The idea for this intervention came from this year’s CSS/NSS discussions on closing the attainment gap(please see data charts below). I teach an Interior Design course at Chelsea College of Arts, where the final student submission is a portfolio with their final project. This portfolio showcases students’ final design proposals in a digital format, requiring them to use digital software to visualize and present their ideas. Strong portfolios combine excellent digital skills with strong conceptual ideas.
Attainment data 23/24 from dashboards.arts.ac.uk UG BA Interior Design course at Chelsea College of the Arts
For the past two years, I have served as the head of digital design for the interior design course. The ability to showcase their ideas is crucial for students’ success. Despite my classes being less popular, those who attend tend to achieve the highest grades. Therefore, to close the attainment gap in the interior design course, focusing on developing digital skills for all students is essential. The initial idea was to gather information from students about what prevents them from attending all the digital classes and how to improve the delivery to make it easier for them to attend.
Learning software, working with computers, and using 3D programs can be very challenging. From my experience, students often find these tasks intimidating and frequently describe them as difficult. I always tell students that learning software is hard and frustrating, but they have all the support they need here. However, anything difficult tends to deter students.
Proposed Interventions
To understand why students are not attending the digital sessions, I created an anonymous form with questions to help identify the problem and find possible solutions. The challenge was to design a survey that is free from biases and inclusive for all students. A friend recommended the book Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples by Linda Tuhiwai Smith, which suggests that the starting point for a decolonizing methodology is to ask the questions that the colonized want answered (Smith, 2012).
Based on this approach, I created an eight-question form and sent it to the students. Here are the questions:
1. Which teaching methods or activities have you found most effective for your learning, and why? Are there any methods that have hindered your learning?
2. What are the most significant barriers you face in achieving your academic goals? How can we help address these barriers?
3. Do you feel you have adequate access to academic support and resources (e.g., tutoring, digital materials, study groups)? If not, what additional support would be helpful?
4. Are there any best practices or successful strategies you’ve experienced in other classes or institutions that you think should be implemented here?
5. Can you provide an example of a time when you felt included or excluded in the classroom? What contributed to that experience?
6. How comfortable do you feel participating in class discussions and activities? What factors contribute to or hinder your participation?
7. Could you please tell us which year of study you are currently in?
8. Do you prefer digital design to be taught online?
The survey did not include questions about race, religion, or disability because I aimed to create an open question where students could express their backgrounds if they felt comfortable. I didn’t want students to feel uncomfortable or stigmatized by yet another survey collecting personal data.
I sent the survey to around 400 students across years 1, 2, and 3 of the BA Interior Design course. I received responses from only eight students, likely those already engaged with the course. The challenge now is to gather information and engagement from students who are not engaged to understand how we can modify our teaching to help struggling students. It seems like a vicious cycle: disengaged students don’t respond to the survey, preventing us from understanding how to engage them.
During a one-on-one talk with Dr Kwame, we discussed this situation, and he suggested creating a workshop to explain the survey, the data collected, how it will be used, and how student feedback can influence their experience. This could help us understand what students are struggling with and act accordingly.
Moving forward, I plan to conduct a series of workshops to explain the survey details and gather more comprehensive feedback from students.
In a peer-to-peer review, Mason mentioned an article, “I see little point”: UK university students on why attendance has plummeted,” which highlights reasons for low attendance, such as:
- Sense of pointlessness: Lectures may not seem engaging or relevant to career goals.
- Financial hardship: Students working part-time might prioritize work over lectures.
- Mental health difficulties: Mental health issues can hinder concentration and attendance.
These reasons might be interconnected, such as a financially struggling student feeling that lectures are not helping them get a job, leading to a sense of pointlessness and skipping classes to focus on work (The Guardian, 2022). Mason also pointed out the challenge of engaging students in the workshop, which needs further consideration.
Moving forward from step one to discuss the survey outcomes, which were interesting and motivating. Students reported receiving enough support and that the teaching methods were effective. However, verbal dissuasion during class does not work well with large cohorts. Anonymous and digital engagement might be more effective and comfortable for the students.
Students suggested that it would be helpful if all classes and lecture workshops were recorded. This will allow them to revisit the material if they miss a class, are late, or need a reminder. I can arrange this to ensure all students have equal access to the resources. While this seems like a great fix to offer access and flexibility can improve students’ digital learning, it raises concerns:
- Online learning can exacerbate existing inequalities, particularly for students from marginalized backgrounds who may lack access to technology or reliable internet connections.
- Isolation and Lack of Social Interaction: The online environment can contribute to feelings of isolation and reduced opportunities for student-student and student-faculty interaction, which are crucial for building a sense of community and belonging.
- Accessibility and Inclusion: Online courses may not be designed with accessibility in mind, potentially excluding students with disabilities.
- Faculty Positionality: Online teaching can reinforce existing power dynamics and hierarchies within academia, as faculty members may have varying levels of technological expertise and comfort with online teaching.
(Graham, 2019)
In conclusion, closing the attainment gap in the Interior Design course at Chelsea College of Arts hinges on enhancing students’ digital skills and understanding the barriers to their engagement with digital design classes. Despite the low response rate to the initial survey, the insights gathered underscore the need for innovative and inclusive teaching methods.
The proposed workshops aim to bridge the gap by explaining the survey’s purpose and gathering more comprehensive feedback, fostering a sense of inclusion and demonstrating the impact of student input. Key suggestions, such as recording all classes and workshops, offer a promising way to improve access and flexibility, though care must be taken to ensure this does not exacerbate existing inequalities or lead to student isolation.
By addressing technological and social barriers, providing necessary resources, and ensuring accessibility for all, we can create a more equitable and supportive learning environment. Through these concerted efforts, we aim to empower all students to succeed in their digital learning and ultimately close the attainment gap in the Interior Design course.
This intervention taught me to address students’ diverse needs in digital design, making me more empathetic and committed to supporting them. I learned the importance of adaptability and inclusivity, ensuring my classes are accessible to all. Continuous improvement and student feedback are essential for an engaging curriculum. As head of digital design, I recognized the need to stay updated with the latest tools. Collaboration and open communication are crucial. Facing challenges like low survey response rates taught me resilience and innovation. Overall, this experience made me a more empathetic, adaptable, and inclusive educator, better equipped to help students succeed and close the attainment gap.
References
Smith, L. T., 2012. *Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples*. 2nd ed. London: Zed Books.
The Guardian, 2022. “I see little point”: UK university students on why attendance has plummeted. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/article/2024/may/28/i-see-little-point-uk-university-students-on-why-attendance-has-plummeted
Lim, C. P., Wang, T., & Graham, C. R. (2019). Driving, sustaining and scaling up blended learning practices in higher education institutions: a proposed framework. Innovation and Education, 1(1), 1-12. Available online at https://brill.com/view/journals/ined/1/1/article-p1_1.xml
Means, B., Bakia, M., & Murphy, R. (2013). Learning online: Powerful learning experiences in a connected world. Routledge.
Survey Response