Category: Case study

Background

One early Year 1 activity asks students to share their fashion photography practice. However, some students experience heightened anxiety when viewing strong peer portfolios and can interpret critique negatively rather than as inspiration. This can also lead to a fear of presenting their work‑in‑progress in front of the cohort. These reactions indicate a need to help students reframe feedback as constructive rather than threatening. Jain (2022) argues that critical disability theory is an essential lens for developing more inclusive approaches to assessment. In response, we have discussed practical adaptations such as introducing a “buddy system” and allowing students to submit pre‑recorded video presentations. These options can help reduce anxiety, especially for students with limited English or limited confidence.

Evidence

Students face multiple hurdles in Year 1: moving to London, adjusting to unfamiliar studio environments, working with limited English, and coping with last‑minute issues such as model or stylist cancellations. Many enter the course with high expectations, so when grades do not match these expectations, disappointment can make feedback feel personal. Yet genuine learning often emerges through mistakes—a message that some students have not yet fully internalised.

“But although experience provides the vital raw material for reflection—its evidence, if you will—on its own, it does not suffice as basis for learning. It is what we do with that experience—how we convert its complex constituent elements into knowledge or understanding—that constitutes learning.”

(James and Brookfield, 2014, p. 12)

A recent microteaching activity focused on OBL reinforced these insights. During a short ten‑minute iterative design task, we were asked to improve our paper‑aeroplane designs. Some of my peers managed to improve their planes, while mine actually performed worse. However, this did not mean I learned nothing. In fact, I learned more from analysing my mistakes than from any successful attempt. James and Brookfield (2014) describe reflection as a blend of thinking, questioning and examining over time, and this exercise demonstrated that encountering a challenge or failure is central to learning. Among various reflection models, I believe that Rolfe’s “What? So what? Now what?” framework offers a simple and accessible approach for Year 1 students to begin reflective practice.

Feedback practice among markers also requires attention. Through double marking, I have observed inconsistencies in feedback language among HPL colleagues. Some comments focus on what students “did badly,” while others rely on vague directions such as “needs more critical analysis” without explaining how to do this. We are limited to 250 words of written feedback, so it is sometimes difficult to be fully descriptive. However, we must remember that our students are at the very start of their academic journey and often need clearer instruction. We must also recognise learner sensitivity and nurture a culture of caring, specific and actionable feedback—especially for students with ISA agreements. In addition, many of today’s students have been shaped by smartphones, AI, and post‑COVID study habits, all of which influence how they process information and manage pressure. This makes clear guidance and supportive structures even more essential.

Moving forward

To build confidence, the first unit should begin with short, low‑pressure pair‑feedback tasks. As students become more comfortable, we can introduce anonymous activities using tools such as Padlet or Mentimeter. These allow students to share responses without fear of judgement, helping them focus on analysing the work rather than managing stress. Giving feedback to peers is also a valuable way to develop critical thinking and communication skills. Over time, these activities support students in becoming more self‑regulated learners.

As confidence grows, WIP crits can become more meaningful and reflective. Students can be guided to offer concrete and specific comments, consider multiple perspectives from their diverse peers and tutors, and make explicit links between feedback and the learning outcomes. They can also learn to identify one or two actionable next steps and explain how they plan to apply these to their work. The aim is to shift feedback from something that feels emotional or discouraging into a regular and constructive part of their creative development, supporting ongoing reflection and improvement in a more confident and sustainable way.

References

Jain, N. (2022) ‘Why crip assessment? Critical Disability Studies theories to advance assessment for inclusion’, in R. Ajjawi, J. Tai, D. Boud, J. Jorre de St Jorre (eds.) Assessment for Inclusion in Higher Education: Promoting Equity and Social Justice in Assessment. Routledge: Oxon, pp. 30-40.
James, A., & Brookfield, S. (2014). Engaging Imagination: Helping students become creative and reflective thinkers. pp. 3-23

Contextual background

In the most recent student survey, the word communication appeared repeatedly across Years 1, 2 and 3. Students reported that HPLs were often unaware of what colleagues were teaching and that communication between HPLs and technicians was also inconsistent. Some tutors also gave different answers to the same question, creating unnecessary confusion. As a result, students felt their voices were not being heard and that there was a lack of coherence across the teaching team.

Evaluation

In response, I increased the number of group feedback sessions where tutors speak to each group and student to create more consistent communication points in 25/26. However, engagement was not as active as I had hoped. This varied by cohort—groups who felt relaxed and knew each other well were more willing to give and receive feedback. Cultural background also played a role: some students had never been encouraged to question tutors, while others felt shy or anxious about giving and receiving negative comments, which sometimes resulted in polite “lip service” rather than meaningful critique.

O’Donovan, Price and Rust (2004) argue that carefully worded feedback can still hold little meaning if students do not understand how to use it. They cite Maclellan’s finding that “most students do not view feedback on their learning as either routinely helpful in itself or as a catalyst for discussion” (Maclellan, 2001, cited in O’Donovan, Price & Rust, 2004). This suggests that simply increasing feedback opportunities is insufficient; students need clearer guidance on how to interpret feedback, act on it and use discussion to clarify expectations. It is therefore important that we explain why feedback, presentation and communication skills matter, and how developing these abilities strengthens reflective practice and supports students beyond university, and contributes to their future employability.

Developing teacher–student relationships

Learning students’ names has been an important step in strengthening relationships. I now make a conscious effort to talk with students before class, which has reduced the formality and distance I previously maintained—partly because I was unconsciously modelling the traditional teaching style I experienced in Japan. These informal conversations have encouraged greater openness and helped me notice concerns earlier. Through this process, I realised that the teacher–student relationship in the UK differs from what I grew up with, and adapting to these cultural and generational expectations has been necessary. Observing colleagues has also helped me understand how they communicate, structure sessions and build trust. By being more approachable and attentive, I have become more aware that many students experience significant stress during the second unit, and attendance drops noticeably after December. This highlights the need to continue improving communication, consistency and pastoral support across the course.

International students and inclusive learning

I have also noticed disengagement among some international students. Bamber and Jones (2015) emphasise the importance of clear explanations for supporting international learners. Teachers need to be explicit about aims, objectives and expectations, and communicate these in ways students genuinely understand—for example, by explaining instructions directly rather than relying on brief handbook statements. This reflects my experience that these students are not disengaged due to a lack of ability, but because expectations are not always made transparent.

Moving forwards

Although we cannot introduce an additional pastoral tutorial within the current scheme of learning, the students who most need help are often those who do not attend. Working closely with the disability officer and mental health adviser has been valuable in helping me recognise signs of struggle and understand how to support students appropriately. Regularly checking attendance and engagement data also assists with early identification.

I have been in touch with the Language Development Officer about the academic support available. Being a student again on the PG Cert has reminded me what it feels like to seek help, strengthening my empathy for students navigating similar challenges. Moving forward, I will make lectures and seminar activities clearer by outlining aims and linking learning outcomes to the theme. Explaining how each session connects to practice should reduce confusion and strengthen engagement. I will continue observing colleagues and developing my practice.

References

O’Donovan, B, Price, M and Rust, C. (2004) ‘Know what I mean? Enhancing student understanding of assessment standards and criteria’, Teaching in Higher Education, 9: 3, pp. 325-335
Bamber, V. and Jones, A. (2015) Enabling Inclusive Learning, pp. 152-168

Background

I am the Year 1 leader for the BA Fashion Photography course. At the moment, there are 59 students in the 2026 cohort, with a wide range of skill levels and learning needs. The aim of the first two units is to introduce the concepts of inclusivity, diversity and equality, and to run workshops that help bring everyone’s technical abilities to a similar level. These units also support students in learning how to study in an academic environment and how to begin working as professional fashion photographers. A key challenge is supporting students who experience anxiety, especially when this is linked to assessment pressure, confidence in their creative ability, or the fear of not producing “good enough” work.

Evaluation

Last year’s student survey showed that many students wanted more feedback from tutors. This lack of feedback increased anxiety around assessments and contributed to low confidence. In response, I added more structured feedback opportunities into the Scheme of Learning, such as regular check‑ins and work‑in‑progress reviews. I also invited alumni to speak about their experiences from Year 1 to Year 3.

When alumni visited during the second unit, they spoke honestly about how pressured they had felt in Year 1 when asked to collaborate and network. Many had never shot in a studio before university, and some had only collaborated with friends. Their comments helped me understand why several current Year 1 students looked overwhelmed after Christmas. Many appeared stressed, confused, and unsure of how to progress with their first assessed unit. To support them, I monitored attendance closely and reviewed the work of students who had lower attendance. This helped me identify concerns early and reduce pressure where possible.

Building Confidence

Collaboration is an essential part of Fashion Photography, but for many students it is unfamiliar and intimidating. Most of them have moved to London for the first time and hardly know anyone. To support this transition, I have reached out to the Fashion Styling and Production team to organise a Year 1 mixer during Unit 1, giving students a chance to meet, connect and build early working relationships. Although we encourage collaboration, I realised it is important to offer options so students can decide how much they want to take on.

Additionally, Bamber and Jones (2015) share the experience of Mary, a first‑generation university student, who said, “They tell us to do these things, but they don’t show us how.” She also noted that she struggled to understand what lecturers were talking about “half the time”. Reflecting on this, I realised that I sometimes assumed home students needed less guidance than international students. Both groups—especially in their first year—often need clearer instructions, slower pacing, and more processing time.

Finally, Arao and Clemens (2021) note that “interrupting someone who is speaking is a form of disrespect”, which I strongly relate to. However, they also explain that “in some cultural contexts interruption and talking over one another is welcome”. These cultural differences can make discussion overwhelming for some students. In a diverse classroom, communication styles will inevitably clash, so it is important to find ways to support everyone and create an environment where all voices can be heard. This could be solved by using written format or having a rule such as “one person speaks at a time”.

Moving Forward

Allowing thinking time before discussion will also support participation. Arao and Clemens (2021) note that “some might have been formulating a thought to share with the group. Some might have been very uncomfortable with the topic and decided they were unable to rise to the challenge of discussion.” International students and students with ISA particularly benefit from extra processing time. This has helped me understand the importance of knowing who has an ISA in the group so I can offer the right support when needed. 

I am considering adding more detailed slides that demonstrate my thought process step by step. Some students freeze when questions are too open. Structured prompts—such as multiple-choice options or asking students to choose from three interpretations—can reduce anxiety and make analysis more accessible.

Several students also struggle to understand how lectures relate to assessments. I can make this clearer in each session by explaining why the content matters and how to apply it to their practice. At the same time, I must avoid giving too many hints, as this can reduce independent learning. Finding the right balance between guidance and creative freedom will be an important part of my development moving forward.

References
Arao, B. and Clemens, K. (2021) From Safe Spaces to Brave Spaces, pp. 135–150.
Bamber, V. and Jones, A. (2015) Enabling Inclusive Learning, pp. 152-168