Michele Palmer – PG Cert Blog

Resource 1 is a video of a female who works within the creative industry, but lives with an invisible impairment. Kim’s practice is in visual arts despite being blind. She interprets her creative visual work through sound in an unconventional way. She uses vibrations and unorthodox materials such as paints and beans. She interprets her work through sign language and subtitles which enable viewers to experience sound from her perspective, sharing her disability of being deaf through her practice. This mode of artistic creation is recognised as “Sound Art” (Masterclass 2021) which is “a hybrid art form that bridges visual art and experimental music”. Audio art in Europe dates to the 20th twentieth century and is also recognised as sound poetry and sound sculpture.

It is difficult for me to place myself within the context of Kim to imagine how this creative work is crafted because of my hearing ability. However, through pedagogy considerations, this video encourages me to deliberate about how sound operates within a social context and who has the privilege of a greater audience. Opening dialogues and ideation about the importance of visual interpretations of sound (or even information) for learning and creativity is very important in creative higher education.

#DisabilityTooWhite, written by a disabled female of colour, addresses the relationship between ableism and racism working in tandem to sustain and create isolation and exclusion of those who identify as disabled and of colour. The article brings into focus that disabled people of colour are not represented within media and are therefore prejudiced based on both forms of discrimination: race and ableism. According to the World Institution on Disability, black historical figures have been denied the identification of being black and disabled, so erased from history. This is an injustice, as intersectionality represents the experience of marginalised individuals, confronted by not just by race, but ableism too.

Positionally, I can relate to two of the points of prejudice: being female and being black, due to my intersectionality. Decolonisation of curriculum could have a positive impact on people of colour who have such impairments and coupled discrimination. In my practice opening dialogues on the complexity of identities and frameworks can be used to accommodate differences in learning and creativity.

Social anxiety article in SoN publication Inclusive Practice highlights the symptoms of the mental disorder, how it is stigmatised within society and what difficulties individuals who have this condition experience during personal and professional interactions. It also impacts the inclusivity of educational and personal outcomes.

According to NHS UK, social anxiety is also recognised as social phobia; it is categorised as a mental health condition. In 2021 a BBC report acknowledged that government figures indicated that Black women are more likely to experience common mental health problems, like anxiety and depression, in contrast to their white female counterparts.

I can place myself within this space, as I have lived with anxiety since my teenage years. My intersectional traits enable me to relate to the injustices and ignorance towards the condition, as a female and a person of colour.

My reflections

These articles and resources highlight the ways in which education can support an individual who lives with disabilities and how teaching platforms can be utilised to educate individuals and provide support. There are no frameworks that directly scaffold every disability, however, I often utilise my own experiences and UAL Disability Services to create opportunities to sustain positive mental health within my practice and address obstacles presented in learning. Invisible impairments can be difficult to identify who and when students may need this support, so I counteract this absence of information by openly providing weekly slots for safer spaces, for all students to speak with me in 121s, or for a private consultation.

References:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/sound-art-guide, July 2021

Neuhaus, M. (2000). Introduction to the exhibition “Volume: Bed of Sound”, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, New York.

https://www.allfie.org.uk/  accessed 15/05/2023

https://wid.org/why-black-disabled-history-matters/  accessed 15/05/2023

Grech, S. (2015). Decolonising Eurocentric disability studies: why colonialism matters in the disability and global South debate, Social Identities, 21:1, 6-21

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/social-anxiety/  accessed 19/05/2023 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-56765171  accessed 19/05/2023

During an in-person class, an image of an unfinished house was presented to us and the question: “Framework: what images does the word conjure?” was posed. The word and image conjured “scaffolding” to me

Scaffolding within education means “providing temporary support for an inexperienced learner in order to help them to complete a task or acquire a skill, and then gradually withdrawing that support.”

According to Vygotsky’s ZPD (1978) theory, learning is not static and it is necessary to provide a space for collaboration: supporting peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange (the social context of learning), enabling students to gain an understanding of topics from capable peers’ perspectives. This theory also states that is necessary for teachers to scaffold knowledge by providing examples (demonstration of tasks) of problem-based learning, through supportive interaction and emphasis on student interests (prior knowledge), to bring learning about, within creative education/education in general.

On reflection, this theory will support the development of my delivery, as it encourages interaction, which I have received feedback on previously. Examples of what I can implement are:

The ZPD theory would not be as effective within my practice in 121s or independent learning, due to the lack of participants. But could scaffold independent learning post the session/class.

To conclude the ZPD would work well in delivery where high participation is present but would not be as effective within all my practice. Although, outcomes of this theory could contribute to and scaffold independent learning tasks.

References:

Zone of proximal development  – Vygotsky, LS (1978)

Bell Foundation: https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/eal-programme/guidance/effective-teaching-of-eal-learners/great-ideas/scaffolding/#:~:text=Scaffolding%20means%20providing%20temporary%20support,then%20gradually%20withdrawing%20that%20support.

UAL’s Climate, Racial and Social Justice principles state:

“Design for human equity, social and racial justice by mobilising critical thinking, humbly questioning the norms, practices and biases embedded in our societies and cultures. We recognise and reflect on our individual actions and societal values through self-awareness and reflective practice.”

Professionally, I am in full agreement of embedding this principle, within my practice (employability) as DPS encourages KE, networking and the development of professionalism.

Within a group of peers, during an in-person class was discussed the obstacles that exist for students undertaking DPS. The main issues revolve around class, finances, caring responsibilities and the attitude of the institution and industry toward work experience. It was noted that the industry should pay students reasonably for students’ work. But it was also acknowledged that the industry demands students as they KNOW that students are willing to work for less than their industry counterparts, due to desperation for the experience.

This conflict of professional and personal interest has led me to question students as to if they can undertake DPS, as in reality undertaking a DPS year has financial implications, which could affect mental, emotional and physical well-being.

To conclude, social justice implies accessibility. But the lack of transparency in terms of DPS, could set our students up to fail rather than prosper. Within my group, we discussed solutions for DPS inclusive of making the program more supportive with criteria-based financial provisions. Another suggestion was to have another option of work experience (maybe in conjunction with industry), which would not separate to classes (background) or financial advantages of students; refrain from causing social injustice, and result in students comfortably assessing the program.

References

UAL UAL’s Climate, Racial and Social Justice principles – Laura Knight – Teaching Enhancement Team – Academics1 Dec 2022

https://canvas.arts.ac.uk/documents/sppreview/e559543e-1db7-4154-b7c4-d843861603ad

I invited my peer and my tutor to observe an induction session, that I delivered for a cohort of LCC students studying a BA in Publishing. The delivery took place online and was the same content but at different times. The consciousness of the feedback received, from both individuals, revolved around interaction and the use of the available technologies that I could have used to provide more interaction and accessibility to the resources, that I referred to.

This enabled me to reflect on the different types of interactions within the classroom environment. According to Moore (1989), there are 3 types of interaction that take place: Learner-content interaction, Learner-instructor interaction and Learner-learner interaction.  During my observation of my peer, I focused on Learner-content interaction and Learner-learner interaction, to establish best practices and inspiration to develop my delivery/practice.

As a result of the observation, I have a rejuvenated outlook on the activities that encompass the subject matter, learner–content interaction and promote “show and tell”: UKPSF (2011), to embrace “Learner-instructor interaction”: Moore (1989) and provide “Learning Guidance (Semantic Encoding)”: Gagne (1965).

• Learner-content interaction

This interaction enables students to interact with the resources and content, during and post learning. An example of how I could implement this on a digital platform would be to provide access to the links in the chat function, for students to access throughout the delivery. Then walk through the link/resources that I have provided access to, live on screen, enabling a demonstration (show), whilst providing the relevant information and guidance (tell).

Post observation, I also reflected on peer-to-peer interaction and the types of interventions that I could utilise to encompass “Learner-learner interaction”: Moore (1989) and “Eliciting Performance (Responding)”: Gagnoe (1965), to demonstrate their knowledge and competence in the subject or topic.

• Learner-learner interaction

Planned opportunities that are created for learners to interact with other learners. An example of how I could incorporate this, in person, is by using the classroom space; setting an activity for students to collaborate/work in groups, in different areas of the classroom on rotation. This would ensure the class is not static and promote the principles of having dialogic spaces to create collective learning, whilst supporting physical well-being. This could also be stimulated online, with the use of breakout spaces, for groups to collaborate.

Another tool for online and in-person interaction which combines both peer and content interaction, is the use of a polling system, to generate collaboration and health competition, whilst providing data for the teacher to assess knowledge.

References

Three types of interaction. The American Journal of Distance Education 1989 – Moore.

The Conditions of Learning and Theory of Instruction, (1^st edition) 1965 – Robert Gagné

UK Professional Standards Framework, 2011 – The Higher Education Academy, Guild HE, Universities UK.

https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/ukpsf-2011-summary-document

The delivery was successful, although my personal reflection on the session was one of the feedback points made by one of my peers: “It could have been more interactive” “How? “I asked, as I felt that I had taken on the feedback during my Safe Space Crits and increased interaction.  

“Maybe cut down on the history content and focus more on the ingredients you referred to. You could have brought in a lemon, some vanilla, etc, as I don’t remember how they smell and it would have helped with your final activity, of creating your own perfume in theory.”  

Decrease the fundamental foundations and evolution of the object. Is this right? Is it not important to have an understanding of what happened previously to why it is now and how it can be developed?  

It is factual that within education history has always been glazed over, when not in favour of specific cultures and not acknowledging the excellence of those cultural references: in this case the first use of perfumery was in the continent of Africa: well documented within education for being the home to erased information: The propaganda of ‘British values’ is a distortion of history, Akala (2016). 

I always have historical references , especially within my practice, because the importance of understanding the origins enables students to make informed and meaningful decisions. The decreasing of history lends itself to the mindset of systemic racism and unfair systems within an institution, which favour historical biases and fails to recognise social justice. If the subject or topic’s origins isn’t in the favour of the dominant culture, then its relevance is overlooked and therefore white-washed for their comfort.  

Sir Winston Churchill, (1930) Quote: History will be kind to me, as I intend to write it.” But if history wasn’t written by you, if it only stated the facts, would it be so kind? 

In response to the feedback given, I will utilise the use of ingredients to incorporate more interaction, for those who cannot recollect the smell of a lemon, but not at the cost of history. It is necessary for cultural histories to be fairly acknowledged and should be clear that some people only evolve because of dominance.   

References:  

The propaganda of ‘British values’ is a distortion of history, Akala (2016) 

Link: The propaganda of ‘British values’ is a distortion of history – Akala | In my opinion 

A Roving Commission: My Early Life, Sir Winston Churchill (1930)

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Early_Life

I was promoted to LCC: progression within my practice, which provides flexibility in developing my teaching style.

Resources and information gathered on the TW sessions, enabled me to be feel prepared for the start of the PG Cert, however it is evident that there is so much more to my practice than anticipated, respective of the PG Cert.

Within one of the first sessions of the PG Cert we were asked to present ourselves to our peers and speak of our pedagogy. I adapted a previously used presentation and added elements required as per brief. The feedback on my presentation was positive and I was able to network with my cohort.

Pedagogy?! Familiar, but not ofay. Post the session and I referred to my glossary of terms within academia: Digital Pedagogy Library (2021)and then began to reflect on my pedagogy: how it supports students and why I utilise this pedagogy within my practice: Sinek (2011)

I focused on elements of my pedagogy: learn, develop and practice – why each part was relevant how activities/methods worked and what it means to students. Referring to Journal Article by John Danvers entitled Towards a Radical Pedagogy: Provisional Notes on Learning and Teaching in Art & Design, it is evident that my current teaching style is Participation in practice – Art and Design teaching practices (Journal Article, 2003) (2).pdf

I mapped my pedagogy to the pedagogy of careers education:  and concluded that my style is relevant and enables students to bridge the gap between the academia and the industry with theoretical and practical activity.

To conclude my findings, it is necessary to complement academia with my pedagogy, to enable students make meaningful decisions, whilst understanding how the topics covered, technical skills gained and transferable attributes developed during their courses is relevant to their career/intended destinations.

References:

Digital Pedagogy Library, 2021. Warwick University

Pedagogies Glossary (warwick.ac.uk)

Start with Why, 2011. Simon Sinek

In 2021 I started at LCF as a careers consultant and joined the GEMs community, to be able to gain network amongst colleagues. Whilst engaging within GEMs, I was introduced to another community, SoN. It was there that I met Aisha Richards and embarked on my journey of becoming an academic amongst my peers whose ethics and life experiences mirrored mine.

SoN hosted a program, Teaching Within, which to my understanding, would enable me to have more of a holistic within my approach in embedding careers education into academia. Although not convinced that this program; boosting various alcaldes and the PG Cert qualification, was for me, I was encouraged to apply to be considered for a place.

I thoroughly enjoyed the vigorous selection process, consisting of rounds of elimination: an application, a response to an article, a microteaching activity and an interview with an esteemed panel. The process enabled me to identify that social justice was at my core and was a major part of my vocation. Realising that I had to use my practice to elevate the values of anti-racism and accessibility for my students.

To my disbelief, I was accepted and set to start in September 2022!

Never considering myself an academic and frequently experiencing imposter syndrome, within my job, I saw that by investing into my understanding of terms and theories,  I am an academic. Now possessing an appreciation of how this the fundamentals of teaching and learning feed into my practice: careers education, as an academic.