My teaching context is that I predominantly teach graphic, visual, and moving image communication. I have a 0.4 contract at LCF where I teach across all of the School of Design and Technology’s 22 BA+MA courses; additionally at LCC I teach as an Associate Lecturer on BA+MA User Experience Design courses. All of the above mentioned student cohorts contain majority international students, see image 01, and Appendix 02 (UALc, 2024).
Thus, acknowledging my positionality as a white, cis male, British, first language English, MA RCA educated person who has not lived abroad from UK for a period of more than 6months, nor studied abroad in a non-first language English speaking institution — I wholly acknowledge that I have little knowledge and no experience on what its empirically like to live abroad in a country in which you are both trying to fully master the local language and study in a formal higher education setting.
This limitation to my lived educative experience means that my expectation of the amount of work produced or understanding which is grasped in certain lessons and evidenced in formative or summative assessments, is sometimes out of balance to what is actually possible for the students positional context. I cannot truly in any meaningful way understand what its like to be in a foreign country where I am expected to both listen, learn, understand, and then communicate my leaning all in another language. Nor can I begin to understand the nuanced social and cultural complexities and/or challenges which would present themselves when moving abroad to a different time zone and cultural sphere.
All of these aspects of both mine and the students intersecting identities (Crenshaw, 1991) compound, overlap, and can both be expressed or hidden in varying and oblique ways. Means, that I hope that this intervention proposal aims to serve as the beginning of a cycle of change through action (Freire, 1970), rather than as a distinct unwavering answer. There is so much to be done.
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I propose an intervention of beginning to workshop ways of re-working and diversifying visual references within my teaching materials, broadening them from a Western and Eurocentric position using a loose co-design approach (Sanders and Stappers, 2008) and object-based learning (Willcocks, 2024). The session will engaging initially with Masters students at the beginning of their first term because the students can bring reflections, visual references, and possible critique from their previous higher education or lived experience, with the intention to iterate the session for BA students.
The broad overview of the session is as follows: students bring non European/Western references from their previous lived experience or their BA and we would interrogate them using object-based learning principles, to both critique the sources of teaching material and learn, explore, and teach each other about referencing and sourcing of visual or cultural artefacts, particularly that we might not have encountered before. As its participatory and exploratory the session intentionally de-centres myself as the lecturer and arbiter of knowledge and engages a loose model of inclusive pedagogy through questioning the production and sourcing of information. For workshop outline, see Appendix 01.
I teach predominantly graphic design, visual communication, and moving image and my lessons contain mostly Western/Eurocentric references, in part due to my own ignorance, and in part its due to me being conscious of what the impact might be if I unknowingly select a reference for purely aesthetic reasons (without deep research) and what its cultural significance or legacy could be.
In a talk by Shirley Ann Tate (2018) she dismantled a number of academic institutional assumptions, and the following statement immediately confronted me: “The Eurocentric curriculum is not ok, it doesn’t help them with their success and their identities” (Tate, 2018). This statement is confronting for a number of reasons, but it suddenly made me realise that within my teaching context, most of the visual references contained in my teaching materials are Western/Eurocentric. I have historically always aimed to have visual references which are not Western/Eurocentric, but this is broadly viewed across all my teaching materials rather than during a specific session or lesson. This, needs amending.
Polly Savage suggests in her 2022 paper that the environment where students learn creates a potential opportunity to “survive, appropriate and resist geopolitical paradigms” (Savage, 2022, p. 1081) — in my context this could mean to disrupt specifically the colonial Western/Eurocentric visual references. Savage (2022) goes on to suggest that the artistic style developed by the students of the Soviet-era cultural exchange program, essentially copied — yet, importantly — absorbed and evolved a personal but instantly recognisable ‘Soviet-aesthetic’ (Savage, 2022). The graduating students were both within the Soviet visual canon yet they had evolved elements of it into their own distinct visual style, thereby disrupting the constrained paradigm of their time. We could extrapolate this and suggest that the visual references which students are exposed to during their time at UAL, becomes the basis of the visual aesthetic they take forwards and perpetuate and disseminate into the cultural world. This of course suggests that if they’re exposed to Western/Eurocentric references then they will go on to express a personal visual style undoubtedly evolved, but still akin to the Western/Eurocentric references they’re shown within their learning environments (vis-a-vis UAL). That said, I don’t necessarily see an inherent problem with having a recognisable visual aesthetic, indeed this is what makes things be seen as similar according to the principles of Gestalt (IxDF, 2016), or within an artist movement. I do however, have a problem if the visual reference list is knowingly or unknowingly limited to the dominant cultural forces, and this then in turns perpetuates a colonial Western and Eurocentricism. Further, I am not suggesting that I (we) should remove or exclude Western/European references, more that they simply need to be more diverse in their scope, and include global majority artistic and design sources.
This intervention proposal has a significant and acute challenge to it — it has the potential to not just critique power structures and diversify knowledge, but actually enforce the colonial extraction of knowledge through the students simply serving me, the white cis European man with global majority information for me to use in my teaching materials. Through reflection and awareness of my positionality and the desire to challenge any further extractivism, there are some approaches, theories, and thinking I would like to apply to the intervention.
Firstly, I see this workshop as a method of “gathering through encounter” (The Material Kinship Reader, p.4, 2022), which encourages the transference of ideas through simply being together without a specific aim — what we encounter is what we find. Being aware of how I gather knowledge will be useful in challenging the potentially extractivist approach of the workshop. A protocol of ethical giving and taking which encourages reciprocity between participants might be useful here, one is called the Honourable Harvest, and is daily practice for indigenous wisdom keepers and although its not a written agreement, its described by Robin Wall Kimmerer in Braiding Sweetgrass (2013). It is seen as an agreement to ensure reciprocity between people and the land, and although the workshop is not physical in its taking, information and the sharing of it is remains embodied. In this context I feel the most salient and relevant points are: be accountable as the one who comes asking; ask permission; harvest in a way that minimises harm; give thanks; and give a gift in reciprocity (Kimmerer, 2013). Other ecological framings are necessary here, particularly about making space and time for all points made within the space, whether they seem relevant or not, echoing a point made in a book about mycelial ways of teaching “that which you don’t recognise, you don’t see” (Ostendorf-Rodríguez, p.24, 2023). When information is offered in the workshop, ensuring recognition and acceptance of the contribution is not just part of the Honourable Harvest (Kimmerer, 2013) but its also an inclusive pedagogical practice suggested by Duna Sabri called micro affirmations (Sabri, 2017), which encourage the continual but simple act of being supportive by affirming students contributions with words or actions.
Nottingham Trent University’s project TILT (RAISE, 2022) serves as a successfully implemented model on how to navigate pragmatics of engaging staff-students partnerships, and how to recognise student contribution and engagement. In TILT, each year students contribute and lead discussion, and later action on specific issues at the university, alongside staff, which is then implemented in some way, the students are then reimbursed with vouchers for the canteen and campus shops.
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After discussion with peers, fellow lecturers, technicians, and my Inclusive Practices tutor (for informational context, akin to Wong et al. (2021), the peers positionalities represent a broad range of HE practitioners with varying academic experience, and from diverse heritages), the feedback highlighted a number of points of consideration and potential challenges with the planned session. Some of the key points which impacted my thinking are below in image 01. See also Appendix 03 for further tutorial, peer presentation, and feedback notes.
As mentioned, reflection on the shrewd words of Shirley Ann Tate inspired this intervention, and so it would be apt to return to their words to finish — I hope through the unpacking, articulation, and action of this workshop I can “engage in policies of small social justice transformations, so we can tackle institutional racism” (Tate, 2018).
References
Bayeck, R. Y. (2022) “Positionality: The interplay of space, context and identity,” International journal of qualitative methods, 21, p. 1-9. doi: 10.1177/16094069221114745.
Crenshaw, K. (1991) “Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color,” Stanford law review, 43(6), p. 1241. doi: 10.2307/1229039.
Freire, P. (1970) Pedagogy of the oppressed. 30th ed. Translated by M. Bergman Ramos. Continuum International Publishing Group.
Kimmerer, R. W. (2013) Braiding sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants. Milkweed Editions.
The material kinship reader the material kinship reader: Material beyond extraction and kinship beyond the nuclear family (2022). Onomatopee.
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) (2018) Kimberlé Crenshaw: What is Intersectionality? Youtube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDtnfQ9FHc (Accessed: July 12, 2024).
Ostendorf-Rodríguez, Y. (2023) Let’s become fungal!: Mycelium teachings and the arts: Based on conversations with indigenous wisdom keepers, artists, curators, feminists and mycologists. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Valiz.
Sabri, D. (2017) Students’ Experience of Identity and Attainment at UAL, King’s College, London.
Sanders, E.B.N. and Stappers, P.J., 2008. Co-creation and the new landscapes of design. Co-design, 4(1), pp.5-18.
Savage, P. (2022) “‘The New Life’: Mozambican Art Students in the USSR, and the Aesthetic Epistemologies of Anti-Colonial Solidarity,” Art history, 45(5), pp. 1078–1100. doi: 10.1111/1467-8365.12692.
Stuart, G. (2020) What is praxis?, Sustaining Community. Available at: https://sustainingcommunity.wordpress.com/2020/03/12/what-is-praxis/ (Accessed: July 8, 2024).
TED (2020) Climate justice can’t happen without racial justice | David Lammy. Youtube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkIpeO1r0NI (Accessed: May 27, 2024).
Tate, S.A. (2018) Tackling the ‘BPOC’ Attainment Gap in UK Universities [Online]. Youtube. TEDx/Re:Act, Royal School of Speech & Drama. October. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPMuuJrfawQ (Accessed: May 27, 2024).
UAL (2024a) Postgraduate tuition fees, UAL. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees/postgraduate-tuition-fees (Accessed: July 1, 2024).
UAL (2024b) Undergraduate tuition fees, UAL. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees/undergraduate-tuition-fees (Accessed: July 1, 2024).
UAL (2024c) UAL Active Dashboards. Available at: https://dashboards.arts.ac.uk/dashboard/ActiveDashboards/DashboardPage.aspx?dashboardid=bef5369d-9952-4bb2-a862-c630eaad431e&dashcontextid=638562981919384319 (Accessed: July 12, 2024).
What are the Gestalt Principles? — updated 2024 (2016) The Interaction Design Foundation. Interaction Design Foundation. Available at: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/gestalt-principles (Accessed: July 8, 2024).
Willcocks, J. (2024) Object-based Learning. Online, 24 January [Event programme].
Willcocks, J. and Mahon, K. (2023) “The potential of online object-based learning activities to support the teaching of intersectional environmentalism in art and design higher education,” Art Design & Communication in Higher Education, 22(2), pp. 187–207. doi: 10.1386/adch_00074_1.
Wong, B. et al. (2021) “Is race still relevant? Student perceptions and experiences of racism in higher education,” Cambridge journal of education, 51(3), pp. 359–375. doi: 10.1080/0305764x.2020.1831441.
Appendix 01:
WORKSHOP OUTLINE
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SESSION DETAILS:
PARTICIAPNTS: 10–12
COHORT: MA students
DURATION: 2:30hrs
DATE: Autumn term 2024
LOCATION: London College of Fashion
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PRE SESSION TASK:
- Bring an object/image/reference to a piece of graphic design, communication, visual aesthetic, or even graphic art which has in any way influenced your design way of thinking.
- For reasons explained and explored in the session, it cannot be a Western/European reference.
- Think what personally influenced you or had an impact? Think divergently from the obvious references (which are consequently often Western)
- What were you shown during your BA which weren’t Western references? Who wasn’t a New York, London, Paris, or Milan based fashion designer for example?
- It could be a graphic or fashion or furniture designer, it could be an exhibition or event poster, it could be a piece of packaging, it could be a logo, it could be a photograph, garment, handbag, accessory, etc
- Ideally the artefact or reference should be physical, but if this isn’t possible or feasible then a photo is fine
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SESSION OUTLINE:
- WELCOME [5mins]
- say hello to each other, names, pronouns
- say hello to each other, names, pronouns
- INTRODUCTION [10mins]
- What is the intended outcome of the session: to diversify and expand the visual references within my teaching materials from a Eurocentric/Western-centric position to a broader field of global majority artistic and design referencing. This intends to both acknowledge and disrupt the Eurocentric positionality of the institution (UAL), and challenge the power dynamics that having a Western-centric curriculum of references enforces. It also intends to acknowledge the embodied and inherent knowledge people (students) already have from their lived experience.
- Why diversifying the visual references shown in my teaching sessions is important for students understanding of their and their peers identities (Tate, 2018)
- INTRO TO AWARENESS + PROTOCOLS IN THE SESSION [5mins]
- Acknowledge my positionality as a British white cis man and the lecturer who is running the session, and the privileges and power dynamics that this positionality affords. I come with space to listen and to learn (Bayek, 2022; Kimmerer, 2013; Crenshaw 1991, 2018)
- We are following a protocol of ethical giving and taking, and I thank you for your presence, time, and contribution (Kimmerer, 2022) participants contribute freely, and their permission of this knowledge sharing within the space.
- An awareness of cultural sensitivity (Bayek, 2022; Crenshaw 1991, 2018; Sabri, 2017)
- The session is participatory but not obligatory to contribute, and we follow a model of engaged co-design (Sander + Stappers, 2008)
- EXPLORATION SESSION [1:55hr + 5min break]
- What each will do during this part, we will initially introduce the method and approach of object-based learning (Willcocks, 2024; 2023)
- Each student willing thinks of a task or particular way we as a group read the object, artefact, image, or reference, which attempt to slightly adjust the power dynamics of the session and each student has an opportunity to contribute in leading the discussion
- We unpack a selection of the references for around 10mins, allowing the student which brought the reference to guide the discussion on the artefact without over-revealing its inherent properties, taking it in turn, and following the guide sheet as necessary (an example of a guide sheet by Judy Willcocks (2020) is included below for reference, image 03+04). Before finally we explain the objects history and the students personal relationship or lived experience to the reference. This gains understanding through visual interpretation, and through personal lived experience and storytelling.
- If there are physical objects, and any student have an aversion of handling objects, or there is a student hard of sight that deep descriptions could be employed for the session to remain
- WRAP UP + REFLECTIONS [10mins]
- How we felt it went, within this container, do you feel valued in your contribution
- If possible, I reveal the students participation and engagement has earned a small voucher for the cafe.
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Appendix 02
Appendix 03
TUTORIAL + PEER PRESENTATION NOTES
Tutorial Jhinuk 17 June 2024 Potentially let it grow into the ARP Robin wall kimmerer - Braiding sweet grass - Moss book - Non western perspective Do I need to look at my specific teaching context — or do I want to come to my specialist subject Or is it about expanding into other teaching aspects or situations across the college, school, or university? How could the intervention to malleable to change or adapt to various spaces ? modelling the practice and open up and inclusive learning and teaching practices HOPEFULLY foster or encourage inclusive and learning and the making of work layers of intersectionality can be at play and be expressed through this workshop Mycelial teaching Object based learning and how it can translate into tactile touch experience Creative things and how this could be workshopped into an experiential moment where we reflect on objects, artefacts, art, or graphic designed elements Multifaceted way of approaching the workshop whilst acknowledging my positionlity and being very sensitive to not be extractitvist and inherently colonial in my extraction of resources from the students cultural or empirical knowledge? In-out-sider is a varying positionally and ways of acknowledging and actively challenging the power dynamics. Actually meaning something by saying it first in words, acknowledging the context explaining the intent and allowing space to its critique. Diversifying my teaching materials and curriculum Followed up with an action — Allow students and participants agency and running of the workshop Everyone could potentially design an action or an approach to how we read an object — everyone comes up with an action and how This is a way of redressing the balance and the power dynamics and hierarchy of the workshop — its also peer learning or student-lead learning (Unit 01!! What is this called?! ) I am this, the teacher with a certain knowledge and positionality, and now you get the opportunity to get a chance to educate and contribute to the workshops development and direction Layered — positions — Some students might really appreciate the action that they got to design something Third and 4th and 5th way That acknowledges Peer presentations — How people would respond to certain challenges of the workshop, if you had to deliver a session like this from the position of a student or teacher what challenges or barriers would you envision? — 2mins of my that time Reflective They’re becoming double fold — both peer and student feedback Asking a simple question — after simple action — if you put your own teaching contexts what would be the challenges would be — what might be the challenges? Student cohorts might respond in very different ways, depending on courses, year, and situations. An object could propose or show or express: embodiment of somebodies positionality Cultural and historical contexts and their own situation Interacting with their objects that could have been a reference given to them from previous teaching contexts, such as BA or Foundation, or even secondary schooling. Or share a reference the have gathered themselves or has had some sort of impact on their artistic/design learning experience and growth Wonder if its worth mentioning the rationale of the context. Where could the workshop be positioned within the course? — at the start, or reintroduced throughout the year in multiple workshops? What benefits these might have? They could reintroduce the objects or the references or the artefacts Expand from challenges to barriers — people might have an adversion to touching thigns for example, and therefore how might we teach or respond to these varying contexts — e.g. we could use ‘active description’ — audio, alt text, image descriptions Projects turn from or turn to their position or lived experience Look outside To gain clarity to how their project might land in various cultural contexts Missing out looking at challenges What would happen to that in those intervention design What would or might happen if something is cultural important content which is problematic to others There is so much symbollogy of graphic communication For example of the bottle cap with the swastika or the meaning has changed from the book about Thinking through the most problematic thing that could happen and think about how I would deal with that And how I could facilitate an uncomfortable conversations Thinking of what this difficult situation could mean and how to navigate it in the best way possible = Object-based learning
Peer presentation 28 June 2024 Deep description and collective description History of the world in 100 objects, British museum Accessibility — explain on the points Levels take forms, and adapt at or for any level of teaching Challenges — students who come to the study are wealthy, their upbringing and education is likely to be Western. We institutions is a colonial structure, this is an opportunity Looking and seeking at nuance — why is that important, how can we be critical about things Floriane — ma fashion goldsmiths Jean Paul guttier ethics — ‘bring references from home’ Whole encouraging them to be critical of the colonial references What is the value in Eurocentrism, and how you’re undermining How do we look for references that aren’t western Whats the value in doing it Its forbidden to bring Eurocentric / western Can we look at craft? Can we look at graphic folk design ? Market value Design and craft difference — people that create the textiles Changing the shifting Cultural imbibing — one always looks inspirationally to the west Language — visual They won’t bring some in Incashoni bar Visuals where we can start the conversation It reveals the power structures Encourage so they look for the context Opportunity to tell them about referencing And then think its pretty and its from Germany Give them questions — timeframe what or how much Kohfic scripts
Tutorial Jhinuk 08 July 2024 Contextual admissions Undertone of cultural currency — knowing the western/eurocentrism is a way Cultural imbibing Knowing ht e Small references of cultural references Its not too wrought Westernised education abroad and its using as a cultural What have or what are my teaching experiences as a student Space for critique Crenshaw in the bibliography Reflective report! Reflecting on transformative practices I’ve seen or thought for the first time continued being trans Reflective Evidence Where are the opportunities for me to implement this or to reiterate or as a model Where are we getting our references from? Speaking the conditions of our time Addressing our awareness of the teaching frameworks Where could it work in other teaching sessions Community and