I’ve divided the report into two parts to address the dual themes and resultant interventions in the crit session. The first part will discuss formality in practice: considering results of both the scaffolding template and the peer-to-peer feedback design. The second will assess the professional-practice element. Data discussed below are drawn from the evaluative student feedback session that occurred a week later.
Formality in practice
To prepare students, I designed a template (discussed by B) and introduced it in advance. Regarding peer-to-peer feedback, I divided the class into smaller groups, of 3-4 students (also prompted by B). These groups provided peer-to-peer feedback prior to tutor feedback. Participants were provided with the ‘summary of crit topics resource’ to structure feedback, supporting the analysis of visual language. The student feedback on the template was favourable as it reminded them of assessment elements, as well as offering clarity of expectations. The response on feedback design was positive as the group work provided a sense of responsibly and encouragement. This seemed helpful for the students less versed in this process and more shy, anxious or inexperienced.
Also of interest was feedback from a student that they did not value peer feedback as highly as that of tutors, several others concurred. It made me consider the approach of C, where peer feedback was encouraged but tutor feedback still steers sessions. This made me question how many students are expecting the sessions to have more traditional tutor-based structures because that’s their expectations of education and what they find most beneficial. Also, how much of peer feedback happens in social environments (Blair, 2011) like group chats or in the canteen? Are some inclusive practices re-shaping traditional hierarchies in a non-productive way? Some students will naturally offer more when invited than others, but is this necessarily the best use of learning time?
The re-framed ‘pitch’ presentation
Drawing from the data of the open-ended interviews I decided to proceed with re-framing the crit presentation into an industry-like pitch, as discussed in my rationale post. The response to the ‘pitch framed’ presentations was less certain – most felt that this was their first time presenting, so disregarding of the re-framing, the nerves were still an element to manage. However, students having understood that presentation skills and verbalising of ideas are key industry skills, were encouraged engage. This also provided a logic to the design of the crit by revealing this valuable reason.
To further support this intervention, I’d like to refer to the concept of the ‘Hidden Curriculum’ (Jackson, 1968). The concept refers to professional norms, expectations and behaviours that are learned in the classroom but not explicitly taught within the formal curriculum. These competencies (expected in industry) are ‘made visible through students’ learning experiences realised by the lecturers’ enactment of the formal curriculum’. Lecturers’ inherent ‘industry experience’ is used to ‘identify, demonstrate and teach relevant skills to students’ (Rossouw & Frick, 2023). This forms a ‘trinity’ where the Hidden Curriculum is shaped by the formal curriculum, the lecturer’s interpretation and the world of work.
It is argued that the hidden curriculum, ‘can develop much-needed graduate competencies to enable students to develop into contributing citizens of society’ and ‘should therefore be uncovered and harnessed deliberately’ (Rossouw & Frick, 2023).
In summary, I’d like to think that in making this intervention explicit (and revealing the importance of skills they have been asked to master in this intervention), I have provided the opportunity to develop these skills, in the interest of facilitating inclusivity in the classroom.
Intervention resources links:
Summary of crit topics resource [link]
The ‘pitch’ template [link]
Bibliography
Blair B. (2011) ‘At the end of a huge crit in the summer, it was “crap” – I’d worked really hard but all she said was “fine” and I was gutted’ in D. Bhagat & P. O’Neill (Eds.), Inclusive practices, inclusive pedagogies: Learning from widening participation research in art and design higher education (pp. 172). Council for Higher Education in Art and Design
Jackson, P. W. (1968) Life in classrooms. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Rossouw N., Frick L., (2023) ‘A conceptual framework for uncovering the hidden curriculum in private higher education’, research article in Curriculum and Teaching Studies, Cogent Education