Being a student again Balancing artistic practice with academic writing.

On starting my PG Cert I have found myself focusing on self-reflection and gaining a new found empathy for the combination of excitement, anxiety and uncertainty which I see in my students. Revisiting my own learner journey highlights how society has changed in the 30 plus years since my graduation and the implications these changes have had on the current student experience. The positive changes being increased support mechanisms (both pastoral and academic) which were non-existent during my student days.

Seeing life through a student’s lens for the first time in so long has given me a shift in perspective. It emphasises just how important it is to create supportive inclusive learning environments for all learners. It has also shown me that being a mature learner does not make the process any easier. Reengaging in formal education reinforces the value of lifelong learning and its importance for those in leadership roles. “The Fifth Discipline” by Peter Senge (Senge 1990). explores the advantages of continuous learning for organisational success.

 I have always learnt and gained new skills throughout my career, however these have mostly been practical skills used within industry or learning how to use new digital/online technology. Revisiting academic writing after such a long period is challenging as both require different types of focus and mental engagement. I know that this experience will help me foster a more understanding and compassionate approach to my own teaching.

On evaluation of our first lesson I found that my anxiety and first day nerves were eased greatly through the collaborative aspects of the session. The Ice breaker at the start, group critiques and collaborative feedback helped to alleviate pressure. I feel supported, less isolated and more confident to express my opinion knowing that I am surrounded by like-minded people who are familiar with the balance between art and academia. “Group Dynamics: Icebreakers, Team-Building and Leadership Exercises” by Chris Eksteen (Eksteen 2016) offers exercises demonstrating the effectiveness of Ice breakers to promote a sense of community and break down barriers.

Balancing creative practice with academic writing has always been problematic for students on our course (hair make up and prosthetics for performance) as it is a creative, practical subject and this is a challenge I am now facing. As I navigate my way through my PG Cert I hope to develop ways of becoming more comfortable with these academic aspects, find more of a balance, and some parallels between, academic writing and practical application. I am looking forward to gaining new skills and strategies to guide myself and my students through these contextual challenges. I am also enthused by the benefits of extending my UAL peer group and learning new strategies and teaching methods which are used on the variety of courses we all teach on.

Bibliography:

Eksteen, C., Opperman Kemp, S. (ed.) & Eksteen, L. (cover design), 2016. Group Dynamics: Icebreakers, Team-Building and Leadership Exercises. [book] Panza Publishers

Senge, P. M. (1990). The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization. Doubleday.

The Drawing Lab by Michelle Salmon

The article I’m focusing on in this blog is the drawing Lab (Salmon 2015) by Michelle Salmon which took place at Central Saint Martins in 2015. The purpose was to explore connections between the physical act of drawing and the human memory process, to determine whether drawing could be used as a tool to improve concentration and memory. This theory has its conceptual roots In Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran 19^th Century research In “The training of the Memory in Art” (Lecoq de Boisbaudran, 1848)

The CSM workshops highlighted the interaction between sensory input, physical activity and memory. Memory recall and concentration were enhanced during the workshops through focused observations, repetition, sensory engagement, group dynamics and critical analysis.

Salmon’s article resonated with me because the majority of teaching on my course, (Hair Make up & Prosthetics for Performance) involve visual and physical activities which include many drawing tasks. It encouraged me to identify the areas in my own teaching practices where practical and theory methods meet and merge to enhance concentration and focus. A good example of this is the use of mind maps. When creating a mind map you are displaying written information in a creative format. Making the connections between ideas easy to find, for problem solving and brainstorming. More information can be found in ‘The Mind Map Book’ (Buzan 2009)

Alan Baddeley’s concept of the “visuospatial sketchpad” (Baddeley 1974) helps us understand how this ‘visuospatial’ information is used within memory function. The ‘visual sketchpad’ helps us to navigate our way through a room and to mentally manipulate objects. It’s a bit like the ‘mind’s eye’ we often hear referred to.  It only retains information for short periods of time so it’s perfect for brainstorming using a mind map where the information is immediately recorded.

 I have created mind maps for my students to show structure within departments in industry and during unit briefings to break down individual tasks and learning outcomes. (See mind map images below) In the past I had given students the same information in written text form and on reflection, they did not digest or retain the information as successfully as the students who received mind maps with the same information.

The key findings of this article have prompted me to reflect on my own teaching and planning practices and evaluate how I can implement drawing not merely as a skill but also a tool for enhancing the learning experience.

I already suggest mind maps to students as part of the research and experimentation stages of a unit However, by embedding it as part of their planning and creating them in groups may increase knowledge retention, understanding of Briefs and learning outcomes.

Moving forward, this integration of sensory, motor and cognitive skills is a topic which I would like to explore further, learning how digital tools can be used to compliment the role of memory in drawing activities. Also the role of visual spatial, auditory and olfactory influences in the encoding process of memory.

Bibliography:

Baddeley, A. D. (1974) ‘The psychology of memory’, New York: Basic Books.

https://elmirmohammedmemorypsy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/the-psychology-of-memory-baddeley.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 Lecoq de Boisbaudran, H. (1848) In the Training of the Memory in Art. Read Books Ltd, 26 Jan 2016

 https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Training_of_the_Memory_in_Art_and_th.html?id=URx9CgAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y

Salamon, M., 2018. Drawing laboratory: Research workshops and outcomes. Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal, 3(2), pp. 131-141.

Tony Buzan (2009) The Mind Map Book Publisher: Pearson Education Limited 2009

Mind Maps®

Eyes vs Camera

 When reading The Drawing Lab (Salmon 2018) by Michelle Salmon I found the following quote very interesting.

‘‘Acting as a form of recording mechanism, each drawing, as an instance of memory, retains an element of self. This is in contrast to visual records from mobile phones and other snapshots or movies, which store the record of a moment frozen in time but do not contain the subtle nuances provided by exploration and analysis of the physical sensory experience. (Salmon 2018)

We live in a digital age and emerging technologies have had a dramatic effect on the way we interact with the world. One area in particular is how we view art. Since Covid we have seen virtual museum and gallery visits rise in popularity. There are of course many advantages to these virtual visits, including Inclusivity for patrons who have disabilities and geographical and financial restrictions. However there is an emotional disconnect which I believe is changing our attitude to, and relationship with, art. When you view a piece of artwork in a gallery you see how it exists within its environment, how it changes with the light, take in its textures, you experience its presence in the space. None of this information is successfully conveyed in a photograph or on screen.

“Our eyes are also capable of dynamically adjusting exposure. As we scan a scene, object by object, our vision adjusts the exposure for each one, allowing us to see its value and color relationships more clearly”.  (Christensen I 2019)

This is relevant to my own experiences and something which I find quite worrying. For instance, I am increasingly seeing students taking pictures in museums/galleries to draw from later rather than sketching the actual object at that moment in time. People at events taking pictures or holding up cameras and filming rather than actually physically engaging and experiencing the live event. I call it the’ Mona Lisa effect’. On a recent trip to the Louvre I was shocked and surprised by how many people were just taking photos and walking away, instead of actually looking and appreciating it as the artist intended. Appreciating a piece of artwork in its peaceful surroundings is not intended to be a rushed process.

The current trend among our student cohort’s is to capture everything on camera and I believe we need to encourage them to leave their phones in their pockets and use their eyes.

Below are some strategies which may help the active process of engagement

• Create drawing challenges to capture particular elements or details
• Include the use of digital tools within the drawing process
• Prepare students before the visit with information about artists, products and processes
• Group work for a more interactive experience
• Provide sketch pads for all gallery/museum visits
• Make it an experimental process, not an outcome based one
• Focus on perspective and proportion
• Put emphasis on understanding rather than recreating

 In conclusion, drawing combines physical, mental and emotional input, which creates a unique connection to the experience, imprinting it onto our memories in a way that we wouldn’t get from observing a photograph or digitally recording the same experience. We often speak about a piece of art ‘speaking to us’, I believe this sensory connection is what drives that narrative.

Bibliography:

Christensen I (2019) ‘Why You Should Draw from Real Life, Not a Photograph’ Artsy, available at: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-draw-real-life-photograph

Salamon, M. (2018) ‘Drawing laboratory: Research workshops and outcomes’. Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal, Vol 3 / Issue 2 (2018) pp. 131-141

Moving into a new building

In September 2023 LCF moved to its new home in Stratford East London into a purpose built 13 floor building designed to foster collaboration with everyone under one roof, and such esteemed neighbours as Sadler’s Wells and The V&A.

https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/london-college-of-fashion/about-lcf/lcfs-move

 Weeks before the start of term we were told the Hair make up and prosthetics rooms were not completed. We had to find alternative spaces for hair, make-up and prosthetics lessons.

My issues were:

• Prioritising year groups
• Finding spaces to adapt
• Hiring specialist equipment
• Negotiating with students
• Rearranging the timetable
• Adapting delivery
• Find extra funding
• Fulfilling Learning Outcomes

Year 3 were prioritised. I analysed the LO’s to identify the focus areas within our limited resources. (see images below)

Their first unit is experimentation and research for the final project. I emphasised the importance of in depth research, an area often neglected. I increased outside visits and masterclasses from visiting industry professionals (which I opened to all year groups) this increased networking opportunities, employability and industry knowledge.

We found two rooms not in use and hired location filming equipment to create a film and TV crowd room set up for hair and makeup lessons. This increased employability focus by recreating industry conditions.

We introduced alternative prosthetics products and processes allowing exploration of more sustainable products.

For year 1 we focused on hair/wig and make up sessions as we could accommodate these more easily. I created a new bald cap making session which didn’t require specialist rooms but utilised transferrable skills and pushed creativity. This was very successful and something we have kept in the curriculum.

For year 2 we also pushed hair/wig and make up skills and brought forward some of the portfolio and preparation for industry sessions which would normally be in year 3. This increased understanding of industry expectations.

In year 2 students elect to either go on placement or do a KE project. This helped free limited resources as all students were off campus the majority of the time. The KE project was a live theatre production focused on hair, makeup and wigs skills.

Year 2 KE Project images taken by me February 2024

Just before the spring break we had solved the main room delay issues and could use most of our specialist rooms. Year 3 students were given access to the rooms over the Spring break to catch up.

My approach was to push employability, offering increased industry masterclasses, alumni talks, trips and events. I was able to offer certain hair and make sessions so these were increased allowing me to offer more diversity within sessions.

I created focused workshops customized around the resources available. This resulted in themed workshops we have kept in the curriculum.

Analysing student feedback the following aspects were the most successful:

• Recreating industry conditions
• Meeting industry professionals
• Alumni experiences
• Themed workshops

As a result of these changes our current 2nd & 3rd year students have a strong understanding of industry expectations, good communication skills and increased resilience and confidence.

This all aligns with work based learning theories such as Situated learning theory, ‘Learning is an integral part of the social practice in which it is based’… (Lave 1991) and that; ‘Education is not preparation for life it is life itself’’ ( Dewey 1916)

Bibliography:

Dewey, J., 1916. Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. New York: Macmillan.

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/democracy-and-education-ebook.html

Lave, J., 1991. Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249425153_Situated_Learning_Legitimate_Peripheral_Participation_Jean_Lave_Etienne_Wenger

For this case study I am focusing on students in their 3^rd and final year on the Hair make up and Prosthetics for Performance BA at LCF. They’re aged 18-25 and their diverse needs include language barriers, autism and anxiety.

UAL support networks include academic, disability, language, mental health and wellbeing support. At course level, we offer weekly tutorials and mentoring opportunities. A balanced delivery accommodates various learning styles, utilising digital resources, teamwork, individual work and all students gain personalised feedback in all sessions.

 The most effective strategies are those which foster confidence, focus and trust.

These strategies include:

• Regular short 1-1 tutorials
• Breaking down learning into step by step tasks
• Layered skills acquisition
• Regular attendance monitoring

Through tutorials I can identify individual needs at the start of the academic journey and continue to support at regular touchpoints.

Step by step learning creates manageable workloads reduces stress and improves focus. Task Analysis, chunking and scaffolding are relevant theories in my teaching context, further exploration will evolve my practices. ‘Preparing Instructional objectives’ (Mager R F 1997) explores these practices.

Poor attendance is more prominent among diverse learners. One recent strategy is an extra support officer communicating with students by phone. This has been successful in directing students to appropriate services quickly. Speedy responses and contact by phone from neutral staff have improved attendance and reduced stress levels.

During presentations students have the option to pre-record voice overs. This has improved timing, increased digital skills and reduced anxiety. I have introduced presentation and confidence building sessions. By opening these sessions to the whole group it has given confidence to the diverse learners to see that it is something which effects everyone and not just isolated to their individual barriers, building a sense of community and benefitting the whole programme. Moving forward I would embed these sessions from year 1.

The least effective strategy, especially with language barriers, are the monthly 30 minute mentoring sessions with academic staff, not from the teaching team. From personal experience, the purpose of mentoring is not always understood and students feel self-conscious communicating with a stranger. I have also noticed cultural differences in attitudes to mentoring. For students with language barriers I will explore options of student/alumni mentors who share the same first language, student buddy systems and student ‘teams’ groups for FAQ’s. I will also explore AI resources such as google translate to use in unit briefings so students fully understand expectations and do not fall behind early on.

To meet the needs of diverse learners we need to show diversity within the industry and embed diversity within the curriculum. The hair and make-up industry has become much more diverse over the last 10 years in terms of ethnicity gender and culture. To reflect this I have introduced diverse industry practitioners for demonstrations and masterclasses. I have also started ‘The diverse model bank’, providing diverse models for demonstrations showing industry techniques on a variety of skin tones, skin types, gender, disability and age. This has been an effective way of embedding diversity within the curriculum.

Diverse industry practitioner visitors:

Drag Syndrome (Vais D 2025) Instagram March 25

Radical Beauty project ( Vais D 2019)

(McCook , N. May 24) nyglorious instagram March 25

On reflection, to prepare diverse learners for careers in an ever-evolving industry we need strong communication, flexible approaches to teaching and an inclusive curriculum which respects the individuality of learners. Our biggest barriers to this approach are time and resources.

Bibliography:

Drag Syndrome, Vais D Instagram (March 2025)

https://www.instagram.com/dragsyndrome/?hl=en

Mager, R.F. (1997) Preparing Instructional Objectives. 3rd ed. Belmont, CA: Lake Publishing.

nyglorious face arts Nyomie McCook (May 24) Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/nygloriousfacearts/?hl=en

Academic support link:

https://canvas.arts.ac.uk/sites/explore/SitePage/41420/academic-support

Student support services link:

https://canvas.arts.ac.uk/sites/explore/SitePage/45474/student-services

The “Radical Beauty Project.” Radical Beauty Project, Daniel Vais (March 2019) https://www.radicalbeautyproject.com/.

nyglorious face arts Nyomie McCook (May 24) Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/nygloriousfacearts/?hl=en

The 3 year, hair make up and prosthetics for performance BA at LCF prepares students for careers in the wigs, hair and make-up industries. To be successful in this industry students need a clear understanding of industry expectations. One of the key challenges is embedding employability in all areas.

I have recently had the opportunity to re-evaluate teaching on the course and implement an industry lead approach. I have introduced alumni events, visiting practitioners, outside visits and KE projects. These elements engage students and give them industry insight, however to benefit the future of the programme this needs to be embedded within the curriculum.

I have been a wigs hair and makeup artist for over 30 years, I care about the future of the industry and the role of graduates within it. Which is why I am passionate about embedding employability in the curriculum. My focus is recreating industry conditions and linking delivery to current industry practice, starting with unit briefings. Students often struggle to understand Learning Outcomes’s and their relevance. My approach to unpacking the LO’s is to link them directly to industry practices. Giving real life examples from my own experience and others. (See image below LO’s). This has been an effective strategy, allowing students to directly apply LO’s to their practice and see how the same skills are used in industry.

I have reinforced this by including alumni presentations during briefings showing how the same unit has helped them in industry. I will push this further by adding more visual and digital resources to evidence industry examples.

I have increased the number of visiting practitioners expanding their roles to include formative feedback as well as masterclasses and workshops. This highlights current industry practices and how to apply them, it has also improved communication and networking skills

The physical environment we teach in is a resource for effective learning, recreating an industry environment within the classroom prepares students for real life scenarios. Working on set can be intimidating if you don’t know what to expect so I have designed a ‘Crowd Room’ activity. Students will be given the roles and responsibilities of trainees and hair & makeup artists working in a crowd room. (see below)

• Mood boards
• Kit lists
• Preparing stock/kit
• Room set-up
• Organising fitting sheets and information
• Reading the call sheet
• Continuity images
• Working to schedule
• Set rotas
• Line ups
• Checks on set
• De rig
• Breakfast orders

The room will be set up as a crowd room (see image below) and the session will run as a film crowd room day. We also have the resources to create a working film set environment to film the work and see it in a performance context. The activity would be followed by a feedback session with everyone involved including cast and crew to gain everyone’s unique perspectives. After critically analysing the feedback we would repeat the activity but this time swapping the roles around so all responsibilities are experienced.

Crowd room image taken by me 2020

This activity requires detailed coordination of resources which would limit the number of sessions possible. However I believe it will be an effective learning method and I will explore relevant theories and pedagogies to evolve my practice, such as David Kolb’s Experiential learning Theory, (Kolb D A 1984), Communities of Practice (Lave J & Wenger E 1991) and The 70:20:10 Model (Jennings, C.2009)

Bibliography:

Jennings, C. (2009) The 70:20:10 model for learning and development. Available at: https://702010institute.com/702010-model/ (Accessed: 21 March 2025).

Kolb, D.A. (1984) Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

 Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991) Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  I am reflecting on live presentations as a form of assessment for year 3 of the Hair Make up & Prosthetics for Performance BA, for which I am the course leader.  It’s an experimental and research unit in preparation for the final project and was previously an online portfolio submission.

This new live format allows me to; reflect industry practice, reduce marking and feedback time, align with experiential teaching methods and visual learning styles.

 Until now our biggest issue was being unable to view physical work and live processes in a performance context. The live format enables us to physically see practical work and experimentation live, rather than via photographs in a portfolio.

To prepare students for industry we need to re-create industry conditions wherever possible. The ‘Authentic Assessment Theory’ (Hammond D 1995) is relevant in my teaching practice.  The theory promotes assessment through performance as opposed to a written submission. Including replicating real life challenges, encouraging critical thinking, problem solving and interpretation of concepts into practical work.

During planning I first evaluated assessment requirements and allocated LO’s appropriately. (See attached brief)

Assessment requirements:

• 12 minute digital presentation (LO 1, LO2, LO3)
• Supporting physical evidence (LO 2)

For parity, I planned formative assessments to take the same live presentation format.

Students had the option to pre-record their voice over. This was especially helpful in meeting needs of diverse learners.

Although physical supporting evidence of experimentation was mandatory, several students had none to show. On reflection this must be made clearer. Completing a live demonstration was also an option on the brief which none of them did. Student feedback said this was due to lack of finances for extra materials and anxiety of failure and being downgraded.

 Moving forward:

I will revisit the brief regularly giving students a clear checklist and offer ‘make the grade’ (Finnigan, T. 2015) sessions, (see image below)

The unit is experimentation and research with no fully realised outcome and no penalties for unsuccessful experiments. There is no right or wrong it is process focused, to justify choices and critically analyse to find solutions. This is another characteristic of the Authentic Assessments theory known as ‘Open-Ended’ assessments. To address this fear of failure and for personal development I will find ways to focus on learning and process not perfection, encourage reflection and peer support and demonstrate how failure is an opportunity for growth. I have also introduced alumni/industry practitioner talks emphasising the importance of experimentation and self- reflection.

 Staff feedback (see Miro Board below) revealed issues with technology, time, feedback parity and staffing. My biggest issue was being unable to give live feedback. We were allowed to ask questions but feedback and grades were written and published online. I would change this, it is far more productive to feedback on physical work when you have it in front of you. In future I will explore digital resources for recording the live verbal feedback.

Miro Board feedback

Live assessments support learning appropriately in our discipline, they improve communication skills and allow more context focused feedback. Although students were happy to receive grades and feedback sooner, they did not enjoy a change in assessment style in their final year when stress levels are already high. Changes must be embedded from year 1.

Bibliography:

Authentic assessment in action: Studies of schools and students at work. L Darling–Hammond, J Ancess, B Falk – 1995 – books.google.com.

Make The Grade: Finnigan, T. UAL 2015 (Drawing on the work of the University of Derby PReSSpack)

Professional 1 Assessment Brief:

For my micro teach I demonstrated how to create a broken blister effect using modelling wax directly applied to the skin, followed by a student practical of the demonstrated activity.

I chose this activity because it’s quick, fun, has immediate results and a great introduction to transferrable make up skills. Students are engaged throughout, and can work as a group, observing one another’s work as opposed to completing an isolated task.  This helps to build confidence, especially if they have no experience in this area. Encouraging students to look at each other’s work and observe the variation in styles reinforces the idea that there is no right or wrong, it’s about developing skills, adapting to your own unique canvas and discovering your own creative style.

 I have run this activity in previous workshops with a diverse range of learners and the feedback has always been positive. Key elements highlighted are; understanding colour, form and appropriate use of tools. All students have different strengths, some find the sculpting the hardest part, others struggle with the colouring. However, the one same piece of feedback which comes from every student is that it looks so much easier in the demonstration than it actually is. This fosters an understanding and respect for other people’s crafts which is a vital to team work and collaboration scenarios.

To prepare for the session each student was given a hand out with step by step images, (see fig 1) a ‘micro kit’ which consisted of a mixing palette, 2 different types of wax (soft and firm) and make up products for colouring. They also used 2 brushes and a palette knife which I handed to them at the start of the practical.

I began by introducing the session, clearly outlining the activity and the learning objectives.

I then began the demonstration talking through the process, products and tools as I went along. I ensured they could all see and paused to show them each completed stage. During the practical I circulated giving feedback and encouraging them to look at their peers work.

I didn’t deviate from the lesson plan and timings, and they all completed the task.

Images below of micro teach activity, Timed lesson plan, activity sheet and narrative February 5th 2025

 

On reflection I would include the palette knives and brushes in the ‘micro kits’ rather than hand them out as this would save time and be less of a distraction. I would also rearrange the seating so we were all closer together, making it easier for me to circulate and check progress.

Feedback from all 5 participants on post it notes, (image below) was all positive. They found it fun, engaging, clearly explained and confidence building.

There were 2 points for improvement:

• an introduction to context of myself would have been useful
• How do I cater for diversity?

I mistakenly assumed my peer group already knew my teaching context, a brief description of my background and my role would be included in future.

Diversity was included in the variety of products available to match diverse skin tones and types and the visual resource for anyone who has hearing difficulties. I did briefly mention this but will allow more time for a deeper explanation in future practices.

Reflecting on my peers micro teach, in future I will also include digital resources as well as handouts to further cater for all learning needs.  

Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Situating Your Practice unit- Competition element, year 2 Hair Make up & Prosthetics for Performance

Size of student group: 28

Observer: Jess Curtis

Observee: Tanya Noor

 

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 session is a live application and presentation for Situating Your Practice unit competition element.

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

I have worked with this group as course leader for 2 years  and have taken various sessions with them over the past 5 months

What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?

Learning Outcomes (LO) and Assessment Criteria On completion of this unit you will be able to:

LO 1: Demonstrate the process of research, and analysis, to inform your proposal (enquiry, process);

LO 2: Evidence your ability to critically reflect upon your work in performance and design practice and present how your proposal is relevant, innovative, and experimental (enquiry, knowledge);

 LO 3: Demonstrate professional skills in presenting and communicating ideas in response to an industry specific insight (process, communication).

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

Live Hair & make up application in groups within a time frame and presentation to industry panel for feedback.

Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?

Completing within the allocated time and successful teamwork.

How will students be informed of the observation/review?

Verbally prior to the start of the session

What would you particularly like feedback on?

I would like feedback on all aspects, this is a new session and ways to improve for the future would help move forwards with future planning.

How will feedback be exchanged?

Written notes and verbal discussion

Part Two

Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:

• It was great to see an excited and engaged group of students working together to create ambitious full body looks under timed conditions for a panel of experts to judge.
• This session seems a great example of the fusion of your industry experience and teaching practice in a way that inspires and informs your students.
• The room felt focussed but relaxed. The students knew what was expected of them and felt excited to rise to the challenge of a competition. Your forward planning and the way that you worked alongside your colleague Molly to create a professional studio atmosphere, gave them a sense that their work was respected and taken seriously.
• The students seemed self-reliant and independent in this session, working to time and supporting each other.
• You had chosen a judging Panel who clearly took their role – to scrutinise and critique – seriously, while maintaining a sense of positivity and creative respect. It was great that you all went around to see the students at their stations, gaining and understanding of their process and reinforcing to them that their preparation, working environment, care of client and supporting research are as important, and relate to, the success of their outcome.
• This session will no doubt stand them in good stead when it comes to the new experience of live assessment being implemented on the course in the future. Would it be helpful to capture some specific feedback from the students about their perspective on the day?
• Are there any adjustments that would be helpful to make to the scheduling of the day? Perhaps by staggering their start times they can complete and then move to another space to reflect or record.
• Could the photographing of their models offer an opportunity for them to learn aspects of recording their own work in the future – or how to communicate with a photographer to get the best out of this part of the process? Using a student photographer is a great point of peer collaboration. Perhaps they can meet beforehand to discuss issues that may arise, or to benefit from an insight into each other’s practice, that pressures on the day don’t allow for? 
• Is there an opportunity to display their work in UAL to share and platform the course and year group?
• You mentioned some wonderful ideas around involving the first- and third-year groups in this exercise to bring the whole group together- creating different levels of competition and modelling the roles within an industry environment. This sounds like a great way to foster community, industry experience and a year group identity.

Part Three

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

Thank you Jess for All your feedback and suggestions they are all extremely helpful and insightful.

Running timed competition style sessions can be stressful for the students so it’s great to hear that you found the atmosphere to be exciting but also relaxed and focused.

I try to create industry conditions wherever possible to push the employability aspect of the course, which isn’t always easy so it’s reassuring to know that there was a fusion of industry and teaching practices.

Teamwork was a main focus for this project, not just for the students but also for the teaching team. It’s really interesting to hear how the planning and team work with me and Mollie was reflected in the atmosphere and helped to give students a sense of being respected as practitioners. This observation emphasises the importance of cohesive teaching teams and is something I am now keen to explore further. Perhaps more sharing of how we approach a project with the students to show them parallels between all our working practices would be useful.

Very reassuring to know that the judges were able to scrutinise and give critical analysis and feedback in a positive way encouraging creativity. The process is just as important as the outcome and being able to assess aspects such as client care, H&S and time management is vital and something that I would like to embed in the live assessment process.

Great idea to capture individual feedback from the students and is something I will definitely implement moving forwards.

I agree that some scheduling adjustments would help the day run more smoothly. Staggering the start times would be a very beneficial improvement, this will cut down on waiting time and save on studio space. Finding a separate room for feedback with the judges is something we will do for the next session. This time round they were in an open space for feedback as there was nowhere else available. This is something we can implement at the start of the planning stages.

Building up more of a relationship with the photographer to expand skills and knowledge is a great suggestion. This also mirrors industry practice emphasising the importance of collaboration and respecting each other’s crafts. Moving forward I think this could be included in a dedicated ‘recording your work’ session and perhaps also during certain supervised studio sessions.

Finding a way to display the work and platform the course within UAL would build student confidence and create a sense of community. This is something I will definitely research. It will also be another opportunity for further collaborations and UAL wide feedback on the project.

Involving all year groups is something I would like to explore so it’s incredibly helpful to hear your comments and suggestions on this. Varying levels of competition and giving students individual roles will help to create an industry led approach and reinforce professional values. Building community is an ongoing focus for the course. Through feedback I will analyse the successful community fostering elements and find ways to feed them through to the next unit and build on them.

 

Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Costumes Principles Two – Text Analysis

Size of student group: 12

Observer: Tanya Noor

Observee: Jess Curtis

 

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 session introduces the concept of inclusive design in relation to Hair make-up and Prosthetics as a whole and also to their design work in this unit.

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

I have worked with this group as a lecturer on a previous unit about four months ago.

What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?

LO 1: Develop a range of research methods that inform your work and show an awareness of  ethical responsibility (enquiry)

• Students understand the principles of inclusive design
• Students integrate these principles in their design thinking and consider their application in the context of hair and make-up design

Students consider applying their design to a model from an inclusive agency

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

The student will produce rough drawings that consider diverse models and the way they can tailor their HMUP designs to their needs and attributes. They will create, collaboratively, an environment that is inclusive.

Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?

Potentially triggering for some students

How will students be informed of the observation/review?

This is an online review of the planning and preparation stage, but I will let the students know that I will record their work and activities to be able to reflect on it considering feedback at the beginning of the session.

What would you particularly like feedback on?

I would really welcome any feedback. I am interested to know if this feels accessible and well structured. What else could I consider?

How will feedback be exchanged?

An exchange of written notes and also via an online discussion

Part Two

Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:

Thank you Jess for sharing a really useful and productive session.

The session was in a seminar room with the students sitting in a semi-circle quite close to Jess, breaking down any hierarchical barriers. The atmosphere was relaxed and it was a small group. There was a power point presentation by Jess which had a good balance of diverse images and text which highlighted focus points. The talk was relevant to the hair & make up context, with historical, cultural and social references. The students were a bit shy at first but Jess successfully encouraged them to communicate. As so often is the case there was one student who was more proactive and through conversation with him the rest of the group began to contribute. Jess manoeuvred the conversation cleverly to include relevant points and cover the LO’s. There was a practical element to the session which involved rearranging the space they were in, which was well received by the students. Encouraging the students to communicate and to be proactive. The practical was a bit difficult to start with, as they were a bit shy. However Jess motivated them without being intimidating or demanding and encouraged brainstorming of ideas. Jess did some role playing to engage the students in some deeper analysis which was successful and led to effective teamwork. The session effectively reflected the theme of inclusivity and its relevance within the industry. Perhaps moving forward you could include some prep for the session so students have to research an example of inclusivity within industry to briefly present to each other either in small break out groups or as a whole group. This could act as a bit of an ice breaker/warm up to get them a bit more proactive for the rest of the session as well as useful research. Overall this was a very successful session with good motivation techniques and relevant content.

Jess’ friendly approach and gentle encouragement built confidence among the students, the learning journey was clear and great to observe.

Part Three

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

Thank you, Tanya, for your insight and suggestions!

I am glad that the session felt relaxed and inclusive in terms of delivery and material: if you have an amount of material to share it is sometimes challenging to keep a steady pace and consider how to embody the very ethos that you are teaching. Seeing the arc of a session as a whole and trying to build in choices or options that mean that your students can receive your input in a way that suits them needs time which it can be hard to find within a taught session, so it is an excellent idea to include some pre-prep.

This also means that the session begins with an element that is personal to and reflects the interests of the student in relation to the subject. I will build this approach into my upcoming session on sustainability to help me engage the class and to get a sense of their understanding of how this looks in industry. Sharing and reacting to what they find will be a great springboard for the rest of the session, as well as helping us to build up a bank of research (as you say) that they can refer  to again later!

(For Observation 3 please click on ← Older posts at bottom of page)