Sean-Henry Fitzsimons

Articles that I didn’t get to read, but will do in the future.

Zhang, A., Olelewe, C. J., Orji, C. T., Ibezim, N. E., Sunday, N. H., Obichukwu, P. U., & Okanazu, O. O. (2020). Effects of Innovative and Traditional Teaching Methods on Technical College Students’ Achievement in Computer Craft Practices. SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020982986

Xie, X., Yu, Y., & Wang, W. (2023). Impact of Vocational Core Competencies of Higher Vocational Students on Innovative Behavior: The Mediating Effect of Creative Self-Efficacy and Moderating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation. SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231196661

McLain, M. Developing perspectives on ‘the demonstration’ as a signature pedagogy in design and technology education. Int J Technol Des Educ 31, 3–26 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-019-09545-1

Erik Blair & Georgette Briggs (2019) A tribe hidden in plain sight: the ambiguous role of the instructor in a Caribbean university, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 41:3, 292-305, DOI: 10.1080/1360080X.2019.1596388

Kim Cosier (2021) Art Education When the World Is on Fire, Studies in Art Education, 62:4, 312-324, DOI: 10.1080/00393541.2021.1975949

I am adding these here, so I don’t forget, to create lists within lists and lists. If you have anything to contribute to this list, around technical, demonstrative, or instructor pedagogy I would love to hear your thoughts.

Matt McLain 2017

This paper was exceptionally brought to my attention as a continuous journey into technical pedagogy, ‘Matt McLain’ has generously researched and put forward a conclusion of similar research interests that I hold. Stating that the paper argues that demonstration pedagogy is a fundamental part of design and technology education. While also highlighting that it does have a restrictive pedagogical paradigm, and needs a more expansive approach to embody the discovery of learning through designing and making.

This is quite interesting as what I have been witnessing as a technical staff member, as well as asking my colleagues, that the amount of time from ‘learning’ to make is decreasing dramatically which technical workshop days that explore the processes of making (which provides you with the skills to design) are becoming less and less.

McLain’s question ‘What do teachers of design and technology believe to be effective pedagogy when demonstrating skills and knowledge?” was a singular approach to gathering data and subjectively or not obvious in this research paper were the voices of technical staff who are the providers mostly in creative education of skills and knowledge when it comes to making and designing. As I challenge myself not to have a bias, I could provide a naïve approach and be hopeful that McLain has labelled all those questions be it academics or service staff as teachers.

Moving onto the article, McLain has shown that demonstrative pedagogy is not just in creative education but is also visible in science and physical education teaching environments, which both are labelled under process and practice-based teachings. With also highlights that this demonstrative pedagogy is built from the traditions of apprenticeships and craft-based education of “demonstration, observation and constant practice”.

‘‘Modelling is an active process, not merely the provision of an example. It involves

the teacher as the ‘expert’, demonstrating how to do something and making explicit

the thinking involved.’’ (DfES 2004a: 3; emphasis mine)

‘‘The purpose of explaining a process or procedure is to help pupils understand how

things happen or work. The emphasis is on sequence and connectives such as first,

next, then and finally are important.’’ (DfES 2004b: 3; emphasis mine)

McLain also included these two quotes from the Dfes 2004B, which is from the national archives and that article explores pedagogy and practice in teaching and learning in secondary schools. The relation these quotes put in my own teaching practice is obvious. However, I have a more adapted version of using ‘modelling’ through an ‘active learning’ method where the student becomes the expert and translates through demonstrating their knowledge by teaching me how they understood the process of learning/experience.
The extension of ‘the purpose’ at the university level is to bring in the value of tactility and embrace the risk of failure to develop a more self-identifying process for the student experience. Although why processes are shown, ‘Pauses’ in certain steps to engage in ‘what if’ student directions can lead to students engaging more creatively and effectively with the technical understanding that failure is not the end but a chance to explore the unseen.

The evidence of exploring Vygotsky’s work of process learning and reconstruction methods of scaffolding and risk-taking, it provides guidance that what I was first exploring in my early research to be a key insight in expanding the influence of technical pedagogy as signatory pedagogy on its own through the influence of contemporary teaching teaching practices with that of past pedagogical movements.

“An after–failure approach has a number of potential applications, including with the use of a discovery learning approach (Brunner 1961), which allows for exploration and trial and error, although in some contexts may

have safety implications; and in a corrective context, where the teacher observes pupils’ engagement with a task or process, diagnoses misconceptions or errors and intervenes as a ‘more knowledgeable other’.” McLain 2017

This quote supports the risk and scaffolding of Vygotsky’s work, although to add my context, this explains that in some contexts, health and safety concerns can be implicated. The technical teaching and learning roles are built to control this by providing ‘supervised studio’ time, which means that during all workshop opening times, a technician at grade 4 or even grade 3 is in place to help prevent these health and safety concerns. Providing a unique student experience between the technicians and student body in creative education.

Throughout the article McLain has pointed out that the statements they are putting across are not theoretical yet observational, the negative aspect is that there is not enough research in the area to provide credible sources. I think part of my own research mission is to add this research topic, how I do that, is part of the journey.
What really stood out, was McLain’s explanation of 3 practices; Purposeful, Naïve and Deliberate and how these practices benefit their evidence of demonstrative pedagogy.

“Purposeful practice differs from naive practice in that it requires that the learner focus their full attention on the skill, immediate feedback and moving beyond the bounds of current knowledge or skill.”

“Naïve practice, where the same set of skills is repeated over time with limited reflection and development, can result in more recently trained professionals performing better than seemingly more experienced colleagues.”

“Deliberate practice is described as taking purposeful practice further, enhanced by proven techniques developed by experts, with a mentor figure playing an important role, providing real-time feedback, alongside the self-reflection (internal feedback) of the practitioner. “

It is interesting to read up on these practices and try and recognise to which my teaching practice belongs, in the honesty of self-reflection, I believe that my role (which could be different to that of another grade 4 technician) falls under the ‘deliberate practice’ as I like to be hands-on and involved in engaging and challenging the students learning experience with my expert knowledge in the subject. I also try to get students to engage in self-reflection as it is an industry skill that builds ‘thick skin’ that used to be a crucial skill in the harsh fashion and textiles industry. But also to give students the chance to critically edit their work and be dismissive of what is not working for them on that particular day of learning.

While Mclain goes on to explore the complexity of learning and that target focus of ‘learning styles’ one thing that I did pick up, which is currently part of the compassionate teaching initiative within UAL becoming an inclusive environment is ‘learners do not see things as they are, we seem them as we are’.  Understanding this can really change the environments in which we teach, as well as what the students experience within those educational spaces.

One thing I do have to reflect on while reading this article, was the confusion in the Q methodology, I did not really understand it, and the findings became slightly confusing, with the Q-sort and PQMethod. Although maybe it is my inexperience in academia and research practices, at least now I have a new method to investigate and learn about in the future.

How do art and design technicians conceive of their role in higher education?
Clare Sams 2016

Clare Sams’s article was a very interesting read, visualising the perceived roles of technical staff can be challenging work, due to the environmental differences between technical teaching areas, as well as UAL’s different school pedagogy. Each school has its own methods of academic teaching and technical teaching which are all incredibly different and famous for their own.

Retelling Sams’s words “ A technician’s role is complex and varied, offering technical support in a wide range of disciplines. Supporting students was highly important to most staff and many suggested that both teaching skills workshops and helping students through individual support were fundamental to their role”.

This is a classical observation of our roles, Sams then explains that when managers contribute they have lesser student interaction backed up by Smith et al 2004 paper ‘ Highly Skilled Technicians in Higher Education’. Indicates that when technicians advance into managerial roles they move away from the traditional skills-based aspects of their technician roles.  It is promising to see that Sams also came across this change in technical roles and I wonder if any participant mentioned anything on the topic of missing their craft or having less time to explore their own art practice.

The other mention in Sams’s article was a response from technician 21, which adds to my own research evidence and that is that 40% of technicians from Sams’s study which was opened to the whole of UAL technical teams, revealed that they felt their practice (Craft) was not valued by the university.

“I recently decided to give more time to my art practice because I don’t see any option for me at University. As a technician, I have no chance in terms of career and no time at all for research, which is vital in my career. (Technician 21)” Clare Sams 2016

This indicates a loss of interest due to the university’s neglect of technical longevity and staff retention when it comes to technical staff exploring or honing their practice-based skills to innovate, expand or explore new technologies within their departments/spaces.

Sams backs this up by mentioning that the technicians maintaining the practice ‘suggests they have a genuine enthusiasm for the arts’. Which is crucial to highly skilled individuals, I would wonder if the same neglect would be given to other creatives to divulge their free time into their own creative practice.

Further on in Sams’s paper, from the second part of the study, where Sams’s asked 4 participants, one from each college to participate in a ‘photovoice’ reflective perspective of their practice, while being promoted by a series of questions Sams set forth.

Technician A, stands out in this paper, as they have revealed another key aspect of evidence to my own investigation, Technician explores the connection and contact time between technicians and students and the important part technicians play in the student experience. Although Technician A felt they were ‘highly supported by students’ they did not feel a similar sense of value when it came from academic staff on their course.

“We are mainly valued by students constantly, but never from anyone else. The job of the technician is always backstage, as it should be, but it would be nice to be supported and valued. When I say valued, [that] means professionally valued, not just receiving the odd email saying “well done to all”. (Technician A)” Clare Sams 2016

Another key piece of evidence that I can use alongside Savage’s work, is on key findings on the feeling of technical staff and their value within the University.

One last piece which could also be an additional asset to my research is that Sams later explores the value of research with technician C, and how important research is to the technician’s role. The reach of technical research exploring new technologies in building virtual learning spaces has on ‘promoting’ learning and teaching environments of current and prospective students. This I feel has been felt dramatically since the Covid-19 pandemic, where many technical staff had to learn, explore and develop new methods of teaching their practice in online digital teaching spaces.

Sams’s conclusion, they have revealed that technical expertise is a huge part of a technician’s identity, with also technicians being the main point of contact for students as well as staff for technical advice and specialist expertise and equipment. With ending the conclusion that many technicians choose the technical pathway as a means to support and enhance their practice, shaping and excelling their artistic practice that is translatable to their identity.

Reflectively, this article was insightful and had a few hidden key elements that I can use to support my own evidence when it comes to researching the future the technical roles with higher creative education. Although in 2023 these findings in 2016 are extremely troubling as it is still happening today and nothing has changed. We need to see change if we want to innovate our teaching spaces and upskill are ‘master crafters’, ‘expert staff’ and ‘specialist technicians’ by offering new opportunities to explore and advance their practice for the good of the university and student learning experience.

Technicians as teachers: the emerging role of technical staff within higher education teaching and learning environments.

F. P. H. Wragg, C. Harris, A. Noyes & K. Vere

I have read this article and fully developed my critical feedback from it yet, it will become a key asset to my evidence in the next cycle of my action research project.

Pracademics? Exploring transitions and professional identities in Higher Education

Jill Dickinson, Andrew Fowler & Teri-Lisa Griffiths 2020

I picked up this article over the interesting title, reflectively from reading upon it, the study is wide and based across all university types and not just creative institutions. The word ‘Pracademic’ is a combination of practitioners and academics, the authors explored those who have transitioned from practitioner to academics and where they feel they sit in the world of academia.
The first part of the article explores the UK Higher Education (HE) recruitment processes, the competition between universities through the ‘ranking game’ and the attention towards the educational business market classification and brand-building.

The highlight here in this section was the awareness that the Research Excellence Framework has brought a bias to the recruitment process over favouring “‘career academics’ at the expense of employing staff with relevant industrial experience.”
I have noticed this within my own department, that the younger academics have no industry experience and are mostly full-time ‘academics’ working across all year groups in the pastoral and teaching sectors.

I can only reflect on my experience another highlight in this section is that the authors have put forward that Maanen and Schein (1997) note the potential for ‘pracademics’ to create an entirely new professional identity. This is something I am trying to conceive through my research into technical pedagogy, while the authors have mentioned the “‘affinities’ and ‘tensions’ between the worlds of academics and practice, and those inhabiting them, before making recommendations for building links between them for mutual benefit”.

This world of ‘pracademic plays on the idea of a revolving door, or one foot in and the other is out. The authors explore the benefits and the relationship between teaching and practice as well as engaging in student relationships and learning. The real moment in this practice is the encouragement of ‘knowledge-abled’ through experience to encourage students to engage in constructivist learning.

This area made me consider that these practitioners or ‘pracademics’ could include technicians as I know I am talking with bias, but I feel this is how creative technicians develop their teaching practice while relying on their industry practice, one this else pointed out here by the authors was that Posner (2009) mentions that these practitioners can use their practice to help forge networks and facilitate industry-university collaborations (KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE).

The ending of this section rings through on the tension and differences that have been observed through academics and pracademics and that both groups need to perceive each other as equals, and benefit as a whole teaching group, sharing of knowledge, skills and experience.

The Fragile Academic selves portion of this article explores imposter syndrome in the workplace and believe me, this goes through all areas of work, I have seen workshops within the overall in-house training at UAL there is workshops on imposter syndrome and that Is great to see from reading this paper that the educational board are listening to you can find the link here to the last workshop. (LINK).

One of the key aspects of this section is the author’s deliverance on two aspects of this ‘imposter phenomenon’ the first being ‘Aspirants’ those who seek, and ‘Existentialists’ those who doubt, now I have simplified those themes,  but one that is pointed out one or more can lead to ‘excessive over-commitment’. I feel looking at these two examples I personally would lead to more an Aspirant, as I feel that the majority of my time outside of technical teaching is learning about teaching, and trying to better myself in this field as sometimes I question if I belong in either academia or the technical fields.

The other highlight of this section was the importance of relationship building between new and old employees, supervisors and the also the university as a whole organisation, such workshops in coaching, empathy, performance expectations, and peer group dialogues can be used to help combat issues around professional identity in higher education jobs.

which leads into the last section of these observations, the ‘professional identity’ the areas of interest are those aspects of self-development and the social construction of identity, the authors point out that Wanger (1998) mentions that aspects of both practice and identity are intertwined in individual professionals, which in hand can be appreciated and acknowledged in a wider community practice.

“through the negotiation of meaning action and interaction within the community, which is influenced by both history and context individuals make sense of their place within the community of practice. Moving from practice into academia (like all changes in community membership) involves the negotiation of an individual’s

place within that group.” Dickinson, Fowler and Griffiths 2020

I have selected this quote, as it contributes to a part of my research, in the area of community and building upon a better working environment through peer engagement and community collaboration. Am I setting out to encourage technical staff to transition from the technical pathway? Or to help build a new technical pathway. Either or I encourage both areas, but my feelings and personal experience are that technicians are left in the dark and aren’t properly introduced into academia.            

The article then illustrates that there is an incomplete career transition from practice to academia, the argument here is that individuals transition from one ‘stable professional identity in practice to another within the HE context.’

The authors explained the ethics of their research and adapted a primary data analysis method, using thematic analysis to develop an understanding of the transitions in careers from practice to the academic world. The research was set forth into 2 themes;

1. Practice-informed teaching: ‘Prepare them for what it’s like in the real world’
2. Professional identities: ‘Accidental Academic’

The first theme presented reflects on the practitioners’ experiences, transferable skills and how these are applicable in their academic and teaching roles. There were a few points in this theme that stood out, the emotional impact and toll pastoral care has on the academic, and they feel under-supported in this area in general. Being overly critical in teaching roles that it might cause young practitioners to make the professional career choice, using real-life problem-solving to allow students to engage critically through problem-solving which prepares students for the workplace. A few indications of past tense imposter syndrome, which using in that manner foretold that this feeling as past.
The collective evidence shows that ‘pracademics’ demonstrate experience from practice to innovate teaching and learning environments while providing student support, with a conscious determination to support the workforce of the future, by developing skills in both professional and vocational areas.

The second theme ‘Accidental Academic’ relates to the professional identities and the engagement of practitioners with their teaching community. The highlighted section here was that ‘aspirant’ (me) academics were aware or thought of their practice as a shelf-life currency and showed a need to feel validated through continued achievements.

“Participants also expressed concerns about the lack of support available to enable them to make the transitions from practice to academia” Authors – Dickinson, Folwer and Griffiths 2020

Other metaphors around naming these job roles came into question or agreement, with ‘chameleon’ approaches to professional identity, favoured suggestions were ‘reflective practitioner’ or ‘accidental academic’ the other side of this was one research participant said that if you want to become an academic the university will allow you to do so, although mentioning the commitment as it consumes a lot of time and conscious decision to engage in professional development.

The findings in the second theme show that ‘pracademics’ believe in the importance of practice-informed teaching for its multiple benefits, while also recognising the issues faced by multi-faceted identities.

Concluding points:

• ‘Reflective Practitioner’ was a recurring theme throughout.
• Teaching the next generation of critical, reflective and value-led practitioners, through the lens of practitioner experience.
• The majority associated with the professional label Academic
• Specific contributions to teaching of ‘pracademics should be acknowledged and distinct.
• Participants revealed desires to maintain industry links.
• Balancing periods of ‘self-managed’ time to reconnect to practice.
• Such initiatives of ‘self-managed practice’ could benefit the individual, practice and HEI.
• Both reflective practitioners and accidental academics are particular types of pracademics that could be further investigated and researched.
• Authors advocate that academics with practice backgrounds are important assets to HEIs.
• Organisations should move away from maximising research income and focus on multiple experience impacts on the learning environments.
• “Nurturing pracademics’ practice-informed teaching, professional values, networks and identities could realise myriad benefits for the in individual, the student experience and the HEI.”
  
  
  

Reflective:

This article was hard to read, but very interesting in establishing a greater sense of academics in a wider HEI context not just creative education, I did find some key assets that I could use in the presentation and findings on a later day when I write up my report.

It is interesting that these pracademics do seem to be technical, but this article never mentions the word technical, or technician at all but practice their can be a difference in practitioners and technical teachings, but the majority of technicians are practitioners or have an industry working practice, so it was a little confusing not to see any evidence (that is visible) on technical body of HEIs.