Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed:
2nd Year BA Fine Art Year meeting – Mon 12noon 24th Feb 2025
Access recording: https://ual.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=f32aedf6-aeb1-49a1-a2f7-b26100a071d6&start=126.367567
Size of student group: around 80 (though open to the whole year group of 150)
Observer: Kwame Baah
Observee: Katriona Beales
Part One
Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review:
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?
The Year meetings are a weekly slot, taking place most Mondays at 12noon in the Lecture Theatre. They provide a way of unpacking what can be a complex timetable, as well as going through Unit briefs, assessments and the particular aspects of quite complex elements of the course – in this instance the supporting the students’ self-organisation of their OffSite Projects.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
I have been in post since September as the Year Leader for 2nd Year.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
The purpose of the Year meetings is to support clear communication, that the students understand what is expected of them and where to find resources and information to support their engagement with the course.
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
There aren’t specific outputs expected from the Year meetings, but I often measure engagement in terms of % attendance and also participation in the more discursive aspects of the meeting. I always make time for student voices as part of these meetings.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
I have been off ill and missed the first unit briefing for this new unit, so I am playing catch-up here and also trying to adjust to the returning and new Exchange students so there are unfamiliar faces present in the lecture for the first time.
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
Due to Kwame being off ill, the observation didn’t happen in-person. If he had attended I would have introduced him at the beginning and explained why he was present.
What would you particularly like feedback on?
I would really appreciate any feedback on any aspect that stands out to Kwame. I have been working quite hard to make these Year meeting engaging and a safe space for student participation so any feedback or ideas in these particular aspects would be welcomed.
How will feedback be exchanged?
Written feedback below or via our tutorial would be appreciated.
Part Two
Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:
Kwame Baah
As part of your session you tapped into the notion of belonging when you told to the students that you missed them the previous week. The impact of such affirmation creates collective association and cohesion in the group. My perception is that you are a seasoned teacher/ educator because you set the tone and schedule for the duration of the session with much detail. Every attending student was given context for how to engage in the project space, including with little to no familiarity.
I think the mention of the ‘happy cat’ was something useful for continuity of welcoming students to the session at different points and it would be interesting to understand how visiting students respond to it, especially because you are keen to build international networks. This could be a useful visual representation of embracing others. Stepping through possible activities and subsequent translations of end-products you supported student thinking for each requirement mentioned e.g. ‘traditional publication …but you can also interpret it much more widely’. A very useful way to get students to focus on their own decision pathways within a project.
I was particularly impressed by your catch-up resilience when let down by your tech during the session, but you were as calm as ever. When you offered uncertain students extra support to get them on track it was a very engaging to see that for each 1-to-1 dialogue you comforted them. Lucky students!
Part Three
Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged:
Thank you to Kwame for this encouraging feedback. Whilst my intention in these meeting is always to be calm; my internal dialogue is often anything but, and it is really encouraging that Kwame reflected that I seemed calm outwardly when the AV set up started causing problems. AV issues are commonplace, and I often feel quite thrown by them, so I really value this element of Kwame’s feedback.
I am curious about the feedback around the “happy cat” and I’m interested to further explore the way this could come to represent embracing others and valuing difference. I am going to put some more thought into this, and the potential of building a lexicon of different images that act as reoccurring motifs, fulfilling a symbolic function within the Year meetings.
