Author Archives: Jade Gellard

Co-Creation with students – questionnaire and responses

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As part of my intervention project, ‘improving technical workshop handouts’, I wanted to ensure this was a co-creation process with the current BA Fashion Contour students. My aim is to build resources with students, not just for them. I want the handouts to allow the students to work at their own pace, feel confident in self-led learning, and be supported regardless of their learning style or background.

To start this process, I created a questionnaire and sent it to all current Year One, Two-, and Final-Year students on BA Fashion Contour.
Ba Fashion Contour Handouts – Intervention research

QUESTIONNAIREDownload

22 students completed the survey, out of 134 enrolled students (2024–2025 academic year). That’s a 16.4% response rate. The questionnaire was released outside of term time, which likely affected engagement. I’ll be using this initial data to create a prototype handout template, and when students return in September, I plan to seek further feedback and develop this work collaboratively.

The results are as follows:

Fig.1: Question 1 and 2 findings, screen shot. Jade Gellard, 2025

1. Do you use the handouts when sewing the workshop samples?

 100% of respondents said that they use the handouts during workshops. This confirms that handouts are not just supplementary—they’re essential to how students navigate the sewing workshops. It reinforces the need for consistent, accessible, and inclusive resources. If the handouts are not meeting all students’ needs, then a significant proportion of learners may be disadvantaged, especially in independent work or when revisiting missed lessons.

2. Do you think the current handouts adequately support your making?

60% of students felt the handouts supported them, while 40% said they did not. This suggests that nearly half the cohort finds the current handouts lacking in clarity, usefulness, or accessibility. This split suggests the materials do not yet meet the Universal Design for Learning (2012) principle of designing for variability.

Fig.2: Question 3 findings, screen shot. Jade Gellard, 2025

3. If no, what changes would benefit you?

The most common request was for more visual content; step-by-step pictures or process diagrams that show how the method should look at different stages. One participant asked for “more pictures,” while another suggested the current text could be supplemented with “slightly more info” and clearer visuals. Not all students responded, but where feedback was given, it reflected a need for visual reinforcement. It’s clear that for some learners, a wall of text doesn’t aid their learning.

Fig.3: Question 4 findings, screen shot. Jade Gellard, 2025

4. Please rank the following fonts in order of preference.

Arial was the top choice, followed closely by Verdana, Tahoma, and Trebuchet. Comic Sans and Century Gothic ranked lower. These results closely mirror the British Dyslexia Association Style Guide (2023), which recommends sans-serif fonts with open, round shapes and consistent spacing. Following on from this result, I will use Arial font for the new handout format.

Fig.4: Question 5 findings, screen shot. Jade Gellard, 2025

5. What handout elements are most useful? (Ranked list)

The top three features that participants valued were:

  • Photographs of the method of make
  • Small chunks of instructions
  • Annotated diagrams

This reflects preference for visually supported learning. Other highly ranked features were cutting guides and QR codes linking to videos, which suggest a desire for more digital visual resources. This aligns with the Universal Design for learning’s (2012) principle of providing multiple means of representation.

Fig.5: Question 6 findings, screen shot. Jade Gellard, 2025

6. Is there anything important missing from the ranked items above?

Most students left this question blank or confirmed that the options provided were sufficient. However, even with limited responses, the theme of different visual options emerges again—students want information in formats that allow them to engage in different ways depending on their needs, confidence levels, and experience.

Fig.6/7: Question 7 findings, screen shot. Jade Gellard, 2025

7. Please review this example cutting diagram—how can it be improved?

There was a mix of feedback -some participants felt it was clear, while others pointed out areas for improvement. Suggestions included using a clearer font, adding more detailed instructions, and including axis markers for cutting accuracy. One student said it needed “more information,” suggesting the current version may assume prior knowledge, reinforcing that diagrams should be treated as teaching tools, not just reference images.

Fig.8/9:. Question 8 findings, screen shot. Jade Gellard, 2025

8. Please review the sewing key—how can it be improved?

The feedback was about visual clarity- the participants asked for improved colours, particularly for the cutting lines and notches. I will find a contrasting colour for the cut line, one that is vibrant, and doesn’t blend in like the current yellow. One suggested using a “darker colour as the symbols can be hard to see,” while another wanted “brighter colours.” There was also a request for better quality images.

Fig.10/11: Question 9 findings, screen shot. Jade Gellard, 2025

9. Please review this example sewing application—how can it be improved?

Most students said this was clear and helpful, with comments like “makes perfect sense” and “very clear.” However, one suggestion was to indicate the right and wrong sides of the fabric, as this can sometimes be unclear in flat diagrams. I will ensure it is visually clear in the sewing key and on the diagrams. Another student suggested “simpler instructions,” reminding me that visual content should be supported by plain language. Overall, this section received the most positive feedback—but it still reinforced the idea that layered explanation (text, image & context) works best.

Conclusion

Hearing directly from students has reinforced what I already feel: the handouts are valuable, but they need work to help them develop their self lead learning. This process has reminded me that inclusion is about ongoing, thoughtful collaboration. The feedback has already shaped how I’m approaching the new handout template, and it will continue to guide the decisions I make throughout the intervention. My goal is to build something with the students—not just around them.

Bibliography

British Dyslexia Association (2023) Dyslexia Style Guide 2023. Available at: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/advice/employers/creating-a-dyslexia-friendly-workplace/dyslexia-style-guide or chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://cdn.bdadyslexia.org.uk/uploads/documents/Advice/style-guide/BDA-Style-Guide-2023.pdf?v=1680514568

 (Accessed: 13 July 2025).

Glass, D. Meyer, A. and Rose, D. (2012) Universal design for learning in the classroom: practical applications. New York: Guilford Press.

Image Bibliography

Fig 1-11. Jade Gellard, (2025) Screenshot of Microsoft Forms survey results, 22 July.

Intervention – feedback from peers and course leader

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After presenting to my peers, the feedback received was insightful and helped me to further develop my intervention – improving the handouts appears to be a subject that many of us think about but struggle to find the time to do so.

One thing that stood out was how this work connects with differentiation. My peers mentioned that clearer, more informed handouts could allow students to work at different paces, which is the goal. Some students will complete their samples within the allocated workshop time, waiting on their peers to catch up, whilst others will need more time or space to process each step. Appropriate handouts can support both of those experiences without making anyone feel behind or rushed.

There were also suggestions around offering additional materials—like extra sewing packs or handouts with more complex techniques for students who want to practise or stretch themselves further. I love this idea, and can see how it would support both confidence and progression. It also gives students more autonomy to practise before moving onto their final garments, which ties in well with the aims of my intervention.

I appreciated the reminder to be mindful of inherited handouts—to approach with respect for the work that’s gone before. I want to build something collaborative, not just impose something new. Creating a shared handout template for technicians will be a great way to support the team in creating the updated handouts together, while keeping consistency for students.

There were also some practical concerns about time—how hidden and heavy the workload can be, especially over summer, where my main priority is focusing on preparing for the next academic year. Making even small changes takes time, and that time isn’t always available. During term time, students come first and I will put down other tasks if they need support. This work will most likely be done in quieter periods of term, and during the winter/spring/summer breaks. Hearing that from my peers has helped me to feel more confident in protecting space for the handout tasks.

One of my favourite suggestions was to add a welcome page to the handouts—something simple that reminds students who we are, who they can talk to for help, and that there’s more than one way to complete a sample, ending with the same finished look. It fits with the inclusive and student-centred approach I want this intervention to have.

My course leader also offered some thoughtful feedback. He reminded me that because I’ve got lived experience and industry practice, I might move too quickly or assume things are obvious within the workshop sessions. Just because I know how to do something doesn’t mean the students do – its my job to scaffold them and build their knowledge, whilst also building confidence, to ensure strong and confident final years, ready for industry. He encouraged me to keep co-creation at the centre of the project and make sure students are properly involved in shaping the materials. That’s something I’ve taken on board. I’m student centred – the intervention needs to work for them, not for me.

There was also a gentle warning around avoiding tokenistic work—about showing clearly why this intervention matters and how it can have a positive impact. His suggestion was to create a questionnaire, build a template based off their feedback, and then work with a focus group to discuss and improve. I also need to think about sustainability, and will not print off 70 handouts for each workshop each academic year. Instead, the updated handouts will be sent as a PDF via email the week before class, and I will laminate 5 copies to keep to hand for students who prefer an analogue copy.

Overall, the feedback has given me loads to think about, and has certainly shaped how the new template can look. I look forward to testing it with my students, using both my peers and course leader feedback, and my students feedback.

Blog Post 3 – Race

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*Note* – I will not use ‘BAME’ as this term is widely considered outdated and problematic. I personally do not like this term, and have chosen instead to use ‘Racially minoritised’ in its place.

Looking at dashboard data, 37.8% of students are racially minoritised.  At grade 4, 29.1% of staff are racially minoritised. At Grade 5, this rises to 31.5%. UAL’s target for minority representation in staff is 30%. But, if our student body statistics sits closer to 40%, is our target too low?

The dashboard data does not include international students, which means that the % of racially minoritised students enrolled is higher than 37.8%.

Fig. 1 : University of the Arts London : Active Dashboard. Fashion Programme. Ethnicity. (2024-2025)
Fig.2 : University of the Arts London : Active Dashboard. BA Fashion Contour. Ethnicity. (2024-2025)

There is no space for racism in education. Working to decolonise the curriculum, it’s important to ensure that our studio spaces reflect the vast diversity of LCF’s student body.

Representation can’t be a token gesture. Alice Bradbury (2020) writes “policy is always political: it shapes subjectivities, produces discourses of success and failure, and determines practices and priorities, all in ways which work to advantage some students over others” (p. 256). If students don’t see themselves reflected in those who teach or lead them, it shapes what they believe is possible — and who knowledge belongs to.

To decolonise the curriculum, we have to consider not only the content we teach, but who is delivering teaching. Representation allows students to witness knowledge held and shared by people from a range of racial and cultural backgrounds. That kind of visibility is transformative and ensures a sense of belonging.

The barriers for racially minoritised staff in education are deep-rooted. Kalwant Bhopal, writing from a critical race and intersectional perspective, describes how racialised women in higher education often face a “triple burden” across race, gender, and class (Bhopal & Pitkin, 2020, p. 709). Lewis and Arday (2023) extend this critique further, describing the “whitening of neurodiversity” — showing how higher education tends to reward those who conform to white, neurotypical norms.

Nicola Rollock, in her research on Black Female Academics at professorship level, reveals that ‘Black female academics endure an uneven and convoluted pathway to professorship characterized by undermining, bullying, and the challenges of a largely opaque progression process.’ (Rollock, 2021, p.93) In 2019, there were just 25 Black female full professors in the UK — a shocking figure that speaks to a lack of institutional support. Two of Rollock’s participants resigned during her study, which further shows that education does not have support in place to ensure Black female professors can thrive.

Representation is not just about hiring — we need to create systems that retain and support staff of different ethnicity. That has to include transparent progression, culturally responsive leadership, and equitable access to development. It also includes reviewing assessment practices that may disadvantage racially minoritised students and embedding anti-racist values across policy — not just in EDI statements.

As a white woman in education, I’ve never had to navigate this kind of erasure. That’s a privilege. But it also means I have a responsibility — to advocate, to listen, and to create space. As Bradbury reminds us, we must “draw attention to the role of policy, and the policymakers themselves, in reproducing racial inequality” (2020, p. 256). That includes me.

Representation isn’t an optional extra — it’s the foundation of anti-racist education.

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. 250–268. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2019.1599338 (Accessed: 18 June 2025).

Bhopal, K. and Pitkin, C. (2020). ‘Same old story, just a different policy’: race and policy making in higher education in the UK. Race Ethnicity and Education, 23(4), pp. 530–547. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2020.1718082 (Accessed: 22 June 2025).

Garrett, R. (2024). Racism shapes careers: career trajectories and imagined futures of racialised minority PhDs in UK higher education. Globalisation, Societies and Education. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2024.2307886 (Accessed: 22 June 2025).

Lewis, M. and Arday, J. (2023). The whitening of neurodiversity in higher education. In: Arday, J. and Mirza, H.S. (eds.) Dismantling Race in Higher Education. London: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 1–18.

Rollock, N. (2021). ‘I would have become wallpaper had racism had its way’: Black female professors, racial battle fatigue and strategies for surviving higher education. In: Gabriel, I. (ed.) Transforming the Ivory Tower: Models for Gender Equality and Inclusive Leadership. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books, pp. 89–105.

Image Bibliography

Figure 1. UAL Dashboard Data. London College of Fashion, Fashion Programmes. Available at: https://dashboards.arts.ac.uk/dashboard/ActiveDashboards/DashboardPage.aspx?dashboardid=5c6bb274-7645-4500-bb75-7e334f68ff24&dashcontextid=638892456346570261 (Accessed: 11 June 2025).

Figure 2. UAL Dashboard Data. London College of Fashion, BA Fashion Contour. Student Profiles, Ethnicity. Available at: https://dashboards.arts.ac.uk/dashboard/ActiveDashboards/DashboardPage.aspx?dashboardid=5c6bb274-7645-4500-bb75-7e334f68ff24&dashcontextid=638892456346570261 (Accessed: 11 June 2025).

Blog post 2 : Faith

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Kimberlé Crenshaw’s intersectionality theory explains that different parts of who we are—our faith, race, gender, class—combine to shape our lived experiences in complex and unique ways. Faith doesn’t exist in isolation, it intersects with other identity factors, often amplifying unique challenges, but also offering strength and resilience.

Race and faith come together to shape how we are treated and perceived. A Black Muslim woman, for instance, might experience discrimination not only because of her race, but also due to stereotypes about Islam, and the gender roles within her faith. This triple-layered identity creates barriers that can’t be fully understood if examined in isolation (Crenshaw, 1991).

Jaclyn Rekis explores how religious people experience epistemic injustices shaped by the intersections of religion, race, gender, and secularism. She writes about the stereotyping of veiled Muslim women and the neglect of voices like Sojourner Truth. She argues that intersectionality is necessary to fully respect and understand someones lived experience.  “When we conflate two or more of these social identities, we wrongly assume we understand how they intersect” (Rekis, 2023, p. 789).

Kwame Anthony Appiah explains that religion isn’t one single, fixed thing. He believes that it’s a mix of different practices and beliefs that change depending on culture and community. He highlights how religion can bring people together and create a sense of belonging and support. In today’s world, where connection can feel hard to find, these shared beliefs and rituals are important to help people feel seen and supported.

‘There’s a guy talking to a rabbi. The rabbi says he doesn’t believe in God. The guy says ‘’you’re a rabbi, how can you not believe in God?’’ and the reply is, ‘’it’s what’s so great about being Jewish. You don’t have to believe in a god per se, just in being Jewish.’

(Appiah, 2014)

Intersectionality explains that support for the students can’t be one-size-fits-all. A Sikh woman’s experience will differ greatly from a Jewish man’s, especially when layered with race, class, or other identity factors. Understanding these nuanced intersections is essential for building empathy and meaningful support systems, to ensure every student’s best chance of success.

UAL’s dashboard data shows a diverse student body where faith, race, gender, and class often intersect. This requires flexibility in my teaching practice, including:

  • Recognising religious holidays.
  • Consulting the UAL religious holiday calendar and accommodating absences.
  • Ensuring students who miss class have access to workshop materials and catch-up support.
  • Avoiding drawing attention to absences.

Fig 1. University of the Arts London:  Active Dashboard . Fashion Programmes. Religion. (2024-2025)

Fig.2 : University of the Arts London : Active Dashboard. BA Fashion Contour. Religion. (2024-2025)

Beyond the practical, creating an inclusive learning environment means allowing students to bring their whole selves into the classroom without fear of judgment. Crenshaw’s explains that identities are interconnected, not separate. Faith shapes how people experience and move through the world, and recognising this is essential for equality.

As a white, agnostic woman, I recognise that faith does not carry social weight in my own intersectionality—this is a privilege. I’m always curious and open to learning about my students’ faiths and experiences, and I work to ensure that they feel safe, respected, and fully seen in the classroom.

“If we can try to understand where people are coming from with empathy… that allows us to engage with difference in a way that is constructive, rather than destructive.” (Trinity University, 2016)

Bibliography

Appiah, K.A. (2014) Is religion good or bad? (This is a trick question). TED. Available at: Kwame Anthony Appiah: Is religion good or bad? (This is a trick question) (Accessed 6 Jun. 2025).

Crenshaw, K. (1991) Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color. Stanford Law Review, 43(6), pp.1241–1299. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1229039 [Accessed 6 Jun. 2025].

Rekis, J. (2023) Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice: An Intersectional Approach. Hypatia, 38(4), pp.779–800. Available at: https://philarchive.org/rec/REKRIA [Accessed 6 Jun. 2025].

Trinity University (2016) Challenging Race, Religion, and Stereotypes in Classroom. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CAOKTo_DOk [Accessed 6 Jun. 2025].

Image Bibliography

Figure 1. UAL Dashboard Data. London College of Fashion, Fashion Programmes. Student Profiles, Religion. Available at: https://dashboards.arts.ac.uk/dashboard/ActiveDashboards/DashboardPage.aspx?dashboardid=5c6bb274-7645-4500-bb75-7e334f68ff24&dashcontextid=638892456346570261 (Accessed: 4 June 2025).

Figure 2. UAL Dashboard Data. London College of Fashion, BA Fashion Contour. Student Profiles, Religion. Available at: https://dashboards.arts.ac.uk/dashboard/ActiveDashboards/DashboardPage.aspx?dashboardid=5c6bb274-7645-4500-bb75-7e334f68ff24&dashcontextid=638892456346570261 (Accessed: 4 June 2025).

Rationale for Intervention: Enhancing Technical Handouts for BA Fashion Contour

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As a Specialist Technician – Learning and Teaching on the BA Fashion Contour course, I deliver technical workshops to first- and second-year students, who arrive with a wide range of sewing abilities.

According to dashboard data, 30% of these students have a declared disability. Of these, 13% report a specific learning difficulty, and 11% report other or multiple impairments.

Through delivering sessions, supporting students in supervised studio time, and speaking with them directly, it’s clear that some—particularly those with learning differences—struggle to keep up during fast-paced demonstrations. While some ask for help, others don’t always feel comfortable doing so, which can lead to stress, disengagement, or reluctance to return and complete their samples.

I’m proposing an intervention to improve the technical handouts that support workshop learning. Right now, the materials are inconsistent—some are outdated, some don’t align with current methods, and others use unclear abbreviations or language. This lack of cohesion affects students’ ability to engage with self-directed learning, particularly those who need to revisit content due to absence, processing needs, or sensory sensitivities.

The handouts are not currently providing the scaffolding students need to independently complete their sample work, which is key to their assessment.

This intervention will involve developing a standardised, accessible handout template for all 13 technical demonstrations. Features will include:

  • Clear, simplified language and a glossary of key terms
  • Step-by-step instructions in manageable stages
  • Annotated drawings and photographs
  • QR codes linking to short videos of complex techniques

I will consult with students on what they find useful in a handout and use their feedback to shape the final format. The aim is to support all learners—improving confidence, independence, and inclusivity in technical making.

Blog Post 1: Disability

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Ade Adepitan, in his interview with Paralympics GB, highlights that people’s disabilities don’t limit them, but instead its the societal barriers and discrimination surrounding them. This aligns with the social model of disability, which suggests it’s society,not impairment, that disables people.

“What makes people disabled is not their disability… it’s society. Society is what holds us back; it’s that systemic discrimination and oppression” (Adepitan, 2020).

He also says, “I intersect disability and race, so I see discrimination from both angles.” (Adepitan, 2020). Intersectionality—how overlapping identities, like race and disability, shape someone’s lived experience in complex and compounding ways. For Adepitan, these intersections lead to visible, public experiences of exclusion.

Christine Sun Kim’s work as a Deaf artist made me reflect on my own practice. In her Art21 interview, she describes her life as lived through “echoes” – navigating through translation and interpretation. She talks about being a Deaf mother and artist in Germany, and how state-supported structures enable her to function in both roles. Kim’s experience shows how supportive structures can reduce barriers. (It was a striking contrast compared to Adepitan’s experience – and between the two videos addressed how support structures can create or reduce opportunity.

Fig. 1. Christine Sun Kim ‘if sign language was considered equal we’d already be friends.
(Matt Rowe, 2019)

Kim’s idea that “size equals visibility” resonates – who is visible in my studio? Is my teaching making enough space for diverse needs and identities?

Chay Brown, a neurodiverse, trans, gay man, talks about how some identities are “invisible”—and while this may lessen the discrimination he faces in public, it can also make it harder to be recognised and included. His reflections underline how intersectionality isn’t always about what’s seen, but also about what’s missed.

“It’s to do with listening to disabled people and being willing to be told ‘actually you could have done this better’” (Brown, 2023).

This echoes the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), discussed by Glass, Meyer, and Rose (2012), who argue that inclusive approaches benefit everyone—not just students with declared needs.

“What is critical is not to make education more accessible to students with disabilities… but to ensure that UDL options and alternatives are exercised broadly” Glass, Meyer, & Rose, (2012, p. 117).

In my role, I demonstrate complex sewing techniques using a pinned camera. I’ve realised my handouts no longer match the delivery, which disadvantages students who need or prefer written instructions. I’m updating those and adding closed captions to videos, reflecting UDL principles and shifting the burden off students to adapt.

UAL’s Access and Participation Plan notes an attainment gap for disabled students, reminding me that inclusivity isn’t optional—it’s essential. Being inclusive isn’t about getting it perfect, but about being open to feedback and willing to change. Recognising intersectionality, embedding UDL, and following the social model of disability helps me design a learning space that doesn’t just work for some—but works better for all.

Bibliography

Adepitan, A. (2020). ‘Ade Adepitan gives amazing explanation of systemic racism’. Interview with Ade Adepitan. Interviewed by Nick Webborn for Paralympics GB, 16 October. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAsxndpgagU (Accessed: 25 April 2025).

Brown, C. (2023). ‘Intersectionality in Focus: Empowering Voices during UK Disability History Month 2023’. Interview with Chay Brown. Interviewed for Parapride, 13 December. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yID8_s5tjc (Accessed: 25 April 2025).

Glass, D. Meyer, A. and Rose, D. (2012) Universal design for learning in the classroom: practical applications. New York: Guilford Press.

Kim, C. S. (2023) ‘Christine Sun Kim in “Friends & Strangers” – Season 11 | Art21’. Interview with Christine Sun Kim. Interviewed for Art21, 1 November. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NpRaEDlLsI&t=1s (Accessed: 25 April 2025).

University of the Arts London, London College of Fashion (2025) Access and Participation Plan 2025-26 to 2028-29. London. Available at : Access and Participation Plan 2025-26 to 2028-29 (Accessed: 03 June 2025)

Image Bibliography

Fig.1 Rowe, M. (2019) Christine Sun Kim’s ‘if sign language was considered equal we’d already be friends. Available at : Christine Sun Kim; If Sign Language Was Considered Equal We’d Already Be Friends; Art Night 2019 image courtesy Matt Rowe – Mentoring and Coaching for Creatives(Accessed: 03 June 2025)

Blog Post 4: Universal Design for Learning

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I have been exploring pedagogical methods that align with my teaching practice. Universal Design for Learning (UDL), explained in Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom: Practical Applications by Glass, Mayer, and Rose (2012), resonated strongly.  UDL promotes flexible teaching strategies to accommodate diverse learning needs, ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to succeed, and to be able to participate in class. The framework is structured around three key principles:

  • multiple means of engagement (fostering motivation and participation),
  • multiple means of representation (ensuring accessibility of information), and
  • multiple means of action and expression (supporting varied ways of understanding).

Glass, Mayer, and Rose (2012, p.103) state. ‘The UDL provides a systematic way to review and evaluate curriculum design for accessibility and flexibility.’ This structured approach is relevant to my teaching because I aim to create an inclusive learning environment within my workshops and supervised studio sessions.

The students have a range of diverse learning needs, and I want to ensure that they can all actively participate in workshops, through flexible communication and engagement methods. Instead of providing accommodations only for students with learning differences, I ensure that the additional learning materials are available to all. This approach prevents students from feeling ‘singled out’ while ensuring that everyone benefits. ‘’What is critical is not to make education more accessible to students with disabilities, as has often been argued, but to ensure that UDL options and alternatives are exercised broadly across the whole range of students.’’ Glass, Mayer, and Rose (2012, p.117)

The additional learning materials (Handouts with drawings, Panopto videos) are sent the week before the workshop along with instructions for what we will be doing in class. This helps to ensure that all students know what to expect from our time together. During class, I ensure that every student has one on one time with me, and an opportunity to ask questions directly, instead of across the classroom, which some students can find uncomfortable or anxiety inducing. I can also demonstrate what we are currently working on in a way unique to that students’ needs at that time.

An inclusive environment also means fostering meaningful relationships with students to understand their needs. I engage with students on a personal level, so can adapt my teaching strategies in ‘real time’. Students are met where they may be on that day, and I work to ensure that they are able to participate to whatever degree that might be. ‘To be effective in a more inclusive, more demanding teaching environment, arts educators will have to be more responsive to individual differences by recognizing the variation in difficulties that their students will have and addressing them in productive ways’’ Glass, Mayer, Rose (2012, p.104) This adaptability ensures that students remain engaged and empowered in their learning.

Implementing UDL can be difficult – some students may not engage and need further scaffolding, adaptive language, or a different method. I am going to create an anonymous survey, asking for feedback regarding the workshops. Students can confidently express how they found the workshop anonymously, allowing me to reflect, address feedback, and continue to be flexible in my approach to teaching. This aligns with UDL’s focus on multiple means of representation.

References

Glass, D. Meyer, A. and Rose, D. (2012) Universal design for learning in the classroom: practical applications. New York: Guilford Press.

Blog Post 3: Reflective practice

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Lesley Raven delivered a thought-provoking lecture on reflective practice and developing personal and professional insights. We created a ‘map of self’ – working from ontology – epistemology – reflexivity, to explore how reflection shapes our teaching. The exercise encouraged me to consider how my own reflective practice informs my role as a Specialist Technician, and how I can refine my workshops to ensure my delivery remains dynamic, but also aligned with learning outcomes.

L. Raven identified five epistemologies of ‘reflective practice’:

  • ‘Creative practice,
  • Academic practice,
  • Practising practice,
  • Demonstrating practice, and
  • Expanding practice’.  Raven (2005)

My work aligns most with ‘creative’ and ‘practising practice’; my approach is hands-on, evolving through making and doing.

Reflection is not just a solitary process; it can also be collaborative. Brookfield (1995, p.39) states: ‘‘We become more aware of issues of power and control in our classrooms. As students or colleagues point out to us unwittingly oppressive aspects of our actions, we start to think more deliberately about the creation of democratic classrooms.’’

This resonates with me- I want to create a democratic, inclusive learning environment where students feel heard, and where feedback is actively used to shape my teaching. Ensuring that students and peers feel comfortable contributing their thoughts is essential in creating a more collaborative and responsive learning space.

To keep my workshop delivery flexible and effective, I integrate “Reflection-in-Action” and “Reflection-on-Action” (Raven, 2005). Reflection-in-action occurs during demonstrations, I adapt my approach based on student engagement, while reflection-on-action takes place afterwards, allowing me to review and refine my methods. One practical way I apply this is through continuous updates to teaching materials. Each year, the BA Fashion Contour and BA Fashion Sportswear team collaboratively annotates handouts and samples based on our observations during workshops. After some time, we revisit these notes to assess whether changes are needed in patterns, fabrics, instructional flow, or machinery use.

I also invite peers from other specialisms to participate in the workshops. In BA Fashion Contour, we make bra samples. We use different machinery and have unique methods of make, different to those on a more ‘generalised’ course, such as BA womenswear. I also like to take part in my peers’ workshops, so we can continue to review and reflect not just on our own practice, but each other, and continue to build and foster a strong teaching community within the garment department. 

Student feedback is another crucial aspect of reflective practice. Amulya (2004, p.1) highlights the importance of perspective-taking in learning:

“The key to reflection is learning how to take perspective on one’s own action and experiences – in other words, to examine that experience rather than just living in it.”

Reflection is an ongoing process that requires curiosity and adaptability. By staying open to feedback and continuously refining my practice, I can ensure that my workshops remain effective, inclusive, and student-centred, fostering an environment where both educators and students learn and grow together.

Reference list

Amulya, J. (2004) What Is Reflective Practice. Centre for Reflective Community Practice, Massachusetts: Institute of Technology.

Brookfield, S. (1995) Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc.

Raven, L. (2025) ‘Reflective Practice’ [Presentation slides]. Developing personal and professional insights. Available at: https://moodle.arts.ac.uk/mod/folder/view.php?id=1378604  (Accessed : 30 May 2025).

Case Study 3: Assessing learning and exchanging feedback

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Contextual Background. 

I am a Specialist Technician: Learning and Teaching for BA Fashion Contour at London College of Fashion. In my role, I provide technical support to students as they create their final garment outcomes. Technicians are not included in the toile crit sessions. Students approach me afterwards with queries they have after the crit, and I’ll advise them how to update their patterns and garments.

Evaluation.

Students often don’t have their notes of what was said during their critique, but they’ll summarize key changes and ask me how to achieve the intended outcome. Currently, I support them separately from the academic team, working with the students understanding of what needs to be adjusted to improve the final garment outcome. The separation between academic and technical input can sometimes create mixed messages, with different perspectives on how to refine the garment.

This can cause confusion and complications from the real purpose of formative feedback—helping the students learn and develop by identifying strengths, weaknesses, and giving them clear, constructive guidance.

Moving forwards.

Moving forward, I plan to collaborate closely with the academic team, ensuring that a member of the technical team is present during toile critiques. This will allow us to work together—academics, technicians, and students—to develop a structured approach that enhances garment outcomes. By doing so, we can ensure that formative assessment is clearly understood by students while fostering a more cohesive and supportive learning environment.

As a technician, I spend evenings and weekends with students during supervised studio sessions. While I do not teach workshops during this time, I am available to answer questions, repair machines, and maintain an efficient workflow. My role allows for more informal, one-on-one interactions with students compared to the academic team, as I am consistently present in the workspace.  ‘’Close contact with teachers, or a special teacher, also has an impact. Students who make it all the way through despite their background often attribute this to an individual teacher acting as a kind of mentor who took an interest in their progress.’'(Gibbs, p. 206). By participating in toile critiques, I can better understand the feedback given on garment improvements, allowing me to mentor and support students through their revisions with a clear grasp of the required adjustments.

Since toile critiques take place at the mid-point of the term and are not graded, the feedback provided is formative. ‘Tutorials also generate huge quantities of feedback on assignments… most of it immediate, oral, and highly personalised feedback. All of this assessment is ‘formative only’- for learning and most assuredly not for marks. (Gibbs, p.197). My involvement in these critiques will enable me to suggest appropriate construction techniques and methods suited to both the students’ skill levels and the specialist machinery available. This ensures that the personalised oral feedback is both practical and achievable, allowing students to confidently approach their work.

Ultimately, students must be able to interpret feedback and implement changes independently. ‘These discursive situations prompt critical thinking and self-evaluation and develop the language of the discipline.’ (Orr, Shreeve, 2017, p.94). By taking part in toile critiques, I will gain a deeper understanding of the academic team’s expectations, allowing me to step in and provide targeted support during supervised studio sessions, helping students bridge the gap between critique and execution.

References (additional to word count) 

Gibbs, G. (2015). Maximising Student Learning Gain. In H. Fry, S. Ketteridge, & S. Mar-shall (Eds.), A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (4th ed., pp.193-208). Abingdon: Routledge.

Orr, S. and Shreeve, A. (2007) Art design pedagogy in Higher Education: Knowledge, Values and Ambiguity in the creative curriculum. London: Taylor and Francis Group.