Month: February 2023

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PG Cert Session Reflections: Values and Ethics in Teaching.

This PGCert session that took place at LCC on 22nd February, was a particularly memorable session for me so far.

The session focused on the values and ethics of teaching, relating to the Climate and Social Justice policies instated by UAL this year. I was enamoured with the collective feelings surrounding this subject matter. Being so closely linked to my role and my practice, the session gave me a new-found alliance amongst other practitioners experiencing similar restraints and struggles within their field.

As part of the afternoon session, Lindsay asked us to form groups and conduct an activity dependant upon our understanding of the Embedding Climate, Racial, and Social Justice’ Guide for course teams. Our group collectively decided to re-write the framework, and reimagine a ‘ideal’ methodology that could be applied moving forward. We did not finish the activity during the session however, I have completed this below:

> Define principles

Problems Identified with the current framework: Tokenistic, greenwashing is present, a choice is presented rather than a necessity, policies are theoretical, should consider the four lenses: Social, Cultural, Environmental, Economic Sustainability.

  • BASELINE SHIFT– Acknowledging Sustainability
  • Baseline will be the shift: this is to acknowledge the urgency of these issues presented.
  1. AWARENESS CONVERSATION – Teaching about Sustainability

FOUR REQUIRED UNITS:

  • Environmental Unit – Material Awareness Unit as necessity. 
  • Cultural Unit – Cultural Exchange Project
  • Economic Unit – No money used – eliminating student financial hierarchy/abilities.
  • Social Unit – Collaborative Unit
  • IDEATION – Teaching for sustainability
  • All design studios will be circular in their approach. 
  • Reality of process – choice and impact
  • Manifesto of Make 
  •  SHIFT INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION – Exchange as sustainability
  • Influence within industry.
  • Knowledge exchange

Work out a process for stakeholders and who to involve
Student Agreement signed upon arrival. 
Application process. 

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Why a t-shirt?

Ahead of the microteaching session, Lindsay suggested that we look into OBL (Object-Based Learning) theory.

Pre-session: I am looking forward to the microteach today. Writing new and re-writing existing briefs excites me. I chose a t-shirt as the object of focus for this OBL session, a garment I sometimes refer to when teaching as it is one of the most overproduced garments in the world and rarely changes in shape or style. It also has significant relevance within my own practice, having included an artwork in my solo exhibition entitled ‘The Anthropologist’ that was exhibited at the Sarabande Foundation in April 2022. (See handout below)

Post pandemic, Clare Lomas and Maria Costantino at London College of Fashion referenced online OBL using universally recognised objects, “The choice of face mask proved to be successful as it allowed for different cultural experiences and backgrounds to be shared” (Lomas, C. and Constantino, M. 2022). I found this to be a particularly interesting reference as the face mask has become such a universally recognised object over the last few years. Similarly to the t-shirt, PPE face masks were produced in the billions in 2020 and are “estimated to take up to 450 years to decompose” (Natural History Museum, 2022). Through a universal understanding of an object, removed from context, my intention was to build upon this idea within the session with the aim to foster cross-collaboration and more conscious design thinking.

Post-session: Upon reflection of this microteaching session, I have gained a reinstated belief in solution-based design thinking through cross-disciplinary collaboration. By posing one industries waste as a resource, it could be utilised in another, reimagined through the lens of that discipline.

QR Code Link to Microteaching Brief
THE T-SHIRT (WINDOW TANK), 2022, 84 x 71 cm (33.07 x 27.95 in)
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Work Loads and Team Spirit 08/02/2023

So far, I have found it challenging to find the balance between multiple work loads and schedules. The PGCert has so far, provided a great platform and space for me to assess my working practice with that of others however, many Moodle notifications later, I am finding time management overwhelming.

“The positive interdependence that binds group members together is posited to result in feelings of responsibility for (a) completing one’s share of the work and (b) facilitating the work of other group members.” (Johnson & Johnson, 2009). This quote feels extremely relevant here as working collaboratively with other lecturers on the PGCert has proven to be extremely reassuring. Working collaboratively and feeling a mutual interdependence during sessions has had a positive impact on my learning through the awareness of a shared experience. A particularly beneficial activity has been the introductory question, posed at the start of each physical session at LCC. Not only has it created a strong rapport amongst the cohort, but initiated deep and insightful reflections that have helped me to deal with hurdles such as workloads.

My work partner Marion, and I, have developed a close friendship through this experience. I am unsure if the partnering was intentional or randomised however, with both of us being of similar age and experience, we have shared a mutual feeling towards the difficulties and benefits of implementing ‘radical’ pedagogy. I look forward to getting to know other members of our cohort better also. So far, I am enjoying being the only faculty member from my team in this cohort. It has allowed for a freedom of speech and is providing perspective on how other courses are structured. This is in addition to understanding how others approach team moral, and handle time management.