Record of Observation or Review of Teaching Practice Observing a Peer
Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Women+ of Colour in Leadership Programme (session 8: Live brief work)
Size of student group: 19 students (18 participants + 1 Ambassador)
Observer: Fran Barry
Observee: Charline Caceres
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 will be week 8 of my Women+ of Colour in Leadership Live Brief Programme (W+CinL) for 2025.
Each year 15-18 UG students who meet the criteria will be selected through an application process. This year we have 18 students.
The students receive 11-weeks (1 day a week) of leadership coaching from a professional leadership coach and race equity and neuro inclusion specialist. They will simultaneously apply what they have learnt to a brief provided by an industry partner – this year we are working with creative agency, Uncharted and not-for-profit organisation called SheSays.
The students work in 3 teams of 6 on the live brief, most of this work happens outside of the sessions, apart from three sessions to meet the partners, find out about the brief and pitch their ideas back to them. We also have industry mentors to provide guidance on building a campaign.
Leadership sessions cover topics like, cultural capital, resilience, team working, presentation skills and more, all built around a naturing supportive environment. There are also opportunities for students to build their connections with industry, graduate and senior staff networking.
Session 8 is a new addition which serves as a catch-up opportunity, helping students consolidate their ideas, refine their work, and receive targeted support before their final pitch presentations. Their industry mentors will be attending and me and my colleague will be giving short (10-minute) 1-2-1s. Our W+CinL ambassador will also do a short presentation on the brief she did last year.
Plan for session 8 – Live brief work
2:30 – Fran intro
2:35 – Check in and Live brief presentation (student Ambassador)
2:50 – Teams work on live brief
Working breaks
3:40 – students work with mentors
4:20 – check outs
2:50 – 4:25 -Student one to ones (10-minutes each) with Charline and Sat
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
I have been running the programme for 6 years but been working with this group for 7 weeks so far. The one student ambassador was on the programme last year, so I have been working with her for over a year.
I organise, plan and coordinate all aspects of the programme. I support the sessions and provide communications with all stakeholders plus additional pastoral support to students when needed.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
The expected outcomes for the programme will be;
Leadership Development
Students will enhance their leadership skills, build confidence, and strengthen their self-belief.
Teamwork and Communication
Students will develop their ability to work effectively in teams and improve their presentation skills.
Industry Networking and Community Building
Students will become part of a supportive, ongoing community and expand their professional networks within the industry.
Career Awareness and Practical Experience
Students will gain insights into different job roles and career paths while gaining hands-on experience by developing a campaign for industry partners.
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
The outputs for this session will be;
Live Brief Campaign Work
- Developing ideas and strategies for the campaign in response to the industry brief.
- Collaborating within their teams to refine concepts and strategies.
- Preparing materials for their pitch to industry partners.
Engagement with Industry Mentors
- Receiving feedback and guidance from industry mentors.
- Discussing challenges and solutions related to the brief.
- Gaining insights into real-world industry expectations and best practices.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
Most of the students are balancing several commitments and some are feeling overwhelmed. A couple of students are also dealing with difficult situations or mental health issues.
Any personal discussions will stay confidential and will not be observed, however.
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
Students have signed a consent form explaining the following;
Context:
Charline Caceres is currently studying for a PgCert and, as part of the course, is required to engage in several observations.
One observation will take place on 5th March 2025 during a scheduled session. During this session, you will be working on the live brief and meeting your mentors. Charline and Sat will also be offering one-to-one sessions.
Observation Details:
A member of UAL staff (Frances Barry, Disability and Dyslexia Tutor) will be observing Charline Caceres as part of her PgCert course. The focus of the observation is solely on Charline’s practice, not on students.
This observation will not affect the structure of the session or your participation in any way. Additionally, any one-to-one meetings will only be observed with the student’s explicit additional consent.
Consent Statement:
By signing below, you confirm that you understand the purpose of the observation and consent to the presence of a UAL staff member observing Charline Caceres during the Women+ of Colour in Leadership – Live Brief session on 5th March 2025.
This has been explained further both in email and in person.
Any 1-2-1s that may be observed will require additional permission on the day.
What would you particularly like feedback on?
- Does the session seem well organised?
- Do the students seem confident to engage in self-directed work?
- Are the students confident to ask questions?
- If you are able to observe any 121s, are the students comfortable to share challenges or ask for guidance to help them move forward?
- Any other observations on methods used and what could be improved.
How will feedback be exchanged?
On this form and in discussion.
Part Two
Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:
I have grouped my observations in relation to specific areas Chaline wanted feedback on.
Does the session seem well organised?
The session was very well organised. I arrived early and most of the students were already in the room. There were only 3 absentees, 2 ill and another had a film shoot. This is evidence that, despite this workshop being additional to original timetable, the students felt that it was worth being there. The primary aim of the workshop, as I understand it, was to remind the students of the value of leaving enough time for the planning stage of their research libraries and preparing their presentations for the ‘pitch’. Skills underpinning metacognition, an essential skill for critical thinking were being reinforced, such as planning, monitoring and evaluation (Medina et al, 2017) . These essential skills were promoted by the Student Ambassador, a member of the winning team from last year, who delivered a breakdown of the core elements that helped her team win. The value of having the Ambassador direct this learning made the exercise more ‘real world’ (Orr & Shreeve, 2017)
Do the students seem confident to engage in self-directed work?
The students are already split into 3 teams and during the teamwork on the live brief, there was much evidence of lively self-directed discussion on where they were in the process and what still needed to be done. The student ambassador spent time with each team and expanded on the points she had made in her presentation. She was extremely confident and enthusiastic, which may have influenced responses from the students during the check-in at the beginning. When the Ambassador asked them to describe in one word how they were feeling, all but 1 student expressed a positive emotion. Very powerful collective boost to start the workshop.
Are the students confident to ask questions?
At the end of the presentation, a number of questions were asked. They had obviously been listening. These questions continued during the individual team work and the range of questions and discussions evidenced that even though the task was the same for each group; pitch an idea which hits the live brief, the students had established a group dynamic that gave them the confidence to ‘self regulate’ (Medina et al, 2017) their approach to the task.
If you are able to observe any 121s, are the students comfortable to share challenges or ask for guidance to help them move forward?
I was able to observe two 1:2:1 sessions. They were short, 10 minutes each, so Charline had sent a list of questions beforehand based on previous conversations to assess progress.
.
1st 1:2:1
Student was asked if her team was on track. Yes.
Relationship with Mentors. Miscommunication at start, improved as got to know each other better. Charline asked follow-up questions to discover what the issue was and whether it was resolved.
Challenges? Timing (student is at uni 5 days a week.5 days a week.
The key challenge was competing priorities with degree. At the beginning she struggled to concentrate in earlier sessions but was now able to leave uni work behind and focus on the live brief. An indication of how engaged she has become. Charline recommended ways to revisit earlier session content. On the whole Charline was evidencing supporting learning. She emphasised the need for self-care eg Mindfulness.
The team meet early on Wednesdays and go over issues before the sessions. Also online meetings. Charline gave lots of praise and thanked the student for her commitment.
2nd 1:2:1
On track. Started late – but has done majority.
Mentor – contacting by email. Charline suggested ways she could proactively contact the mentor and get more guidance. Suggested using the feedback form she had put together for the workshop.
Team – good relationship.
Seems to be all good so Charline asked a few more questions but didn’t push. Reiterated the importance of raising any issues that might affect time management.
Any other observations on methods used and what could be improved?
This was an additional workshop so students might well have decided it was not crucial that they attend. The fact that they did, that they arrived early, that the level of engagement was high, indicates that at this stage in the course the students are committed. The Ambassador’s contribution was a master stroke. The venue space was good, food was provided, M&S salads yummy. The observation of Ramadan was mentioned, and we were asked to be mindful. Great workshop.
References
Medina, M. S. et al (2017) Strategies for Improving Learner Metacognition in Health Professional Education. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (Accessed: 25th February 2025)
Orr & Shreeve (2017) Signature Pedagogies in Art & Design. Available at:
https://artslondon.sharepoint.com/teams/AcademicPracticeProgrammeTeam-TPPunitSpring2025 (Accessed January 2025)
Part Three
Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged: