kellyharrisonpgcert

On discovering the resource: Orr S. and Shreve A. (2017), Signature pedagogies in art and design, I am introduced to groupings of signature pedagogies and teaching strategies which are distinctive to, and shared widely across many art and design subjects.

The reading describes how the signature pedagogies and teaching strategies support students not only to learn about the discipline, but also how to think and behave like creative practitioners – thereby creating a bridge between university learning and professional practice.  

Key signature pedagogies include:

• The studio
• Pedagogies of ambiguity
• The brief
• Development work
• Research
• Dialogic exchange
• Materiality

On reflection, the entries on the list of identified pedagogies are familiar and highly relevant to my teaching into Year 1 Graphic and Media Design at LCC.

I find it interesting and enlightening to read an identified, theoretical, pedagogical ‘toolkit’ for art and design education. It is helpful and somewhat reassuring in terms of shared teaching practice, to learn that these pedagogies are widely recognised and utilised.

I add that the term ‘toolkit’ is one I often use in my teaching, to emphasise to students the resources available to them while they engage with their learning and  in preparation for their entry into the creative industries as professionals.

In response to the reading, I share the image above (Fig.1) to evidence students experimenting with relief printing (materiality) by way of exploring core design principles (development work/research). While the students work in the print workshops, there is valuable discussion and feedback between the students, technical staff and myself as tutor (dialogic exchange/co-learning).

I also share the image above (Fig.2) evidencing students undertaking a visual note-taking activity in the built environment (development work, visual research and materiality).

The creation of multiple physical, drawings, diagrams and rubbings offers the opportunity for a pop-up exhibition back in the studio, shared peer/tutor feedback discussion about the processes and methods used, plus potential applications of the work to further inform the project development and final outcomes (studio, dialogic exchange).

I add that the Two States project brief is largely self-authored, the project parameters e.g. combined processes and methods are pre-defined, but the final outcomes are open to interpretation by the students and are undefined (pedagogies of ambiguity).

I intend to continue to reflect on the content in this useful reading, and to apply the learnings to my teaching practice going forwards. The listed teaching strategies are also of particular interest; I have earmarked these as I intend to reference these in preparation for the PgCert Active Research Project later this year (2025).

Reference

Orr S. and Shreve A. (2017), Signature pedagogies in art and design

In preparation for PgCert Workshop 2, I read hooks b. (1995), Talking art as the spirit moves us, art on my mind: visual politics.

The reading introduces me to African/American cultural critic and feminist theorist bel hooks, and the works of artists from marginal groups including: Mende art, Romare Bearden and Pat Ward Williams.

The reading documents and reflects on the reception to the artists’ works from mainstream (white majority) audiences and the lack of critical writing on African/American art, at that time.

On reflection, hooks writing opens my eyes to and raises my awareness of unconscious bias, reminding me to foster higher levels of inclusivity to create positive impacts as follows :

• Looking beyond first impressions or stereotypes
• Being aware of cultural diversity: cultural, social, age, beliefs, values, ethnicity
• Listening to and respecting all students
• Creating responsive and flexible teaching and learning programmes  
• Adopting empathetic and compassionate teaching and learning methods
• Fostering a ‘community of belonging’ (hooks) in the studio environment, and beyond
• Maintaining an up-to-date ethical sensibility

I aim to continue to develop my teaching practice by embedding the above actions to grow as an educator – and as a student.

To conclude and in response to my learnings about community of belonging, I link back to drawing as a key component within my creative and educative practice.

I share image Community-building through drawing (Fig.1), this was from a warm-up/ice-breaker activity from the PgCert Induction (11 Dec 2024), where we were asked to draw a quick observation portrait of our new peers by way of introduction.

I chose to use the drawing method where you draw using a continuous line without lifting the pen off the paper and not taking your eyes off your subject.

As per previous drawing from memory observations and learnings (described in Reflective Blog Post 2), this drawing activity embodied the connections made between the physical act of drawing and memory. A positive result of which, is I still recall both that moment in time and both of my peers names – and hence the PgCert 2025 community was created from then on.

Reference

hooks b. (1995), Talking art as the spirit moves us, art on my mind: visual politics

hooks b. (1994), Teaching to transgress, education as the practice of freedom

hooks b. and Powell J.A. (2015), Belonging through connection (othering and belonging conference): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sX7fqIU4gQ

Elcoro M. (2024), Introducing bell hooks to teachers of behaviour analysis: https://science.abainternational.org/2024/02/28/introducing-bell-hooks-to-teachers-of-behavior-analysis/

Currell J, (2022), Who is bell hooks and why should a teacher read her work? https://mathsnoproblem.com/blog/teaching-practice/bell-hooks-teacher-read-work

The resource I discovered, Salamon S. (2018), Drawing laboratory introduces and evaluates a series of 5 Drawing laboratory workshops devised at Central St Martins.

The workshops explore drawing as a visual research tool for creative thinking, improved concentration, and the connections between the physical act of drawing and memory.

The article resonates with me because drawing is a key component of my practice as an artist designer and I frequently embed drawing activities into my teaching and learning at UAL.

While my students develop their practice within an increasingly digital environment, drawing continues to be a relevant primary visual research and design thinking tool. The physical, material and cognitive process of drawing creates unique and original content.

I encourage students to explore, test and make combined use of analogue and digital processes in their work. These factors routinely generate interesting and inciteful discussions in the studio sessions, and result in creative mixed media processes and final project outcomes.

Salomon writes ‘drawing as a concentrated activity could emphasize students’ ability to recall past experience, by developing enhanced connections between hand and eye they would find a greater level of connectivity between experience and information stored in memory.’

Inspired by Salomon’s exploration of the relationship between drawing process and memory, I applied this approach after PgCert Workshop 1 as follows:

At the start of the session and as a group introductory task, we were invited to choose a postcard each, and to use the postcard as an initial point of introduction and discussion with our new peers.

On reflection the task was successful because after the session, I realised via the visual associations of the images on the postcards and my peers’ descriptions, I was able to recall who-was-who.

After the session, and as a test to myself, I drew the 5 postcards from memory. As I drew I was able to remember not only the names of my new peers, but also why they had chosen each postcard (see Fig.1).

In conclusion, I will continue to explore, extend and apply these learnings to my teaching and learning. As an example I include a memory drawing task in workshop: Community Kitchen (Microteaching) as documented here and as part of my TPP portfolio submission.

Reference

Salamon S. (2018), Drawing laboratory

Assessing Learning and Exchanging Feedback

Contextual Background 

Working with a co-tutor, two-part Formative Assessment Sessions take place in D110 at LCC with 31 students from Year 1 Graphic and Media Design BA (Hons). The session is to be repeated 2 times in rotation, to accommodate the large Year 1 cohort (160 students in total).

The sessions are designed to support project completion after the tutor-led studio delivery phase, helping students identify what is to be developed further in their independent study time, prior to final project submission.

Using Observation, Suggestion, Task as a prompt, students undertake:

Formative Assessment Presentation: formal presentations, students stand up in front of the group and present their work-in-progress via Padlet on the large studio screens (5 min). Students receive Tutor Observations and Suggestions (and Tasks if necessary).

Evaluation 

As seen above left (Fig.1), students are standing in rows at the front of the studio facing the large screen, tutors are standing to the right and the student presenting stands to the left of the screen.

I note that within the formal, structured setting of the Formative Assessment Presentations, some students appear to find the setting (the physical studio environment) challenging; being visibly uncomfortable and nervous, at times finding it difficult to speak audibly to the tutors and student group.

As some students are unable to clearly communicate their learning and project development in this setting, there is an evident barrier for tutors to gain sufficient understanding, to provide comprehensive, in-depth feedback as part of effective Formative Assessment Processes.

I am interested to read:

‘The public nature of many critiques can be problematic, creating a climate of ‘fear, defensiveness, and anxiety’ especially given the harsh form they routinely take in certain disciplines.’ (Mcdonald and Michela 2019)

This acknowledgement that the crit/formative assessment process can be problematic for some students, supports my observations and decision to devise an active strategy and positive intervention to help develop and improve the overall student experience, and the quality of teaching and learning going forwards within this setting.

Moving forwards 

I am interested to read:

‘Formative assessment is designed to improve the teaching/learning process. It is a part of this process and provides feedback to both teachers and learners so that the programme can be adjusted to improve learning outcomes.’ (Dimensions of assessment, Anon)

The viewpoint that formative assessment is a two-way process informing both teachers and students, resonates with me and on reflection increases my overall confidence in supporting my decision to take positive action as I adjust the session to improve learning outcomes as detailed below:

Note: in addition to my tutor role at LCC, I work as Ceremonies Registrar in my local community in East Sussex. I conduct wedding and civil service ceremonies and I repurpose this professional skillset to my teaching context; I have the ability to ‘read a room’, understand peoples’ behaviour and body language and recognise signs of anxiety and stress. In my view, these transferable skills help me devise and implement appropriate strategies that have positive impacts on my teaching practice. 

I have a keen interest in the studio as a designed, physical space and resulting impacts on teaching and learning and hence the following statement resonates in this instance:

‘Individual sensory experiences of space affect everyone working in them and may potentially affect learning within the studio, depending on local conditions and their impact on individuals…the specific space of the studio may also impact on and influence the learning process and the actual artefacts which emerge from the studio.’ (Orr and Shreve, 2017)

Referencing empathetic and compassionate teaching methods (De Silva and Dempsey, 2022) I identify and understand that formal presentations can be daunting for students, and so I revise the ‘studio architecture’ or the physical setting of the session as seen above right Fig.1 and as follows:

What I do

• Divide the group into smaller groups
• Students seated in a horseshoe configuration
• Encourage students to be brave, take ownership of their learning and feel empowered
• Reassure students public speaking becomes easier with practice
• Highlight that this is a supported ‘safe’ space and students should work collaboratively to support each other as they present
• Ensure each student presents standing up, so their voice is audible
• Tutors seated to the side of the screen, at an angle
• Reposition the screen in the corner of the studio, at an angle
• Provide regular praise and encouragement after each presentation

Why I do it

The revised setting is less formal and daunting; the audience is smaller, the configuration of students and tutors creates improved group cohesion, making students of all abilities and backgrounds feel comfortable and supported – raising inclusivity and creating the opportunity for co-teaching and co-learning.

It is understood that students need to develop and improve their presentation and public speaking skills as part of their educative and future professional practice.

The revised studio setting creates a ‘safe space’ where students can practice their presentation skills, develop their confidence and learn to present and their work effectively and professionally while feeling supported by their peers and tutors,

I my view these positive, active interventions evidence that as part of my PgCert learning journey I am becoming more aware of a range of teaching and learning methods and theories – which I apply to my practice. As my knowledge is growing, I am able to take control of the teaching and learning environment e.g. by revising session plans as needed – to improve the student learning experience and develop my current and future wider pedagogic practice.

Reference 

De Silva, D. and Dempsey, E. (2022), Empathy and compassion: towards wellbeing in learning development

Anon, Dimensions of assessment

Mcdonald, J.K. and Michela, E. (2019), The design critique and the moral goods of studio pedagogy

Orr, S. and Shreve, A. (2017), Signature pedagogies in art and design

Date: Tue 4 March 2025

Time: 10am – 11am

Session to be observed: Academic Support Workshop – ‘Reflective Writing’

Size of student group: MA User Experience Design – 25/30 students (usual attendance 5/6 students)

Observer: Kelly Harrison

Observee: Gem Smith

Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action.

Part One
Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review:

What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?

This is an embedded workshop delivery from the academic support department. The session is a 2-hour workshop. All workshops are requested by the course team and scheduled accordingly. I have regular meetings with the course team to deliver a bespoke workshop according to the students brief.  The students are currently working on Macro User Experience and a Collaborative unit simultaneously.  They have a submission due in March.  This session is a follow up from other workshops that I have delivered to the students. They have had delivered so far critical writing, reading, thinking, making the grade, citation and referencing. I have access to the assignment brief and the workshop aligns with the requirements. The intention for this workshop is to provide a space where students can refine their knowledge of reflective writing and to take part in practical exercises to put this into practice. Students often ask for structures as a guide that they can customize to suit their style of writing. This is also an opportunity to signpost students to any further support from academic support and other services.

How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?

I have been working with this group since September 2024. I am the assigned academic support for this course, this is my third year working with this course. I see a few of the students in this cohort for one-to-one tutorials as well.  The discussions in the workshop will also extend to individual tutorials.

What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?

• For students to understand the definition of reflective writing.
• For students to obtain practical tools and strategies to support their reflective writing with their Macro UX and Collaborative units.
• For students to review and discover how to structure a reflective essay/report confidently.
• To create a space for dialogue and discussion about reflective writing.

What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?

• Activity 1: Students will be asked how they feel about reflective writing and will be shown images as prompts. This will be an open question where feedback from students will take place.
• Activity 2: Objects of reflection – Students will be given an object for each group.  Students will be asked to discuss and reflect on these objects using the What? So what? And Now what? Theory. Students will have 5 mins to discuss and 5 minutes to feedback. They will be given prompt questions to support them if needed.

• Activity 3: ‘Observing Yourself’. This activity will be where students will be reflecting on their own achievements and any areas of improvements.  They will be working in pairs.  Students will be encouraged to make notes and discuss ideas with their partner and will later feedback

• Activity 4: ‘Challenges with reflecting writing’.  Students will write on post it notes any challenge they face with reflective writing.  They will stick this on the table, and they will swop tables with another group. Students will then read out the post it notes and offer advice and support.

• Activity 5: Students will review a good reflective example of writing considering the three stages of reflective writing. They can work in groups to complete this task. Students will feedback and review the piece of work together.

Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?

• One area of concern is regarding student attendance. The session is timetabled, and the students were reminded, however students’ attendance is often low from a class of about 20/25 students, attendance is generally about 5/6. This session is also not compulsory.

• For some students English is not their first language, I must make sure that instructions are clear and that there are a variety of feedback methods.

• The classroom is sometimes cluttered due to the student’s well needed experimentation and constructions. An early presence in the classroom is often advised so I can reconfigure the space where possible.

How will students be informed of the observation/review?

I have informed the course team, and they will notify the students beforehand.  I will also inform the students of the observer’s attendance in the session and assure them that they will be observing my teaching only.

What would you particularly like feedback on?

General feedback overall would be appreciated.

How will feedback be exchanged?

The use of this form will be the main source of feedback.

Part Two

Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:

The observation took place in D211 at LCC for 3 students.

The observee highlighted in advance of the session that attendance was sometimes a challenge, in part because the sessions are not compulsory.

Despite the small group size for this session, the students appeared to be content and confident, willingly offering answers to questions and contributing freely to group discussions.

Overall, there was a high level of engagement during the session and students engaged positively with each of the activities.

A QR code register was used which clearly worked well, this is something I will suggest we consider using in the GMD sessions – particularly as we have such large student numbers.

The observee informed the students that I was present in the room to view their teaching practice only and to ensure they felt comfortable and weren’t distracted by my presence.

When 1 student arrived 10 minutes late it was good practice to see the observee warmly welcome them, then clearly explaining the activity so they were able to catch up quickly and feel included in the session.

The observee spoke clearly and calmly creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere. During the session students were seated and the observee was standing. Following the slide presentation, it was good practice to see the observee moving around the room and addressing the students individually and collectively, encouraging positive input and dialogue and working alongside them (co-working).

The observee presented open and positive body language, there was friendly exchange and some shared laughter in the session, evidencing the students felt comfortable while still maintaining an appropriate level of focus and active learning.

The session was introduced and delivered clearly via a PowerPoint and the overall structure of the session was well communicated.

The introductory warm-up task used animal images for students to explore and articulate how they feel about reflective writing. This was a relatable and fun way of inviting students to self-reflect and also for the observee to gain an initial understanding of the levels of academic support students might need at this stage.

The session clearly communicated the relevance of reflective writingto the Macro UX brief and Collaborative Unit. Students were introduced to and equipped with the appropriate tools, reflective models and structures to help support them writing their reflective essays and reports.

The Objects of Reflection (Object-based Learning) task was an effective starting point for introducing and exploring Reflective Models. Students engaged positively with the product analysis activity What Can You See? So What? and Now What?

As a suggestion, inviting students to draw the object and add annotations in response to a list of key product analysis prompts as guides could be useful in guiding and facilitating further in-depth knowledge and wider contextual reflection perhaps e.g. materials/manufacture, form/function, target audience/user group, date of design/designer, cultural/social issues, cost high/low value, environmental considerations and future design developments.

The Gibbs Reflective Model was an effective way to introduce and structure self reflection and to pave the way for the Reflection Activity: Observing Yourself. It was to the observees credit, that the students felt supported and comfortable enough to freely and honestly discuss achievements and successes with the group.

The observee responded positively to student questions throughout the session, clearly explaining key words, methods and approaches e.g. carefully explaining the difference between success and achievement.     

Overall, this was a very well devised and delivered session covering a wide range of methods and apppoaches to support students in their academic understanding and application of Reflective Writing skills for their UX design studies and practice.

A final note, the use of the timer was a good practical inclusion, I will embed this into my sessions too.

Part Three

Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged:

Thank you, Kelly, for observing my lesson.  It was a pleasure to have you in the session.

Thank you for your helpful and valuable comments, it is really appreciated.

It is very often a challenge within academic support where attendance is compromised.  This is a shame for this course for I have a strong working relationship with the course team, and we meet regularly to plan the workshops.  The lecturer communicates regularly with students to discover the areas of support that they need.  Very often students will request certain topics, and I will deliver this for them. The lecturer is very attentive to their students. The idea of being creative in terms of when the sessions are delivered needs further development, however we are posed with the idea of timetable restraints. This is an area for further development. Timing of the sessions is key.

It was good that the students that were present were able to express any challenges that they were facing, and they received some useful tools that they can implement in their work.

It is a known theme that the students that attend the workshops are the students who are doing well already and are proactive. They also book regular one to one tutorial. The challenge is to connect with all students.

That is a great suggestion to invite students to draw as well as to scribe and discuss the objects that they chose and to add annotations in response to a list of key product analysis prompts. This is another good way of offering support to students, this will also generate more in depth creative ideas and outcomes. Connecting their ideas to a wider context is good. As suggested students can look at what materials, target market, cost. cultural and environmental developments can be explored.  This will open a deeper gateway of reflection.  I will implement this in my reflective delivery in the future. Thank you for this, this makes total sense.  It is valuable having someone else viewing your lesson with a different lens.

Thank you again for your encouraging comments and suggestions, this has been very helpful. It has been a good experience sharing practice.

Planning For and Supporting Effective Learning

Contextual Background 

The session takes place in D113 at LCC with 28 students from Year 1 Graphic and Media Design BA (Hons). Working with a co-tutor, the student group are sent an email the week before, asking them to complete a research task to be completed in preparation for the session as follows:

• Familiarise yourself with allocated material – sample design practice website
• Create a case study using the template provided
• Devise 3 questions to ask the speaker during the session

During the session, 2 invited guest speakers lead a presentation introducing their design practice and outlining their collective values to the group.

Scenario 1: During the introduction the speakers invite the group to raise their hand if they have heard of or know something about their practice. The students seem shy and unwilling to answer.

Scenario 2: During the presentation, the speakers share 2 design case studies. At mid-point they invite 1 student at a time from the group, to share which case study they found interesting and why:

• 2 (of the more confident) students respond positively and are willing to articulate their observations and thoughts with the group.
• 1 student appears uncomfortable, stating they can’t recall the designs from the presentation.
• 1 student is unwilling to answer, after conferring with a peer they and remain silent.
• 1 student is unwilling to answer and remains silent.

The students have experience of peer-to-peer and tutor feedback, but during this session they seem to be less confident and less willing to actively engage in the session.

Evaluation 

After the session, with my co-tutor, I reflect upon the key challenges and identify the need for positive amends to the lesson plan, in order to help further support and develop the students as learners.

Going forwards the session is to be repeated a further 3 times to accommodate the large Year 1 cohort (160 students in total), and so the need to improve the overall learning experience is identified.

Key challenges

• Students won’t always act on instructions e.g. read emails, complete pre-set research tasks.
• Students won’t always arrive prepared for a session.
• Students’ overall understanding of the tasks needs to be checked.
• Students need instruction in how to engage in active learning e.g. note-taking, Q+A.
• Students need to consider their wider positionality e.g. professional opportunities.

Taking into account the above challenges and in line with the case study theme (plan for and support effective learning) I devise an active intervention for the development and improvement of my teaching practice (Fig.1) to raise levels of student participation and greater learning gains (Gibbs).

Moving forwards

As Gibbs states: ‘improving students and what students do is best achieved within the curriculum, within classes, within assignments.‘

In reflection of this statement and adopting empathetic teaching approaches, the session plan is revised accordingly as follows:

Tutor actions

Timings: adjusting session timings to allow 30 mins for in-studio tutor introduction and instruction, so students are prepared before the presentation.

Providing information: introducing the sample design practice website, explaining the case study and session format and checking students fully understand the tasks.

Informing expectations: communicating students need to be actively learning, taking notes during the presentation, forming questions and being prepared to contribute by sharing feedback with the group when invited.

Developing academic skills: undertaking written and visual research, documenting and analysing thoughts and ideas, and applying learnings to their wider practice.

Professional positionality: developing a professional voice and recognising and responding to potential opportunities.

Student actions

• Working in small groups/tables
• Nominating 1 spokesperson per group
• Visiting and reviewing the design website (10 min)
• Completing the case study and draft initial questions (10 min)

The revised session plan is designed to increase student learning gains, through the outlined active interventions, and in light of Gibbs statement: ‘improving students as learners so that they can undertake their studies in more sophisticated and effective ways.‘

Within the context and wider considerations of my undertaking the PgCert, through this case study I wish to evidence active engagement and practical application of my learning gains to date – within a relevant and live pedagogic setting.

Gibbs states: ‘training in how to teach… develops teachers’ understanding of teaching and learning and makes them more ‘learning focussed’ in their decisions about teaching.‘ In light of this statement, is my aim to become more ‘learning focussed’ and to take these ideas forward and continue to develop and embed them into my future practice.

Reference

Gibbs, G. (2014), Maximizing student learning gain

Knowing and Responding to Your Students’ Diverse Needs

Contextual background

GMD LAB: Drawing for Design is a 4 hour workshop for full-time students from across all year groups studying BA(Hons) Graphic and Media Design at LCC.

Student places on GMD LABS* are bookable on a first-come-first-serve basis and are independent of core curriculum and formal assessed units.

A significant proportion of the 25 students attending the workshop session are international students with English as a second language (ESL) and the activities are devised to accommodate a range of diverse needs as detailed below.

Within the context of the LAB, I aim to know and respond to students’ diverse needs through the acknowledgment and proactive support and development of the following:

• Language skills and comprehension – highlighting, explaining and checking understanding of key words, allowing time for Q+A during the intro briefing and throughout the session
• Technical and creative ability – there are different levels of ability in the studio, activity devised to be accessible to all levels
• Social and practice-related confidence – encouraging supportive peer learning and teamwork, creating a ‘safe space’ to test new processes, methods and to make ‘mistakes’
• Learning experiences and differences – differing prior skills and levels of knowledge supported and developed, with achievements celebrated via regular verbal rewards  

Current strategies

Language: I introduce myself to the group then clearly describe the activities and running order. As visual reference for the whole group and to aid students who arrive late, I stick written prompts (action points) on the studio wall so that students can visualise the activity and running order as they arrive.  

Cultural diversity and inclusion: My chosen subject matter for this object-based workshop is a collection of curated food packaging examples from around the globe, reflecting and celebrating home, European and International student cohorts alike (Fig.1). Students are invited to choose the food packaging they are most drawn to, for example:

• Familiar
• Unusual
• Favourite
• Interesting
• Fun

Technical and creative ability: I assure students the workshop isn’t a showcase or a test of their drawing abilities, but rather an opportunity to explore and develop drawing and mark-making as an experimental visual mapping tool. My aim being to reduce anxiety and put the less confident students at ease, to create a supportive and friendly studio atmosphere, and raise overall inclusivity and participation.

Material processes and methods: I encourage students to be ‘playful’ as they explore and experiment with a range of combined dry and wet drawing materials, working loosely and at large scale. Students create 2 separate A2 outcomes: 1 x black and white and 1 x colour; to develop skills and confidence in both monochrome and full colour image making processes (Fig.2).

I remind students that the ‘transferrable’ skills they are utilising can form a part of their visual communication ‘toolkit’, with the potential to be repurposed in future GMD projects, creating potential to raise overall grades and levels of attainment.

Time management: At regular intervals, I remind students of the time so they can manage their time efficiently and complete the activities within the given timeframe. I check-in frequently with individuals and the whole class that they are working to schedule, clear about the activity requirements, while also creating regular opportunities for questions and shared feedback.

Final outcomes: The final task is to grid and cut up the 2 x images and create collaged responses to explore and visually communicate core design principles, for example:

• Scale
• Symmetry
• Hierarchy
• Balance
• Contrast

Interestingly several students find the concept of cutting up their artwork challenging, so I encourage them to view the work as visual data or original content for further iterative design testing and development, in the form of large-scale collages (Fig.3).

Documentation: I encourage students to visually document/photograph their working processes and methods during the activity, emphasising this as potential portfolio submission content and an opportunity to create and evidence independent learning, creating potential to raise grades and attainment levels.    

Student feedback: The session concludes with a pin-up and informal peer to peer/tutor presentation and discussion. I encourage students to support each other, and create opportunity for those who are less confident at speaking up, to feel comfortable sharing their progress and development with the rest of the group.

Overall students respond positively during the session; they are focussed and motivated and seem relaxed, happy and confident in the class environment. Feedback received as below:

‘Drawing is all about trial and error… not to be afraid of making mistakes.’

‘I learnt through Kelly’s instructions… as well as seeing how other students approached this workshop.’

‘Learning to experiment and explore… a fun and exciting LAB to do!’

Moving forwards

Bamber and Jones state: ‘there are now many more students, larger classes and a much greater range of students attending university.’ In my view and to conclude, knowing and responding to students’ diverse needs is an important, on-going and ever-changing scenario. I am committed to continued positive action, in discussion and consultion with the GMD staff team, to ensure students’ needs are met in all areas of current and future pedagogic practice: teaching, learning and assessment.  

Reference

Note: *GMD LABS: each year GMD tutors are invited to author and lead a workshop to share knowledge of their specialist practice, and introduce students to new ways of working. As a practicing artist, I devise Drawing for Design as an exploratory image-making workshop where students use drawing as a primary visual research tool to test combined mark-making processes and materials – as an integral part of the design process.

Bamber, V. and Jones, A. (2015), Challenging students: enabling inclusive learning

Gillies, R. M. (2013), Responding to students’ diverse needs

Link: https://moodle.arts.ac.uk/mod/scheduler/view.php?id=1367994