in the learning process. Freire’s (1970) work highlights that students actively participate in their education, which necessitates a classroom culture that fosters inclusivity and respect. To build such a culture, I make concerted efforts to recognise and celebrate the diverse backgrounds of my students. For example, I write personalised holiday cards and extend my best wishes for various cultural celebrations, such as “新年快乐” (Happy Chinese New Year), Happy Eid, Happy Easter, and Happy Diwali. These gestures, albeit small, do help create a sense of community and trust. Intersectionality, as articulated by Crenshaw (1990), is crucial in understanding how various aspects of a person’s social and political identities intersect to create unique experiences of discrimination and privilege. This perspective informs my teaching practice, recognising that students’ experiences are shaped by the interplay of multiple identity categories.
1.3 My Reflexivity
As highlighted by Bayeck (2022), positionality acknowledges the influence of one’s background, experiences, and social identities on their perspectives and interactions. My own reflexivity is captured in Table 1, which outlines my privileges and sources for discrimination within a UK context. Acknowledging my whiteness, which has afforded me structural advantages and race privilege (Frankenburg, 1993), is essential in understanding my standpoint and helping me play an active part in closing inclusivity gaps. Hence at the core of my future intervention is co-creation where students, together with staff, have a space to create knowledge together.
Category
Identity
Gender
Female
Sexuality
Heterosexual
Socio-Economic Class
Middle-Class Background
Race
Caucasian
Age
30
Geographic Background
Expat / Cosmopolitan
Language
Native English Speaker (Non-British)
Disabilities
None
Table 1: Author’s Reflexivity
2. Intervention Details
Fig. 1: Mock up of Intervention Example: Visualising the Scheme of Work
Immersing myself in the literature on intersectionality and disability, along with considerations of faith and race, has profoundly influenced my teaching practice. It has become evident that accessibility is a critical aspect for the materials we provide to students. At the London College of Fashion (LCF), where I lead a diverse and international cohort, many students face barriers to learning due to language differences and other factors. My intervention aims to explore how e-learning materials can enhance the learning process for students affected by physical disabilities, neurodiversity, and religious absences (Figure 1). Specifically, I aim to expand on our unit Scheme of Work document by making it more visual, collaborative, and dynamic as currently this document is black text on a white background, very text heavy and confusing to understand what is being discussed week on week (Figure 3). I believe this intervention is needed to 1) provide students a better understanding of a unit’s content 2) give students more user-friendly and accessible materials to complement their MA studies and 3) give students the flexibility to catch up on any missed work by following a visual learning journey. The intervention connects with principles from Richards and Finnegan (2015) where “student-centred learning in the curriculum can create greater opportunities for students to have a sense of ownership over their environment.” The intervention will focus on Phase 1 as can be seen in Figure 2, but I aim to expand the resource into a tool in upcoming years.
Fig. 2: Intervention Phases (IP focus on Phase 1)
2.1 Objectives of the Phase 1 Intervention
Enhance Accessibility: Ensure that PG Marketing students, regardless of physical abilities, neurodiverse conditions, or religious commitments, have equitable access to unit Scheme of Work.
Support Independent Learning: Create a learning environment where students can independently track their own progress and engage with the material on their terms.
Create a Dynamic Learning Experience: Utilise multimedia and interactive tools to make learning more engaging and effective.
The objectives additionally point towards further development in creative a co-learning virtual space in future (Phase 2-3).
Fig. 3: Current Scheme of work example (p. 7 of 21) which in the past has caused confusion
2.2 Detailed Intervention Plan
Visual Mapping of Block 1 Unit “Fashion Marketing Strategies”: To address diverse student needs, I will visually map out the Block 1 unit “Fashion Marketing Strategies” in line with Scheme of Work. This will include a week-by-week outline of key learnings, readings, provocation questions, and essential frameworks. The visual map will serve as an organised guide, facilitating easier navigation of the curriculum.
Embedding Multimedia and Interactive Tools
Hyperlinks to Supplementary Materials: Provide direct access to additional readings, articles, and resources that complement each week’s topics.
Padlet for Anonymous Questions: Create a Padlet board for students to post questions anonymously, encouraging participation from those hesitant to speak up in class.
Ensuring Seamless Continuity for Absent Students: For students who cannot attend lectures or workshops due to physical disabilities, neurodiverse conditions, or religious commitments, the intervention will ensure continuity in learning. The mapped-out unit and embedded technologies will allow students to monitor their progress, providing clarity on their achievements and focus areas. It will support students in independently navigating the unit, reducing the discomfort or stigma of seeking help for falling behind.
The primary goals of this intervention are to enhance students’ understanding of course content, improve their comfort and confidence through better accessibility, and provide a more enriching and inclusive learning experience.
3. Feedback and Evaluation
3.1 Feedback from Stakeholders
Tutor Feedback
When presenting my intervention to my tutor (June 18), I received positive feedback but was reminded of the importance of not attempting to implement everything at once. Prioritising the visualisation of the Scheme of Work was suggested as a manageable starting point. Additionally, my tutor highlighted the need to consider accessibility issues related to technology platforms, as some students may face challenges accessing certain platforms like Moodle from abroad (e.g., in China). This feedback led me to consider providing a physical copy of the Scheme of Work visualisation to ensure accessibility for all students.
Peer Feedback
Presenting my idea to my peer group (June 25) revealed a shared focus on accessibility in our interventions. They provided positive feedback and emphasised the importance of avoiding excessive text on documents to prevent confusion. Additionally, their feedback led me to consider future additions to the dynamic scheme of work (Fig. 2) including:
–> Explanatory Videos: Record and upload videos explaining key academic concepts, aiding students who struggle with language barriers or need to revisit complex topics.
–> Podcasts and Multimedia Content: Include varied formats like podcasts to present information, catering to different learning preferences.
Colleague Feedback
Colleagues at LCF supported the idea, noting the need to integrate more online resources to complement offline experiences. They recognised the potential of the intervention to enhance student engagement and learning.
Student Feedback
Current MA students expressed appreciation for the intervention idea, stating that it would help contextualise their studies in a more meaningful way. They valued the idea of a collaborative and fluid document rather than a static one, which would foster better connections between different blocks.
Overall, the intended impact on students and staff would include:
Reduce barriers for Physical Disability: Multimedia content, such as videos and podcasts, allows students with physical disabilities to access materials at their own pace and in formats that suit their needs, reducing physical barriers to learning.
Reduce barriers for Neurodiversity: Structured and visual mapping of the unit helps neurodiverse students organize their learning process. The varied presentation of content caters to different cognitive strengths and learning styles.
Reduce barriers due to Religious Absences: Students who miss classes for religious observances can access recorded lectures and supplementary materials, ensuring they do not fall behind. This flexibility respects their religious commitments.
5. Conclusion
As my tutor advised, it is essential to focus on what is manageable and prioritise effectively. I will begin by implementing the intervention in the Block 1 unit “Fashion Marketing Strategies,” shared across all PG Marketing courses. This newly validated unit provides an excellent opportunity to gather feedback from the teaching team and students. This intervention can then serve as a foundation for a larger Action Research Project (ARP) exploring how online tools can further support in-person teaching, enhancing accessibility and inclusivity. By continuously reflecting on and adapting our teaching practices, we can strive towards a more inclusive and supportive educational environment for all students.
References
Bayeck, R.Y. (2022) Positionality: The Interplay of Space, Context and Identity. Journal of Qualitative Methods. 21, p.1-9.
Crenshaw, K. (1990) Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review 43, p1241.
Frankenburg, R. (1993). White women, race matters: The social construction of whiteness. Routledge.
Freire, P. (1970) Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Bloomsbury Academic.
Workshop 5 and 6 which explored “Race” were very challenging due to the heavy nature of the content and the fact the session was online (being in Group 3) and only a couple of hours long. It is almost impossible to do into depth within a workshop or an entire unit as this is a topic as messy, confusing, and emotional as the entirety of the human experience! It is no wonder that colleagues including myself did not feel as comfortable to share their thoughts on the microphone because there is a real worry of not wanting to harm anyone’s feelings by using incorrect language or misspeaking. The resources shared to help with this Blog 3 were equally as thought-provoking but stirred up some uncomfortable feelings – I have no answers apart from the importance of listening and respecting one another’s perspectives and backgrounds.
The first video I watched was from Channel 4 where students “raced” based on their privilege. I personally found this very inappropriate for children and quite irresponsible as, given the platform of British broadcaster Channel 4, priority was given on entertainment or “shock” value and to drive up engagement in a social media comment section (which were rather interesting to read through). This though has real consequences on these young people, and we watched a group of happy kids, playing together, quickly show feelings of resentment, shame, guilt, anger. Whether you are in primary school or in university, I personally don’t agree with this teaching practice or with many of the CRT principles which often seem to divide us further, often separating oppressor/victim disregarding many nuances and complexities.
I agree with Sadiq, A. (2023) who in his TEDx talk addressed “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it right” and highlighted the importance of storytelling. He outlined some valid points that are often disregarded in Western, Eurocentric journal articles such as how diversity is different in every culture and there is not “1 way to get inclusion right”. Having lived in 6 countries, I have witnessed these differences, and it is fascinating how different cultures have different ways of addressing racism and embedding inclusive practice. The divide between “far left and far right” keeps getting wider but the key to bridging gaps boils down to sharing experiences and connect through stories. This is something I bring into my teaching practice during our week 1 of term. During a 3 hour session during induction week, new PG students are gathered into a space and we transform a classroom where we are in a circle and we introduce each other. This is followed by playing games highlighting everyone’s interests in the room, favourite food, music, fashion – being a fashion marketing course! We also discuss what we are most looking forward to in the course as well as what we are afraid of. We end the session with some team building exercises which helps create trust amongst peers, some laughs, and a community spirit. Given how international this course is (71 of 73 students are international), being able to create this open culture from the start is essential and creates a foundation for more understanding and inclusion.
References: 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), pp.241-260.
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.
Immersing myself within this unit’s literature and context of intersectionality and disability, faith, race I have been reflecting on what this means in my teaching practice. For me it connects to accessibility for students of the materials we teach and share. Being at LCF and course leading a very international cohort with English not as a first language I have often reflected how, with no fault of any particularly individual, there are barriers in place for students with how learnings are absorbed. For my intervention, I wish to explore how e-learning technologies can support the learning process and support students impacted by:
Physical disability
Neurodiverse
Absence due to religion
Specifically, I will visually map out Block 1 unit “Fashion Marketing Strategies” showing week by week key learnings, key readings, provocation questions, and key frameworks. I will embed media through hyperlinks including a Padlet for anonymous questions, videos of myself explaining a academic concepts, and podcast or other multi-media content. While it elevates the scheme of work document into something more dynamic, it also can capture the student journey more effectively. It also helps students that are not able to attend a lecture or workshop to jump back into the unit seamlessly and to track their own progress independently as often students are uncomfortable sharing if they are falling behind or don’t understand lecture content. This mapping will help demonstrate how far they have progressed within the unit and can also be referred to in other units. Despite my course being in person, we can’t only rely on the physical and need to embed technologies to better compliment an onsite experience. My aim is that this intervention provides increased understanding of content, student comfort through better accessibility of key learnings, and an overall more enriching learning experience.
During one of our IP seminar breakout groups, we had a raw discussion on why we are discussing religion within the unit and its place in the university. I brought up the example that having gotten civilly married in the UK in December, I was surprised how there could not be any religious references in the ceremony “no hymns, no chants, no religious rituals, no readings from religious texts, no worship of any kind.” Being an Austrian citizen which does allow for this, I thought this was a shame as my husband and I come from 2 different religious backgrounds, and I assumed we could have a couple readings to celebrate our cultures coming together. As UAL is a public university, I therefore assumed there would be a similar policy of “separating church and state” so I found it challenging and confusing with how to address religion in the classroom.
Given the UAL stats of students identifying as religious is decreasing, yet we see an increase of students who don’t wish to disclose this information, one could hypothesise that individuals aren’t comfortable sharing religious backgrounds whether that be due to fear of prejudice or possibly an assumption that religion is something that shouldn’t be brought into the classroom. This connects with the video shown in our Workshop 3 highlighting secondary student experiences with religion in the classroom and how they made the point how it was positive to open pathways to religion in schools as in the past it was seen as “not cool having a relationship with God” or something that “young people don’t get involved with”. This suggests that inviting an open dialogue within the classroom about religion shouldn’t be stifled.
At the same time, especially today with the conflict in the Middle East, open discussions about religion can sometimes be misinterpreted as politics leadings to an escalation of aggressive and or hurtful discourse. As seen with student protests in the US, the role of the academic continues to be ever more challenging – what one says or does not say can be appropriated (now also online) and judgement is immediately cast without discord. Academics must today be researchers, teachers, administrators, event organisers, grant writers, councillors and now must also almost act like politicians as free speech in practice is becoming more and more challenging. I appreciate the video and text resources ( I particularly enjoyed Kwame Anthony Appiah’s Ted Talk) provided but I don’t feel more equipped in integrating faith into my teaching context. Ultimately with faith and other factors with intersectionality, I believe as an academic and citizen it boils down to respect for every individual and learning, valuing and even loving one another’s differences. Instead of erasing conversation and discussion around faith, I believe that HE and all forms of education have a role in bringing cultures together with the aim of creating a more peaceful and empathetic world.
Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality has become a valued framework for understanding how various aspects of identity overlap and interact with one another, shaping individuals’ experiences and opportunities received within a society. The theory highlights how identity does not exist independently and is composed of various interconnected elements including race, gender, class, and disability. Hence these elements intersect and influence one another, creating unique experiences and challenges for individuals. Disability, as an identity marker, intersects with other factors to shape a person’s lived reality in profound ways. Connecting to 3 video examples, I will delve into reflections on how disability intersects with these identity factors, examining the complex ways in which individuals with disabilities navigate societal structures.
When we consider the intersection of disability and race, disparities become apparent. People of colour with disabilities often face further discrimination and marginalisation. Studies show that they encounter greater barriers in accessing healthcare, employment opportunities, and education compared to their white counterparts with disabilities. For instance, African American children with disabilities are disproportionately disciplined in schools, reflecting biases that stem from the intersection of race and disability. Ade Adepitan, an Olympic wheelchair basketball player, eloquently shares that “if we give opportunities to shine… the sky is the limit”. This is applicable to disability, race, gender, and class and highlights that we would be doing a disservice to not only individuals if opportunities were not presented but to society. The question is however what constitutes an “opportunity to shine”? Is it exposure to, in the case of Paralympians, different sports which may be on the parameter of the mainstream? Is it funding for development and if so how much? One challenge I have is how this invites the perspective of those giving opportunities and those receiving opportunities which arguably could fuel power structures. How can we potentially combat this?
Another point which Adepitan raises is that what makes people disabled is not their disability- it is society. This is a really interesting perspective which reminds me of a conversation I had with a designer who designs for wheelchair users. She used to be a wheelchair user and regularly speaks to this demographic for research into her collections. She said she doesn’t like the word disability – she prefers different abilities or differently abled. Through her explanation there was a real sense of pride in diverse abilities which I found inspiring and which leads me to ask about language: should we even call the term “disability”? Also when speaking of “society” it is such a general term and I think we need to be more nuanced when speaking about solutions and being more inclusive.
Christine Sun Kim in “Friends & Strangers” makes the point that “people say a lot of sh*t to me” and it seems this is largely because they don’t understand the experience of other abilities which is why educating and hearing from those that are differently abled is critical. This video showed how it is clear how gender identity also intersects with disability, impacting individuals differently based on societal perceptions. Women with disabilities often experience unique challenges, such as higher rates of domestic violence and inadequate healthcare access. Moreover, transgender individuals with disabilities face further barriers in accessing gender-affirming healthcare and encounter discrimination in employment due to intersecting prejudices.
Watching these 3 videos has triggered new questions, feelings, and the need to integrate more differently abled voices to our MA curriculum in order to make the change in “society” we very much need.
I admit, when I started the PGCERT I was not overly excited. I felt like this would be yet another weekly task on my never-ending To Do List and something where I would not learn anything new as I already recieved my Senior Fellowship. Boy was I wrong! This has so far been one of the most enjoyable learning experiences and has impacted me so much that I want to pivot to the teaching pathway as my brain completed clicked with how teaching encompasses teaching, KE and meaningful impact. I so look forward to the following units and thank the whole teaching team and my peers for such an enriching experience.
To confirm this blog and submission for TPP includes:
Following Case Study 1 which centred on the challenge of diverse English written and verbal communication skills in the classroom and Case Study 2 which focused on building a team culture to improve the student learning experience, Case 3 will focus on assessment. Being in the Re-Approval process for my own PG course, I have been analysing and questioning how can we make assessment more beneficial for the student learning journey? How can we make the assessment a purposeful component of the student learning journey opposed to simply a result? One can draw a parallel between assessment and research with Gallagher’s (2011, p. 54) conclusion: ‘positioning the research story as a place to begin inquiry, not a place on which to settle meanings’. Assessment too cannot be where we “settle” results or “meanings”.
Evaluation:
One dilemma with the post-graduate degree is that the MA degree is classified “only” by the result of the Block 3 Master’s Project (MAP). Students do need to pass their 6 Block 1 and 2 units however technically a student could receive A’s on all units yet achieve a D- on their MAP, thus earning a “Pass” Degree, not a distinction. This realisation has discouraged students where some do not see the purpose of pursuing academic excellence with these units since they “do not count” whilst others are so concerned with the letter grade, despite not impacting their degree, they burn out and sacrifice their wellbeing and holistic education for the deliverable of an Assessment Brief. To combat this, I have helped reshape this MA through our Re-Approval Process by creating 1) a clearer learning journey for students and 2) offering more diverse and inclusive forms of assessment. Firstly, our Block 1 or what I call our “Foundation Term” will expose students to Marketing and Consumer Behaviour theory as well as both qualitative and quantitative methods which will lead to our Block 2 “Application Term” where students apply learnings in a practical context by working with an industry partner, their Elective Unit, and developing a research proposal. These Blocks then give students the tools to accomplish a successful MAP and come together as 1 journey opposed to 3 separate “chunks”. In terms of forms of assessment, students will be creating a marketing plan and creative artefact, a group presentation pitch, a business report, a case study, and a research proposal. This gives exposure and practice to the types of MAP submissions students can get involved with (dissertation, business report, practice based) and there is no reliance on 1 form of assessment such as multiple case studies which in the past has been our MO!
Moving forwards:
Building on this, I want to explore how this diverse range of assessment can be made more inclusive and suit a variety of learners and abilities. My tutor and peer teaching observations led me to consider how I could offer alternative submissions focusing on oral and visual delivery opposed to predominantly written long-form documents. The reflective practice of blog writing has also been eye-opening and relates to the reading of Osler et al. (2019) who state the “process of life writing [is] research” and again would encourage students to embrace the whole learning process and not divorce the assessment from the lecture, seminar or workshop.
References
Gallagher, K.M., 2011. In search of a theoretical basis for storytelling in education research: Story as method. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 34(1), pp.49-61.
Osler, T., Guillard, I., Garcia-Fialdini, A. and Côté, S., 2019. An a/r/tographic métissage: Storying the self as pedagogic practice. Journal of Writing in Creative Practice, 12(1-2), pp.109-129.
Thank you for inviting me to review one of your sessions. I really enjoyed delving into your course through the online brief.
You asked for feedback on the communication style, clarity of delivery, and the structure of the session. Overall, I found the session to be clear, objective, and engaging right from the start. Your friendly and warm tone set the perfect atmosphere, and the icebreaker on how everyone was feeling using metaphors and familiar examples at the beginning was inviting and humanizing. It created a positive space to kick off the session.
The agenda slide at the beginning was helpful in providing direction for the session and giving clarity on what to expect. Your slide presentation was well-designed with a good font size, and the use of bold text effectively highlighted core elements. Your clear introduction to the main unit documents was beneficial. The use of Padlet for students to ask questions anonymously was encouraging and inclusive, particularly for those who might not feel confident enough to come forward. To enhance engagement further, you might consider showcasing some responses to the brief from previous students and incorporating images to break up the text-based presentation.
Additionally, mentioning the availability of a checklist for students to review their work before submission, along with further unpacking of the learning outcomes and criteria, could be valuable. When discussing the topic slide, providing examples to students could be insightful. Before diving into the criteria, a pause to allow students to brainstorm potential topics they’re excited about could be beneficial.
Your mention of academic support reassures students that additional assistance is available. However, submission information may not be necessary at this point; a brief mention that submission will take place online and that more details will be provided closer to the date might be enough. Unpacking highlighted statements on each criteria to demonstrate them in practice when discussing learning outcomes could be helpful. Incorporating examples and images can break up the text-focused delivery as mentioned before.
Streamlining the text when discussing the relationship with supervisors or encouraging students to review the document in their own time for accessibility could be considered. While the mandatory documents are well-presented, a change in pace might be beneficial, perhaps through another contemplation exercise or visual to refresh the session before jumping back into the explanation.
Lastly, the idea of groups of writing is excellent, and the list of common problems is invaluable. When discussing practice-based projects, showing examples on screen can enhance accessibility and illustrate how others have responded to the brief.
My Response:
Thank you so much for your kind and supportive feedback! You have also offered some really important constructive feedback which I will implement into my evolving practice. As an early career researcher I am learning about opportunities to become a better and more focused contributor to my field, but I think this also applies to my teaching practice and communicating in a more meaningful way. I appreciate firstly how you acknowledged my efforts in creating a personable and humanized atmosphere even in an online setting. This is a challenge for students to feel involved (and entertained!) and I think there is so much co-creational learning we have yet to explore in online contexts.
You include a really good point on breaking up text with more imagery and less text. It is so interesting being paired with someone from a more “creative” field like design and having this observation from a “business” subject matter. There is room to be more creative and attention grabbing, which has also been a takeaway from my Object based learning experience in the PG Cert.
Also your point about allowing students to be proactive and brainstorm topics themselves within a session is valuable. As Davis et al. (2015) suggest teacher and students co-create knowledge and possess an ecological mindfulness which is responsive to others’ beliefs and actions. If I fail to allow these moments of pause this erases meaninful co-creative learning for all stakeholders.
Comments on delivery pace and what information is shared when is also really beneficial and a valuable question to raise. When is it too soon to provide submission information? Does this push students to focus more on the submission logistics and checklist criteria versus the often messy but rich learning journey? How can we pivot away from prioritizing one dimensional grades towards embracing education for educations sake in an environment which pushes a culture of grades?
Perhaps this is something I can consider in upcoming course development but for now I will focus on my students being proactive learners opposed to passive vessels for information.
