In order to ensure I stay on track, I have created a simple critical path to help with alignment.
At the end of the block, I will submit the true critical path to see how closely I kept to the schedule, any changes, and why.
Through my teaching experience and blog reflections, I have realized that our technical handouts are not meeting the needs of all learners. Approximately 30% of students on BA Fashion Contour have a declared disability, and many more experience barriers linked to learning in a second language, or their general confidence in a sewing studio.
Students rely heavily on one-to-one support, as the current handouts lack clarity and visual guidance. This limits independent learning and can disadvantage those who find it difficult to ask for help.
My values are deeply rooted in Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This centers on inclusivity and accessibility. I believe resources should be designed to empower all students to work independently, we should not expect them to adapt to inaccessible materials, and produce their best work. Improving handouts is about aligning my teaching practice with my ethical commitment to equity and autonomy.
How can I improve my technical handouts to make them more accessible and effective for students with diverse learning needs in BA Fashion Contour workshops?
This project continues themes I’ve explored in my blog so far—how UDL principles and self-reflection can drive more inclusive technical teaching. By sharing the outcomes when complete I hope to contribute to a collective shift toward accessible learning design across LCF.
Ultimately, this research is about turning reflection into action, and ensuring that all students can learn, create, and thrive independently.
Bibliography:
Glass, D. Meyer, A. and Rose, D. (2012) Universal design for learning in the classroom: practical applications. New York: Guilford Press.
McNiff,J., & Whitehead, J.(2009) Doing and writing action research. SAGE.
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.
Contextual Background.
I conduct technical workshops that focus on demonstrating methods for constructing contour-based garments, with students actively participating, replicating the techniques to complete their own sample. The primary learning outcome is to equip students with a foundational understanding of industry-standard sewing practices, enabling them to apply and demonstrate these skills in their final garment projects.
Evaluation.
The students have varied sewing experience, which makes it challenging to find the right pace that works for everyone. I deliver a 15-minute demonstration, and then give the students 45 minutes to copy the steps they have witnesses. During that time, I walk around, checking in with every student.
If a student is caught up and waiting for next steps, I introduce more advanced techniques to keep them engaged. Students who need extra help get more one-on-one guidance, whether that’s through verbal encouragement or an additional demonstration. The more experienced students complete their projects within class time, while others might need to use studio hours outside of class to wrap things up. This setup gives everyone the support they need while keeping the workshop flowing smoothly.
Moving forwards.
I want to further explore how I can ‘scaffold’ students who need additional support and time but also allowing more experienced students to engage with advanced techniques. ”Hussey and Smith (2010) argue that the most appropriate response to diversity is a flexible approach that enables transition from dependent to autonomous learning.’’ Bamber and Jones (2015, p.153)
To facilitate this, I will create handouts and sample packs covering basic and advanced sewing methods. These resources will allow students to learn at their own pace, in class or supervised studio sessions. This approach encourages autonomous learning at any skill level while ensuring that a technician is available to provide support and scaffolding when needed.
This strategy will also help manage the workload of technicians, who often struggle to provide individualized attention due to time constraints and the number of students requiring assistance simultaneously. Preparing instructional materials means that students can independently revisit the methods demonstrated in class or learn more advanced methods at their own pace. ‘’What needs to happen is that the students are supported and feel confident in their own learning, so that they don’t hang around the corridors waiting to see already overloaded tutors with a vague sense that somehow, the tutor holds the ‘right answer.’” Brooks, (2008, p.4)
I aim to foster independent learning whilst ensuring that students who require one-on-one support can seek help as needed. I want to cultivate a social learning environment where students support one another, enhancing collaboration. ‘‘Students create a social learning environment discussing amongst peers and enabling the tutor to explore progress and work and to hold group or individual tutorials.’’ Orr and Shreeve (2017, p.90)
With these resources readily available in the sewing studio, students can independently revisit techniques when constructing their final realized outcomes. As a technician, I do not dictate to students how they should create their final submission garments; it is a collaboration. A technique learned in the first year may need to be revisited in the final year, and having a readily accessible ‘catalogue’ of methods empowers students to refresh their knowledge. This approach fosters autonomy in decision-making and helps eliminate hierarchy in the workroom, allowing all students to take ownership of their learning.
References.
Bamber, V. and Jones, A. (2015) A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Edited by H.Fry, S.Ketteridge, and S.Marshall.Abingdon: Routledge.
Brooks, K. (2008) “Could do better? Students’ critique of written feedback,” Networks. eprints.uwe.ac.uk.
Hussey, T. and Smith, P. (2010) The Trouble with Higher Education: A Critical Examination of our Universities. New York and London: 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.
Contextual Background:
I deliver technical workshops to year 1&2 BA Fashion Contour. I demonstrate how to make a sample to industry standard, and the students create their own. The purpose of the workshops is to understand industry standards, which is implemented in their final garments independently.
I teach students with diverse needs. For this case study, I am going to focus on language diversity.
Evaluation:
I email the week before class, so students know what equipment to bring, and what to expect in class, with the handout attached. This allows the students to prepare physically and mentally and can be engaged and ready to participate in class. This allows students who do not speak English as a first language to digest the information ahead of time, at their own pace. I allow the students to record demonstrations so they can play back as and when they need.
I want to slow down the number of steps delivered during demonstrations. We have recently updated our sessions from 2 x 3.5-hour classes to 3 x 3.5. I think that by delivering less steps, breaking up the demonstrations, and accommodating comfort breaks, this will help the students to stay engaged.
Moving forwards.
Every student is unique and has their preferred method of learning. I want to champion ‘Universal Design for Learning’ and ensure that my workshops are as varied as the student’s needs. ‘’In the past two decades, neuroscience has demonstrated that learners are highly variable in the ways they learn and that this variability is the norm, not the exception.’’ Glass, Mayer, Rose (2012, p.99).
I want to continue to offer multiple strategies to access the learning material in a manner of ways, to accommodate all students’ needs in a way that best suits them; ‘’the most appropriate response to diversity is a flexible approach that enables transition from dependent to autonomous learning.’’ Bamber and Jones (2015, p.153).
In BA Fashion Contour, we use complex and unique words to describe how to construct a bra. Clarity is important to ensure that all students understand the task at hand. ‘One important consideration when teaching international students is the clarity of explanations. This means providing a clear outline of what is required, providing models of successful practice, and aligning objectives with teaching and assessment.’ Bamber and Jones (2015, p.154). I will create a glossary of terms with photos and drawings to ‘scaffold’ students with language diversities. This will be attached to all weekly emails for ease of access, and allow them to build on their language, confidence, and ability to participate wholly in workshops.
Embracing ‘Universal Design for Learning’, all students within the class will be able to access this with ease, ensuring that everyone can pull from this document when required. I want to make sure that all supplementary information is easily accessed by all, regardless of diversity.
‘’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, Rose (2012, p.117)
References.
Bamber, V. and Jones, A. (2015) Challenging students: Enabling inclusive learning In H. Fry, S. Ketteridge, & S. Mar-shall (Eds.) A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (4th ed., pp.152-168). Abingdon: Routledge.
Glass, D. Meyer, A. and Rose, D. (2012) Universal design for learning in the classroom: practical applications. New York: Guilford Press.
Hussey, T. and Smith, P. (2010) The Trouble with Higher Education: A Critical Examination of our Universities. New York and London: Routledge.
Size of student group: 20
Observer: Karen Matthewman
Observee: Jade Gellard
Part One
Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review:
What is the context of this session within the curriculum?
I am delivering the second part of a three – part workshop, where I demonstrate how to make a Basque, and students complete their own sample for hand in to be assessed.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
This is a 1st year class – September 2024. 5 months.
In the capacity of delivering the groups technical workshops.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
The intended learning outcomes:
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
The students follow along and complete their own Basque sample as part of their hand in requirements for block 2. The sample will not be completed until the following week, as there is a lot of sewing to be completed.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
There is sometimes a ‘bottle neck’ of students requiring specialist machines at the same time. This can cause queues, or machinery breaking from speed and change of hands, resulting in long wait times. This can mean that students are not able to keep up with the demonstrations.
My students have varying degrees of skill and use on a sewing machine. This can make it hard to balance the flow of the room, so that students aren’t waiting for the next steps, or are unable to keep up with the speed of the demonstration.
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
Students will be notified via their weekly email. The week before, I send an email to remind students of what to expect in the next session, and what materials/ equipment to bring along.
I will check that everyone is comfortable, explain that the observation is part of my own hand in, and that there is no need to behave in a different way.
What would you particularly like feedback on?
The general atmosphere of the room. I want my sewing workshops to be encouraging, warm, and inviting.
I want the students to be actively listening, engaged, and comfortable. But is this actually the case?
Is my language clear and concise?
Are all students treated equally, with no unconscious bias?
Is the flow and speed of the workshop suitably paced?
How will feedback be exchanged?
Through the ROT form and email.
This was a retrospective reflection on practice.
Jade and I met online to discuss her recent session. This session had been seen by Jade’s peer and she had received detailed feedback and reflection on the session, so we decided to look in a more holistic way at implications of this session for Jade’s broader teaching context, as I hadn’t seen the session.
We discussed at the beginning Jade’s comment about the shortage of specialist machines that sometimes causes a bottleneck to students moving forwards with their projects. I reflected that I had noticed this happening in another session with a technician and that a student got quite agitated about not being able to proceed and kept pacing backwards and forwards in front of the machine, which would obviously not be good for the student themselves or the student that must have felt a bit intimidated by this.
Jade said that this happens only very rarely, and she discussed various strategies. One was a talk they have around respect and sewing hygiene- a mix of etiquette and safety which Jade gives them early in their time with her. She also points out to the students that those around them are their future colleagues and collaborators- this section of fashion is a very small world! They establish clear ways of working which includes giving people space. She also notices different students’ capabilities and helps them get on with different tasks according to that, so that the space flows optimally and means not everyone is at the same stage at the same time.
Jade values the small group that she is working with, which enables her to really get to know students, how they work and their strengths and weaknesses. We talked about the importance of having a sense of belonging and building a community of practice. The fact that Jade is not involved directly in summative assessment means that she is able to build good relationships with students not affected so much by traditional teacher power relations.
This led to talking about Jade’s approach to her pedagogies, and what we described together as creating a democratic space. Jade tries to disassemble hierarchies and show that she is on the same learning journey as her students, but just that her skills knowledge is further along. We talked about some of the theories behind this philosophy. I mentioned bell hooks, who Jade is enjoying reading. I said that maybe she could look at some other feminist pedagogies which really focus on that noticing and reconstructing power differences.
This led to some discussion about the importance of peer learning in studio. I mentioned Vygotsky, scaffolding and zones of proximity for learning. Jade said that one area of difficulty was students whose first language is not English sometimes don’t understand all the technical language and that sometimes their peers will help them. I suggested she investigate creating a glossary of key words that might help build students’ technical vocabulary. Jade seemed really enthusiastic about that idea and looked to try it in the future.
It was an interesting and fruitful discussion, where we were able to unpick some of the common issues and situations Jade encounters in general and in particular in this session, and some strategies that Jade currently uses and will think about using in the future, while also reflecting on theory that might help that.
It was nice to talk to Karen regarding my workshop. It was an interesting conversation that has certainly helped me to reflect on my practice and take actions going forwards.
I have learned through discussion and research that I am very invested in universal design for learning, co-teaching, and scaffolding students until they are competent. It has been really encouraging to find out that my teaching is appropriate, researched with positive results, and defined.
I am going to work on making a glossary with key terms, photos, and QR codes linking to Moodle to help students who may prefer to watch video links. I agree with Karen that this will certainly help students whose first language is not English. It will also be useful for students with additional learning needs, as it will help them to be self-sufficient and refer to the glossary when they are stuck.
I would still like to explore the ‘bottlenecking’ that I experience with my workshops. A discussed above, we require lots of machinery to make a contour sample. Its unavoidable sometimes to have the bottleneck, particularly if we have one machine needed at the start of the workshop, for example, a twin needle wire casing or babylock, and every student needs that to be able to continue with their sample. I am going to work on adjusting the workshop delivery- I would like to investigate if I can move the order of assembly around. If I can, I will focus on the bottle neck spots and try place this part of the workshop halfway through the delivery. I have students who are at different capabilities of sewing, and this will mean that as a class, we are more likely to have a better flow as some students will complete the sample faster than others. As opposed to all students waiting to use the specialist machinery at the same time, at the start of end of a session.
I’m really enjoying reading Bell Hooks and will continue to source her writings as a means of inspiration. I’m going to investigate Vygotsky and ‘scaffolding’ as I would like to learn more about this, and further implement it in my teachings.