Knowing and responding to your students’ diverse needs
Introduction & Background
I am an AL on MA Global Collaborative Design Practise. A new course which is evolving rapidly as it finds its place in the joint honours space. UAL and Kyoto Institute of Technology work in partnership to award the students honours from both universities. Attracting students from all over the world, I was recruited to share my experience in generating income in creative practise globally.
Evaluation
Currently I am employed on an ad hoc basis, which brings the challenge of building relationships with the students, earning their trust and being able to see the implementation of a concept through. As an AL I am not made aware of the diverse needs of the students. The PGCert has enabled me to think through this problem space and begin developing a toolkit of enchanting learning experiences for all students that are student led and respond to their needs.
Moving Forward
Following my micro teach, I have started researching developing this formula of using object based learning to reflect on a specific action as a metaphor to embed the concept of an action plan. I plan to continue testing this with a range of cohorts at different stages of their learning. Originally devised with Foundation students in mind, I have been surprised at the positive response and the feedback from my teaching peers and MA 2nd year students.
Lectures In Person / Online
As an AL, I will ensure that two weeks before the lecture I will contact the course leader to request an update on the current situation and the learning outcomes desired from the lecture.
I will plan and prepare content to meet the learning outcomes and support the students in the areas required.
Last week I delivered a lecture on Project Management. I delivered the content by introducing My Cup of Tea (from the object based learning micro teach). I prepared 3 sets of slides using text and video and a verbal presentation about my personal experience of project management scaffolding the My Cup of Tea activity with my personal project of growing tea in Camberwell, this involved a seed planting workshop where the students were invited to make a seed planter from paper and plant a seed.
I referenced previous MA Global student project How do you take your tea?, and celebrated their involvement in the TEA conference held in partnership with UAL and the Horniman Exhibition. Using historical and contemporary references to the history of tea and its depiction in art history.
After gifting them a cup of tea or a moment of reflection during the break.
I opened the next session by asking the students which presentation they would like to hear first. They chose my personal experience, followed by successful and challenging examples of project management in medium sized projects followed by how corporate and government bodies manage projects.
I then concluded the session with time for us to work together as a cohort on their projects and addressed any issues they were facing individually. Students online had a close up tutorial and were asked to join in with the activities.
I will work on developing this session for multiple platforms.
I will ask for feedback following submission of the projects they are working on.