Allen, A. & Pearson, D., 2016. ‘Drawing Futures: Speculations in Contemporary Drawing for Art and Architecture’. London: UCL Press.
Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2021) ‘Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide’ London, Sage Publications.
Converse, J. M. and Presser, S (2011), The Tools at Hand, Sage Publications Ltd. Print ISBN: 9780803927438
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M., 2000. The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. ‘Psychological Inquiry’, 11(4), pp. 227-268.
Francis, P (2009) Inspiring Writing in Art and Design: Taking a Line for a Write. Bristol: Intellect Ltd
Fraser, N. & Honneth, A., 2003. ‘Redistribution or Recognition? A Political-Philosophical Exchange’. London: Verso.
David Horton in Sawden P and Marshall, R (eds), 2015, Drawing Ambiguity: Beside the Lines of Contemporary Art, London, Bloomsbury Visual Arts
Kolb, D. A., 1984. ‘Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development’. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
McNiff, J., 2002. ‘Action research for professional development: Concise advice for new action researchers’ (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.
O’Doherty, B., 1986. ‘Inside the White Cube: The Ideology of the Gallery Space’. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Rogers, C., 1969. ‘Freedom to Learn’. Columbus, OH: Charles E.
Rohlfs, A., 2023. ‘Art, Algorithm, and Ambiguity’. Heidelberg University Publications.
Schön, D. A., 1983. ‘The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action’. New York: Basic Books.
Steinberg, S., 1989. ‘The Artist and the Book in the Twentieth Century’. New York: The Museum of Modern Art.
Tuckman, B. W. and Jensesn, M. A C. (1977) ‘Stages of Small-Group Development Revisited’ Group and Organisation Studies, 2 (4), 419 – 427
Vygotsky, L. S., 1978. ‘Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes’. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Wilson, F., 1992. ‘Mining the Museum’. Maryland Historical Society.
Websites:
Museum Detox, 2024. Available at: www.museumdetox.org
Museums Are Not Neutral, 2017. Available at: www.artmuseumteaching.com/2017/08/31/museums-are-not-neutral
BERA, 2024. ‘Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research, fifth edition’. Available at: www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#privacy-data-storage
Journal Articles:
Addison, N., 2014. ‘Doubting learning outcomes in higher education contexts: from performativity towards emergence and negotiation’. International Journal of Art & Design Education, 33(3), pp.313-325.
Curtis, B. & Curtis, C., 2021. ‘Social Research: A Practical Introduction’. 2nd ed. London: SAGE.
Pashler, H., McDaniel, M. A., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. A., 2008. Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. ‘Psychological Science in the Public Interest’, 9(3), pp. 105-119.
Shiyab, W., Ferguson, C., Rolls, K., Halcomb, E., 2023. Solutions to address low response rates in online surveys. ‘European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing’, 22(4), pp. 441–444. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvad030
I would like to say a huge thanks to my tutors on this unit Rachel Marsden and Karen Matthewman, who have been patient, insightful and knowledgeable.
Thanks also to all the Bespoke Tailoring tutors, in particular Daniel Poulsen for being incredibly supportive, Azleen Henry Marsh for being so generous and kind to provide me with an objective view of my ARP focus, Josh Henry Marsh for mentoring me and Alex Hall for encouraging my Analogue Drawing efforts with Year 3.
Thanks too to the students for engaging with my ARP and being generous with their time to give feedback.
I have found the PgCert a very enriching experience, and have developed my teaching practice immensely.
While my Action Research Project has confirmed the value of integrating Analogue drawing into Digital learning environments, it also raised new questions about how to deepen its impact and measure its alignment with social justice goals.
Straightforward Applications of using Analogue Drawing
One key finding was Year 3’s enthusiasm for incorporating creative Analogue drawing earlier in their design process, particularly during the ‘Concept Development’ unit. This feedback emphasises that drawing exercises not only enhance technical skills but also inspire deeper creative thinking.
I was surprised that students are happy to draw on large sheets of paper on the floor – there is not much space in the Digital teaching rooms so they were quite close, but this did not hinder their open creative drawing, and in some cases fostered group bonding by placing students next to other students whom they may not know very well or usually speak to, and revealed how spatial limitations can be turned into opportunities for collaboration and connection.
For Bespoke Tailoring specifically, I have learned that displaying students’ Analogue work alongside their Digital projects and physical garments during sessions reinforces the connection between these approaches, enriching their creative workflow.
Expanding the Scope of the Research
I would like to explore further how my methods affect Social Justice outcomes, such as Inclusion, Equity, and Digital Literacy. I am aware that most students graduate with ownership of a laptop and adequate Digital competencies even if they start Year 1 without these, so a future iteration of this project could track and assess this more formally to see how less advantaged students develop their Digital Literacy and Digital Hardware from Year 1 to Year 3.
I am also keen to explore how my approach could benefit courses with lower student satisfaction or engagement. Creating adaptable resources for broader UAL implementation, as suggested by my peer Kayal, would be an interesting avenue, though it would require investigating the distinct needs of other courses. Bespoke Tailoring is exceptionally well run with high student satisfaction and high grades, and perhaps my approach could be useful for other courses which don’t have such high student engagement and attainment; perhaps some students on other courses with higher cohorts feel they don’t get enough attention, perhaps courses could integrate technical learning more closely with the creative aspects.
Balancing Structure and Flexibility in the Classroom
My positionality as a tutor has always made me conscious of not placing myself as the “expert” who unilaterally imparts knowledge. Instead, I aim to foster inclusive, discussion-led sessions that promote peer-to-peer learning and move away from the hierarchy and rigidity of traditional classroom dynamics. This approach aligns with my philosophy of embracing Context and Relevance, ensuring that students see how the tools and techniques we explore relate to their creative practice and broader coursework.
However I have occasionally found an interesting dichotomy in students’ preferences for classroom structures. A few students, on other coureses than Bespoke Tailoring, have expressed an appreciation for the formality of “classic” classroom settings, particularly in Adobe sessions. Perhaps these structured environments, with their clear objectives and immediate outcomes, may offer a balance to more unstructured parts of their courses?
This balance of structure and flexibility also intersects with the ongoing debate around the use of Learning Outcomes in Higher Education. During the TPP (Teaching Practice Programme) unit, we explored the value and limitations of Learning Outcomes, referencing Nicholas Addison’s article, ‘Doubting Learning Outcomes in Higher Education Contexts: From Performativity Towards Emergence and Negotiation’ Addison critiques the performative nature of Learning Outcomes, suggesting they can be restrictive and fail to account for the diverse learning styles and approaches of students.
I think Addison shows very valuable insight, and also we can recognise that not all students perceive Learning Outcomes as restrictive. One tutor on the PgCert shared an insightful observation about her international students, who often appreciate the objectivity and clarity that Learning Outcomes provide. For these students, well-defined goals serve as navigational tools, helping them confidently engage with the course content and expectations.
This tension between structure and flexibility is also tied to the diversity of learning styles in any given classroom. While some students thrive in open, discussion-led environments that encourage exploration and creativity, others prefer the certainty and linearity of predefined objectives. Recognising and responding to this diversity is a crucial part of designing effective teaching strategies.
For instance, students who wish to focus solely on mastering specific tools like Adobe software can attend sessions provided by the Learning Technology Support team, which offers Adobe Certified Professional qualifications. This option provides a clear and structured pathway for those seeking technical proficiency. On the other hand, my sessions aim to integrate these tools into a broader creative and contextual framework, encouraging deeper engagement and critical thinking.
It is important to strike a balance between offering structure for those who need it and providing the flexibility to accommodate diverse learning preferences. By fostering an environment where students can navigate their own paths – whether through structured objectives or emergent, discussion-driven learning – I aim to support a richer, more inclusive learning experience. It highlights the importance of adaptability in my teaching practice, as well as the need for dialogue with students to understand their unique needs and preferences. By doing this, I aim to create spaces not only to impart knowledge but also to empower students to become active participants in their learning journeys.
Challenges and Further Questions
Understanding why certain groups did not participate is crucial for refining future data collection methods. Increasing questionnaire response rates will require more strategic timing and possibly integrating surveys into sessions themselves. Additionally, the influence of physical environments, such as uninspiring computer labs, on learning outcomes deserves deeper investigation.
I found engaging with students regarding their learning experience very enriching, and directly affected my approach to sessions; I will continue with students’ action in voluntarily displaying their work on the walls during the Digital part of sessions to keep that Analogue exercise in mind as students work at a computer.
Students’ openness, creativity, and unique styles continually inspire me to refine my teaching approach. Active listening from me has encouraged diverse perspectives and collective problem-solving, and I have encouraged my students to be active listeners too. The individual students’ Drawing style also helped me to understand their learning style, and their discussions also gave me insights into group dynamics, and which students could be encouraged to open up more and have more confidence in their own work. Tuckman’s work about Group Dynamics has been very helpful, with his theory of Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Mourning.
Addison, N., 2014. ‘Doubting learning outcomes in higher education contexts: from performativity towards emergence and negotiation’. International Journal of Art & Design Education, 33(3), pp.313-325.
Tuckman, B. W. and Jensesn, M. A C. (1977) ‘Stages of Small-Group Development Revisited’ Group and Organisation Studies, 2 (4), 419 – 427
I found my Action Research Project topic to be larger than I could manage in the time available, but I did manage to investigate one part, the effect of Analogue Drawing in Technical sessions. This part is what I see as an element in the ARP spiral, which enables me to place the research in an ongoing investigation of my larger topic.
I would have liked to send the questionnaires sooner in the term to avoid students’ deadlines. I would also liked to have given the students more time to fill in the surveys. I have also learned that surveys need to be concise and targeted. Online questionnaires are a good way to make the respondents anonymous, and to enable them to finish it in their own time, but I could also give the students a set time to do the survey, perhaps after a session.
I have also learned that I need to reach a broader range of students, not just the engaed ones.
In addition, I have also learned that my working style is to have lots of random comments and references, and to put them together in a formal academic style to make them logical and digestible for myself. Writing Blog Posts has helped to crystalise and formalise my thought immensely!
My Action Research Project sought to address Social Justice issues of Student Inclusion, Digital Equity, Digital Literacy and equitable access to technology by enhancing engagement in sessions designed to teach digital skills, and Sustainability. Through the integration of an Analogue-to-Digital workflow and the incorporation of an Analogue Drawing-based methodology, the research has highlighted the importance of contextualising digital skills within students’ overall creative practice.
The findings reveal that digital skills alone are insufficient to produce high-quality submissions or to adequately prepare students for industry demands. Instead, embedding these skills within a broader creative workflow – grounded in iterative processes that move between Analogue and Digital practices – fosters deeper engagement and creative exploration. The drawing activity proved instrumental in bridging Analogue and Digital modes of thinking, helping students to view Digital tools not as rigid or intimidating, but as integral components of a creative and iterative process.
Survey responses indicate that the drawing exercises promoted engagement, confidence, and inclusion across all student cohorts. Year 2 students, having more sustained exposure to these practices, demonstrated the most cohesive alignment with the project’s goals. The data shows that the drawing activities helped students adapt to Digital tools, understand Digital work as part of the creative process, and feel more relaxed and confident about learning new Digital skills. Furthermore, collaborative drawing exercises fostered a sense of community, albeit with room for further exploration to maximise peer-to-peer learning and group bonding.
While the findings strongly support the value of integrating Analogue practices like drawing into Digital skill development, the research also revealed challenges. These included barriers to technology use or drawing accessibility (the question did not have any comments so I cannot be specific until I do further investigation) and mixed responses regarding the role of drawing in understanding digital processes. These areas warrant further investigation to refine the pedagogical approach and ensure inclusivity and effectiveness for all learners.
In conclusion, the project underscores that Digital Equity and Literacy must be situated within holistic, creative practices that resonate with students’ existing skills and workflows. By modeling a process-orientated, Analogue-to-Digital approach, I can create more inclusive, engaging, and effective learning environments.
Waiting for the lifts at East Bank in early November, I had a chance meeting with one of my colleagues who is a tutor on the Bespoke Tailoring BA course, Azleen Henry Masih. From previous conversations she knew that I was anxious about having enough time to complete the PgCert, and without prompting she suggested an idea to help – would I like her views on the comparison of Year 1 student work before and after I started Analogue Drawing exercises in Adobe sessions? I was overwhelmingly grateful at her amazing offer, which isn’t out of character; she is such a kind and thoughtful person. I was moved to tears as I rushed to my next session; I was teaching students 6 days a week at that point, and finishing my ARP unit was a journey to an increasingly distant shore. To say I was grateful is a huge understatement! Thank you Az, what a star!
Here is her piece, with no editing:
‘Tailoring Dsign and Identity’ Unit.
Learning Outcomes (LO) and Assessment Criteria
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
LO 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the client and cultural values of heritage craft. (Enquiry)
LO 2: Execute samples evidencing fundamental technical processes of bespoke tailoring. (Process, Realisation)
LO 3: Draft, cut and construct a bespoke tailored trouser. (Process, Knowledge, Realisation)
LO 4: Analyse a range of authentic research methods and apply them to 2D and 3D design development and product realisation. (Enquiry, Knowledge)
LO 5: Accurately record bespoke tailoring processes and techniques and design narrative. (Communication)
In response, to the value of the analogue drawing activities Steve has delivered, leading to digital presentation, I have selected eight examples of Final illustrations and Technical drawings of student work. Four from the formerly known L4/ Y1 Research, Design and Tailoring unit, where I was part of the academic team, who delivered, developed and mapped the current validated programme of study Tailoring, Design and Identity on BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring. The latter unit where we can observe Steve’s contribution.
The selected examples demonstrate a range of ‘passed’ work regardless of grade, for the purpose of diversity in their presentation to best appraise confidence, approach, experimental nature and impact. Aligning these to Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria, will give the premise for feedback.
LO 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the client and cultural values of heritage craft. (Enquiry). There is a clear shift in students stylistic confidence. RDT examples have a sense of naeivety compared to TDI examples. The latter, having developed an appreciation of the context underpinning their vision to promote and celebrate their Research with Fashion forward designs.
LO 4: Analyse a range of authentic research methods and apply them to 2D and 3D design development and product realisation. (Enquiry, Knowledge). With the support of Analogue drawing activities, the students’ approach to experimentation has encouraged illustrations with stronger contextual realisation, where there is bolder conviction.
LO 5: Accurately record bespoke tailoring processes and techniques and design narrative. (Communication) The execution of Bespoke Tailoring design details, namely Fastenings, Surface embellishments, Silhouette shapes (expressed through nuances as drapes/folds) and Belt Loops. Demonstrating an approach to holistically communicate details designed with a synergy to the cultural values of the narrative.
From LO 1-4, the impact of the analogue drawing activities, I have observed in our students work, is the elevated quality in fluency of the 2D-3D dialogue of visual communication. It is Steve’s contribution and involvement in immersing himself as a team player within our team, so that we can consolidate our academic vision in formulation, supporting the real-time cohesive delivery of a unit of study, where it is student-centered, with appreciation to each students cultural diversity.
I downloaded the raw data from Microsoft Forms, then I formalised the data using charts and percentages and including any comments for each question, then I analysed each question, then compiled an analysis of the questionnaire for each Year group, then made an overall analysis.
This suggests the keen and friendly ones filled in the form, and may not be a representative sample.
Generally the Drawing exercise at the beginning of the session was a positve experience for the respondents, apart from the one who stated that they didn’t like their fellow students, so that is a personal issue and anomoly.
I am glad that I included a comments box, and that the student used it to detail why they gave a negative comment so I could see it was an anomoly, and not related to my Drawing exercise, so I could discount it. In future I will always include a comments box for this reason.
I could investigate further whether it relaxed the students generally for the session and so promoted engagement, or whether it helped them directly engage with the Adobe software, or if it is a mix of the two.
Year 2
The response rate was 7 out of 34, 21%.
This suggests the keen and friendly ones filled in the form, and may not be a representative sample.
1. Most respondents prefer to work Analogue. This reinforced my epistemological findings, Bespoke Tailoring students make physical garments and are comfortable working Analogue so there is nothing unexpected in the data or comments. Those that prefer working Analogue agreed that it helped them relate to the Digital aspects of the session. This reinforced my epistemological findings, and encourages me to continue to develop this for students. The respondent that prefers working Digitally had not used ProCreate so the question was irrelevant.
The only comment shows the Drawing exercise was both constructive and mindful: ‘It doesn’t necessarily works as a connection to digital aspects, but helps wake up cognitive functions a little bit’.
2. All respondents level of digital literacy at the start of the year was either intermediate or beginner. This indicates it is important to make it straightforward for students to engage with Digital software.
3. Unexpectedly, most students experienced challenges or barriers during the drawing or digital activities (e.g., physical, technical, or learning-related challenges)? This is striking, and needs clarity as it could mean they found challenges such as signing in to a computer, which is common, or barriers such as using a mouse, which students don’t often reveal. Could I have worded the question better?
4. All respondents found that the drawing activity helped them to engage with the digital activity. This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
5. Most respondents found the Drawing activity helped them to adapt to digital tools, none found it didn’t. This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
6. Most respondents found the Drawing activity made them feel more engaged with the digital software, none found that it didn’t. 86% strongly agreed or agreed. This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
7. All the respondents felt the Drawing activity made them feel more included in the session. This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
8. All the respondents found the Drawing activity built confidence in their ability to generate ideas. This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
9. All the respondents found it valuable to briefly discuss their drawings. This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
10. Most respondents agreed that the focus on Process rather than Result in the drawing activity encouraged them to engage creatively with Digital learning in the session, although one respondent disagreed. This further encourages me to develop these sessions. I do not know why one respondent disagreed, they did not leave a comment.
11. Most respondents found the analogue drawing exercise helped them to see that digital work can be open and creative, rather than ‘binary’ (perfect/imperfect), with one respondent neutral. This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
12. Most respondents found the drawing exercise made them feel more relaxed about taking on new digital learning in the session, with one respondent disagreeing. This further encourages me to develop these sessions. I do not know why one respondent disagreed, they did not leave a comment.
13. Nearly split in half, respondents found the drawing activity fostered a sense of community and group bonding in the session, encouraging peer-to-peer learning and teaching or were neutral about it. This is positive, but needs more investigation to develop these sessions.
14. Most respondents found the collaborative drawing activities (using one large piece of paper) increased the sense of community and group bonding compared to the individual drawing activities, with almost a third somewhat or neutral.
15. Almost half the respondents found the drawing activity made it easier to discuss/raise questions during the digital activity, with the other half neutral. This is positive, but needs more investigation to develop these sessions.
16. Almost half the respondents found the drawing activity stimulated creative thinking for the rest of the digital session, with the other half neutral. This is positive, but needs more investigation to develop these sessions.
17. Most respondents found the drawing activity helped somewhat to understand how digital work can be used as part of the creative process, with a third neutral. This is positive but cooler, but needs more investigation to develop these sessions.
18. Almost all respondents found that the analogue drawing activity had an impact on their overall confidence when engaging with digital tools. No one found it was detrimental. This correlates with my epistemological experience, and is further encouragement to develop these sessions.
There was only one comment or suggestion about the drawing activities or the sessions in general, which I think was related to the inital open drawing session at the beginning of the year, not the tech sessions. This is a positive comment.
Year 3
The response rate was 5 out of 34, 15%.
This suggests the keen and friendly ones filled in the form, and may not be a representative sample.
I did not do drawing with Year 3 in Year 1 as I did not start teaching on the course till the following year, so this was the first time I had done drawing with them. They were surprised and unused to creating drawings as Fine Art with an open exploration, as they are taught to be as precise as possible.
At the time of the sessions they were under pressure, there was a deadline for submissions and the final year is also a time of great focus on the Final Major Project.
In the sessions I wanted to comfortably take them out of the comfort zone, so in Question 2 I wanted to know if they were happy to do drawing in the session, that it didn’t seem like a chore or a box ticking exercise or a mandated task. The Drawing exercise at the beginning of the session was a positve experience for the respondents. They requested some earlier in the Design process, and also later when they could draw from their initial Toiles to get more inspiration.
I could investigate further whether it relaxed the students generally for the rest of the session and so promoted engagement, and how much it contributed to the creative development of their work.
Although I couldn’t attend workshop 3a, I saw the recording and chose Semiotic analysis and Thematic analysis to compare. Whilst they are both qualitative research methods used to interpret data, they differ in focus and application.
Semiotic Analysis
Semiotic analysis examines signs and symbols within cultural contexts to understand how meaning is constructed and communicated. It involves identifying the signifier (the form of a sign) and the signified (the concept it represents), and analysing their relationship to interpret underlying meanings. This method is particularly useful in studying visual media, advertisements, and cultural artifacts. I teach basic Semiotics online in a UAL Short Course ‘Introduction to Visual Communication’, so I am familiar with it and is an approach I find very valuable to interpret the visual world, and also links back to my interest in context and relevance discussed in my first ARP Post www.23044881.myblog-staging.arts.ac.uk/2025/01/09/arp-1-my-project-focus
In “Social Research: A Practical Introduction,” (Curtis, B. & Curtis, C., 2021. ‘Social Research: A Practical Introduction’. 2nd ed. London: SAGE.), Bruce Curtis and Cate Curtis describe semiotic analysis as “the study of signs and their meaning relating to the social world and social processes.” They emphasise that this approach focuses on understanding how meaning is generated and interpreted within specific cultural contexts.
Thematic Analysis
Thematic analysis is a method for identifying, analysing, and reporting patterns (themes) within qualitative data. It involves coding data, searching for themes among codes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing a report. This approach is flexible and can be applied to various types of qualitative data, including interviews, focus groups, and open-ended survey responses.
According to ATLAS.ti, which is software to analyse data (I didn’t use it as I didn’t want to purchase it), thematic analysis “provides a flexible yet structured approach to analysing data from surveys, offering qualitative researchers a methodical way to interpret complex datasets.” This method allows researchers to systematically identify and interpret key themes emerging from qualitative data.
While semiotic analysis is valuable for interpreting visual materials and understanding cultural meanings, thematic analysis offers a more straightforward and structured approach for analysing textual data from questionnaires. By focusing on the content of students’ responses, thematic analysis facilitates the extraction of meaningful insights.
Relevance to my Analyses:
I think in this context thematic analysis is particularly suitable. This method will enable me to systematically identify common themes and patterns in the students’ feedback, providing insights into their learning experiences, challenges faced, and areas for improvement.
For instance, if students frequently mention difficulties in mastering specific Illustrator tools, thematic analysis can highlight this as a recurring theme, suggesting a need for targeted instructional support. Additionally, thematic analysis can uncover positive experiences, such as aspects of the analogue drawing exercise or software that students find intuitive or particularly useful for their creative processes.
I was grateful to Karen for mentioning a book she finds useful ‘Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide’ by Virginia Brau, Sage Publication, (2021). In particular I like the approach that I am part of the process, not standing objectively outside of it.
Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2021) ‘Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide’ London, Sage Publications.
Curtis, B. & Curtis, C., 2021. ‘Social Research: A Practical Introduction’. 2nd ed. London: SAGE.
The response rates for the questionnaire across Year 1 (21%), Year 2 (21%), and Year 3 (15%) were relatively low, which raises questions about the representativeness of the data and the potential for bias. A key concern is that the data may disproportionately reflect the perspectives of students who are already engaged, confident, or motivated to provide feedback. This “keen and friendly” subset may not fully capture the experiences of less engaged or less confident students, who may face the greatest challenges in the areas of inclusion, digital equity, and digital literacy. Understanding why certain groups did not participate is crucial for refining future data collection methods.
Challenges with the Questionnaire Design
The ambition of the questionnaire itself appears to have influenced the quality of responses. The detailed and extensive nature of the survey may have been overwhelming for some students, particularly Year 2 students, who provided no comments despite a reasonable response rate. This could suggest that the questionnaire length or complexity discouraged detailed engagement. For Year 1 and Year 3, shorter surveys or more targeted questions may have allowed for more focused insights, with more comments recorded.
The observation that Year 1 and Year 3 students provided more comments, despite their lower or comparable response rates, suggests that a different design or delivery approach could have been more effective for Year 2. This may have been compounded by practical barriers, such as limited time to complete the survey or unclear instructions.
Delivery Methods and Refinements
The mode of delivery – a printed version versus a version presented digitally or via tutors – could also have affected engagement. A printed version, with opportunities for in-session completion, might have improved response rates and also allowed the questionnaire to reach students who are less proactive in seeking out or completing surveys independently.
Lessons for Future Surveys
Streamline the Questionnaire: Reducing the number of questions, particularly for Year 2 students, could enhance engagement and completion rates while encouraging more detailed and thoughtful responses.
Diversify Delivery Methods: Combining printed and digital delivery methods, while leveraging tutor-led sessions, could increase reach and accessibility.
Address Potential Biases: Future surveys should include strategies to engage less responsive students, such as incentivising participation or directly addressing barriers they might face.
Timing and Context: Administering surveys at a time when students are less pressured by deadlines and commitments could yield more representative and reflective data.
Iterative Testing: Piloting the survey with a small group of students, not just colleagues, before wider distribution could help identify and resolve issues with question clarity, length, or accessibility.
In conclusion, the data collected provides valuable insights but is limited by low response rates and possible bias. In the future I will focus on refining the questionnaire design and delivery to engage a broader, more representative sample of students. This will ensure a richer understanding of their experiences and enable more targeted interventions to support inclusion, digital equity, and literacy.
I researched some academic papers regarding low response rates, and found an article ‘Solutions to address low response rates in online surveys’ (Wa’ed Shiyab, Caleb Ferguson, Kaye Rolls, Elizabeth Halcomb, European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, Volume 22, Issue 4, May 2023, Pages 441–444, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvad030) which discusses strategies to enhance participation in online surveys, emphasising the importance of well-designed questionnaires, personalized invitations, and regular reminders.
The authors note:
‘low response rates remain a key contributor to bias and the overall quality of results. Having a well-designed survey, … sending personalised invitations, offering regular reminders, and using more than one recruitment strategy are evidence-based approaches to improve response rates.’
‘The role of personalised communication cannot be overstated; tailored messages increase the likelihood of participation by creating a sense of relevance and importance for the respondent.’
‘Using reminders at strategic intervals significantly boosts response rates, with the timing and tone of the reminders playing a crucial role in engaging participants.’
I will bear these points in mind when designing my next questionnaire.
Wa’ed Shiyab, Caleb Ferguson, Kaye Rolls, Elizabeth Halcomb, European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, Volume 22, Issue 4, May 2023, Pages 441–444, www.doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvad030
Reflecting on the practicalities of collecting data through online forms, I found that I needed to prompt students in person, as well as email, to fill in the forms. This included bumping in to them in the canteen, and also planned reminders at the end of group meetings to which I was kindly invited to speak by Daniel Poulsen. I ensured that I was very relaxed, and approachable as it was a voluntary task, and the students were being very kind in helping me. Each time I emphasised that it is an extra curricular activity, it is not part of coursework in any way, will not be marked and is entirely voluntary.
The students had submission deadlines at the end of term, so were distracted but I hoped that they might also fill in the form in the winter holiday.
The students who are most friendly and engaged were the ones who promised to fill in the form, and who probably did even if they did not say specifically, which makes me wonder if it will skew the results towards positive comments. I would prefer if there more comments from students who were perhaps less happy with the sessions so that I had a balanced view, and so had evidence of some things to improve upon.
I also wonder if the students might still feel the need to please me as a tutor – there is always a boundary there, whether the activity is coursework or not, despite my emphasis that the responses will be anonymous. I hoped that they felt they could be totally honest. One student said that they didn’t mind if their contribution was not anonymous; ‘I’m sure you will be able to tell that I wrote it!’. I haven’t looked at the data yet, but that statement was surprising – I don’t want to be able to recognise any student’s comments, I would like the exercise to be as objective as possible.
I decided to email each year group 3 times, the last one on the last day of term. I thought it would be too much to email them during the winter holiday.
As previously mentioned, I focussed on Year 2, as I have done more drawing with them than Years 1 and 3.
I will email them to say thanks at the beginning of the Spring term. Despite it being a voluntary exercise, I will take some biscuits for the students as a tangible token of my gratitude. I have found Bahlsen chocolate biscuits are always well recieved – I quite often supply them in my Friday afternoon sessions!
Having decided to use online forms for questionnaires, I contacted Mark Robinson from Learning Technology Support to ascertain the difference between Moodle Forms and Microsoft Forms. He was very helpful, and said that in Moodle Forms it is not easy to ‘nest’ questions within questions, so I decided to use Microsoft Forms, which also has better analytical tools. They are both secure and comply with GDPR.
Here is the link to the Year 1 online questionnaire:
To inform the students about the online questionnaires, as well as speaking to them in person, I sent a total of 3 emails to each year, spread over the course of a few weeks. The first ones are uploaded here as samples:
Here is my BERA statement, added at the beginning of all communication with students regarding the questionnaire, as seen in the PDFs attached to the previous Post:
I am studying for a postgraduate teaching certificate, and for the final part I am investigating the value(or otherwise) of Analogue Drawing activities at the beginning of my Adobe / Layout sessions.
I would be extremely grateful if you could take the time to give me your opinions by filling in this 5 minutes questionnaire, including writing any general or specific thoughts you may have in the final section.
This is an extra curricular activity, it is not part of your coursework in any way, will not be marked and is entirely voluntary.
You do not have to give your name and Year group, but if you choose to then I will ensure that the results are anonymous and I will be the only person to store that information; no other members of staff or students will have access to this.
I will present my findings to the PgCert tutors as anonymised data.
Please read the following information carefully before proceeding. Your participation indicates that you have understood and agreed to these terms:
Purpose of the Research This investigation aims to assess the role of analogue drawing in enhancing creative and technical outcomes, and increasing student access and engagement, during Adobe / Layout sessions.
Voluntary Participation Participation in this questionnaire is entirely voluntary. You may choose not to participate or to withdraw at any time without providing a reason, and this will not affect your academic standing or relationship with the institution.
Confidentiality All responses will remain anonymous, and the data collected will be used solely for research purposes. No personally identifiable information will be recorded, and your identity will not be linked to your responses in any publication or presentation.
Data Protection The data collected will be securely stored and processed in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Aggregated findings may be shared in academic or professional settings.
Use of Responses Your responses will contribute to academic research and insights into pedagogical practices. The findings may be published or presented, but individual responses will not be identifiable.
Contact for Queries If you have any questions about the research or your participation, please feel free to contact me at s.johnson@arts.ac.uk or d.poulsen@fashion.arts.ac.uk.
By completing this questionnaire, you confirm that:
You are at least 18 years old.
You have read and understood this disclaimer.
You consent to your responses being used as described.
Thank you for your participation, it is very generous and much appreciated.
Steve Johnson Associate Lecturer London College of Fashion
There were still amendments to be made when I did the online questionnaire, such as adding Likert scales rather than simple Yes / No multiple choice questions. The final versions and communications with students are in the next Post.
When designing the data-gathering process for my Action Research Project, I aimed to capture diverse perspectives across all year groups in the Bespoke Tailoring course while maintaining a primary focus on Year 2 students. To achieve this, I developed three distinct questionnaires – one for each year group – tailored to their specific experiences with my teaching sessions.
Year 2 was my focal group due to their comprehensive exposure to the analogue-to-digital workflow I was investigating. Over the previous academic year 23 / 24, I conducted regular sessions with them, starting with an open Analogue Drawing session and moving through Analogue Drawing activities in Graphic Design sessions to Analogue Drawing activiites to support their engagement with Adobe Illustrator. Their feedback would provide the most robust and nuanced insights into the effectiveness of this approach, given their year-long experience.
Year 1, in contrast, had only a term of exposure to my sessions, in this academic year 24 /25. While their limited experience could offer initial impressions and identify early challenges or successes, their data would necessarily be less comprehensive.
Year 3, while not directly involved in Adobe Illustrator-focused sessions, participated in related activities such as Analogue Drawing before an introduction to generating images using Adobe Artificial Intelligence (the lesson plans are in the previous blog post ARP 5 (https://23044881.myblog-staging.arts.ac.uk/2025/01/09/arp-5-lesson-plan-which-integrates-analogue-drawing-into-a-more-technical-session/) ), and general Graphic Layout sessions. Including this group allowed me to gather broader feedback about the role of Analogue practices in Digital skill development, even if their responses weren’t as tightly aligned with my core research question.
I spent quite some time refining the questions in the questionnaires!
I wrote my speculative Year 2 Questionnaire and shared it in our second group tutorial (attached ‘arp questionnaire rationale and questions 1.pdf’). The first part has the rationale, and the second part has the proposed questions with reason below, here are 2 examples:
Q1: were you nervous of using the computer? YES / NO, followed by IF YES, THEN Q1A: Did the drawing activity help to encourage/Help you to engage with the digital activity – YES / NO
‘Bridging the Digital Divide’: Not all students have equal levels of comfort or proficiency with digital tools, often due to varying access to technology in their educational or personal backgrounds. By incorporating analogue drawing—a universally accessible practice—students who may struggle with digital platforms can still actively participate and engage with the learning process. This helps to level the playing field, especially for those from under-resourced schools or communities where technology access is limited.
Q2: Do you PREFER TO work analogue (PHYSICAL DRAWING/SKETCHBOOK) or digital (PROCREATE, ADOBE SUITE (DELETE? normally (sketchbook or ProCreate) – ANALOGUE / DIGITAL
‘Appealing to Different Learning Styles’: Many educational approaches are dominated by digital or verbal methods that may not resonate with all learners. Analogue drawing allows for visual and kinesthetic learners to express ideas and engage with content in a way that aligns with their learning preferences. This inclusivity helps ensure that students who might be marginalised by traditional lecture-based methods can find a way to connect with the material.
The feedback from the tutoria was that it was too long, so I amended it to 21 questions.
I made a printed version for myself to see if this would work in addition to the online version, u ‘arp questionnaire 1.pdf’ and ‘arp questionnaire 3.pdf’. They include the BERA statement, as seen in the next post.
So now to gather data. Why did I choose a questionnaire?
From the initial workshop, ‘Methods Reading activity, I looked at all the suggested approaches. I discounted Collaborative Autoethnography as I was the only researcher, Document Analysis as the only documents were the Drawings created by the students, Creative Autoethnography and Art-based Action Research as I didn’t have time to include much of my own experiences.
My shortlist was:
Interviews: A qualitative research method involving direct, structured or unstructured conversations with participants to gather in-depth insights into their experiences, perspectives, or behaviours.
Semi-structured Interviews: A flexible interview format that combines pre-determined questions with open-ended prompts, allowing the researcher to explore topics in depth while maintaining some consistency across interviews.
Questionnaire: A data collection tool used to gather information from participants through a series of questions, often structured to elicit specific responses that can be quantitatively or qualitatively analysed.
Field Notes: Observations and reflections recorded by researchers during or after fieldwork, documenting behaviours, events, and environmental contexts to support the analysis of data.
Observation: A qualitative research method where the researcher closely watches and records behaviours, interactions, and environments to gain insights into social/cultural processes or practices.
I prefer to use a format that is in groups, either in-person or online, as it mirrors the usual interaction with students and also encourages them to speak when they are with peers, and I think there would be a good turnout if it has a social element – I wanted to run them in the canteen, and provide some sustenance. I intended to record the focus group in a voice note on my phone to inconspicuous when they are speaking, obviously I would request participants permission first!
However, I had changed my ARP subject after the first term had started, so I was very busy with teaching students and did not have time to arrange focus groups out of sessions. This was mirrored by students who I asked in sessions about collecting data; they had submission deadlines and coursework to do, so an online questionnaire would be best. I worried that only keen students or students who like me may answer, and skew the results. So I read the suggested text ‘Converse Presser 2011 Questionnaires.pdf’. Converse and Presser propose several strategies to reduce measurement error and enhance the reliability and validity of survey data, reflecting the authors’ emphasis on meticulous design and iterative testing as fundamental to achieving high-quality survey data. Here are some key strategies they recommend:
Precise Question Wording Ambiguous or leading questions can introduce bias. The authors stress that wording should be clear, neutral, and universally understandable. They note: ‘The way a question is worded can significantly influence the answers obtained.’
Pretesting the Questionnaire Pretesting is vital for identifying problematic questions or unexpected interpretations by respondents. They recommend pilot studies and cognitive interviews to uncover issues in question comprehension and response processes: ‘Pretesting is an essential step in the development of survey instruments.’
Avoiding Double-Barreled Questions Questions that ask about more than one issue at a time can confuse respondents and obscure true opinions. For example, asking, ‘Do you agree that taxes should be reduced and social services improved?’ requires two separate answers.
Offering Balanced Response Options To avoid response bias, response categories should be balanced, covering the full range of potential answers while avoiding leading options.
Controlling the Order of Questions The sequence of questions can affect responses. Early questions can set a tone or context that influences later answers. Randomisation or careful ordering can mitigate this effect.
Simplifying Complex Questions Complex or technical questions should be rephrased in simpler language to improve respondent understanding.
Using Consistent Scales and Formats Consistency in response formats (e.g., Likert scales) across questions minimizes respondent confusion and increases reliability.
I also read the suggested book “Inspiring Writing in Art and Design: Taking a Line for a Write” by Pat Francis’, which I found fascinating. I had wanted to use a visual approach for students to give me feedback, but time did not allow this either. I hope to revisit this approach, and use focus groups too, in the future. Here are my thoughts on the piece anyway:
I found it a practical guide aimed at helping Art and Design students enhance their writing skills, but it would be beneficial in data collection to encourage students to be as detailed as possible. Recognising that many students may feel more comfortable expressing themselves visually rather than verbally, the book offers short writing exercises and creative techniques to build confidence and proficiency in articulating the concepts and aesthetics behind their work.
The book is structured into three main sections:
Principles: This section introduces methods and practices to integrate writing into the creative process, emphasising the importance of finding one’s unique voice.
Practical: Here, the author provides exercises on keeping journals, generating and developing ideas, and structuring various forms of writing, including essays.
Examples: This part showcases sample writings to illustrate the application of the techniques discussed, serving as inspiration for students to develop their own writing styles.
By bridging the gap between visual creativity and written expression, Francis’s book aims to make writing a more integral and less intimidating part of students’ art and design educational experience, and I hope to use it with Analogue drawing to help students articulate and move forward with their Designer Identities.
Converse, J. M. and Presser, S (2011), The Tools at Hand, Sage Publications Ltd. Print ISBN: 9780803927438
Francis, P (2009) Inspiring Writing in Art and Design: Taking a Line for a Write. Bristol: Intellect Ltd
My Ethical Action Plan went through a number of revisions. I have included them all here to show this.
At first my project was too open ended. ‘How to increase student engagement for a series of sessions in which they learn a Digital Programme such as Adobe Illustrator.’ Feedback from Rachel and my colleagues highlighted that I needed to highlight the Social Justice aspect in the research question, so after 2 more drafts it became ‘Addressing the Social Justice issue of Student Inclusion, Digital Equity, Digital Literacy and the equitable broader access to technology, by increasing student engagement in sessions in which they learn Digital Skills such as working with Adobe Illustrator, and preparing Digital submissions of Portfolios, Sketchbooks etc. This is much more specifc and helped me to focus on what the actions and outcomes were enormously.
I also added ‘I want to emphasise and show objectively that Digital Skills alone are not enough to produce a good standard of work for Submission, and by extension for students’ career in industry. I want to do this by contextualising Digital Skills within students’ overall creative practice, modelling a creative workflow from Inspiration to Development and Realisation using a circular Analogue > Digital > Analogue process, more specifically using the approach of ‘Thinking through Drawing’. because I wanted to remind myself of the relevance and context beyond the immediate research question, and how I might implement my findings for future teaching. I like to think of myself as a Reflective Practitioner.
I also did more research in to the academic papers I wanted to refer to, so that they were embedded from the start of my Action Research Project.
Editing the ‘3. What action are you going to take in your teaching practice’ section also helped me to make practical steps. Looking at my timetable, I realised I had 2 great opportunities to action my research on 18th and 25th November in sequential sessions with Year 1 Bespoke Tailoring students. This definitely focussed my mind, as at the time I was teaching student-facing 6 days a week and my work on the PgCert had stalled! In one session I could do an individual drawing activity, and in the second I could do a collaborative drawing activity, and then ask the students about the difference.
For the section ‘7. How will you work with your participants in an ethical way?’ Rachel suggested I refer to the BERA principles from ‘Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research, fifth edition (2024)’ which is found at www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#privacy-data-storage, and which are attached here ‘Ethical Guidelines for ResearchBERA (1).pdf
This is my considered response:
Informed Consent: I will clearly explain the purpose and use of the data collection, and state that their involvement gives consent, explaining that their involvement is voluntary, and they can withdraw at any time without penalty.
Transparency: I will clearly communicate the aims of the study, how the data will be used, and who will have access to it. Participants will be given the opportunity to ask questions and clarify any uncertainties before agreeing to take part.
Confidentiality: I will protect participants’ privacy by anonymising all data collected, including drawings, feedback, and any observational notes. Personal identifiers will be removed or altered to ensure that individuals cannot be linked to specific data.
Respect for Individual autonomy: I will respect students’ autonomy by allowing them to opt out of specific activities if they feel uncomfortable, without affecting their participation in the broader session or their grades.
Minimising workload: I will ensure that the creative tasks and research methods used do not put any undue stress or pressure on participants. I will be mindful of workload and avoid making the process too time-consuming.
Ethical Data Collection: I will gather feedback and collect drawings in a non-intrusive manner, ensuring that students’ academic progress and personal experiences are not negatively impacted by the data collection process.
Debriefing and Feedback: After completing the study, I will share the overall results and key findings with participants, offering them the chance to provide further input. This will encourage a reflective and circular learning process for both the students and the staff involved.
Optional involvement: I will ensure the participants are aware that the project is not part of their curriculum and will not be marked.
I have turned my attention to how Action Research Projects can help me explore my Analogue Drawing exercises in sessions.
The intention is that one person becomes self-evaluative in order to work better for others with whom they are in company.’ from the Action Research booklet by Jean McNiff given to us by our tutors as a Word document.
This booklet is a very concise and accessible assessment of Action Research Projects. It has been very helpful to me in the way it states simply the steps to follow, and in particular I find a resonance with the focus on ARP being part of personal and group enrichment.
As I have mentioned, for my ARP I wanted to think about how I have been using ‘Thinking Through Drawing’ with students, and at first I had a broad idea to emphasise and show objectively that Digital Skills alone are not enough to produce a good standard of work for Submission, and by extension for students’ career in industry. However on reflection I have limited time, and I felt that the subject was too broad, so I decided to be more focussed and examine students’ particular responses to the Analogue Drawing activity in my technical Adobe sessions. Given the time constraints, I felt this would be straightforward, actionable and achievable.
I found the online workshop 1b very useful to envision where my project sits on the ARP circle; I did Analogue Drawing activities with students last year, so in discussion with Rachel and my fellow students in my tutor group, I realised my PgCert project would be starting near the end of the circle. In fact I found it very useful to conceptualise the circle as a spiral instead, as demonstrated by Rachel and Karen in the workshop. A spiral enables me to imagine reiterating and refining my project, so it doesn’t matter where I start, it will just keep on moving around. There is a resonance with my approach to Analogue Drawing with my students here, that nothing is perfect but we just keep going – “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better,” as Beckett famously said in his 1983 piece “Worstward Ho,” I need to objective state what I did, then analyse it, then amend it and do it again. ARP and Drawing are both iterative activities.
In addition, I applied this to my Ethical Action Plan, which underwent 3 drafts, following input from Rachel and my fellow tutees. I found the first group tutorial very useful, in particular Kayal mentioned the socio-economic dimension to decreasing attendance and engagement, and this could be part of the Social Justice aspect of my project. She also said it would be interesting to make it a toolkit available to all UAL staff to use in the future, something I am keen to do, but not sure how it would work logistically – I could run workshops for staff initially to test it. This ties in to my approach that there is a universality to my project which could apply to many subjects. Sabrina mentioned that I could consider different modes of making, how this linked back to the Analogue and informed access to different modes and media, which I found very interesting and is something I would like to expand on and explore in the future.
Here is my completed proposed first draft Action Research Circle:
With Daniel Poulsen’s kind permission, I have been holding Analogue Drawing exercises at the beginning of my sessions with Bespoke Tailoring students since the beginning of the last Academic Year, 23 / 24. As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, I have found that it creates a more open, creative and bonded group of students and helps them to engage with the technical aspects of learning a computer programme.
Here is an outline of a typical session, with a Lesson Plan.
When the students arrive they are asked to either distribute individual sheets of A3 paper, or assemble around a large sheet of paper from a Pattern Drafting roll, laid out on the floor.
Students are offered a selection of graphite sticks in varying sizes (small, medium, and large) and shapes (round to hexagonal).
For the drawing objects, students are given a range of natural items, such as seashells or pine cones, selected for their tactile and visual qualities. These objects are chosen to encourage hands-on interaction and provide diverse textures and forms for exploration.
Providing students with choices of pencil and object fosters a sense of agency and active participation in the session.
The drawing exercises vary across sessions to maintain novelty and engagement. A sample structure includes either Individual Drawing exercises or Collaborative Group exercises:
Individual Drawing Exercises:
Students are asked to stand up if possible to make it an active exercise, using their whole arm as well as elbow and wrist to make marks.
10-Second Drawings Students are asked to create two successive 10-second drawings of the object held at arm’s length, without looking at the paper. This exercise reduces self-consciousness, emphasising unselfconscious mark-making and reducing critical self-evaluation.
At this point I instigate positive and constructive feedback from both the students and me, to foster a supportive environment. I ask them to reflect on what they think of their drawings, making sure the other students are quiet and paying attention so there is space for peer to peer interaction, learning and mutual respect.
Extended Drawings Students move to 30-second drawings, including one continuous-line drawing where the pencil remains in contact with the paper. This activity further develops mark-making fluency and reinforces the non-judgmental nature of the exercise.
Group discussions become more dynamic as students gain confidence and recognise the open-ended nature of the tasks.
Sensory-Based Drawing Students make a 30-second drawing with their eyes closed, guided by tactile exploration of the object. This is followed by a 2-minute drawing using the same method. These exercises enhance sensory engagement and deepen students’ connection to their subject matter, and are related to a Mindfulness approach which has benefits for Mental Health and students’ overall well-being.
As they draw, I keep speaking to remind them that the aim is to make a broad range of mark-making that responds directly to their object, that it is about the Process not the Result, and that each mark is a question, not an answer, an inquiry rather than a conclusion.
A final group reflection consolidates learning, with students summarising their experiences and insights.
Collaborative Drawing exercise:
If we are doing Collaborative exercises instead of Individual Drawing exercises, students work on a large shared sheet of paper. The same drawing prompts are employed, with variations introduced in each session. Between exercises, students rotate positions, requiring them to respond to peers’ work and contribute to a collective composition. This process fosters critical thinking, adaptability, and a sense of shared responsibility for the overall piece.
To maintain momentum and prevent overthinking, all exercises are conducted at a brisk pace. This approach helps students remain present, focused on the group activity, and immersed in the creative process.
Following the drawing exercises which take roughly 15 minutes, the 3 hour session moves on to technical instruction in Adobe software.
Throughout the session I use Active Listening to respond to individual and group interests, to follow students’ comments and respond to their individual and group interests, and ensuring that the technical component aligns with students’ creative explorations and goals.
This example presentation for a Year 1 Bespoke Tailoring Adobe technical session demonstrates the application of these principles in practice.
Another approach that I find has a resonance for me was the ‘Drawing Futures’ symposium at the Bartlett School of Architecture in 2016. This event explored the value of analogue activity and culminated in the publication ‘Drawing Futures: Speculations in Contemporary Drawing for Art and Architecture’ (Allen & Pearson, 2016). The book examines the evolving role of drawing in art and architecture, emphasising its potential as a speculative, generative, and experimental tool rather than merely a means of communication.
Drawing Futures frames drawing as “thinking in movement” (p. 218), highlighting its kinetic nature and its ability to transcend representation. It becomes a critical medium for exploration and discovery, bridging traditional analogue methods with modern digital advancements. This synthesis reshapes drawing as a dynamic, hybrid practice that intersects with computational tools, algorithmic processes, and material experimentation, enabling interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative design thinking.
A key theme is the blending of analogue and digital practices, illustrating how ambiguity fosters creativity. Drawing acts as a bridge between the tangible and the conceptual, allowing creators to test and reinterpret ideas. Digital tools amplify this process by introducing scalability, precision, and interactivity, while analogue methods provide spontaneity, immediacy, and intuition.
The publication also reflects on drawing’s interdisciplinary potential, connecting it to science, data visualisation, and emerging technologies. The editors argue that “thinking is itself, by its nature, kinetic” (p. 218), emphasising drawing as an active cognitive process that contrasts with the static nature of working on a computer.
Several projects in ‘Drawing Futures’ exemplify these themes:
‘Intermediary Role of Drawing’: Elisabeth Shotton’s “Augmented Maritime Histories” (p. 34) demonstrates how analogue sketches layered with digital projections create dynamic reinterpretations, extending drawing’s cognitive and representational reach.
‘Kinetic and Reflexive Thinking’: Analogue drawing fosters tactile engagement, which is amplified by digital tools like styluses and tablets. This interaction merges the intuitive quality of hand drawing with the precision of digital environments, embodying “thinking in movement” (p. 218).
‘Generative Techniques’: Matthew Austin and Gavin Perin’s “Drawing the Glitch” (p. 15) introduces computational errors into digital workflows. These glitches interact with hand-drawn components, creating unpredictable forms that transform drawing into a tool for experimentation and discovery.
‘Material Computation’: ecoLogicStudio’s “Polycephalum” project (p. 49) combines analogue tracing of natural growth patterns with digital modeling to visualise environmental data, showcasing how iterative processes bridge intuition and computational refinement.
The text also describes drawing as “alive” through its evolving nature, blending analogue and digital practices to transform drawings into active artifacts (p. 28).
The integration of these approaches can be summed up in three points:
‘Analogue as Foundation’: Traditional drawing provides spontaneity and serves as a conceptual basis.
‘Digital as Amplifier’: Computational tools enhance precision and expand expressive capabilities.
‘Hybrid Creativity’: Combining both methods fosters experimentation, breaking boundaries in design.
The book reflects on how the introduction of computers has affected the act of drawing: “The hand gestures of drawing a line have been replaced by the pressing of ‘keys,’ the clicking of ‘buttons’ and the moving of ‘mice’” (p. 6), while algorithms “fundamentally change the relationship between drawer and drawn” (p. 10).
Saul Steinberg captures the essence of drawing’s potential, describing it as ‘a sort of reasoning on paper’ (‘The Artist and the Book in the Twentieth Century’, 1989). This sentiment resonates throughout ‘Drawing Futures’, underscoring the medium’s power to inspire new ways of thinking, creating, and engaging with the world.
Allen, A. & Pearson, D., 2016. ‘Drawing Futures: Speculations in Contemporary Drawing for Art and Architecture’. London: UCL Press.
Steinberg, S., 1989. ‘The Artist and the Book in the Twentieth Century’. New York: The Museum of Modern Art.
I felt that the most underexplored and unexplained aspect to my IP Intervention Project, and indeed teaching pratice, is how I have found experientially that ‘Thinking through Drawing’ is a very useful activity for student understanding and learning in both my creative and technical sessions, and is related to how students understand and assimilate subjects through different means.
This process of learning as a dynamic process rooted in experience references Kolb’s seminal work, ‘Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development’ (1984). Kolb defines learning as “the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984, p. 38). His model emphasises the cyclical nature of learning, comprising four stages: Concrete Experience (CE), Reflective Observation (RO), Abstract Conceptualisation (AC), and Active Experimentation (AE).
Kolb’s theory integrates these stages into the Experiential Learning Cycle, where learners engage in a concrete experience, reflect on it to form observations, develop abstract concepts or theories based on their reflections, and test these theories in new situations. This iterative process enables deep, adaptive learning that connects theory to practice.
A significant contribution of Kolb’s work is the concept of learning styles, which align with individuals’ preferences for engaging in different stages of the learning cycle. These styles – Diverging, Assimilating, Converging, and Accommodating – highlight how personal tendencies influence learning.
Kolb’s approach underscores the importance of active engagement and reflective practice, stating, “Learning is not the result of teaching, but the result of a learner’s own discoveries” (Kolb, 1984, p. 43). This humanistic perspective has helped me in bridging theory and practical application, particulary in my Adobe sessions.
The theory of Learning Styles is not without critics. Pashler et al.’s article, Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence (2008), examines the validity of learning styles and their application in education. The authors address the approach that individuals learn best when instruction matches their preferred learning style, such as visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. They refer to this idea as the “meshing hypothesis” and argue that while the concept is widely accepted, it lacks robust empirical support. Proponents of learning-style assessment contend that optimal instruction requires diagnosing individuals’ learning style and tailoring instruction accordingly.
The article defines learning styles as “the view that different people learn information in different ways, and that instruction should be tailored to an individual’s style to be most effective” (Pashler et al., 2008, p. 105). To evaluate this claim, the authors outline a rigorous research methodology: studies must randomly assign learners to instructional methods based on their learning styles and assess whether matching the style leads to better outcomes.
Their analysis reveals that most studies fail to meet these criteria, and those that do generally do not support the meshing hypothesis. Instead, they find that factors such as the nature of the material and general cognitive abilities play a more significant role in learning outcomes.
Pashler et al. conclude that “no adequate evidence base currently exists to justify incorporating learning styles assessments into general educational practice” (Pashler et al., 2008, p. 116). They caution against relying on unproven theories and encourage focusing on evidence-based instructional strategies to improve learning for all students.
Although there is doubt about the efficacy and relative worth of accomodating students’ learning styles, I am a reflective practitioner and like to use ‘Active Listening’ to respond dynamically to students’ responses during sessions.
From my sessions with Bespoke Tailoring Year 1 students in which we focus on learning Adobe Illustrator to produce digital manufacturing Technical Packs, I found experientially, that the act of Analogue drawing at the beginning of the session opened a dialogue between the physical and digital realms, bridging intuition and computation. By embracing ambiguity and abstraction, Analogue drawing allows for the emergence of new narratives and meanings, an approach which stayed with students when they started the practical Adobe Illustrator part of the sessions, and which emphasised the relevance and context of digital learning within a professional creative context.
I found that In ‘Drawing Ambiguity’, the introductory chapter of the book Drawing Ambiguity: Beside the Lines of Contemporary Art (Russell Marshall & Phil Sawdon [eds.], London, IB Taurus Press. ISBN 978-1784530693) David Horton explores how ambiguity in visual art, particularly drawing, can facilitate the emergence of multiple interpretations and new meanings. Horton argues that ambiguity, rather than hindering understanding, invites a more complex engagement with the viewer, allowing them to project their own experiences and interpretations onto the work. I hope that this is taken on by students from the Analogue Drawing exercise to give them ownership and personal meaning and reference in the Adobe technical exercises. “the absence of clear resolution in the drawing creates space for personal meanings to emerge” (Horton, 2017, p. 124).
Horton highlights that ambiguous drawings challenge the viewer’s cognitive expectations and encourage a deeper, more reflective engagement. He asserts, “By withholding definitive answers, ambiguity in drawing fosters a process of active meaning-making, rather than passive reception” (Horton, 2017, p. 128). This underscores the idea that the openness inherent in drawing fosters an interactive relationship between the artwork and the artist / viewer, which I think can increase student engagement with Adobe programmes.
Analogue making at the beginning of a Digital Programme session helps contextualise Digital learning in a Creative workflow, by encouraging an open, messy and imperfect approach to allow creative thoughts to develop physically rather than expecting them to appear as perfect pre fromed concepts. For the Fashion Tech Packs the process can seem mechanical and skill centred, and although we are aiming for the result of a perfect stylised rendering of a garment which can be objectively interpreted by a manufacturer, there is room for a student’s Designer Identity to flourish within this process and final rendering.
Referring to Rohlfs, A Art, Algorithm, and Ambiguity (2023) Heidelberg University Publications, Rohlfs states that ambiguity allows “a multiplicity of responses that emerge from the viewer’s own experiences and cognitive processes” (Rohlfs, 2023, p. 30). I could use ambiguity as a teaching strategy, so rather than just focusing on the technical accuracy of their work, students could engage in the iterative process of discovery and interpretation, which would lead to the creation of more original designs. In building confidence and encouraging creative risk-taking in Adobe Illustrator, students may initially be hesitant to use advanced tools or experiment with layering and effects but students can develop a mindset that views mistakes as opportunities for growth – a Growth Mindset. This promotes Reflective and Iterative Learning. Instead of just following a step-by-step tutorial or aiming for an end result, students could engage in reflective practice where they continuously modify and refine their designs. This aligns with the idea of ambiguity allowing for “continuous re-interpretation” (Rohlfs, 2023, p. 22), as students reassess their work, develop new interpretations, and enhance their design skills. It encourages students to move beyond rigid technical proficiency and discover their own artistic paths within the software.
The Analogue Drawing activity emphasises that the Process is more important than the Result, in which the drawings are open, each mark is like a question rather than an answer, and that the unepexpected nature of the final drawing can suggest further directions to follow. I want students to bear this in mind when working with Adobe Illustrator, even if the final result needs to perfectly render digitally their created garment. This also resonates with my proposed approach to my Intervention for Cultural Appropriation, in which the focus would be on Process rather than Result to keep the dialogue open.
There is a resonance here with Action Research theory, in which the Process is more important than the Result, in the sense that by doing an action we can discover ways forward, either expected or unexpected. And in many ways the unexpected results can help us more than the expected, by highliting areas to work on rather than simply confirming that an Action works as intended.
I have been helped enormously by Daniel Poulsen, head of Bespoke Tailoring, who supported and encouraged me to formally develop my inclusion of Analogue drawing in my sessions, which include open drawing sessions, Graphic Layout sessions and Adobe Illustrator sessions, and has also been very supportive in allowing me to work with Bespoke Tailoring students for this PgCert.
In fact all of the Bespoke Tailoring team have been incredibly supportive of my efforts to bring some open Analogue drawing into the curriculum. In particular Azleen Henry Marsh’s engagement with my approach to bring Analogue Drawing more closely into the Year 1 students’ curriculum, and Alex Hall’s support of my Analogue Drawing at the beginning of Year 3 Graphic Presentation sessions has been fundamentally valuable, and his positive engagement with the resistance from some Year 3 students and the enriching dialogue among students and staff that it promoted (‘it’s great – like being back at Primary School! I never went to Art School so this collaborative drawing is fantastic! Let’s get it on the wall!’ was one response, another was ‘why are we wasting time when our submission deadline is 2 weeks away?’).
David Horton in Sawden P and Marshall, R (eds), 2015, Drawing Ambiguity: Beside the Lines of Contemporary Art, London, Bloomsbury Visual Arts
Another detail from students’ collaborative drawing
By integrating Analogue drawing into my Adobe/Illustrator sessions, my research addresses Social Justice principles, making digital learning more inclusive, equitable, and accessible.
I run the Layout and Adobe section for the ‘Introduction To’ unit across 4 courses, which is the first unit that Year 1 students take, at the beginning of their BA courses. There are over 100 students involved, so I have a lot of experience with this unit. I fully support the UAL policy regarding Inclusivity that students should not need to own a computer to complete their BA or MA course. However I have found that students want advice at this early stage about whether they need to have their own computer. I initiate an open discussion about this, starting with what devices the students currently use, and then promote a peer to peer discussion about how and what computers they use. It is a very reassuring way for students to feel comfortable about whether to own a computer, as they can see practical examples and advice from students who already own a computer. I want students to come to their own decision about owning a laptop, with information carefully unfolding that iPads don’t work with Adobe fully, that Industry uses Adobe, and that almost all students find it more convenient to be able to work outside college even though there are lots of Open Access computers in college.
I have found that most students either have an iPad or Apple laptop, with I guess around 5 percent having PC laptops. However there are always 4 or 5 students who don’t have either, and I am extremely careful not to make any students feel uncomfortable about owning a computer, emphasising that the Open Access computers are available, and that any financial outlay would be worth it for the whole of the course and beyond. I always offer my help to suggest ways to purchase computers, and I always mention the Student Hardship Fund; I am very careful to say that I am not addressing any particular student when I discuss these options, and I purposely look at the floor when discussing the Student Hardship Fund so no student feels I am looking at them in particular. Last time I had the discussion the students told me I had looked at the floor for long enough, they got the message and it was time to look at them again!
I am aware that it is an extremely sensitive subject, and I find promoting a peer to peer discussion about what and how students use computers is a very reassuring way for students to feel comfortable about whether to own a computer.
In the future I think it would be very worthwhile to explore this further, by objectively measuring anonymously what devices students start with, and what they finish with by the end of the BA course. My experiental guess is that almost all students have an Apple Macbook Pro at the end of their courses.
So I try to address the Social Justice aspect of Digital Equity by enabling all students to find a way to own a computer if they want.
Apart from Graphic Layout, the other part of my work in this unit is teaching basic Adobe skills, and this is where I hope Analogue Drawing is relevant for Inclusivity, to show that being creative does not depend on spending money on computers. I want my sessions to involve more than software mastery, to include confidence building and creative engagement with digital tools. By starting with Analogue drawing as a scaffold, I hope that students gain the foundational skills and confidence to engage effectively with technology, ultimately fostering greater participation, equity, and inclusion in digital learning environments.
Student Inclusion Student inclusion ensures that all students feel valued, especially those who may feel excluded due to background, experience, or language barriers. Analogue drawing offers a ‘low-barrier entry point’, allowing students of varying digital skills to engage in a shared, collaborative activity that values ‘process over perfection’, creating an environment where everyone can participate confidently. This approach fosters equitable participation in the session, including the Digital activities.
Digital Equity Digital equity is the fair access to technology and digital skills for full participation in University life. I draw on Fraser and Honneth’s dialogue in ‘Redistribution or Recognition?’, which explores the interplay between ‘economic justice’ (redistribution) and ‘cultural justice’ (recognition). As they argue, “Justice requires both the fair distribution of material resources and the recognition of cultural identities” (Fraser and Honneth, 2003). Fraser’s concept of redistribution focuses on addressing material inequalities like ‘affordable access to technology’ and ‘digital literacy’, while Honneth highlights the need for ‘cultural inclusion’ in digital spaces. This dual approach aligns with ‘digital equity’, addressing both ‘structural inequalities’ in access and ‘social injustices’ in digital representation. By providing ‘equal access to digital resources’ and recognising diverse ‘digital identities’, we aim for ‘inclusive participation’ and ‘cultural recognition’ in digital spaces.
In my research, ‘digital equity’ involves bridging gaps in digital experience, offering ‘Analogue drawing’ as a starting point. This allows students to build confidence before engaging with digital tasks. I’ve observed that while talented students often excel in design and layout, they may lack digital skills. By teaching them to transition from Analogue sketchbooks to simple digital PDF submissions, I help them build the foundational skills necessary for more advanced digital work.
Digital Literacy Digital literacy encompasses more than just technical skills; it includes the confidence and ability to navigate digital environments. Vygotsky’s concept of ‘scaffolding’ (1978) is useful, emphasising structured support to help students build new skills within their zone of proximal development (ZPD). In my sessions, Analogue drawing serves as a scaffold for digital skills, allowing students to practice design concepts before using Adobe Illustrator. As Vygotsky states, “What a child can do with assistance today, she will be able to do by herself tomorrow” (Vygotsky, 1978). This allows students to develop foundational skills in drawing, which they can later transfer to digital tools with initial support. Over time, as students become more confident, the scaffolding is gradually removed, fostering independence. As Vygotsky also notes, “The teacher must provide a support system that gradually helps the learner acquire the skill” (Vygotsky, 1978). This gradual reduction of support allows students to move beyond their current skills and develop new abilities.
Sustainability Incorporating sustainability into the project, I use discarded 3 metre wide rolls of background paper from the BA Illustration department and photographic studio for drawing activities. This practice supports both environmental sustainability and collaborative learning, reinforcing the value of creative, resourceful approaches in design education.
Fraser, N. and Honneth, A., 2003. Redistribution or Recognition? A Political-Philosophical Exchange. Verso.
Vygtsky, L. S. 1978. ‘Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes’ Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Another large, related influence at this time was Fred Wilson’s ‘Mining the Museum’ (1992), an exhibition at the Maryland Historical Socity, commissioned as a collaboration by the Contemporary Museum, Baltimore in the US that examined curatorial practices and the politics of museum representation. The installation rearranged the museum’s collection to expose the racial and cultural biases embedded in traditional curatorial narratives. By juxtaposing unexpected objects, such as an arrangement of silver repoussé vessels – often celebrated as symbols of Maryland’s craftsmanship and affluence – alongside a pair of iron slave shackles, Wilson illuminated the erasures and silences in historical displays. He asked viewers to consider “whose stories are told, and whose are missing” in institutions (Wilson, 1992).
I have been given two other interesting references by my ARP tutor, Rachel, which I have briefly investigated and will look into in more depth after the PgCert has finished:
Museums Are Not Neutral is a global advocacy initiative co-produced by La Tanya S. Autry and Mike Murawskito expose the myth of museum neutrality and demand equity-based transformation across institutions. www.artmuseumteaching.com/2017/08/31/museums-are-not-neutral
Museum Detox champions fair representation and the inclusion of cultural, intellectual, and creative contributions from people of colour. They challenge and work to deconstruct systems of inequality that exist to enable a sector where the workforce and audience is reflective of the UK’s 21st century population. www.museumdetox.org
I reference ideas from both O’Doherty and Wilson in my teaching, in particular discussing Cultural Appropriation with students. For the Inclusive Practices section of the PgCert, I proposed formally expanding on this in my intervention. As mentioned, I have been helping the Printed Textiles tutor Sarah Cheyne over the past few years with her sessions on Cultural Appropriation, which were sparked by a student who refused to go on a drawing visit to the British Museum, and I also wanted to use it to continue to explore Cultural Appropriation in more depth for sessions with students and for myself.
However, reflecting on my IP tutor’s feedback from the IP Intervention Project, in which she said “the scope of your intervention appears broad, and it is not entirely clear which key ideas or aspects conclude as the main focus. For the next iteration of your intervention, I would love to see a clearer, more focused approach, perhaps by integrating more student-led aspects.“ I understood that I needed more focus. I was disappointed by my grade for the Inclusive Practices unit, and I reflected that perhaps I hadn’t communicated well enough that I wanted to look at Cultural Appropriation through the lens / method of ‘Thinking Through Drawing’ as a student-centred activity, so I do not present myself as an ‘expert’ but we all share our experiences through different ways of communicating and dialogue, that may produce unexpected results and so open up the discussion in open and unexpected ways.
So I felt it would be more apposite, focussed and pressing to explore the ideas behind ‘Thinking through Drawing’ in more depth in an ARP, and analyse how I can see it being a useful method for working in practice, helping with students’ approach to their work in my sessions.
A student-centered, experiential learning environment aligns closely with Carl Rogers’ principles of self-directed learning, collaboration, and reflective practice, which I explored in an earlier TPP POST ‘Fostering Experiential Learning in Fashion Education: Integrating Carl Rogers’ Principles into Teaching Fashion Technical Sheet Creation Using Adobe Illustrator’ https://23044881.myblog-staging.arts.ac.uk/2024/03/18/fostering-experiential-learning-in-fashion-education-integrating-carl-rogers-principles-into-teaching-fashion-technical-sheet-creation-using-adobe-illustrator. By giving students an overview of a creative process which does not promote one form of working (Analogue or Digital) over another, I am referencing his approach to:
Self-Directed Learning Rogers emphasised the importance of learners taking ownership of their education, choosing what, how, and why they learn based on their intrinsic motivations and goals. This autonomy fosters deep engagement and personal growth. Students are empowered to set their learning goals and identify resources that match their needs, and act as a facilitator, guiding students in their learning process rather than dictating content or methods.
Experiential Learning Rogers believed that experiential learning connects the intellectual and emotional aspects of education, making it holistic, rooting it in real-life, meaningful experiences. I want my Adobe technical sessions to involve hands-on projects, case studies, simulations, and collaboration to enhance student engagement with what could be seen as a ‘dry’ mechanical session. This approach fosters intrinsic motivation and personal investment in the learning process. (Deci & Ryan, 2000).
Understanding through Doing also refers to my TPP Post ‘Analogue Drawing and Digital Skills’ https://23044881.myBLOG POST.arts.ac.uk/2024/03/18/analogue-drawing-and-digital-skills
In the Post I reference Anders Marner and Hans Örtegren who claim, like James Wertsch (1991), that human action typically employs ‘mediational means’ such as physical tools and language, and that the mediation shapes the action in essential ways. This links to my adoption of an Analogue Drawing activity at the start of Digital Technical Skill sessions; Understanding through Doing or Thinking through Drawing – I don’t teach effects or techniques, I teach enquiry through differrent media.
References:
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Wilson, F. (1992) ‘Mining the Museum’. Maryland Historical Society.
My Action Research Project focusses on addressing the Social Justice issues of Student Inclusion, Digital Equity, Digital Literacy and the equitable broader access to technology and Sustainability, by increasing student engagement in sessions in which they learn Digital Skills such as working with Adobe Illustrator, and preparing Digital submissions of Portfolios, Sketchbooks etc.
I want to emphasise and show objectively that Digital Skills alone are not enough to produce a good standard of work for Submission, and by extension for students’ career in industry.
I intend to do this by contextualising Digital Skills within students’ overall creative practice, modelling a creative workflow from Inspiration to Development and finally Realisation using a circular Analogue > Digital > Analogue process, more specifically using the approach of ‘Thinking through Drawing’.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I currently teach both Analogue and Digital visual communication at LCF, in sessions which range from open, collaborative Drawing sesssions, through Graphic Design and Layout sessions, to Adobe Illustrator sessions focused on making Technical Drawings for manufacturing.
I work across 7 different BA courses at London College of Fashion, across all 3 years: Textile Design (Print, Knit and Embroidery), Womenswear, Menswear, Footwear, Accessories, Bespoke Tailoring and Fashion Pattern Cutting.
This has given me an extensive insight into how students learn Visual Communication, Creativity and Digital Technology skills in relation to their subject areas, and what might help to increase engagement and social justice in these sessions.
In particular I have found experientially that providing the Context and Relevance for subjects in my sessions is vital for student engagement and outcomes, and making access easier for all students from every background.
Another is my axiomatic approach that technology is at the service of creativity, not the other way round.
These are the basis for my Social Justice references, which I expand on in a later post.
My focus on Context and Relevance started from my time studying for an MA Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art in the early 1990s, when I became interested in how Art gains power and who grants it power. I realised that Context and Relevance are key for understanding Visual Communication in a very broad sense. I was vey influenced by reading Brian O’Doherty’s ‘Inside the White Cube: The Ideology of the Gallery Space’ (1976/1986) which critically examines the modern art gallery’s role in shaping the perception and value of art. The “white cube,” characterised by pristine white walls and minimal decoration, is described as an environment that isolates artworks, granting them an aura of neutrality and transcendence. O’Doherty argues that this “apparently context-free space” is far from neutral; it imposes “aesthetic and ideological values” that elevate art while also commodifying it (O’Doherty, 1986). The essay critiques how this sterile setting divorces art from real-world contexts, creating an artificial hierarchy that prioritises art as sacred and separate. This framework, O’Doherty asserts, “represses the social and political dimensions of art,” transforming it into a marketable object. Moreover, the gallery conditions viewers to adopt behaviors – such as quiet contemplation – that reinforce its authority and the commodification of artworks.
Brian O’Doherty’s critique of the white cube encouraged me to reflect on how spaces (and indeed dialogue) shape cultural and economic dynamics in the art world, and how similarly, teaching spaces have immense influence on student experience and expectation. The Digital Learning rooms 1011 and 1012 at East Bank are grey, severe looking and uninspiring, with banks of large screens facing a larger screen on the wall for demonstrations; I suggest this does not encourage an open, experimental and creative mindset for the students (and tutors).
O’Doherty, B. (1986) ‘Inside the White Cube: The Ideology of the Gallery Space’. Berkeley: University of California Press.
My intervention focusses on Cultural Appropriation, as outlined in a previous post: “To exist is to be called into being in relation to an otherness, its look or locus. […] The very process of identification, through which we project and disavow the other, is also a form of power over the other”. Bhabha, H. K., The Location of Culture, 2004 (1994) (p. 45)
This report critically evaluates my proposed intervention which is aimed at fostering an environment to consider Cultural Appropriation through discussion spaces, drawing sessions, and a critical examination of cultural appropriation (CA) and artificial intelligence (AI) biases. The intervention is particularly focused on first-year students in the BA Bespoke Tailoring course at the London College of Fashion (LCF), and their project ‘Intro To’ as an example, although it applies across all the 7 courses and 3 year groups that I teach on. It also applies to sessions for Staff too, which could be held in Staff Development week.
Here is a summary outline of 3 workshops:
Workshop 1: Each student or member of Staff would be asked to bring in an object of significance. It would not need to relate to their own culture if they don’t feel comfortable sharing it – it could be anything such as a coin used by a relative who was a magician. I would start the workshop with a discussion of my own object that I brought, and how it relates to my positionality, as an example. Then I would start a discussion based around a presentation, and perhaps play the video by ID (listed in the bibliography). Then we could pair–share the objects, making a drawing as a response to their partner’s object. I would put the drawings on the wall, and students would then describe the drawings of their partner and their (cultural) significance and the ethical considerations involved, using 30 words, which I would type up and put next to the drawings as related text. To promote an open and inclusive discussion, I would need to be sensitive and careful to foster a safe space for discussion, be empathetic and considerate towards the students and staff, as discussed in my blog posts ‘Faith and Intersectionality’ and ‘Peer Presentation Insights’. It’s important to encourage students and staff to share their cultural backgrounds while respecting those who may prefer privacy or want to focus on future aspirations rather than their past experiences. This workshop could lead to an exhibition of the work, perhaps including the results of the other 2 Workshops.
Workshop 2: We would visit a museum or exhibition, and do the same exercise individually with a drawing of an object, and then have a discussion in the café to relate how we can be inspired through Cultural Appreciation rather than Appropriation: “I want visitors to question the narratives they’ve been fed.” Museums are hiding their imperial pasts – which is why my tours are needed, Alice Procter, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/23/museums-imperialist-pasts-uncomfortable-art-tours-slavery-colonialism
Workshop 3: We would train an AI programme using our drawings as a Data Set, then use it to create designs, and then make drawings from them. These would be used in a discussion around the Ethics of using AI, inherent biases and Cultural Appropriation, providing students with a hands-on understanding of the complexities and ethical considerations of using AI in their work.
In order to run effective workshops to create a rich and inclusive learning environment, I intend to include several critical aspects, such as:
Open Discussion Spaces: I need to acknowledge both the tutor’s and students’ cultural backgrounds. As a tutor from Western Europe, my perspective on cultural artifacts has evolved over time; I found that conducting Drawing Sessions in my daughter’s primary school in Hackney allowed me to engage directly with diverse cultural contexts and marginalised voices. These spaces foster an environment of mutual respect and openness, allowing all students to contribute meaningfully to discussions.
By actively listening to students, encouraging open dialogue, and validating their experiences, I would not only enhance the educational experience but also prepare students to become innovative and thoughtful practitioners who can contribute to the evolving landscape of fashion and design.
Live drawing sessions help students process abstract concepts such as Cultural Appropriation in a tangible way. Drawing engages ‘thinking through making’, which works across learning styles and abilities. Pairing drawing sessions with case studies or visual analyses makes topics like the impact of AI in fashion and design more relatable and integrates practical and reflective learning. Case studies or visual analysis that highlight issues of Cultural Appropriation, such as the ‘Made in Holland, adorned in West Africa, (re)appropriated as Dutch design’ example in the bibliography below, not only prepares students to navigate a globally connected world but also equips them to become critically evaluative, innovative, responsible and thoughtful practitioners.
Cultural Appropriation and AI Bias: AI can perpetuate biases present in its training data, raising ethical concerns in digital design processes. Discussing and drawing with regard to these topics in workshops would help students develop a critical understanding of the implications of AI in their work. Practical exercises using AI tools allow students to explore these technologies hands-on, understanding both their potential and limitations in the context of cultural sensitivity.
Reflective practice is a key component of effective teaching. Continuously assessing teaching practices and institutional approaches to cultural issues helps identify biases and develop strategies to address them. Regular feedback from students and collaboration with colleagues enriches teaching practices, contributing to a supportive teaching community. The sessions for Staff would help to widen the awareness of Cultural Appropriation and the use of AI across UAL.
I would engage with the concept of Cultural Appreciation versus Appropriation. Cultural Appreciation involves a genuine respect, understanding, and acknowledgement of another culture. It is characterised by an engagement that is informed, consensual, and respectful:
Respect and Understanding: Appreciation requires a deep understanding of the cultural context and significance of the elements being considered.
Acknowledgment and Credit: Proper acknowledgment of the source culture and its contributions is crucial.
Permission and Consent: Engaging with cultural elements in a way that respects the wishes and rights of the source culture, often involving explicit consent, such as the example of indigenous people taking agency over the use of their cultural heritage by making an index of their designs (www.fashionrevolution.org in the Bibliography).
In her essay “Eating the Other: Desire and Resistance, (1992)” Bell Hooks discusses how Cultural Appreciation can foster cross-cultural understanding and respect, allowing for a meaningful exchange where the integrity of the cultural elements is maintained. In “Globalisation and Culture: Global Mélange, (2005)” Pieterse examines how Cultural Appreciation can lead to positive intercultural exchanges, enhancing mutual respect and understanding between diverse groups.
Strengths and Potential Improvements
I think the project has several strengths, including its clear professional relevance, engagement with urgent contemporary issues, and practical implementation plan. However, there are areas for improvement:
Evaluation Strategy: I need to develop a clear evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the drawing sessions and workshops, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative measures. This could be questionnaires to each participant, or a space for viewers to write their responses next to each drawing in the sessions or exhibition.
Sustainability Plan: I need to outline a plan for scaling the project and ensuring its sustainability, including training for additional staff and securing long-term support.
Clearer Articulation of Positionality: Explicitly stating my own background and experiences, as well as encouraging students to share theirs, will enhance the inclusivity and impact of the discussions. This can be achieved through structured introductions and regular reflection sessions.
Explicit Connection Between Drawing and Cultural Appropriation: Clarifying how drawing sessions will lead to a deeper understanding of cultural appropriation through specific case studies or visual analyses. For instance, incorporating specific examples of cultural appropriation in art and fashion and using these as prompts for drawing and discussion. Some of these are outlined in the Bibliography below.
Comprehensive Addressing of AI’s Role: Providing a detailed examination of AI’s involvement in perpetuating biases and promoting cultural sensitivity, with a specific focus on the fashion industry, is a multifaceted topic that encompasses various dimensions including ethical implications, practical applications, and case studies:
5A. There is an Algorithmic Bias in AI Systems which can perpetuate existing biases present in the training data. This can result in discriminatory practices such as reinforcing stereotypes or under representing certain cultural groups, for example AI models trained on predominantly Western fashion data might fail to recognise or appreciate traditional attire from non-Western cultures. Incorporating Diverse Data Sets, demonstrated by training an AI programme with our images; including a wide range of cultural expressions and traditional attire can help in promoting inclusivity. There are specific papers in References 5A in the Bibliography.
5B. Some Case Studies of Bias in Fashion AI:
– Amazon’s AI Hiring Tool: Amazon scrapped an AI recruitment tool after it was found to be biased against women, illustrating how AI can replicate gender biases.
– Facial Recognition in Fashion: AI-powered facial recognition tools used for marketing and retail can misidentify or under-represent minority people.
There is a specific paper in Reference 5B in the Bibliography.
Feedback from peers and tutors has been invaluable in refining this project. Key suggestions include:
Creating a Collaborative Space: Establishing a space for open discussion of CA that includes both staff and students, ensuring equal agency and active participation. This can be facilitated through workshops, museum visits, and collaborative projects.
Combining Drawing Sessions with Museum Visits: Enhancing the drawing sessions by incorporating museum visits, allowing students to respond to cultural artefacts through various media and fostering a deeper engagement with the topic. These visits can provide a rich source of inspiration and context for the drawing sessions.
Addressing AI Biases: Integrating discussions on AI biases in creative fields, possibly incorporating AI into the drawing process for iterative exploration of cultural appropriation.
Bibliography
What Defines Cultural Appropriation? i-D, www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwEMVEmeubk&t=1s
Meredith Mendelsohn, Why is the Art World Divided over Gauguin’s Legacy, 2017
Museums are hiding their imperial pasts – which is why my tours are needed, Alice Procter, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/23/museums-imperialist-pasts-uncomfortable-art-tours-slavery-colonialism
Young, J. O. & C. G. Brunk (Eds.) (2012). The Ethics of Cultural Appropriation. Oxford: Willey-Blackwell.
Strang, V. & M. Busse (Eds.) (2011). Ownership and Appropriation. Oxford: Berg
Bhabha, H. K. (2004 1994). The Location of Culture. London: Routledge
Gaugele, E. & Titton, M. (2019). Fashion and Postcolonial Critique. Berlin: Sternberg Press.
Schneider, A. (2003). On ‘appropriation’. A critical reappraisal of the concept and its application in global art practices. Social Anthropology, 11 (2), pp. 215-229.
Young, J. O. (2008). Cultural Appropriation and the Arts. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Scafidi, S.: Who Owns Culture?
Appropriation and Authenticity in American Law. Rutgers University Press, 2005 Beyond Buckskin (n.d.)
Picasso and the influence of African Tribal Art, Christopher Jones on Medium www.christopherpjones.medium.com/picasso-primitivism-and-the-rights-and-wrongs-of-cultural-appropriation-1f964fa61cee
Noble, S. U. (2018). ‘Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism.’ NYU Press.
Eubanks, V. (2018). ‘Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor.’ St. Martin’s Press.
O’Neil, C. (2016). ‘Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy.’ Crown Publishing Group.
Floridi, L., & Cowls, J. (2019). “A Unified Framework of Five Principles for AI in Society.” Harvard Data Science Review, 1(1).
Crawford, K. (2021). “Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence.” Yale University Press.
Dignum, V. (2019). “Responsible Artificial Intelligence: How to Develop and Use AI in a Responsible Way.” Springer Nature.
Made in Holland, adorned in West Africa, (re)appropriated as Dutch design Vlisco: https://www.annekesmelik.nl/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/FSPC_Bruggeman.pdf
Cultural Appropriation’s Negative Impact on North American Indigenous Peoples with Korina Emmerich – Slow Factory Open Edu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=223ITT6u72M
Indigenous communities combat cultural appropriation with traditional textile design database www.fashionrevolution.org/notpublicdomain-indigenous-communities-combat-cultural-appropriation-with-traditional-textile-design-database
This video from UAL’s Decolonising Arts institute briefly mentions appropriation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A77vQKICssw
Drawing Futures: Speculations in Contemporary Drawing for Art and Architecture, edited by Laura Allen and Luke Caspar Pearson. While not solely focused on cultural appropriation, this book explores the role of drawing in speculative thinking, which can be relevant to understanding how drawing can be used to explore and critique cultural appropriation.
“Drawing as a Way of Knowing in Art and Science” by Gemma Anderson. Drawing as a way of knowing in art and science / Gemma Anderson. Publisher: Bristol : Intellect, [2017]
‘Drawing as Research’ by Jill Bennett. This article from ‘Qualitative Inquiry’ explores drawing as a method of research, which can be applied to understanding cultural appropriation through visual representation.
‘Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development’. This journal often publishes articles that discuss cultural appropriation in various forms of art and media, which may include drawing as a medium.
‘International Journal of Cultural Property’. This journal focuses on cultural property and heritage, which can provide insights into the ethical and legal dimensions of cultural appropriation.
References 5A:
Binns, R. (2018). ‘Fairness in Machine Learning: Lessons from Political Philosophy.’ Proceedings of the 2018 Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, 149-159.
Mehrabi, N., Morstatter, F., Saxena, N., Lerman, K., & Galstyan, A. (2021). ‘A Survey on Bias and Fairness in Machine Learning.’ ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), 54(6), 1-35.
Bolukbasi, T., Chang, K. W., Sou, J. Y., Saligrama, V., & Kalai, A. T. (2016). ‘Man is to Computer Programmer as Woman is to Homemaker? Debiasing Word Embeddings.’ Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems, 29, 4349-4357.
Reference 5B:
Buolamwini, J., & Gebru, T. (2018). ‘Gender Shades: Intersectional Accuracy Disparities in Commercial Gender Classification.’ Proceedings of the Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, 77-91.
The recent peer presentation and critique session was invaluable, providing insights and affirming that others are still shaping their Action Research Projects (ARPs). I found the discussion of Fflur’s ARP particularly compelling, as it aims to help first-year students express their personal Creative Identity more openly. This resonates with my own approach in running first-year drawing workshops to help students express themselves. These workshops, which focus on collaborative work, allow students to make and discuss work as a group, gently reminding them of their inherent Creative Identity, even in something as simple as their preferred media. Sabrina highlighted the importance of scaffolding, providing objectivity for students to ease into their creative identity without feeling overly exposed to peers and staff.
For my intervention, peer feedback was crucial in refining my approach. I sought input on three primary elements:
Creating a space for discussing Cultural Appropriation (CA) and Appreciation.
Organising a drawing session to explore CA.
Examining how CA manifests in AI, given its inherent biases.
Establishing a Space for Discussion
Creating a space for open discussion of CA, fostering a collaborative environment in which I am an enabler rather than tutor, is vital so that everyone has equal agency. I suggested a workshop or museum visit, inclusive of both staff and students. This approach, as mentioned by Cai and echoed by Kayalvizhi, ensures the intervention “pushes up and down,” benefiting everyone. Such a setting encourages shared learning experiences and diverse perspectives, which would be more dynamic than a stataic online resource. Participants could lead discussions on specific exhibits related to CA, ensuring the workshop is not instructor-dominated and promotes active participation.
Drawing Session to Explore Cultural Appropriation
Drawing provides a concrete way for participants to process and express their thoughts. From the papers below, which are additional to the resources listed in the previous post, the act of sketching fosters a dialogue between the creator and their work, ‘thinking through making’, and makes abstract concepts more tangible. The challenge lies in making this activity actionable. Feedback from the peer-led discussion suggested that a drawing and discussion workshop, followed by a museum visit, would be effective. Participants could respond to their experiences through various media – drawing, painting, film, sound, conversation – catering to different learning styles.
The culmination of these responses could be an exhibition at LCF, showcasing the collective exploration and reflections on CA. This would include a panel discussion and be followed by a reflection session and questionnaire, allowing participants to discuss their learnings and the workshop’s impact. This not only validates participants’ efforts but also creates a resource for ongoing dialogue within the institution, perhaps involving LCF’s Centre for Sustainable Fashion, which emphasises inclusivity and ethical practice.
Addressing Cultural Appropriation in AI
Examining CA within the context of AI, given its inherent biases, is highly relevant as AI becomes more integrated into creative fields. Introducing discussions on current controversies and court cases related to AI training on unlicensed use of cultural images would provide context.
This aspect of the workshop sparked the liveliest discussion in the peer session, particularly with insights from Kayalvishi at CCI. I am concerned that AI can be used creatively yet perpetuate cultural biases inherently in the software. This affirmed my desire to use both analogue and digital means to explore CA. Analogue drawing uniquely helps us work through ideas, so it may be overly ambitious to include a dedicated session on AI. Instead, AI could be briefly discussed in the initial session, possibly integrating AI into the drawing process as an iterative exploration.
Overall I think the format of the sessions could work well, now I need to address how I would facilitate feedback, and use it to form the basis of my longer discussion of CA.
Schön, D. A. (1983). ‘The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action’.
Goldschmidt, G. (1991). ‘The dialectics of sketching’. Creativity Research Journal, 4(2), 123-143.
Tversky, B., & Suwa, M. (2009). ‘Thinking with sketches’. In ‘Tools for innovation’ (pp. 75-95). Oxford University Press.
Garner, S. (1990). ‘Drawing and designing: The case for reappraisal’. Journal of Art & Design Education, 9(1), 39-55.
van Sommers, P. (1984). ‘Drawing and Cognition: Descriptive and Experimental Studies of Graphic Production Processes’. Cambridge University Press.
Bradbury and Garrett’s academic studies reveal the deep-rooted biases in educational policies and career trajectories, while Sadiq’s TEDx talk and Channel 4’s documentary highlight practical steps towards meaningful inclusivity.
Alice Bradbury’s 2020 study, “A Critical Race Theory Framework for Education Policy Analysis,” scrutinises assessment policies in England, particularly their impact on bilingual learners. Bradbury highlights that these policies often reflect and reinforce racial biases, disadvantaging students from minority backgrounds. She argues that “the assessment system privileges certain forms of knowledge and ways of knowing, which align with the dominant culture” (Bradbury, 2020). This systemic bias means that bilingual learners are frequently marginalised, as their unique linguistic and cultural skills are undervalued. From an anti-racist perspective, Bradbury’s work underscores the need for educational policies that recognise and celebrate diversity rather than perpetuate inequities.
Rhianna Garrett’s 2024 research, “Racism Shapes Careers” examines how systemic racism affects the professional lives of minority scholars. Garrett’s findings reveal that racialised minority PhD students often face significant barriers to career advancement, including discrimination and microaggressions. One participant noted, “I constantly feel like I have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously” (Garrett, 2024). This pervasive issue not only hinders individual career progress but also perpetuates broader academic inequalities. Garrett’s study emphasises the importance of creating supportive environments that actively counteract racial biases and provide equitable opportunities for all scholars.
Sadiq’s 2023 TEDx talk, “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Learning How to Get It Right,” addresses the shortcomings of current DEI initiatives. Sadiq argues that stereotypes and assumptions undermine true inclusivity, stating, “When we rely on stereotypes, we fail to see the unique contributions individuals can bring to the table” (Sadiq, 2023). He provides examples from workplace settings, illustrating how biases in hiring and evaluation processes disadvantage minority candidates and calls for deeper engagement with diverse perspectives and experiences.
John Orr’s 2022 video, “Revealed: The Charity Turning UK Universities Woke,” presents a critique of anti-racism initiatives in higher education. Orr suggests that such efforts can be divisive and counterproductive. I disagreed with much of his approach: to promote anti-racism, it’s essential to recognise that initiatives aimed at increasing awareness and promoting inclusivity are fundamental to addressing systemic inequities.
Channel 4’s 2020 documentary, “The School That Tried to End Racism,” offers a practical example of anti-racism education in action. The programme follows a group of students as they participate in activities designed to uncover and challenge their own biases. This initiative demonstrates the potential for educational settings to become sites of significant transformation. It starkly illustrates systemic racism, which I find profoundly sad for children with their futures ahead of them but who lack privilege. Schools can play a pivotal role in shaping more equitable and inclusive future generations. This resource resonated with me deeply as a parent and member of School PTA wanting to provide an open minded, critically engaging and widely diverse experience for my child. I think anti-discrimination should start as early as possible, in nurseries onwards, so that children grow up experiencing and respecting different cultures and people.
Despite critiques like those presented by Orr, the importance of sustained, thoughtful anti-racism efforts remains clear. Addressing these issues requires ongoing commitment and a willingness to challenge existing structures, fostering environments where diversity is genuinely valued and supported, and, very importantly I think, from the earliest age possible.
Bibliography:
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. Read pages 2-5 & 7-11.
Sadiq, A. (2023) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it right. TEDx [Online}. Youtube. 2 March. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR4wz1b54hw
Orr, J. (2022) Revealed: The charity turning UK universities woke. The Telegraph [Online]. Youtube. 5 August. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRM6vOPTjuU
Channel 4. (2020) The School That Tried to End Racism. [Online}. Youtube. 30 June. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I3wJ7pJUjg
The Oxford English Dictionary defines cultural appropriation as the taking over of creative or artistic forms, themes, or practices by one cultural group from another, especially Western appropriations of non‐Western or non‐white forms, which carry connotations of exploitation and dominance.
I worked with tutor Sarah Cheyne in the Textiles department at LCF on an introductory presentation on ethical research called ‘Respectful Research’, which focussed on Cultural Appropriation. It was aimed at helping students be sensitive to cultural contexts when they use images and artifacts to develop textile designs in Print, Knit and Embroidery.
I would like to expand and formalise this as a resource across LCF. In particular, I teach Digital Communication on ’Intro to’, the first project for First Year students, which brings together 5 different courses. Students gather primary research from visits to Museums and Galleries to inform their first collection, and I would like to lead Drawing sessions in these and other institutions to discuss, and physically explore through making, issues around Cultural Appropriation.
These Drawing sessions could extend to dedicated Drawing workshops in conjunction with LCF’s Centre for Sustainable Fashion, one of whose key aspects is inclusivity and ethical practice. This definition of cultural appropriation comes from their useful glossary and resources: ‘Cultural appropriation refers to situations when elements of one culture are trivialized and used as an empty spectacle, without sensitivity to their deeper meaning or their relationship to the values and beliefs of the culture they originate from.’
I could also discuss the current controversy and court cases regarding the companies who are building Artificial Intelligence, and their alleged training of Artificial Intelligence programmes on the unlicensed use of copyright images, and potential inherent biases.
By embedding an appreciation of the concept of Cultural Appropriation across all practical courses at LCF, I would hope to raise student inclusivity and engagement.
References:
What Defines Cultural Appropriation? i-D, www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwEMVEmeubk&t=1s
Meredith Mendelsohn, Why is the Art World Divided over Gauguin’s Legacy, 2017
Museums are hiding their imperial pasts – which is why my tours are needed, Alice Procter, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/23/museums-imperialist-pasts-uncomfortable-art-tours-slavery-colonialism
Young, J. O. & C. G. Brunk (Eds.) (2012). The Ethics of Cultural Appropriation. Oxford: Willey-Blackwell.
Strang, V. & M. Busse (Eds.) (2011). Ownership and Appropriation. Oxford: Berg
Bhabha, H. K. (2004 1994). The Location of Culture. London: Routledge
Gaugele, E. & Titton, M. (2019). Fashion and Postcolonial Critique. Berlin: Sternberg Press.
Schneider, A. (2003). On ‘appropriation’. A critical reappraisal of the concept and its application in global art practices. Social Anthropology, 11 (2), pp. 215-229.
Young, J. O. (2008). Cultural Appropriation and the Arts. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Scafidi, S.: Who Owns Culture? Appropriation and Authenticity in American Law. Rutgers University Press, 2005 Beyond Buckskin (n.d.)
Picasso and the influence of African Tribal Art, Christopher Jones on Medium www.christopherpjones.medium.com/picasso-primitivism-and-the-rights-and-wrongs-of-cultural-appropriation-1f964fa61cee
UAL statistics regarding staff and students who have a faith, show a 10% higher declaration rate from staff than students. This made me wonder whether students might be more hesitant to declare their faith, but I need further investigation.
In the YouTube video “Challenging Race, Religion, and Stereotypes in Classroom,” Simran Jeet Singh, a Religion Professor at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, discusses the importance of addressing and challenging stereotypes related to race and religion in educational settings. Singh points out that while we tend to view communities as homogenous, each community is diverse. This relates to a complexity around this unit – the struggle to reconcile differences between minority groups, such as religions and LGBTQ+ rights. In the online session it was noted that it can be difficult to be a mediator in the classroom, so looking at how faith can be expressed in multi faceted ways can be a starting point; religions are not a homogenous group so we could discuss if there is a breadth of perpectives within that religion for instance.
Singh highlights specific strategies and personal anecdotes to illustrate effective teaching methods for combating stereotypes: ‘what I like to do in my classroom or in my advocacy or even when I’m out on the street is try and demonstrate the differences that exist within these communities by challenging basic stereotypes’ so he ‘strike(s) up conversations and smile(s) and laugh(s)’ In addition he also says ‘If we can try and understand where people are coming from with empathy with sort of a human element then that allows us to really engage with difference in a way that is constructive rather than destructive’. His approach, which emphasises everyone’s common humanity and with it, empathy, while creating dialogue amongst students, resonates with my approach because it helps students engage with differences constructively. When teaching technical Adobe sessions, I encourage students to engage in a 15-minute collaborative drawing project at the start. This exercise fosters collaborative discussion and counters the isolation of sitting behind a screen for three hours. Additionally, I am considering changes to the layout of computer rooms to facilitate group work and collaboration, which are currently hindered.
Reki’s article explores Miranda Fricker’s two forms of epistemic injustice in the context of religious identity and its intersections with race and gender. For instance, Muslim women who veil may face testimonial injustice due to stereotypes about their religion and dress. Additionally, hermeneutical injustice occurs when the experiences of religious individuals are not adequately understood or represented in societal discourse, leading to their marginalisation. Hermeneutical Injustice occurs when a gap in collective interpretive resources puts someone at an unfair disadvantage in making sense of their social experiences. For instance, before “sexual harassment” was widely recognised, many women struggled to articulate their experiences of workplace misconduct. Reki emphasises considering multiple aspects of identity and intersectionality to fully understand and address epistemic injustices faced by religious individuals.
The Online session discussed the legally protected characteristics of religious and cultural observances, so if there is a structural and predictable outcome, such as the effects of fasting for Ramadan on students, we have a legal duty to remove barriers. UAL has a faith and religion calendar which I will refer to so that I can plan my projects to have least impact on students.
In this post I consider Intersectionality, and how my teaching in open spaces can impact disabled people.
Intersectionality, a concept introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, explores the interconnected nature of identity such as race, class, gender, and sexuality. It considers how these intersections contribute to unique experiences of discrimination. For instance, a black woman may face challenges distinct from those experienced by a white woman or a black man due to the simultaneous impact of racism and sexism.
The Paralympic movement, as discussed by Ade Adepitan, illustrates intersectionality’s relevance. Ade links this movement with broader societal issues like the Black Lives Matter movement. “I think there are definitely parallels there and there are things that we can learn from each other. The Black Lives Matter movement can learn from the Paralympic movement.” This connection underscores shared themes of equality, recognition, and resistance against systemic bias, using sport as an example to suggest a model for larger societal change, addressing inclusivity and systemic inequalities.
Chay Brown extends this discussion to the intersection of LGBTQ+ and disabled identities, highlighting the nuanced challenges and privileges within these communities.
Similarly, Christine Sun Kim is a deaf artist who highlights communication barriers, suggesting that societal structures, rather than individual disabilities, often impose limitations on people. She reflects a desire for precise communication in her Art. “I think that is why I want to be as clear as possible.”
The 3 interviews consistently address systemic barriers:
In sports, it’s about ensuring disabled athletes have the necessary equipment and coaching to excel.
Shay discusses improving LGBTQ+ event accessibility, advocating active engagement with disabled individuals to understand their needs.
In the deaf community, the emphasis is on the power of visual communication and the shared culture and language that foster inclusion.
These perspectives highlight that while the challenges faced may differ — be they physical, infrastructural, communicative, or cultural—the underlying issue of inclusivity remains constant.
I was interested in the social model of disability – that people are disabled by barriers in society, rather than by their condition or impairment. Ade says, “What makes people disabled is not their disability… it’s society, society is what holds us back, it’s that systemic discrimination.” So instead we could say ‘it looks like something is not working here’. This leads me to my teaching.
13% of students at LCF have a declared disability according to UAL’s latest Student Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Report (December 2022). This includes Hearing impaired students, Neurodivergent students who can be particularly sensitive to intrusive noise and some students whose intersectionality relates to both of these.
I teach Drawing, Digital Communication and Graphic Design at LCF. Often the sessions are in open spaces and very busy locations. My students find it hard to concentrate because of the background noise, and have difficulty hearing me and each other. People passing close by also create a distraction.
I arrange to use other spaces where possible. If not, I email students in advance about the space, supply printed material to work from, write notes, and check individually to ensure students can manage. But these adaptations are not without their limitations, require patience from everyone, and do not completely overcome the barriers to learning caused by these open spaces.
Introduction and Background: Collaborative drawing sessions for Year 1 BA Textile Design students foster class bonding, teamwork and enhance creative skills. However, when students are not all fluent English speakers, providing effective verbal feedback and promoting teamwork can pose challenges. I examine strategies for providing verbal feedback and increasing teamwork, with a focus on Tuckman’s group formation theory (Tuckman (1965) and pedagogical approaches to language diversity. As Macfarlane (2004) emphasises, “Teaching with integrity involves addressing the diverse needs of students, including language proficiency.”
Evaluation: The Drawing sessions have a practical focus, in which communication is enhanced using signs and gestures, but the other activities such as group discussion and critical anaysis are more challenging when there are language barriers.
Verbal Feedback Quality: I need to be clear and specific to help Students understand and implement feedback in their drawings, and monitor the degree of engagement in feedback exchanges, ensuring all students are engaged. Johnson and Johnson (2009) assert, “Active participation enhances learning outcomes.”
Teamwork and Collaboration: It is important to observe teamwork dynamics, including communication, cooperation, and division of tasks among students (eg helping each other practically) to contribute to collective goals. Gardner (1983) suggests, “Collaboration promotes the development of multiple intelligences.”
Language Accessibility: I need to assess the effectiveness of communication strategies in accommodating non-fluent English speakers, utilising visual aids, gestures, and simplified language to enhance comprehension.
Issues:
1. Language Barrier: Students with limited English may struggle to understand verbal instructions and feedback, leading to miscommunication and frustration, and hinder the development of effective and collaborative teamwork.
2. Group Dynamic Challenges: Productivity and the formation of cohesive teams may also be influenced by cultural background and individual preferences. Students may also face difficulties in expressing their ideas and opinions within the group due to language barriers or lack of confidence.
Moving Forward:
1. Facilitate Effective Verbal Feedback: I will ensure I use clear and concise language, supplemented by visual demonstrations and examples, to convey feedback. I will also promote active listening skills among students to ensure comprehension and encourage peer-to-peer feedback exchanges.
2. Implement Tuckman’s Group Formation Theory: Use Tuckman’s theory of the stages of forming, storming, norming, and performing, even though they probably would not all occur in the same session. By providing team-building activities and reflection sessions I will strengthen interpersonal relationships and communication skills.
3. Promote Collaborative Learning Strategies: I will continue to enhance collaborative learning techniques, such as peer tutoring of techniques and group discussions, and emphasise the value of diversity and inclusivity in team dynamics, celebrating students’ unique perspectives and contributions.
Academic References:
Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental Sequence in Small Groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384-399. www.web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Group_Dynamics/Tuckman_1965_Developmental_sequence_in_small_groups.pdf.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2009). An Educational Psychology Success Story: Social Interdependence Theory and Cooperative Learning. Educational Researcher, 38(5), 365-379. (PDF)
Macfarlane, B. (2004). Teaching with Integrity: The Ethics of Higher Education Practice. New York: Routledge Falmer. (Adobe Digital Editions)
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
Introduction and Background: Building on the analogue drawing exercises I use as a precursor to digital design instruction, I explore further the integration of analogue drawing activities in Adobe Illustrator Technical Skills sessions for Year 1 BA Bespoke Tailoring students, aiming to enhance their learning experience and foster a deeper understanding of design principles. ‘drawing as an academic dialogue tool when developing digital learning designs, was seen as playing an important part in students’pedagogical considerations about digital learning designs and data collection’ Hautopp, H., and Buhl, Mie., 2021.
Evaluation: Assessing the effectiveness of Analogue Drawing with regard to enhancing student Digital Design skills requires analysing:
Engagement and Attention: • Level of student engagement and physical activity during analogue drawing activities. • Monitor how analogue drawing exercises stimulate interest and curiosity.
Skill Transferability: skills acquired through analogue drawing to digital design processes: • Define which skills transfer, eg fine motor skills and spatial awareness development, which directly transfer to Adobe Illustrator. Other skills include trialling, iterating and conceptualising which foster creativity and planning. • Enhancing understanding of fundamental visual communication principles and concepts.
Cognitive Development: • The cognitive benefits of engaging in physical drawing activities, such as improved spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills. • Impact of analogue drawing on students’ visual-spatial perception and creativity. • Introduction of Thinking Through Drawing theories (TTD network) to inform practice.
Issues:
Time Constraints: • Balancing the need for foundational analogue drawing skills with the pressing demand for digital proficiency.
Resource Availability: • Availability of resources eg drawing materials and studio space. Changing rooms from a Computer to a Drawing studio would physically emphasise the dual nature of Analogue and Digital work, and help avoid the Traditional Master-Pupil Knowledge Transference set up. • Accessibility considerations for students with diverse learning needs or physical limitations, and availability of computers in Drawing studios.
Moving Forward: I can design sequential sessions that progressively build upon analogue skills and transition into digital proficiency.
I will also explore other teaching methods, such as flipped classroom approaches, to optimize the use of live sessions for hands-on analogue drawing activities. Involving students in the choice of drawing (such as type of Jacket and Details) and therefore direction of a digital session would also help to promote student engagement, with regard to their Unit Learning Outcomes.
I will also do more research into pedagogic theory regarding the benefits of physical activity for learning, which could incorporate principles of kinesthetic learning and visual-spatial cognition.
I will develop Assessment Criteria and Feedback for use in each session, that recognise and evaluate the transferability of analogue drawing skills to digital design tasks.
Analogue drawing is the foundational activity for creative work. ‘Sketches are just that, sketchy; for example, they can represent incomplete objects as blobs, or incomplete connections as wavy lines, so that a designer can consider general configurations before committing to particular connections and specific shapes’ Tversky, B. and Suwa, M. 2009.
I want to encourage a holistic approach to Design education, combining Analogue and Digital methods, to cultivate students’ creativity, critical thinking, and technical proficiency.
Academic References:
Hautopp, H., and Buhl, Mie., 2021. Drawing as an Academic Dialogue Tool for Developing Digital Learning Designs in Higher Education. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 19(5), pp. 321-335, availableonline at www.ejel.org
Tversky, B. and Suwa, M. 2009. Thinking with sketches. In: A. Markmann and K. Wood, eds. Tools for innovation. Oxford: Oxford Scholarship Online.
Introduction and Background: In my Adobe Illustrator Technical Skills sessions for Year 1 BA Womenswear students, acknowledging and addressing varying levels of skill among students is paramount to fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment, and ensuring each student has a positive learning outcome. Here I focus on individualised feedback, differentiated worksheets, and the concept of “spinning plates” to ensure equitable engagement for students with diverse levels.
Evaluation: Evaluation of strategies for addressing diverse skill levels in Adobe Illustrator sessions involves assessing several key aspects, including checking verbally that each activity I do on screen is understood and completed, and also observation of students as they work, answering questions as a group, then as individuals.
Individual Feedback: I will look at the effectiveness in providing personalised feedback tailored to each student’s skill level and learning needs, and also their responsiveness and ability to apply it to improve their Illustrator skills.
Differentiated Worksheets: I will ensure the appropriateness and usefulness of worksheets which I design for students with varying levels of proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, and students’ engagement with and comprehension of their content.
Equitable Engagement: The “spinning plates” approach facilitates balanced participation and progression among students with different skill levels, and helps to Identify any disparities in learning outcomes and gives an opportunity for addressing them.
Issues: The issues are related to disparities in Skill, and Allocation of Resources, for equitable learning outcomes:
Skill Disparities:
The variability in students’ prior experience and proficiency levels in Adobe Illustrator can pose challenges.
Students with higher skill levels may feel unchallenged or disengaged if instructional materials are not adequately differentiated.
Resource Allocation:
Allocating sufficient time and resources to provide individualised feedback and support to students with diverse learning needs can be logistically challenging.
Maintaining pace and coherence in the session while balancing the needs of students with varying skill levels can be demanding.
Moving Forward: Further refinement of my approach include:
Individualised Feedback: I will Implement a structured feedback mechanism that allows me to assess students’ skill levels and provide targeted guidance and support. A questionnaire sent before the start of the group of sessions would give me a chance to prepare in advance. As suggested by Hattie and Timperley (2007), “Effective feedback should be timely, specific, and actionable.” I will also encourage students to self-assess their proficiency levels and articulate their learning goals, with regard to the Learniing Outcomes and their personal goals.
Differentiated Worksheets: I have already developed a range of worksheets with varying levels of complexity and challenge to cater to students with different skill levels, and I will continue to refine them as I gain more experience. I will also continue to provide and refine additional resources and extension activities for students who demonstrate advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, in addition to those who are less proficient.
“Spinning Plates” Approach: I will continuously monitor students’ progress and engagement levels during the session, and adjust instructional strategies as needed to ensure equitable participation, including peer to peer demonstrations. This will foster a collaborative learning environment where students support and learn from each other, regardless of their initial skill levels.
Academic References:
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The Power of Feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81–112.
Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for Quality Learning at University: What the Student Does. New York: McGraw–Hill Education.
Enhancing Adobe Illustrator Teaching Through Object-Based Learning
My session aimed to test a method of making the teaching of technical aspects of Adobe Illustrator more engaging to students by comparing the Digital Pen tool with Analogue pencil drawing. I wanted to contrast the Digital Pen tool (commonly used in Adobe Illustrator) with its traditional counterpart, the Analogue pencil, ‘by doing: how they scrutinise objects and, as a ‘community of practice’ (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998) engage in active learning (Biggs, 2003), work in groups and share their initial response to objects, discuss their interpretation and evaluation of the designs, and work together towards their judgement so and foster deeper understanding.
I also used Object-Based Learning theory so in this case drawing tools became vehicles for learning. Dr. Kirsten Hardie’s work on object-based learning explained that by engaging students in active learning and encouraging group discussion, I aligned with the principles of a “community of practice”.
I wrote a Lesson Plan, personal notes, an Introduction Presentation, a Conclusion Presentation, and a Worksheet for students to note their reactions down for a group discussion. A detailed account of my intentions can be found in my Lesson Plan and Personal Notes which are attached below.
I provided paper, pencils, iPad, Stylus, Stylus Brush and printed worksheets.
My initial presentation clarifed that the exercise was not about drawing quality but focused on mark-making. This encouraged non-judgemental exploration and open comparison of the objects.
I structured the session with two activities: one using a pencil and the other with a digital stylus on an iPad. Participants in groups swapped between the two activities, allowing them to experience both methods.
Following the practical part of the session, I asked the students to quickly clarify thoughts in their group, then we held a whole group discussion including feedback that each student had experienced a new aspect of drawing, such as the use of a Stylus Brush. Participant feedback also highlighted that they enjoyed the session, and would have liked more time to explore the differences. This aligns with the principles of active learning and curiosity-driven exploration.
For the future, although not used in this session, I would expand the activity in my BA Adobe Technical sessions for students to explore more deeply Digital vs. Analogue realms, recognising that students often encounter digital tools (like styluses on iPads) but may lack experience with vector drawing using the Illustator Pen tool. I would aim to bridge this gap and enhance their understanding of paths and anchor points, through Analogue means such as Analogue Drawing.
I would also relate it to Industry, acknowledging that the Pen tool is widely used in industry alongside tablets and styluses, to provide practical context. This decision connected classroom learning to real-world applications.
Bibliography:
Hardie, K. (2015). Innovative pedagogies series: Wow: the power of objects in object-based learning and teaching. Associate Professor, Arts University Bournemouth.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press.
Chatterjee, Helen J., and Leonie Hannan. Engaging the Senses: Object-Based Learning in Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016.
The Charismatic Lecturer article from Workshop 1, related to Teaching Digital Technical Adobe Photoshop Skills.
Macfarlane’s (2004) exploration of “The Charismatic Lecturer” in “Teaching with Integrity: The Ethics of Higher Education Practice” delves into the multifaceted role of tutors in inspiring and engaging students.
Charismatic pedagogy, as elucidated by Macfarlane (2004), encompasses qualities such as passion, authenticity, and the ability to inspire, which transcend traditional instructional methods. Whilst I would not claim to be Charismatic, Macfarlane’s definition of ‘The Charismatic Lecturer’ has a resonance for me because I want to enhance student engagement and attendance in what could be seen as ‘dry’ sessions of Technical Knowledge Transferrance from Tutor to Student, by being approachable and available to students, just another human in the room, and teaching in a relatively non-hierarchical way. Being open to discussion, including discussing Context and Relevance to students’ work and Industry, are key to this to give students motivation to learn practical technical proficiency.
When I teach Adobe Photoshop technical skills, the focus lies on imparting technical proficiency and conceptual understanding rather than eliciting emotional responses or personal connections. While being approachable and available for open ended discussion as a tutor can create a conducive learning environment, effective teaching of digital technical skills also necessitates clear objectives, structured curriculum, and systematic instruction. Therefore, the role of the tutor encompasses both approachableness and expertise, clarity, and adaptability in addressing diverse learning needs. This Objectivity entails providing constructive feedback, facilitating skill development, and promoting critical inquiry, which are essential for fostering competence and professionalism in digital design practice. This cultivates a learning environment that fosters competence, creativity, and ethical responsibility in digital design sessions.
Macfarlane’s (2004) emphasis on teaching with integrity also resonates with me in the context of Adobe Photoshop instruction, where I discuss simple ethical values related to copyright and AI, and critical thinking skills to navigate the complexities of digital design practice responsibly, beyond the technical aspects.
References:
Macfarlane, B. (2004). Teaching with Integrity: The Ethics of Higher Education Practice. New York: Routledge Falmer.
This was a very useful PgCert Workshop, number 4, in which discussion was centred around the effectiveness of setting Learning Outcomes. In the article I read, Nicholas Addison explores the role of Learning Outcomes (LOs) in higher education, particularly in the UK.
When discussing the strengths and weaknesses of Learning Outcomes from a practical approach, I found it interesting that during the session Learning Outcomes were defended by my peers who teach a high number of ESOL students, as a way of presenting clear, objective and measurable aims, to ‘enable parity and access across courses (inter)nationally’ and ‘Students who might otherwise be excluded from formal education are able to participate, thereby widening access.’ (Nicholas Addison).
To give a balanced argument, the above quotes regarding their effectiveness are contrasted, so Addison questions their effectiveness and advocates for a less prescriptive approach, drawing on cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) to understand learning as socially situated and emphasises the importance of open-ended, creative learning experiences. CHAT, rooted in the work of Vygotsky and Leontiev, highlights collective action, tool use, and community as core ideas, emphasising the interconnectedness of human activities with cultural and historical contexts. Following this argument, I wonder if students could reflect on their learning and write their own LOs for the next project?
For teaching Creative subjects, Addison critiques LOs for their tendency to limit the messiness and excitement of creative endeavours and highlights the importance of open-ended learning experiences. Addison argues that LOs, driven by assessment concerns, deny the complexity of learning and dismantle affective relations crucial for social learning. In essence, he advocates for a more nuanced understanding of learning outcomes and curriculum design that embraces the complexities of learning processes and values open-ended, exploratory learning experiences.
This article caused me to reflect on my own very varied Learning journey, from (possibly Freire-en) Primary School through Disciplinarian Secondary School and beyond to University and Art College, and brought about a realisation that my experience as a student has meant that being an empathetic, reflective and personal tutor is axiomatic to me. However this is not to deny the usefulness of LOs in tandem with a more flexible approach.
This is a link to a book written about my Primary School by its visionary Head, Henry Pluckrose.
Addison, Nicholas. (2014); ‘ Doubting learning outcomes in higher education contexts: From performativity towards emergence and negotiation. ‘, International Journal of Art & Design Education, 33:3, pp. 313–325
I very much enjoyed discussing the article ‘Could do Better?’: students’ critique of written feedback’ by Kate Brooks in the workshop. Here are my main points:
• Students’ Feedback Expectations and Experiences: The article highlights students’ perceptions of feedback in university Humanities courses, particularly focusing on written feedback on essays. Despite a common desire for “more feedback,” many students fail to engage with the feedback provided. The research discusses what students expect from feedback, how they utilise it, and their overall experiences with it.
• Critique of Written Feedback Content: In the article students express dissatisfaction with the content of written feedback, highlighting issues such as vagueness, disconnect between comments and grades, and illegibility of handwritten feedback. Effective feedback, according to students, should be clear, focused, and constructive, rather than vague and negative. This resonates with me, as although the feedback in my collaborative Drawing sessions is informal and not part of Assessment, I encourage students to be constructive, focusing on particular aspects of the work e.g. mark making and scale. Students respond better to feedback when I talk to them directly and then open discussion up to the group.
• Impact of Feedback Exchange Methods: The article discusses how the manner in which feedback is given affects student engagement and learning. Rushed feedback hand-backs, particularly before presentations or without opportunities for discussion, can lead students to feel disengaged and demotivated. The emotional aspect of feedback exchange, akin to studio crits, is relevant as students won’t join in unless they know my Drawing sessions are inclusive.
• Preference for One-to-One Tutorials: Students express a strong desire for more one-to-one tutorial sessions, finding them valuable for understanding feedback, motivation, and emotional engagement. However, the practicality of offering extensive one-to-one tutorials is questioned due to resource constraints and student reluctance to seek help, which I recognise and mitigate by saying to my Adobe Technical students that they can email me files for comment when they have a question, although I emphasise that I may take a day or two to get back to them!
• Exploration of Alternative Feedback Methods: The article suggests exploring alternative feedback methods, such as group feedback sessions and peer reviews, inspired by Art and Design practices. These methods could foster a sense of belonging, mutual support, and reflective learning among students. It also advocates for rethinking the role of tutors in feedback sessions towards facilitating peer support and independent learning. This resonates with my method of group feedback and discussion in Collaborative Drawing sessions.
On reflection, I d a quick discussion about giving constructive feedback at the start of my Collaborative Drawing sessions, in the same style as the initial group whiteboard activity around the subject ‘What is Drawing?’ and to take a nuanced approach to feedback, emphasising clarity, engagement, and support for students.
Reference:
Brooks, K. ‘Could do Better?’: students’ critique of written feedback. University of the West of England, Bristol.
In this post I explore the application of Carl Rogers’ humanistic principles, as elucidated in his influential work “Freedom to Learn,” to the teaching of technical aspects of creating Fashion Technical Sheets (FTS) in Adobe Illustrator. I take the chapter “An Unusual Science Course in a University” to serve as a framework for proposing a student-centered, experiential learning environment. By integrating Rogers’ principles of self-directed learning, collaboration, and reflective practice, I enhance student engagement, autonomy, and proficiency in Adobe Illustrator for FTS creation.
Fashion education requires proficiency in digital tools such as Adobe Illustrator for creating FTS, which are crucial documents in the garment production process. However, traditional instructional methods often prioritize technical skill acquisition over holistic learning experiences. Drawing inspiration from Rogers’ humanistic approach, I explore an experiential learning model to enrich and deepen student engagement.
• Using An Experiential Learning Framework: Rogers emphasizes the importance of student-centered learning, wherein learners actively engage with content based on their interests and pace. Similarly, FTS creation can be approached as a student-directed endeavour which I will try, allowing students to select garment elements and design details they wish to illustrate, within the Learning Outcomes and current Project aims such as designing a jacket or trousers. This approach fosters intrinsic motivation and personal investment in the learning process (Deci & Ryan, 2000).
• Using a Collaborative Learning Environment: In Rogers’ model, collaborative learning nurtures interpersonal skills and diverse perspectives. I will facilitate more group activities where students collaborate on FTS projects, providing feedback and sharing insights. Peer interaction enhances problem-solving abilities and encourages collective creativity, mirroring professional fashion industry dynamics.
• Emphasis on Reflection and Feedback: Reflective practice is central to Rogers’ approach, enabling students to assess their progress and refine strategies. I will integrate feedback loops into FTS creation to allow students to evaluate their work critically and identify areas for improvement, and facilitate reflective discussions to deepen students’ understanding of Adobe Illustrator tools and design principles (Schön, 1983).
• Application to Fashion Education: I can adopt Rogers’ principles in sessions by designing hands-on, project-based assignments that emulate real-world scenarios. Students begin by selecting from a range of garment silhouettes and gradually add technical details of their choosing, using Adobe Illustrator under my guidance. Regular feedback sessions and peer critiques provide opportunities for reflection and refinement.
By integrating Carl Rogers’ humanistic principles into fashion education, I can cultivate a dynamic learning environment that promotes creativity, collaboration, and technical proficiency. Emphasizing experiential learning in teaching FTS creation aligns with industry demands.
References: •Rogers, C. (1969). Freedom to Learn. Columbus, OH: Charles E.
•Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.
•Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic books.
Lars Lindström (2012): Aesthetic Learning About, In, With and Through the Arts: A Curriculum Study, The International Journal of Art and Design Education
Given this article to assess, Lindström‘s radical ‘method of art’ challenged me to look at using different ways of teaching in the same session, noticing their ambiguity and appropriate use. Lindstrom contrasts this with ‘The modest aesthetics’, which uses art as a method to illustrate or embellish a given body of knowledge. In two reports Anders Marner and Hans Örtegren analysed issues in the Swedish discourse on aesthetic education (Marner & Örtegren 2003; Marner 2005). They claim, like James Wertsch (1991), that human action typically employs ‘mediational means’ such as physical tools and language, and that the mediation shapes the action in essential ways. This links to my adoption of an Analogue Drawing activity at the start of Digital Technical Skill sessions; Understanding through Doing or Thinking through Drawing – I don’t teach effects or techniques, I teach enquiry through differrent media.
This prompted me to look for others who are involved with Understanding through Doing and led me to the Thinking through Drawing network which I joined online, and has been very inspirational. They run the Big Draw annual series of events; www.thinkingthroughdrawing.org
These are the four methods he suggests one can use concurrently to teach: the Instructor, the Facilitator, the Advisor and the Educator. Instead of searching for the One Best Method, or labelling approaches as a priori good or bad, the professional teacher should master a wide variety of strategies.
The article introduces a conceptual framework for understanding aesthetic learning, based on two dimensions: Goal and Means. Goal: • Convergent learning: Goal-directed, focused, and rational. • Divergent learning: Explorative, open-ended, and intuitive. Means: • Medium-specific learning: Emphasizes forms of representation (e.g., words, pictures, algebra, dance). • Medium-neutral learning: Focuses on instrumental aspects (e.g., academic achievement, personal development).
It compares these four modes of learning to equivalent teaching modes: instructor, facilitator, advisor, and educator.
Furthermore, Lindström draws on the pedagogical methods of instructors, facilitators, advisors, and educators, stressing the importance of adopting a range of strategies to cater to diverse learning needs. He reflects on the historical roots of these methods, particularly in the apprenticeship system, while also embracing contemporary approaches that prioritise reflection and dialogue. I reflected that I enjoy being a flexible tutor, and I hope it keeps my sessions lively and engaging!
