Evaluate how you plan for and support student learning through appropriate approaches and environments
Introduction and background
As a Course leader on a new BA course at LCF, my teaching schedule and structure is very different to the 6 years of teaching I had previously experienced in a different school at LCF. I was previously part of the School of media communication where smaller courses and more fluid teaching teams reside. This year, I moved to the Fashion Business School where I have undertaken a course leader role – but where I am also required to teach across other courses within the programme – and approach the contact hours differently. This is a new regime and structure for me which I am still reflecting on as we head towards the final term.
Evaluation
The different environments I now find myself in revolve around larger cohort sizes and also teaching on cross course units. I have also taught on units that do not meet my subject expertise which has been challenging. Moving forward, I am keen to build more community and inclusivity and rapport in the classroom of these challenging environments as that is my strength.
When teaching and unit leading my own course, (BA Fashion Marketing and Content Creation), attendance and engagement has been encouraging. Myself and the year one cohort have worked hard to build a community together and much of the success in the delivery comes from trust. The students trust their course leader and show a desire to engage, attain well and create an enjoyable classroom environment.
The environments and formats that have caused challenges are the following:
Devising 1-hour lectures within a large lecture theatre space for 150 students where engagement and participation has many limitations. Why? The environment is isolating and limits student dialogue and doesn’t always provide an enjoyable or creative teaching format.
Devising 2-hour seminars with tasks and activities with units and cohorts I am unfamiliar with. Why? There is limited confidence from me and there is likely to be limited trust or belief from the students.
Group Online formative assessment. Formative assessment within group continues to be a challenge for year 1 students who are not confident or familiar with sharing their ideas around others. This does not promote inclusivity or safe space critique environments.
Moving Forward
Moving forward, I would like to focus on creating inclusivity and community across all my teaching formats and environments, implementing pedagogies and methods that can work online, in large lecture halls and within a bustling seminar group. Even when the subject isn’t my specialism. I want to be a teacher that can adapt. Areas to action moving forward are:
Lectures in lecture hall with large groups – involve more creative materials for visual stimulation and also use the opportunity to bring in guest speakers for panel discussions which work well in large groups and take the onus off of me. I will feel less isolated.
Interactive seminars with unfamiliar groups – introduce ice breaker activity to foster trust and familiarity at the start of the class. Introduce small tasks that can provide rewards and positive feedback for the students. Concluding in more challenging tasks that require more deeper thought and response.
Formative assessment online – alter this to one-to-one in person presentations, utilising the tutorial rooms available at East bank. These will take place within seminar hours in order to not overload timetabling.
In order to assist further with my planning, I have applied the SMART objectives analytical tool to provide achievable action plan
SMART plan
S – Specific –Represent the diverse cohorts in the teaching space with diverse materials.. Creativity: integrate more moving image, video and audio into teaching. Community – create more one to one opportunities and safe space formats for feedback.
M – Measurable: Introduce unit evaluation forms at two points during units for student feedback around content within delivery.
A – Achievable. Create a future plan based on 1 x session per unit which can then be reflected on effectively in time for the next units.
R -Relevant. I must ensure the materials and the delivery are subject relevant and can adapt
T – Time based. I am aiming to introduce new pedagogies to adapt to the new environments for my two block 2/summer term units which begin wc 8th April. Both units are cross course and are for new subjects so therefore present me with the challenges I have faced previous. I therefore aim to introduce new approaches to these formats for this period.