As a non-native English speaker, I have experienced firsthand the gap between an English-based curriculum and the challenges faced by students who speak English as an additional language (EAL). UAL’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report 2025 (UAL, 2026) states that, among the five most common student domiciles, 36% of students come from countries where English is not the first language. The above continually inspires me to seek ways to make communication more accessible and to create a more inclusive learning environment for all students, regardless of their race or English proficiency.
Reflecting on one of the readings for this blog task, A CRT Framework for Education Policy Analysis by Alice Bradbury (2020), it became clear that Bradbury argues that educational institutions often embed racial and linguistic inequalities within their policies and practices. Rather than being the result of intentional discrimination, these inequalities are frequently systemic, creating an uneven playing field for the EAL student. While policies such as equal treatment and standardised testing may appear fair on the surface, Bradbury argues that treating all students identically overlooks their unequal starting points, particularly regarding language background and access to learning.
Applying Bradbury’s argument to the BA Footwear course, I can see how our approach to language may unintentionally create an uneven playing field for the non-native English-speaking student. Starting with the first unit of Year 1, students are required to write a 1,000-word exhibition review alongside a 500-word reflective piece of writing. The inequality lies not only in the volume and complexity of the writing students are expected to produce, but also in the written materials they must interpret to understand the assessment requirements. For EAL students, navigating assessment briefs, learning outcomes, and academic terminology may present an additional barrier before they even begin the assignment itself.
BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear and Accessories, Year 1, Unit 1, Learning Outcomes
UAL (2026) BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear and Accessories. Year 1, Unit 1, Learning Outcomes, Course Handbook.
In this first unit, students are assessed against four Learning Outcomes, all of which are written in formal academic English. I find these challenging to interpret myself, so it is easy to see how they may present an even greater barrier for EAL students. Below, I have attempted to rewrite each Learning Outcome in simpler, more accessible language while trying to maintain its original message:
BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear and Accessories, Year 1, Unit 1, Alternative Learning Outcomes
Bikker, D (2026) BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear and Accessories. Year 1, Unit 1, Alternative Learning Outcomes.
A few questions for reflection:
Do these simplified versions still convey the same meaning as the original Learning Outcomes?
Could this more accessible language be used more widely, or does simplifying the wording reduce its precision or impact?
References
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. 241–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2019.1599338
One of the main outcomes I value for my students is not one I have direct influence on. It’s not the skills I teach them, or the knowledge I pass on. It is something that happens somewhat out of my reach: Peer-to-peer connections. However, it is something I could try to encourage and help to support.
For my intervention proposal, I would like to design a session that could do just that.
Inspiration
In my teaching, I often take inspiration from my own experiences as a student. I am an alumna of the MA Footwear course at LCF, UAL (2026) and prior to that, an alumna of the BA Product Design course at ArtEZ in the Netherlands (2026). I value the connections I’ve made with other students back then and value them still, many years (decades even!) onwards. I also remember fondly the sessions we had together with students from other year groups. Especially as incoming students in year one, you have so much to learn from students in higher year groups. But that learning gap is exactly what makes peer-to-peer support so valuable. What a more experienced student can offer, in a casual, non-hierarchical way, is something no teacher can fully replicate. This kind of exchange creates the conditions Vygotsky described as the ‘Zone of Proximal Development’, the space between what a learner can do alone and what becomes possible through interaction with a more knowledgeable or experienced peer (Vygotsky, 1978).
During my BA at ArtEZ, there were two sessions I take inspiration from:
Trans 8 was organised by the philosophy lecturer as an informal evening gathering, held at a café at the address the session took its name from. It brought together students from all 4 year groups. Two final-year students would then present their Final Major Projects, then open the floor, inviting questions, feedback, and suggestions. Afterwards, there was ample opportunity to socialise.
Workshop Week was when students across all years were grouped together and given a brief to respond to. At the end of the week, one group would be crowned winner having the best design/outcome. Third-year students took the lead in organising and facilitating, working alongside lecturers. The briefs were speculative, extreme, and deliberately outrageous. When it was my year’s turn to organise, we named our workshop ‘Amazing Inventions’. Our group designed a pancake-sushi machine and produced a ninja-fighting promotional video to go with it. It was absurd and wonderful!
What both sessions have in common is a refusal to take themselves too seriously. They were social as much as they were academic — relaxed enough to allow real connection, but purposeful enough to leave a lasting impression. I believe they were quietly formative: building an atmosphere of collegiality and mutual support that raised everyone’s standards, and forging relationships that have followed many of us well into our professional lives.
Intervention draft
The above is the ultimate outcome I am hoping for my students. I can’t manufacture it, but I can help to create the conditions for it. For my Intervention, I would like to design an event that brings students across year groups together, ideally at the start of the academic year. This could mirror the Trans 8 event where final year students present their final major project proposal and initial research to the BA Footwear cohort.
As a lecturer on a BA Footwear Design course, I increasingly recognise that students’ relationships with fashion and materials are shaped through intersecting identities, beliefs and lived experiences.
Vegan and Vegetarianism
After reading the article A ‘Life-Style Choice’ or a Philosophical Belief?: The Argument for Veganism and Vegetarianism to be a Protected Philosophical Belief and the Position in England and Wales by Paul McKeown and Rachel Ann Dunn (2021), it became apparent to me that veganism and vegetarianism should also be considered within discussions of inclusion and identity. The authors argue that ethical veganism and some forms of vegetarianism should be understood as protected philosophical beliefs rather than simply “lifestyle choices.” This is a significant difference since the former is protected under the Equality Act 2010 (The National Archives, 2010).
Leather
This awareness is highly relevant within footwear education, where leather and animal-derived products remain deeply embedded within traditional ideas of luxury, craftsmanship and employability. These values are also reflected within aspects of our course curriculum:
A recent guest lecture by Rachel Garwood, representing the Worshipful [livery] Company of Curriers. A currier is a specialist in the leather industry who processes hides through cleaning, scraping, stretching and finishing (The Worshipful Company of Curriers, 2026). During the lecture, the benefits of leather were strongly promoted, while concerns around sustainability and ethics were largely dismissed on the basis that leather is considered a by-product of the meat industry.
Lecture by Rachel Garwood highlighting leather as a by-product of the meat-industry
Bikker, D (2026) Supply Chain [Photograph]
External competition ‘Real Leather, Stay Different’ of which the requirement is to “Create a beautiful, durable design using at least 50% cattle leather by surface area that in design, execution and application, counters the fast fashion cycle and celebrates individual style” (RealLeather, 2026). Participation is optional but encouraged.
Boots by Anna Melegh, winner of the 2022 ‘Real Leather. Stay Different’ Footwear category
Applying Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989) to the above examples reveals how students may experience these examples differently depending on other aspects of identity. A Muslim or Hindu student who may already feel underrepresented within fashion education may also experience discomfort working with animal materials connected to their ethical or spiritual beliefs. Likewise, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds could face barriers accessing expensive sustainable alternatives to leather, despite wanting to align their work with ethical values. Vegan biomaterials are often marketed as innovative, yet many remain financially inaccessible for students on tighter budgets.
Considerations
Considerations within footwear teaching could therefore include raising awareness of affordable alternatives to animal-based materials, such as self-made bioplastics, recognising and respecting students who may feel uncomfortable using certain products or workshop methods because of their beliefs, and ensuring students are not disadvantaged if they choose to focus on vegan or other belief-informed design approaches in their work.
Overall, intersectionality could help educators understand that veganism and vegetarianism are not simply “Life-Style Choices”, but connected to culture, belief, identity and experiences of inequality. Within footwear education, this awareness can help support more inclusive studio environments where different ethical perspectives and design approaches are respected and valued.
References
Crenshaw, K. (1989) ‘Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: a Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics’, University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989(1), pp. 139–167. Available at: https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=uclf (Accessed: 13 May 2026).
McKeown, P. and Dunn, R.A. (2021) ‘A ‘Life-Style Choice’ or a Philosophical Belief?: The Argument for Veganism and Vegetarianism to be a Protected Philosophical Belief and the Position in England and Wales’, Liverpool Law Review, 42(2). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10991-020-09273-w. (Accessed: 13 May 2026).
The three videos of Ade Adepitan, Christine Sun Kim, and Chay Brown each explore everyone’s disability. In addition to this, their disabilities all intersect with all three of their unique positionalities, which include identity factors that are often marginalised.
Videos
Ade Adepitan is an athlete and human rights advocate who is physically disabled. He reflects on his experiences as a black man and draws parallels between the ‘Paralympic’ and ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement (ParalympicsGB, 2020). Christine Sun Kim, an artist who is deaf, references sound and language in her work. She is also a woman, a mother, and a person of Korean descent, and talks about how motherhood has impacted her practice (Art21, 2023). Chay Brown, a trans man who is neurodivergent, discusses his mental health difficulties in relation to his experiences within the LGBTQ+ community (ParaPride, 2023).
The above examples highlight how disability intersects with each individual’s positionality, producing distinct and complex lived experiences. In the context of higher education, this makes it difficult to design a single, universal approach that adequately supports all students equally.
UAL data states that 18.6% of students have shared that they are disabled (Kennedy, 2026). From my own experience as an educator, neurodivergence is one of the most commonly encountered forms of disability. However, it is itself an umbrella term encompassing a wide range of cognitive differences and learning styles. When combined with each student’s unique positionality, the challenges they face can vary significantly.
Action Plan
My action plan as a teacher is therefore to observe and listen to each student, to try to understand both their unique positionality and specific challenges. Creating space for students to be heard is often the first step toward identifying meaningful and effective forms of support. Building on this, I see inclusive teaching not as a fixed strategy but as an ongoing, responsive practice. Instead of relying solely on standard accommodations, I aim to create a learning environment that allows for bespoke ways of engagement, contribution and understanding. This could mean allowing tutorials to be undertaken online, instead of in-person. Creating low-pressure ways to participate, such as written responses instead of speaking in class. And sharing hand-in checklists earlier than usual.
Takeaway
In Chay’s video, the interviewer notes that “if things are accessible for disabled [people], they are going to be accessible for everyone” (ParaPride, 2023). This is most definitely noticeable in the example of the hand-in checklist. All students look forward to receiving this!
Lastly, Ade remarks that: “If we give people the opportunity to shine…the sky’s the limit!” (ParalympicsGB, 2020), and this is something I aim to carry into my teaching practice by focusing on students’ strengths and creating the conditions where they can feel confident, capable, and able to succeed in their own way.
References
Art21 (2023) Christine Sun Kim in ‘Friends & Strangers’ – Season 11 | Art21. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NpRaEDlLsI (Accessed: 4 May 2026)
Kennedy, C. (2026) Introducing Frameworks for Disability Equity in Higher Education, [online] Available at UAL Moodle (Accessed: 04 May 2026)
ParalympicsGB (2020) Ade Adepitan gives amazing explanation of systemic racism. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAsxndpgagU (Accessed: 4 May 2026)
ParaPride (2023) Intersectionality in Focus: Empowering Voices during UK Disability History Month 2023. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yID8_s5tjc (Accessed: 10 May 2024)
Bikker, D (2020) Portfolio Daphne Bikker [Digital], Photograph by Meewis, M. (2016)
Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Professional Portfolio
Size of student group: 11 students
Reviewee: Daphne Bikker
Reviewer: John O’Reilly
Part 1: Reviewee to complete
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?
This session is with the year 2 cohort of the BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear course. After completing year 2, students will have the option to apply for a DiPS year (Diploma in Professional Studies), a year of Industry placement. To apply for a placement, students will have to submit a CV and Portfolio. This session is to kick start and support the Portfolio development.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
I have been teaching this cohort since their Year 1 in limited capacity, and this academic year more frequently. I am unit lead of the current ‘Future Footwear’ unit.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
The outcomes of this session are:
To develop a clear understanding of what constitutes a professional Portfolio
To begin the process of creating your own professional Portfolio
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
The creation of initial pages in draft form including a title page
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
The most difficult part is getting started. This session is designed to help overcome that initial barrier by beginning the process together. Through examples of good practice and by highlighting sources of inspiration, the aim is to make the process easier and less overwhelming.
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
I have informed the students in person during an earlier session and followed up with an email inviting any objections. No objections were received. There was also a reminder of the observation in last Friday’s newsletter.
What would you particularly like feedback on?
Happy to hear about any ways I could improve my session.
How will feedback be exchanged?
Through email please.
Part 2: Reviewer to note down observations, suggestions and questions.
Echoing the quality of the slides and your communication, what came across most strongly through the lesson is clarity and focus in the composition and edit of a portfolio. One of the things that was tacit in your presentation that making the portfolio is also a practice, a feature of student practice. Seeing portfolio as practice, rather than simply an instrument, a tool, a personal promo (of course it is all of these) can help a student emotionally and psychologically move away from the idea of a perfect self-representation and seeing the portfolio-self as more like the practice of a work-in-progress – you mentioned early on that it was something you continually update.
You demystified and simplified the portfolio so well, it might be worth surfacing this aspect as part of an opening slide of ‘contents’ (a thought I will return to). The ‘contents page’ would simply foreground key points you are already making. Perhaps you quickly run through the portfolio first then ‘deconstruct’ it with slides that highlight key points?
You were excellent all the way through in highlighting for the students that they need to have a sense of their audience. The contents page could have an ‘audience’ section, an audience slide might combine in a couple of bullet-points the things you already say. For example in highlighting the value of the first page in a portfolio (like a magazine cover) that it says something “to people who don’t have time for going through large portfolios”.
You show a striking visual alongside name, highlighting “something about me” and contact details.
Your teaching is really strong in how it communicates the value of ‘storytelling’ – so the following slide after the opening shows “something that might connect with the client or company you are sending the portfolio to.” It might be worth highlighting the portfolio as a story?
It’s a lesson in design, branding and storytelling. You say, “I keep my layout clean, but you might want to do it differently. It also depends on the client as to how you want to design it. Cors as a client would be very different to Puma.” Comes back to this idea of audience.
The breakdown of the different elements that need communicating and how it is communicated has a compelling logic as you explain the rationale behind each layout – there is the design detail of a ‘the line’ that you use to separate out CAD sketches from other information. In your conversation with a student later you pick out a line from one of his drawings suggesting it can be used as a divider, it becomes a little brand detail.
Listing projects to show variety is another valuable insight, but that “you don’t need to put all your best stuff on here.” Coming back to the issue of rationale, you show slides which speak to different consumer categories in which the layout is different but there are consistent elements running through such as ‘the line’.
Great concluding advice around: copyright detail; labelling the file with your name; making your own project if you are applying to Ralph Lauren and have no relevant work; and most valuable “ask a flatmate to read it.”
Your conversation with the student who needed help had the quality of free enquiry, he was very open which is super-important regarding portfolio construction (he was worried about a ‘cringe image’).
It was a well organized session, really clear with insight around what clients are looking for. Coming back to the suggestion I made at the beginning I would construct the slides like a piece of editorial design, a contents page, break it up and section it with a slide with one word on it ‘audience’ or ‘personal biography’, perhaps a couple of bullets with some of your insights. You have so many nuggets of wisdom that need to be highlighted for the students, almost as a little checklist or toolkit.
Readings you may find useful
“Shoes have long been recognised as a medium to narrate stories of social and cultural histories, inspiring school projects, museum collections (see Brydon, 1998), and closets alike, and shoes have been a topic in my teaching for many years now, as visual art-making activity that is easily adapted in clay or fibre arts, sculpture and more. However, across the curriculum, feet have limited consideration beyond physical education, theatre and dance, so I invite student-teachers to consider the histories of their favorite shoes as identity markers, and how they can conceptualise visual art differently through their feet, rather than relying solely on hands or heads.”
Sinner, A. (2022) ‘Speculative steps with story shoes: Object itineraries as sensual a-r-tography’, Educational Philosophy and Theory, 54:5, 596-605, DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2021.1872019
“For example, in Dutch, learning and teaching are not separated into two words as they are in English. Rather, one word, leren, means both to learn and to teach. Leren encompasses practices of receiving, collecting, absorbing, acquiring, training, practicing, studying, teaching, educating, qualifying, mastering and familiarising. Moving across languages helps to problematise what it means to learn and what it means to teach, for the two are not so disconnected. As others have argued, education is not something that only occurs in schools. And as I explore later in the book, education is also something which is engineered and designed in non-school spaces too.”
Harris, A. (2020) A Sensory Education Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003084341
Part 3: Reviewee to reflect on the reviewer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged.
Many thanks John for your positive and constructive feedback!
I designed this session as one complete example of practice. You might have heard me say at the start that “this is an opportunity for me to ‘preach what I practice’, as it is, in fact, my own portfolio that I am showcasing (I also do ensure to mention that it is indeed just one example of a portfolio and not the gold standard of portfolios!).
Your suggestion of first presenting the portfolio and then deconstructing it, is really compelling. It would create distinct moments within the session where I can pause and highlight specific elements in more depth. For example, when discussing “different audiences,” I could introduce contrasting portfolio pages tailored to particular contexts. A page designed for COS might feature a clean, minimal aesthetic with natural, muted tones, while one for NIKE could embrace bold colours and dynamic, energetic compositions.
COS Campaign
COS (2025). COS Campaign. Available at: https://www.cos.com/en-gb/women/new-arrivals. (Accessed 23 March 2026)
Nike Kids Campaign
Gorny, L. (2022). A squishy identity for Nike Kids embraces the way young people play. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/news/burn-and-broad-nike-kids-never-done-playing-graphic-design-131022. (Accessed 23 March 2026)
This approach could indeed make the session more structured and also allow for clearer, more intentional comparisons, helping participants better understand how design choices need to shift depending on audience and purpose.
The two suggested readings both highlight embodied learning and how the body, objects and the environment all work together to shape an experience. Sensory education is described as something not natural, or automatic, but something that can be learned and developed over time. An idea I find particularly reassuring, because it means that everyone can have access to it. In the context of a digitally focused subject such as portfolio design, introducing tangible elements could significantly enrich this sensory experience. Bringing in physical sources of inspiration, such as purposedly designed books like the one below, could help demonstrate a more diverse range of layouts, material qualities, and visual approaches. Especially valuable in engaging such a digitally oriented generation!
Nike: Better is Temporary
Coffee table books.com. (2025). Nike: Better is Temporary. Available at: https://www.koffietafelboeken.nl/en/product/nike-better-is-temporary (Accessed 23 March 2026)
The text by Harris (2020), which explores the Dutch word ‘leren’, encompassing both ‘teaching’ and ‘learning’ in English, is a great find. In Dutch, the sentence “Hij leert” can mean either “He learns” or “He teaches.” Only through the addition of prepositions or object pronouns does the direction of leren become clear and the intended meaning fully emerge.
This single Dutch word indeed reinforces the idea that teaching and learning are not separate, but deeply interconnected processes. I recognise this in my own practice as an educator, where the boundaries between the two are often fluid. Students bring diverse experiences, perspectives, and forms of knowledge into the classroom, which continually shape and enrich the learning environment. Remaining open to this exchange allows me not only to teach, but also to learn every day.
References
Harris, A. (2020) A Sensory Education Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003084341
Sinner, A. (2022) ‘Speculative steps with story shoes: Object itineraries as sensual a-r-tography’, Educational Philosophy and Theory, 54:5, 596-605, DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2021.1872019
Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Alice’s Backdrop Painting Club!
Size of student group: 5 students
Reviewee: Alice Karsten
Reviewer: Daphne Bikker
Part 1: Reviewee to complete
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?
This is a club that has been set up to allow students to learn some scenic painting techniques.
I started the club because we kept on having students painting the backdrops in our studios, which was a health and safety issue, as we have no liquids in our studios, and there was concern about our equipment and studios getting damaged by paint. Having an allocated space and time for this has meant that students have stopped painting in our studios.
I use the old backdrops from our photographic studios, which have been damaged or are too short to still be used in that capacity. This is a way that The Kit Room is able to cut down on waste while teaching students a new skill.
Since I’m not being paid to be a specialist technician or lecturer, and this isn’t part of the curriculum, I want to keep this backdrop painting club quite informal. I do this by not requiring students to sign up for the session and letting the shape of the session be led by responding to the students’ ideas. I will support the students in creating what they want to create. This means that the content of the sessions changes each time, as I am responding to the students’ ideas and requests. For example, there was a student once who wanted to make a backdrop that looked like a cave painting, and I advised what colour backdrop to use, what paint colours and painting techniques would be best suited to this project. In another session, I had a student who wanted to make a painting that looked like a Rothko painting and another student who wanted to paint a realistic candle. I believe this will keep it as an approachable and fun activity for the students to voluntarily attend.
Many students have fed back that they have found that the session has provided them with respite from their usual course content. They have said that it’s been relaxing and therapeutic.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
The backdrop painting club has been running for a year and a half. I have different students who turn up each time, and I rarely have the same student attending twice.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
The learning outcome is for a student to paint their own backdrop. This can be done individually or in a group.
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
Make a custom backdrop.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
One of my concerns is that there is little academic motivation to attend since it’s not part of the curriculum.
The logistics of running these sessions – The backdrop painting club is reliant on my managers agreeing to let me do it. When I’m running the backdrop painting club, I am having time away from my day-to-day tasks and responsibilities. I’m concerned about its existence, especially when we are understaffed, which has been more often than not.
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
I will tell the students when the session starts and introduce Daphne to the group. Most, if not all, of the students won’t have met Daphne before, as I mainly have students from the media courses attending the club. Since I want to keep the sessions casual, I don’t require students to sign up to attend these sessions. AS a result, there’s no way of knowing who will turn up or be able to notify them of the observation in advance.
What would you particularly like feedback on?
I would like to have feedback on how I delivered the session. I also welcome any suggestions about the content of the backdrop painting club.
How will feedback be exchanged?
My feedback from Daphne will be exchanged through this form and verbally in person.
The feedback from the students to me is given by email.
My feedback to the students is given verbally in person.
Part 2: Reviewer to note down observations, suggestions and questions.
Students Painting Backdrop
Bikker, D. (2026) Students Painting Backdrop [Photograph]
Observations:
What a great win-win-win situation where you are able to keep studios clean and safe and have students creating their own backdrop and recycle waste at the same time!
Alice readied the studio space and welcomed the students. She introduced myself and explained to them why I was there.
Alice offered sufficient amounts of materials, backdrop paper and tools to the students which she explained to the students at the start of the session.
The atmosphere of the session was informal and unpressured, complemented by soft background music that contributed to a calm learning environment. This seemed to have a positive effect on the students who seemed relaxed and comfortable throughout the session.
Alice seems to have a great connection with the students. This was apparent through her interaction with the students who seemed comfortable and confident.
Throughout the workshop, Alice consistently checked in on students’ progress, offering guidance and constructive feedback where necessary. At the same time, she allowed students ample space to take ownership of their work and develop their independence.
At some point in the workshop, the room grew noticeably quiet and discussion decreased to a minimum. Students were fully absorbed in their work!
There was much positive feedback from passersby’s who expressed their admiration on how amazing it all looked! The work created had great visual impact!
In addition to achieving the learning outcome of producing a painted backdrop, the workshop also provided students with valuable insight into the processes involved in creating such work. Some students might find such a task daunting which could prevent them from starting in the first place. However, experiencing the process in a supportive setting lowered this threshold, enabling students to engage confidently during the workshop and, ideally, apply these skills independently in the future.
This approach aligns closely with John Dewey’s concept of “learning by doing,” which emphasises hands-on experience, experimentation, and reflection as central to meaningful learning (Dewey, 1938). Dewey argued that education involves creating environments, physically, socially, and intellectually, that foster active engagement and growth. By cultivating a safe and supportive atmosphere, the workshop embodied these principles, encouraging students to participate fully and develop both competence and confidence.
Suggestions:
Bigger floor liners! Maybe used (and already painted) backdrops could be placed on the floor for protection? Perhaps you could ask students to hand in any used backdrops after their shoots?
Paper weights to hold the papers down?
A note on the poster recommending dressing in clothes that are allowed to get dirty could be useful to manage student expectations.
Questions:
Q1: Do students have access to the discarded backdrops without doing the workshop?
Q2: How would it work if students paint vertically onto the wall? (Not sure if this is allowed??)
I absolutely agree with students’ feedback that the session was a respite from my usual course responsibilities and that it was most relaxing and therapeutic! Thank you, Alice, for allowing me to witness your workshop!
References
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education. [online] New York: Touchstone. Available at: https://www.schoolofeducators.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/EXPERIENCE-EDUCATION-JOHN-DEWEY.pdf. (accessed 8 March, 2026)
Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Design Sketchbook Review
Size of student group: 11 students
Reviewee: Daphne Bikker
Reviewer: Alice Karsten
Part 1: Reviewee to complete
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?
This session marks the halfway point of the 8-week ‘Future Footwear’ unit. The unit begins by selecting an Object and Process as a starting point, which students then analyse and use as inspiration to develop a cohesive footwear collection.
Example of an Object (punching bag) and Process (embellishment / beading)
Gibson, J. (2015) Various Works [re-purposed punching bag, glass beads, artificial sinew, and steel]. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/jeffrune/ (Accessed 5 February, 2026)
By this stage, students are expected to have begun sketching their ideas. This session is designed to support the further development of these concepts, offering guidance, feedback, and suggestions for additional research or experimentation for those who may feel stuck or need fresh direction.
Also, during this session, some examples of ‘Design Presentation Sheets’ will be shown to students as examples of good practice.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
This group forms the Year 2 of the BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear course. I have been teaching them since their Year 1 in limited capacity, and this academic year more frequently. I am unit lead on the ‘Future Footwear’ unit.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
The outcomes of this session are:
To support students in advancing their work on the ‘Future Footwear’ unit, guiding them towards establishing a clear connection between their chosen Object/Process and a final footwear outcome. This is through 2D sketching and 3D experimentation.
To develop students’ understanding and skills in creating effective Design Presentation Sheets, ensuring their ideas are communicated clearly and professionally.
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
2D Sketching
3D Experimentation
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
This unit presents quite a complex brief, so understanding exactly what is expected of students will be challenging. I also want to encourage students to take ownership of the brief, exploring their own creative directions. It will be challenging to make them feel confident to take risks, experiment, and not be afraid of making mistakes, as this is a vital part of the design and learning process.
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
I informed the students in person during an earlier session and followed up with an email inviting any objections. No objections were received.
What would you particularly like feedback on?
Happy to hear about any ways I could improve my session.
How will feedback be exchanged?
Through email.
Part 2: Reviewer to note down observations, suggestions and questions.
Structure of the session
Daphne introduced the session and gave some examples of how to display their work through the ‘Design Presentation Sheets’. She proceeded to go around the class while the students were working and talked to the students about their work and where they were at. She gave advice on what to do to develop their work further.
Observations
I think that the mix of a taught and more informal one-to-one support is really effective.
After the introduction daphne went around the class giving advice that was productive and assists the students in the problem solving required for their projects. Probing questions were asked about the function and form of the students’ shoe designs. Prompting them to think about their designs.
Daphne gives the students a lot of agency and autonomy in their making which I think is very beneficial to their work. I think that it has fostered a good working environment for the students where they feel both supported and independent. They feel comfortable with working in front of each other and Daphne. She is good at keeping the students motivated and on task.
It was fascinating to see this insight into the design process of making shoes and all the considerations made when designing the shoes.
Suggestions
It would be interesting to hear from the students what they thought worked well or needed more work with the ‘Design Presentation Sheets’
Questions
Do you feel like you give a lot of pastoral support within your role?
Part 3: Reviewee to reflect on the reviewer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged.
It is incredibly valuable to receive feedback on my teaching, as it provides a completely different perspective on my practice. It is particularly helpful when this feedback is delivered immediately after a session, allowing me to reflect and respond while the experience is still fresh and make meaningful adjustments straight away. Hearing from someone who is not directly attached to the course also brings an impartial and objective viewpoint, which makes the insights even more constructive and impactful.
I am pleased to read that the balance between structured teaching and informal one-to-one support was considered effective. I consciously aim to strike the right balance between more academic, formal content and a supportive, informal approach. When sessions become too formal or content-heavy, I often notice that focus and engagement can begin to decline. In my experience, delivering material in smaller, more manageable segments tends to be more effective.
Through informal teaching moments, I aim to create an environment in which students feel comfortable and confident enough to perform at their best. I am also mindful that some students may feel nervous when interacting with a tutor, and I try to foster an atmosphere that reduces this barrier and encourages open dialogue.
Problem solving might just be the most fun part of my job. I love a challenge! This brief, in particular, has been challenging due to its complexity and layered requirements. Many students initially felt overwhelmed, unsure of where to begin or how to navigate the process. It’s encouraging, however, to see them actively engaging with the brief and gradually finding their footing. Watching their confidence build as they move through the footwear design process has been both reassuring and exciting.
I often aim to mimic the learning environment to an industry environment. Design often happens in teams, through collaboration, so I really do try to encourage peer feedback. I emphasise that my opinion is just one of many and that my opinion doesn’t necessarily weigh more than another’s. What matters most to me is that students learn to trust their own judgement, and build the confidence to follow their instincts while remaining open to constructive input from others.
The suggestion to hear more from the students on what worked well or need more work is a brilliant one. I agree that student feedback is very valuable and that I could do more to actively prompt and facilitate it. Of course, we have the CSS and NSS surveys (n.d.), but these only happen once every academic year. More informal feedback opportunities could be added. This is something I will try to develop over time.
In answer to your question regarding pastoral support: Absolutely! Design often stems from personal experience and perspective, so the creative process naturally moves in and out of students’ personal worlds. Because of this, I remain mindful that what happens beyond the classroom can shape what happens within it. I aim to make myself available for pastoral support and try to read between the lines, trying to recognise when a student may be facing challenges. Creating a supportive environment where they feel seen and understood is just as important as guiding their creative development.
Alice, thank you for your feedback! It was great having you around and being able to geek out over the specialist materials and machinery.
References
www.thestudentsurvey.com. (n.d.). The National Student Survey. [online] Available at: https://www.thestudentsurvey.com/ (Accessed 19th March, 2026)
The focus of Workshop 3 was Assessment, and we were asked to produce three statements reflecting a challenge, a personal insight, and a hope or expectation for the future of assessment in the arts.
Challenge, Insight and Hope
Bikker, D. (2026) Challenge, Insight and Hope [Photograph]
Challenge
As a design lecturer, providing feedback is one of my key responsibilities and an aspect of my role that I value highly. During summative assessments, however, I became increasingly aware that written feedback had become a significant challenge. I often struggled to complete feedback within the allocated timeframe, which resulted in working beyond my contracted hours. This led to increased stress and required me to organise personal commitments around assessment deadlines.
At the time, I justified this approach by believing that students needed extensive written feedback to support their learning. I assumed that providing more information would lead to better understanding and improvement. This assumption was challenged during feedback tutorials, where I discussed written feedback with students. I frequently encountered confusion, and students often reported feeling overwhelmed by the feedback. In some cases, students admitted they had not even read the feedback at all!
A key turning point in my practice came from the 2024 External Examiner’s report:“Overall I think there may, at times, be slightly too much written feedback and that putting some course wide word limits might help reduce pressure on staff and manage student expectations.” Following this, the Course Leader and I reviewed our feedback approach and implemented a revised structure where feedback was limited to a maximum wordcount.
Throughout the subsequent academic year, I observed that assessment periods became more manageable in terms of workload and time management. Students also appeared more engaged with feedback during tutorials, demonstrating improved understanding. Additional, more detailed feedback was delivered verbally during tutorials, allowing for clarification and dialogue rather than overwhelming students in written form.
This experience has made me recognise that more feedback does not necessarily equal better learning. Feedback is most effective when it is focused, accessible, and aligned with students’ capacity to engage. This shift in my practice aligns with principles of ‘Assessment for Learning’, which emphasise that feedback should be clear, targeted, and actionable, enabling students to engage with and apply it effectively (Black and Wiliam, 1998). This change was further affirmed in the 2025 External Examiner’s report, which described the feedback as “well realised” and “designed to support student development.”
References
Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (1998) Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment. London: King’s College London School of Education.
When briefing a new unit, the section where I introduce the learning outcomes and assessment criteria is often met with blank stares and the sound of crickets chirping in the distance. Students frequently appear uncertain about their meaning and make little attempt to engage with them. The statements are often perceived as ambiguous, abstract and complex which can make them difficult for students to understand, let alone apply to their work.
Learning Outcomes ‘Circular Footwear Design’
UAL (2025)
During Workshop 2, I encountered Allan Davies’ text Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria in Art and Design: What’s the Recurring Problem? (2012), which critically examines the role of learning outcomes and assessment criteria, particularly in relation to the student experience. Davies argues that while it is important for students to understand expectations, overly specific learning outcomes can limit creativity and exploration. He continues that in creative disciplines, learning often involves students identifying and developing their own direction rather than simply meeting narrowly defined objectives. As a result, Davies suggests that expectations may be communicated more effectively through broader frameworks such as project briefs and tutorials, which outline the boundaries of the learning context while still allowing for individual interpretation and experimentation. This aligns with Teaching for Quality Learning at University (2003), quoted in Davies’ text, in which John B. Biggs emphasizes that clear expectations should be closely aligned with teaching activities and assessment, guiding students toward the intended learning outcomes.
Hand-In Checklist
In my own teaching experience, learning outcomes rarely appear to play an active role in how students approach their work. Students seldom ask questions about them, even when it is evident that their meaning may not be fully understood. Instead, students tend to rely heavily on the hand-in checklist, which outlines the practical requirements for the final submission. While this checklist is useful, it is a perfect example of a “overly specific learning outcome”, with the above-mentioned risk that introducing it too early can limit exploration and creative freedom. For this reason, the hand-in checklist needs to be introduced later in the project where it can serve as a checklist indeed, and not a ‘to-do’ list.
Detail of Hand-In Checklist ‘Future Footwear’
UAL (2026)
Meaningful Learning Outcomes
From a student perspective, learning outcomes often become clearer in hindsight, which is not necessarily negative. In creative disciplines, learning frequently emerges through practice, experimentation, and reflection, meaning that students may only fully recognise how their work relates to the intended outcomes after the project has been completed.
Reflecting on Davies’s arguments has made me reconsider how I introduce learning outcomes and assessment criteria in my teaching. Instead of mainly presenting them as formal declarations, it might be more helpful to bring them into tutorials, and regular conversations with students. This could make them feel less like abstract statements and more a part of the ongoing dialogue around the project. In that way, learning outcomes and assessment criteria could better support students in understanding their own creative development.
References
Biggs, JB (2003) Teaching for Quality Learning at University, SRHE & OU Press.
Assessment and feedback form part of my key responsibilities as a design lecturer. I approach these as opportunities to nurture growth, encourage reflection, and support each student’s creative and professional development. I deliver both formative and summative assessments across all year groups, accompanied by constructive verbal and/or written feedback.
UAL Assessment Criteria
UAL (2019). New Assessment Criteria. [online] UAL. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/stories/new-assessment-criteria3. (Accessed on 13 March 2026)
My feedback is closely aligned with UAL’s assessment criteria and the unit learning outcomes (UAL, 2022). This helps students to understand how their work relates to the required standards and enables them to work strategically towards achieving the highest possible grade in their summative assessment. At the same time, I aim to ensure that feedback reflects professional standards, practical scenarios, and workplace practices. In doing so, the knowledge and experience students gain are not only academically relevant but also professionally applicable.
Formative Feedback
Formative feedback is delivered through both one-to-one tutorials and group sessions. In group settings, I encourage students to provide constructive feedback to one another, emphasising that peer contributions hold equal value to my own and that “there is no hierarchy in the exchange of ideas” (Higgs et al., 2012). As Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica (2009, p. 238) note, “Children learn best when they learn from each other and when their teachers are learning with them.” Although this example refers to primary education, the underlying principle of collaborative learning can be applied equally to higher education.
While some students participate confidently in peer feedback, others require guidance, prompts, and encouragement. Factors such as social anxiety or shyness may act as barriers to contributing to group discussions. Additionally, some students may feel reluctant to contribute if they are uncertain whether their feedback will be meaningful or valuable. This uncertainty can limit participation and reduce the potential learning benefits of peer feedback activities.
It may be necessary to provide alternative forms of participation that reduce the pressure of speaking publicly. As discussed in my Reflective Blogpost 1, incorporating multiple modes of engagement, such as written comments, small-group discussions, or anonymous digital/analog responses, may help create a more inclusive environment for feedback exchange. Providing scaffolding for peer feedback can support students in developing confidence and evaluative judgement over time.
Tutorial Record Sheet
Bikker, D. (2026) Tutorial Record Sheet [Photograph]
Alternative Forms of Peer Feedback
During a recent formative assessment, one alternative form of student participation was trialled. Students were asked to complete a tutorial record sheet alongside one filled in by the tutors. The aim was for students to document their responses to their classmates’ projects. This approach had some positive impact, as it helped to visualise the feedback being given. However, it did not fully succeed in encouraging participation from all students. On reflection, the process may have felt too formal, which could have added too much pressure and discouraged some students from engaging actively in giving feedback.
To address this, a more informal and interactive feedback method could be introduced, such as the one exercised during our micro-teaching session where participants wrote down their feedback, anonymously, on sticky notes. This approach could lower the barrier to participation, encourage quicker responses, and can make the feedback process feel more conversational and less formal.
Such strategies align with the concept of dialogic feedback, which emphasises feedback as an interactive process that supports student engagement and learning rather than a one-directional transmission of evaluation (David Carless & David Boud, 2018). Encouraging students to actively participate in feedback processes can help them develop evaluative judgement and a deeper understanding of quality in their own work.
References
Carless, D., & Boud, D. (2018). The development of student feedback literacy: enabling uptake of feedback. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(8), 1315–1325.
Higgs, J. et al. (2012). Practice-Based Education: Perspectives and Strategies. Sense Publishers
Robinson, K. and Aronica, L. (2009). The Element: how finding your passion changes everything. Penguin.
