Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Core Skills Disk Cutting and Doming BAFJ Yr1

Size of student group: 20

Observer: Clare Bannister

Observee: Emilia Netto

 

Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action.

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?

This is a core skills session (Technical skills session) that is accessed by the academic team. This session is on disk cutting and doming, focusing on the above as well as soldering.

How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?

This will be my second term teaching core skills to this group, this is shared amongst different technicians. This session is shared, I will be delivering one and my colleagues the other two.

What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?

To gain an understanding of disk cutting and doming and its application to jewellery design and making.

To gain an understanding of disk cutting and doming as a technique.

To improve on measuring, cutting, doming, soldering and finishing metal

What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?

They will be given a copper two small copper squares and some wire, and they will cut, dome, solder and make an ear wire for the piece, making a singular earring.

Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?

The pieces being finished in class within the three hours allocated are always a challenge, especially with first years. We also have limited tools so there will likely be some waiting when it comes to sharing tools such as the disk cutter. Retaining student attention sometimes can be also challenging, especially with group C which is the most challenging year 1 group.

How will students be informed of the observation/review?

The students will be informed verbally at the start of the class.

What would you particularly like feedback on?

I would like feedback on student engagement, how I have managed my time and if it was effective, whether the presentations and demonstration were clear and easy to follow, and in areas for improvement in my delivery.

How will feedback be exchanged?

Feedback will be shared either face to face after the class or online on teams within a few days of the class taking place.

Part Two

Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:

This was a co-taught session with Emilia’s colleague taking the lead on the presentation part of the session, with Emilia demonstrating and supporting the practical elements of the workshop.

Handouts with instructions and basic health & safety reminders were already delivered to the students via Moodle before the start of the class.

The session started within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time and the student turnout was 18 out of 20

The students were encouraged to take photos and document the tools needed for the session at the start. There was an introduction with an emphasis on health and safety & PPE.

Screens were present at the front and back of the classroom, according with the direction of the seats at the workshop stations.

Emilia demonstrated drilling & disk cutting with clear instructions and allowing enough time for students to photograph or video what she was doing. She was also clear about not wanting for her face to appear in the videos, which set clear boundaries.

Most students held their phones around and over Emilia to video the demonstration as it was difficult to see, due to the nature of the workshop and not a live camera/video link being available, and the number of students trying to witness the exercise.

When equipment proved to be faulty within the demonstration for doming, she explained what may have happened to cause the equipment to be faulty as an example of how and why equipment should be used with care, before finding undamaged equipment to continue with.

When explaining how to place the body when using the more hazardous equipment safely she made a reference to ‘chicken arms’ as a way for students to easily remember how to position their arms

Emilia delivered all demonstrations clearly, confidently and time effectively and when the students were in the making part of the workshop, she worked around the room helping students and reminding them about PPE. She was encouraging and patient with students who needed help.

There was a moment when there were a lot of students waiting to use bits of equipment and she managed it by suggesting some take a break while they wait or by finding extra pieces of equipment for them to use.

I could not see any obvious areas for improvement from what I observed.

Part Three

Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged:

It was great to have Clare observe my teaching, since I haven’t had a class observation in a couple of years. As we have different specialisms, it was also beneficial that Clare was not familiar with the processes covered as to ascertain how clear the instructions given were. The feedback regarding instructions being clear was very reassuring.

I was also reassuring to read that I was adaptable to the challenge we often face of there not being enough equipment or tools for all students to use at once by “suggesting some take a break while they wait or by finding extra pieces of equipment for them to use”. This is a challenge that I have been finding alternatives for since started teaching at LCF last year.

We do emphasize the use of PPE due to the high risk of injury associated with many of or practices in the workshop and encourage students to photograph the process and tools used for their own reference and technical journals.

The “chicken arms” reference is one I have used for years; I find that describing an action/process/or tool by giving an informal/funny description helps the students remember the information I am trying to pass on.

I do agree with Clare that the demonstrations are “difficult to see” due “to the nature of the workshop… live camera/video link (not) being available, and the number of students trying to witness the exercise”.

I have written my first case study on the challenge above. I have contacted digital learning for support in facilitating this late last year and have been assured that we will have an overhead camera available to use next academic year.

In the meantime, I have been looking at other solutions I can put in place to better support students. This includes putting together handouts with step-by-step close-up photos of the processes taught. Going forward I intend on pre-recording demonstrations going forward and playing these to the students before a live demonstration. This is something that as a department we need to look at more closely and find better solutions for.