Peer Observation -3: Observation of my teaching practice by my Tutor 

Posted on 7th March 2025 by Jade Gellard
Session to be observed: 27th February 2025 – Technical workshop. Basque part 2, BA Fashion Contour year 1 group B., 9.30am – 12.30pm.

Size of student group: 20

Observer: Karen Matthewman

Observee: Jade Gellard

 
Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action.

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:

  • Students learn new construction techniques.
  • Students can take this and apply it to their own samples if suitable.
  • Deepening the understanding of patterns, notches, and the language used for garment construction.
  • Practicing using the specialist sewing machines required for contour to improve their overall garment finish.

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.

Part Two

Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:

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.

Part Three

Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged:

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.

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Peer Observation -2: Observation of my teaching practice by my peer

Posted on 7th March 2025 by Jade Gellard

Session to be observed: 27th February 2025 – Technical workshop. Basque part 2, BA Fashion Contour year 1 group B., 9.30am – 12.30pm.

Size of student group: 20

Observer: Grace O’Driscoll

Observee: Jade Gellard

 
Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action.

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:

  • Students learn new construction techniques.
  • Students can take this and apply it to their own samples if suitable.
  • Deepening the understanding of patterns, notches, and the language used for garment construction.
  • Practicing using the specialist sewing machines required for contour to improve their overall garment finish.

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 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.

Part Two

Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:

The general atmosphere of the room.  

The atmosphere of the room was very warm and friendly while still being professional and productive. This was especially apparent as students arrived and were all greeted individually then issued brief encouragements on getting organised with any equipment and materials needed, and to check their sewing machines. 

A noticeable factor was several very clear reminders of Health and Safety that Jade took time to include, both at the beginning of the session and again when the students started to work on their pieces. These were detailed and clear, so their importance was well communicated. Jade then demonstrated this importance in real time when the fire alarm went off, communicating to students that this was not an expected test and so to evacuate immediately and calmly, and stating “I am switching the power to the machines off now”. I found this very impactful as in the library we often find students will wait a few minutes to see if the alarms stop and are quite reluctant to evacuate – Jade’s immediate approach was instructive, and I felt a very useful life skill for students to see demonstrated. 

Inclusive practice was shown through genuine concern for a student who arrived and reported attending despite feeling unwell, with encouragement to leave if not feeling well enough to persist and Jade giving clarity about ways to catch up on the content. 

Active listening and engagement

The setup of the room was excellent, with a camera trained on the sewing machine as Jade worked through the exercise. Students were observed to be watching the screen carefully, with one student recording the tutorial and others taking detailed notes. Most had their materials and progress to date in front of them and could be seen glancing at the relevant pieces to ensure they understood the steps and instructions. 

Jade was very careful with the camera placement and took time to zoom or re-position at regular intervals, ensuing that the images on screen were optimised to show as much detail and action as possible. This showed real concern for inclusion of all students who may be more visual learners and for those who may miss out on fine details otherwise. 

Clear and concise language

Jade’s language and pace were very clear and succinct, she repeated some phrases at intervals which really helped their importance to sink in; for example, explaining about the right / soft side of the materials, the placement of notches and the seam allowances, so that there was no chance to miss vital basics amongst the specific task instructions. Jade also checked and referred to her written list of task instructions which added clarity and reassurance that every step was covered. As an observer this was also a good reminder to myself to think in a step-by-step approach, so I think this would also be conveyed to students. I didn’t see any students with a copy of the step-by-step list Jade had and I wondered if it would be helpful to hand out a printed copy of a version of this for those that might benefit from a tick-list (its possible students had a digital or printed copy that I didn’t see). 

One other thing I think the room would benefit from in addition to the camera and screen setup is a mic. Jade projected her voice really well across the room well despite being sat at a machine doing close work, however she was at times in a position of needing to verbally explain while also looking down towards her sewing. A mic could be turned on to make it easier to project at a clearer volume in this situation. 

All students treated equally

All students who arrived before the session start were greeted and welcomed to the room. Something I noticed particularly was that students arriving later were not commented on, and their arrival was not mentioned. I found this very inclusive practice – we don’t know the reasons students might run late, and they might already be feeling stressed or anxious and may not be ready to interact. This is something I will try to remember in future, I’ve tended to try to smile and say hello which gets repetitive.

At the point where students were starting to work independently on their pieces Jade spoke to a student who may have missed the previous session as they were getting started on, rather than progressing their item. Jade offered them an alternate route of steps so that they could align with the session on the day, and then complete the previous steps independently to get the best out of the taught content without rushing their work and risking errors. Again, I found this to be an inclusive and compassionate approach. 

Following the demonstration part of the tutorial Jade walked the room several times stopping to check on each student’s progress and confidence as they worked on their task, helping students who needed support and answering questions. This 1:1 checking approach ensured that everyone got equal access to help and time without having to call Jade over or approach her, which some students might be less comfortable to do. 

Another noticeably inclusive element was Jade’s recognitions of more challenging or particularly tricky elements of the task. I find this especially important in elements of teaching or training where expertise is involved or assumed. Some students can write themselves off as ‘not good at’ certain skills, whereas they are actually just less experienced or less practiced. Jade used the phrase “even though I have been sewing a million year this is still something I have to double check / do slowly and carefully”. I found this a really inclusive and encouraging turn of phrase.

Flow and speed of the workshop pace

The workshop flowed very well, it was very clear that it was a ‘next steps’ workshop and the pace was very productive.  A noticeable element was the clear communication of time allowances. This flowed through from before the start when verbal reminders of ‘5 minutes and ‘two minutes’ to start were given. For the student’s hands-on element, a 45 minute allowance was clearly communicated at the start, then when 15 minutes had passed this was notified and Jade confirmed ‘you have 30 minutes, lots of time left’ which again was really encouraging, helping students to avoid rushing and making errors. 

Also, near the end of the first set of instructions before the independent working time Jade checked with the group whether they had taken on enough information and wanted to make a start on the hands-on element or whether she could add a little more before starting – the group wanted to make a start before any more content and Jade listened to this and adjusted her lesson plan which was very responsive and student-centered. Perhaps one reminder to students to ask for any help needed as Jade walked the room would have reassured anyone who is shy, but if the class already know their technician well this is probably not needed.

Part Three

Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged:

It was lovely to meet Grace and have her observe my session. It was a shame that we were interrupted by a fire drill, but in hindsight it was great that she could also observe how I handle such a situation. Fire drills, accidents, etc. all happen in our day-to-day delivery, so it was a rare opportunity to have that observed and addressed.

I’m glad to read that the rooms atmosphere was warm and inviting. I take time to get to know all my students on a personal level, so I know how they would like to be spoken to. Before class, I write to the students on the group email, telling them what to expect from the coming class, and to let the team know if they are going to be late or absent. This means that often I know in advance if the students are going to be late or absent, I can accommodate that, and not draw attention to it when they come to class late. Its important to me that everyone is always able to join us without being embarrassed or accused of being late.

I believe that the strength of technicians is that we can know our students on a more personal level. We do not mark the students work, there is no need for hierarchy, we often learn together as we work out a complex method of make. We are always on the workroom floor available for their queries and needs. I really enjoy the relationship I can have with my students; we embed respect and patience in their first year through our induction workshops, and this strengthens and grows as we spend more time together.

I agree that a microphone would be useful for the room. It’s a large space and I do have to project my voice quite loudly. If I have two classes back-to-back, I can end up quite hoarse at the end of the day. A microphone would help to prevent that.

I used to provide handouts for the students, but as part of my efforts to reduce paper waste, I attach the handout digitally on my ‘week before’ email. This way, students can access the information before class, which helps them to feel prepared, and if they choose to, they can then print this out themselves. In the past I would find handouts scattered across the workroom, discarded as soon as they were not deemed useful. I now find that students have a digital copy that they will refer to in the future when they are trying to remember a particular method of sewing for their final garments. This has been beneficial for the environment as well as encouraging independent learning, helping to reduce the question queue in supervised studio times.

However, I should make a point to have a few handouts available on different colored paper for the students who may have additional needs. It is not easy for them to print on and access yellow paper, and in hindsight this was an oversight of mine. I will ensure to have yellow paper copies in the future to ensure that all students needs can be met efficiently and swiftly.

It was lovely to read that Grace felt my practice was inclusive. I particularly enjoyed that she observed that I checked in with every student. I have found in the past that if I sat back and waited for the students to approach me, some of the quieter students may not feel comfortable asking questions, and then continue with the sample although there are mistakes. To work around this and ensure that every student has access to me to ask questions, I explain to the students at the start of our workshops in September that I will be walking around and checking in with them all individually during our sessions, but they are also welcome to ask for help at any time. This has helped me to catch more mistakes and help to check everyone is always being health and safety aware.

However, I do agree with Grace that I could be more vocal and ask the group ‘Does anyone need help, is everyone okay?’ More often, as some students may wait for me to approach them as they feel uncomfortable asking for help. Asking the question may help me to gain eye contact from a shy student who needs help but isn’t comfortable speaking up, or a student who may feel like it is rude and is ‘waiting for their turn’

Going forwards I will:

  • Ask the AV team for a mic to ensure that my voice can be heard across the workroom.
  • Ensure I have yellow handouts for students who may be otherwise unable to access the content required for class.
  • Ill ensure to be more vocal and ask students frequently ‘Does anyone need any help’ to catch any mistakes before they escalate and are unable to be undone on the sample.
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Peer Observation – 1: Observation of a peer’s teaching practice

Posted on 7th March 2025 by Jade Gellard

Size of student group: Approx 400 students

Observer: Jade Gellard

Observee: Grace O’Driscoll

Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action.

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 have been working towards making library sessions more embedded with units on Camberwell Fine Art courses. As the cohorts are so large there have not been library sessions in-course for some years which leaves the students under-supported in how to conduct basic academic research, how to reference, and how to use the library efficiently – which drives a very high (unsustainable) number of 1:1 support requests. I have now recorded these asynchronous sessions for unit Moodle pages to combine with very short introductory time slots in the cohort weekly meetings.

How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?

I have not seen these groups, and they have had no other library teaching, since their Year 1 week 1 Welcome Week induction. I will produce a similar but slightly more advanced set of video resources for unit 8 in Year 2 and again for unit 9.2 in year 3  – and will see them at their weekly meetings hopefully again one time for each of these units to introduce, explain and take questions around the video resources.

What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?

The intended learning outcomes:

  • Students are confident to use the library either in person or online or both and know how to ask for help if needed.
  • Students are empowered to undertake basic image and text research using keywords / search terms and can develop a list of target terms to research.
  • Students understand the limitations and pathways entailed in using the UAL library search pages.
  • Students are equipped with some good start points for their research including recommended bibliographies, Cite Them Right Online, confidence on when and how to approach their Academic Support Librarian for help.

What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?

Students will use the library resources to support their Unit 7 essay research and referencing.

Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?

The main concern is that students won’t watch the videos in full or will dismiss the need for library based research and rely on Google, which negatively affects attainment potential.

How will students be informed of the observation/review?

As these are asynchronous resources there are no students present in real time.

What would you particularly like feedback on?

The level of engagement – these skills can seem quite ‘dry’ compared to a lot of UAL teaching but get consistently very positive feedback in terms of usefulness in 1:1 sessions. Fine Art at Camberwell have disengaged from the library over some years and so this is now quite a new concept for the students to re-engage with as important to their attainment and efficiency.

The level of detail – I will have the opportunity to edit the video tutorials and I will also be creating a new set for unit 8 and so it would be great to hear where it seems repetitive or over / under detailed.

How will feedback be exchanged?

Through the ROT form and email.

Part Two

Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:

Across all videos:

It was very useful to have the contents, captions and discussions at the side of the Panopto video to help click through and find what part of the video is needed. I think that students who are looking to answer a particular question will be able to find what they need easily.

There was a clear outlined contents page, and you explained what to expect from the videos. This helps to engage the student and ensure that they are watching the right video for their query.

Your demonstration was clear and concise, but it could have been slowed down. It was quick, and I couldn’t see the examples of books as the screen blurred. 

Demonstrating in ‘live’ time helped to concrete the learning outcomes. It was engaging and familiarised the learning outcome of the video.

Yr 2 library refresher video

The captions helped me to follow along when the pace was too fast.

The slide deck was very informative. The ratio of text and picture was visually appealing.

The most important information was written, and you were then further explaining this verbally where necessary.

I couldn’t click the links on the screen– but that could be because it was a recorded session? I would like to suggest QR codes alongside to help students link up outside of the session, or the links in the comments, if that is possible.

It was nice to hear you ask students to pause the video and ‘google’ ‘ual library search’ to get them to embed the learning outcomes and make them feel comfortable with that the catalogue looks like.

Your explanation of the Dewey system was very clear and easy to follow. Using ‘call number like a post code’ was a simple and effective way to visualise how to use the Dewey system appropriately.

Closing the PowerPoint with ‘top five things to remember about UAL libraries’ was a nice finish. It was warm and friendly, which tied up the library refresher well.

Yr 2 research skills

At the start, you made it clear what the learning outcome is from the video, and what to expect from the unit 7 Moodle page.

There were engaging images and text on the screen while you were sharing further information. There were brightly coloured examples, and they help retain attention.

There was a demonstration and recap page at the start of the demonstration to help embed the learning.

Including and mentioning assistive technology to comfortably get through reading, was inclusive and mindful of the diverse needs of students.  

There was quite a lot of information across all three videos. Whilst I appreciate that there is a contents page and students can access the part they need, would cutting up the video into its sections at 5-10 minutes long help to keep the students attention?

Referencing for unit 7

This slide deck isn’t as colourful or engaging as yr2 library refresher video / yr 2 research skills, until the image referencing at the end. Is there a way to make the beginning of the slide deck more vibrant?

Some of the text on the quotes was quite small, and hard to read. Maybe there could be a digital handout to supplement this video? I watched the video on my phone, so it was very hard to read.

Explaining how to Harvard reference now and clarifying that it will be needed in further units helps to establish that this is important information, and the student should pay attention.

You addressed common queries throughout the video, anticipating and eliminating any confusion. It was clear you are well practised and knowledgeable and know where students may have further questions.

Part Three

Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged:

Part Three
Reflection on the observer’s comments and how I will act on the feedback exchanged:

Jade commented that ‘demonstrating in ‘live’ time helped to concrete the learning outcomes [but] it could have been slowed down It was quick, and I couldn’t see the examples of books as the screen blurred, and that the ‘pace was too fast’. This is definitely something I can address in future sessions, I have also been reading about the value of the ‘debrief’ and I think on some of the very essential elements I should recap over some points before moving on.

Another comment ‘I couldn’t click the links on the screen…QR codes alongside to help students link up outside of the session, or the links in the comments, if that is possible’. This is a really helpful suggestion – I have newly been uploading my sessions to Panopto and these are some of the first that I have explored more of the functionality. I will investigate – I know I can’t make the links on the main screen live but hopefully I can make them live in the captions. I can also add QR codes, hopefully as clips in these videos and also in future ones. In response to this I also added QR codes linking to key resources in my in-person sessions which has been really well received with lots of students using them in sessions.

Jade questioned whether ‘cutting up the video into its sections at 5-10 minutes long help to keep the students attention?’. Shorter videos have been requested by the courses and unit leads – cutting this into three sections has been in response to a really long research tutorial I had posted for Unit 9.2 in Autumn term. This feedback is really helpful as I had assumed this was already granular enough, For unit 8 this year and unit 9.2 upcoming next year I am going to try and make a set of shorter more focused videos with one key skill in each.

Another insight that the referencing ‘slide deck isn’t as colourful or engaging’ was insightful – I tried addressing this in some recent in person sessions by looking at more visual referencing first, including Social Media examples. This was really helpful and kept student’s attention more that starting with books and journals which are more commonly used but less interactive.

Jade observed that ‘some of the text on the quotes was quite small, and hard to read. Maybe there could be a digital handout to supplement this video? I watched the video on my phone, so it was very hard to read’. This is something I definitely need to address. My slides in general follow accessibility guidelines but there are a couple I have re-purposed from shared sessions that don’t. It will definitely be worth the small amount of additional workload to re-work these slides to make sure they are fully legible.

Links to the tutorials and slide packs:

Library Refresher re-introduction, recorded tutorial and slides pack (for links to resources)

Research Skills introduction, recorded tutorial and slides pack

Harvard Referencing introduction, recorded tutorial and slides pack

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Blog post 2: Object based learning.

Posted on 25th February 2025 by Jade Gellard

I have to deliver a twenty-minute micro teach to peers, evidenced around ‘Object based learning’. Hardie writes about ”a matter of taste activity” (Hardie, 2015, p.6). Hardie encourages students to engage in experiential and active group learning through object analysis. Students work in small groups to examine artefacts, analysing function, target audience, etc. Hardie focuses on personal taste and asks students to question why they find an object appealing.

I decided that my ‘object’ would be a selection of bras from my archives. My peers will look at and assess the bras together, to understand how the lace/embroidery is positioned, cut and applied. I will then show the participants how to demonstrate the lace placement to a manufacturer, to ensure that the garment is as visioned on the design, as per industry standards.

We are early into our PG Cert journey together; I wanted to ‘break the ice’ as I was the first person to deliver in my session.  ‘The use of objects in small group work at the start of a course can offer a valuable ice-breaker activity as learners focus on items while developing social interaction with their peers’’ (Hardie, 2015, p.20)

I invited the participants to pick their favourite artefact from the selection. I asked them to explain why it appealed to them to the wider group. I participated in the exercise to provide an example, and to help make the group feel comfortable sharing. The task bonded the group before moving on to completing the learning outcome – individual lace/ embroidery placements.

Choosing the placement is a ‘matter of taste’; each designer/ technologist will have their own preference on how the lace/embroidery should be positioned. By talking about why they selected that artefact, and how it makes them feel, we learn how important choosing the correct placement is to ensure a bra has appeal to the market. By interacting with the objects, students enhance their understanding of taste, reinforcing their ability to analyse design beyond functionality.

‘’I invite students to appraise the objects in relation to notions of taste that they have studied earlier in the curriculum; to explore what they feel about the object and if they find the object appealing and in what ways?’’ (Hardie, 2015, p.6)

Going forwards in my teaching, I will implement Hardies suggestions around ”a matter of taste”(Hardie, 2015, p.6). Hardie explains that often in a learning environment, or in a museum, ‘‘the physical handling of the object is denied’’.  (Hardie, 2015, p.4). By offering the participants to feel, touch, and sense the artefacts, this gave a well-rounded and memorable learning experience.

This is something I will practise in my workshops. I have started to curate a small archive to refer to during class, to show students further examples of how a particular construction method can be used in multiple ways, furthering their understanding of complex sewing techniques. I hope that this will help to strengthen independent learning; seeing multiple examples across multiple samples will help to connect learning outcomes to fully realised final garments.

References

Hardie, K. (2015) ‘Innovative pedagogies series: Wow: the power of objects in object-based learning and teaching’ P.6

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Micro teach feedback

Posted on 15th February 2025 by Jade Gellard

Going into the micro teach I was confident with my teaching plan, and the prep work I did. I was excited to share with my PGCERT peers.  When complete, I felt ‘flat’- I had questions about my practise and my delivery. With some space and reflection, I have processed the feedback, and I’m motivated to implement positive changes to my workshop sessions.

The learning outcome for my micro teach was:

 ‘Understand lace placement and what it means to the overall design of a bra.’

The micro teach went smoothly. My peers were enthused and participated meaningfully.  At the end, my peers were able to provide an accurate lace placement. I was satisfied that I’ve delivered the session authentically to my natural teaching.

There was lots of feedback – some positive, some constructive.

After the feedback, I was disappointed in my delivery. I’m confident that my workroom environment is an inclusive and equal space for all, so it was hard to hear that I shouldn’t rely on implied consent, and assumption of the social policies we have at UAL.

On reflection, I place too much emphasis on assumption – I assume that the students know about gender, sustainability, inclusion, to name a few. It’s okay to address this with a small statement, to make it clear that we do have a responsibility to address social, societal and environmental issues, and can all work together to have a safe and inclusive space.

It is very easy to jump straight into my fast-paced workshop, without checking in with the students. How are they doing on that day, are they ready to actively engage and listen?

My role is hands on. I use an artefact – a completed sample, to show the students what we are working towards. My students and I work on a shared goal. I demonstrate how to make the sample; they create exact replicas. The learning outcome is to make a sample, and in doing so being able to take this learning and implement it in their own designs independently.

Going forwards, I will include a brief five minutes across each workshop to acknowledge the limitations of the contour industry, to further the students’ independent studies, helping to innovate the industry.

  • This is the way that industry currently produces garments – but does it have to be that way? Can we work to make sustainable choices? Can we choose alternative fabrics that behave in the same way but have a better carbon footprint and air miles?
  • Eliminating the use of the term ‘nude’ to describe a soft pink colour. Skin tones vary and in our efforts to de-colonise the curriculum we need to move away from loaded terms.
  • Inclusion – Lingerie can be worn by anyone respective of gender. Let’s work to make lingerie available to all who wish to wear it.

I will mindfully accept constructive criticism going forwards. The aim of the micro teach was to receive positive and constructive feedback and reflect on our delivery. Using this feedback, I can improve my delivery, being flexible and adjustable in my teaching practise. This will ensure that the students get the best from me, and therefore their best learning outcome.

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Micro Teach Plan.

Posted on 3rd February 2025 by Jade Gellard

I have created a micro teach checklist to ensure I am ready and engaged on the day.

PLAN-JGdownload

The microteach plan.

Before the micro teach, as per my check list, I have:

•Scanned a selection of laces / embroideries, and printed them out.

•Imported digital patterns into Adobe Illustrator and made them user friendly for this exercise. Then, printed and cut out from card so they can be handled easily.

•Prepared the materials as per the checklist in the ‘Micro Teach’ plan.

•Created a hand out for the participants to review should they need assistance in the session.

The hand out provided to the participants.

darted-bra-34B-jgDownload

An example of one of the pattern options provided to the participants.

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Blog 1 : Workshop 1 & 2, the use of ChatGPT, ‘Brave Spaces’ vs ‘Safe Spaces’.

Posted on 15th January 2025 by Jade Gellard

Before our first workshops, we were allocated a group and a reading. We discussed the paper with our small groups, and then summarised our understanding to the wider class.

I read ‘‘The new life’: Mozambican Art Students in the USSR and the Aesthetic Epistemologies of Anti-Colonial Solidarity’’ (Savage, 2023).

After the reading material was dissected, we agreed that we found it difficult to ‘plough through’ the academic reading. A question was asked to the tutors; ‘Why did you allow us to input the paper into ChatGPT?’  It was proposed that we shouldn’t use ChatGPT as ‘students should be comfortable being confused,’ and in relation to our UG/PG cohorts, ‘Students are no longer able to persist’.

I found the conversation insightful; I enjoyed listening to the opinions about the use of AI within higher education, and its drawbacks. At the same time, I was frozen with guilt; I was the student who asked ChatGPT to summarize. The paper wrote about Marxism, socialism, and ‘art education in the socialist world’. (Savage, 2023, p.1). These are topics that I haven’t encountered before, especially not in my career as a garment technologist.

I used ChatGPT as a tool to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. Its use ensured I could approach a difficult paper with a newly formed understanding of social and political ideologies. It made the reading enjoyable, I could extract the key learnings without getting lost in overcomplicated words, and without having the implied background knowledge of social political happenings in the USSR.  

I struggle to speak up in group sessions as I fear being perceived as wrong, incorrect, or un-educated. In this instance, I did not voice my opinion.

Arno and Clemens speak of ‘brave spaces’ in place of ‘safe spaces’. The Authors critique the idea of ‘Safe Spaces’, which limit the scope for challenging discussions. Re-framing a ‘safe space’ to a ‘brave space’ encourages individuals to engage in uncomfortable conversations, which are necessary for growth and understanding for all involved.

Brave spaces ‘‘allow students to engage with one another over controversial issues with honesty, sensitivity, and respect’’ (Arno and Clemens, 2013, p.135).

By remaining silent I was assisting in fostering the groups’ narrowed view regarding AI. I know now that by voicing my opinion, approaching conversations with the ‘brave space’ mindset, it will allow the group to visualise a different perspective. By not speaking up, I was avoiding conflict, making the space comfortable, and ‘safe’, but denying us the opportunity for a thought provoking debate. That’s not to say my opinion surrounding the use of AI is correct, or there is a ‘right’ or ‘wrong answer’, but I feel that we all could have benefited from deepening the discussion and find a more cohesive conclusion, which isn’t one sided.

‘Some of the richest learning springs from ongoing explorations of conflict, whereby participants seek to understand an opposing viewpoint’. (Arno & Clemens, 2013, p.143).

I believe that we need to embrace new AI technologies such as ChatGPT and allow students to explore and experiment with them. As educators, we should be using new technology to ensure we understand how a student may benefit from it. Seminars in correct and fair use would be appropriate to help guide students recognise ChatGPT as an educational aid; this can’t be done without personally using, critiquing, and testing its limitations.

References.

Arao, B. and Clemens, A. (2013) From Safe Spaces to Brave Spaces A New Way to Frame Dialogue Around Diversity and Social Justice.

Savage, P. (2013)  ‘The new life’: Mozambican Art Students in the USSR and the Aesthetic Epistemologies of Anti-Colonial Solidarity.

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Preliminary thoughts

Posted on 2nd January 2025 by Jade Gellard

As we exit the Winter break, it felt appropriate to start on the reading journey and try to absorb the following articles, as per homework demands.

  • ‘The new life’: Mozambican Art Students in the USSR, and the Aesthetic Epistemologies of Anti-Colonial Solidarity. Polly Savage.
  • On the Spectrum within art and design academic practice. Luca M. Damiani.
  • Embracing the silence: Introverted learning and the online classroom. Karen Harris.

I really enjoyed reading the articles but I often had to ask myself ‘what does this mean?’. I had to slowly absorb the information word by word and had to research a lot of the language and words used in order to follow the flow of the articles. I read each article over and over to try and take in as much as possible each time, annotating as I went. I spent 7 hours in the library working through all articles.

This made me anxious and I immediately felt like I was a UG student again, panicking about not understanding what I am reading, and just wanting to create and draw and design and pattern cut!

This time around, as a technician, I understand the purpose of the reading material, I’m working to improve my understanding of how the academic universe works, to benefit my students, something I am passionate about.

I’m making sure I take the appropriate time to read slowly, research alongside the reading, and ensure I ask for help as I need it to understand the theories and practices being discussed.

I’m excited to speak with the rest of the class about the readings and how we have all explored the writing with unique perspectives.

I’m really looking forward to seeing where the journey takes me, I’m eager, excited, and energized wanting to dive right in. I know that as the year progresses, ill be more comfortable with academic reading, language, and will also be reminded of how the students feel as also go through the process one more time.

I also picked up and read the wrong 1A task to start with, but found Teaching practices for creative practitioners. Orr, S & Shreeve, A, very insightful and enjoyed reading and learning about different pedagogies.

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Hello!

Posted on 9th December 2024 by Jade Gellard

My name is Jade Gellard, I am the lead Specialist Technician on the BA Fashion Contour Course, at London College of Fashion.

I’m really excited to work through the PG CERT this year.

I hope to learn more about inclusive practices, in doing so learn more about myself, my teaching methods, and implement best possible pedagogies for the students who cross through my studio. This is my fourth academic year with LCF. With each year that passes, I work to update and improve my delivery, and I want to understand how my teaching affects students, in a positive or negative way, and how to continue to improve this.

I’m passionate about reframing technical services at UAL. The strength, knowledge, and resilience that technicians demonstrate day in, day out, 9am-9pm, does not feel widely recognized, or appreciated.

It’s time to view technicians in the same light as academics. I hope that my PG CERT will help to place solid foundations in this field of research, furthering this into the MA when appropriate.

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