Author: Enshang Shang

Developing Critical Reflection in Teaching Practice

In Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher, Brookfield (2017) argues that teachers often rely too heavily on their own interpretation of classroom events, which can lead to unexamined assumptions about what works in teaching. To address this, he proposes four lenses for critical reflection: our autobiographical experience as teachers, students’ perspectives, colleagues’ insights, and theoretical literature. Considering teaching through these different lenses can reveal aspects of practice that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

This idea resonates with my experience teaching large postgraduate cohorts in fashion business education. When delivering lectures on topics such as retail strategy or digital fashion innovation, I typically focus on structuring content clearly and linking theoretical frameworks with industry case studies. From my own perspective, a session may feel successful when the lecture flows smoothly, and students appear attentive. However, Brookfield’s framework highlights that this interpretation may not fully capture students’ learning experiences.

One example arises during whole-class discussions. In some sessions, I encourage students to respond to questions about fashion brands or retail trends. While a few students readily contribute, many remain quiet. Initially, I interpreted this as limited engagement. However, considering the student lens has encouraged me to rethink this assumption. In a highly international classroom, silence may reflect language processing time, cultural differences in classroom participation, or uncertainty about academic expectations.

The colleague lens has also influenced my practice through peer observations during the PgCert programme. Feedback from colleagues has helped me notice elements of my teaching that I previously overlooked, such as how movement around the classroom or the framing of questions can influence student participation.

Finally, engaging with pedagogical literature provides an additional framework for interpreting teaching experiences. Rather than relying purely on intuition, these readings offer conceptual tools for analysing classroom dynamics and exploring alternative strategies.

Applying Brookfield’s reflective lenses has encouraged me to approach teaching more analytically. Instead of asking whether a session “felt successful”, I now consider how it might have been experienced differently by students or interpreted by colleagues. In future teaching sessions, I plan to apply these lenses more deliberately, for example, gathering informal student feedback during seminars and using peer observations to reflect on classroom interaction patterns. This process may help identify areas where adjustments to teaching strategies could better support participation among diverse student groups.

Reference

Brookfield, S. (2017) Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. 2nd edn. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Navigating Academic Identity as a Practitioner-Educator

Reading Beaton’s (2022) discussion of “dual professionals” prompted me to reflect on the complex identity transition experienced by practitioners who move into university teaching. The article argues that individuals entering higher education from professional practice often occupy an ambiguous position: they bring deep expertise from their original field yet may feel uncertain about their legitimacy within academic environments. This tension emerges because academic culture traditionally assumes a particular career trajectory, doctoral study followed by research and teaching roles, which does not always align with the pathways of practitioner-educators.

This idea resonated with my own experience entering higher education while maintaining strong connections with industry practice. In fashion business education, professional knowledge and industry insight are central to teaching. Students expect lecturers to connect theoretical frameworks with contemporary market practices, brand strategies and retail innovation. However, while this professional expertise supports credibility in the classroom, developing confidence in academic practices, such as pedagogical design, curriculum development and engagement with educational scholarship requires a different set of competencies.

Beaton’s use of Communities of Practice provides a useful lens for understanding this transition. The article highlights how practitioner-academics navigate multiple professional communities simultaneously, including their original industry field, disciplinary academic teams and formal academic development programmes. Reflecting on my own experience, the most influential learning has often occurred through informal interactions with colleagues rather than through structured professional development alone. Conversations about teaching strategies, assessment design and student engagement within my disciplinary team have significantly shaped my approach to teaching.

At the same time, the reading raises questions about how institutions recognise and support practitioner-academics. As universities increasingly emphasise industry engagement and employability, the role of lecturers with professional expertise becomes particularly valuable. However, traditional academic structures may still prioritise research trajectories over practice-informed teaching. This tension highlights the importance of recognising diverse academic career pathways.

This reflection has encouraged me to think more critically about how I position my own professional identity within higher education. Rather than viewing practice and academia as competing roles, I see increasing value in integrating both perspectives. For example, industry-informed teaching activities, such as live briefs, applied case discussions and industry-facing projects, can help students connect theoretical concepts with professional realities.

In the future, I plan to engage more actively with pedagogical scholarship and professional development opportunities that support teaching practice in higher education. At the same time, I will continue to draw on industry experience to design authentic learning activities that bridge theory and practice for students.

Further discussion of practitioner identity and academic development can be found in the International Journal for Academic Development, which publishes research on academic professional identity and teaching development in higher education:
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rija20/current

Reference

Beaton, F. (2022) ‘How do I know who I am? Academic professional development, peer support, and identity for practitioners who teach’, International Journal for Academic Development, 27(3), pp. 234–248. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2021.1931181

Signature Pedagogies in Art and Design: Reflecting on My Teaching Practice

Orr and Shreeve (2017) discuss the concept of signature pedagogies in art and design education, referring to the distinctive ways disciplines teach students to think, practise and develop professional identities. Drawing on Shulman’s work, the authors argue that signature pedagogies shape how students learn to approach problems, critique ideas and engage with disciplinary knowledge. In art and design, these pedagogies often include studio-based learning, critique sessions, experimentation, and reflective practice, which collectively encourage students to develop creative and critical thinking skills (Orr and Shreeve, 2017).

One key insight from the reading is that teaching approaches in creative disciplines are not only about transferring knowledge but also about socialising students into ways of thinking and practising within a field. The studio, critique and project-based learning environments allow students to develop independence, resilience and iterative thinking as part of their professional formation (Orr and Shreeve, 2017).

Although my teaching sits within fashion business education rather than design practice, I recognised many parallels with my own pedagogical approach. Much of my teaching focuses on applying theoretical frameworks to real-world fashion retail contexts. Rather than relying solely on lectures, I frequently use interactive seminar activities where students analyse brands, develop strategic ideas, or respond to live industry briefs. For example, in units such as Creative Retail Futures, students work collaboratively to develop innovative retail concepts in response to industry challenges. This project-based approach mirrors aspects of studio pedagogy by encouraging experimentation, iteration and peer learning.

The reading also prompted me to reflect on the importance of critique and dialogue as part of the learning process. In my seminars, students often present ideas and receive feedback from peers, which encourages them to articulate and refine their thinking. However, unlike traditional studio critiques, some students, particularly in large and international cohorts that can feel hesitant to share opinions openly. This highlights the importance of creating inclusive and supportive environments where students feel comfortable engaging in discussion.

Moving forward, I would like to further integrate elements of art and design signature pedagogies into my teaching. For example, incorporating more structured peer critique sessions and encouraging students to iteratively develop their ideas across workshops could strengthen reflective and collaborative learning. By blending analytical business frameworks with studio-inspired pedagogies, fashion business education can support both critical thinking and creative problem-solving.

Reference

Orr, S. and Shreeve, A. (2017) Art and Design Pedagogy in Higher Education: Knowledge, Values and Ambiguity in the Creative Curriculum. London: Routledge.

Contextual Background

The Master’s Project (MAP) is the final assessment for postgraduate programmes within the Fashion Business School at London College of Fashion. Students are required to produce a 17,000-word dissertation or business report. A key challenge is supporting students to develop viable research projects from initial ideas to clearly defined research questions, aims and objectives during the early stages of the research process.

Evaluation

Many students initially struggle to narrow their research interests into a focused and feasible research topic. This difficulty is often compounded by unfamiliarity with academic research conventions and uncertainty about identifying a meaningful research gap relevant to both academic and industry contexts.

To support students during the early stages of the project, I provide lectures explaining how research topics, research questions, and aims and objectives are developed, including examples of successful previous projects. Students are also offered one-to-one tutorials, where they can discuss their ideas and receive personalised feedback. Additional drop-in sessions provide opportunities for clarification and further guidance. Written feedback is provided following tutorials so that students have a clear set of actions to guide their next steps. I also organise writing retreat sessions, where students can reflect on feedback and immediately apply revisions to their work.

These strategies have helped many students refine their projects. However, I have observed that some students still struggle to translate feedback into concrete improvements in their research design. This suggests that while feedback is being provided, additional support may be needed to help students interpret and apply feedback more effectively.

Moving Forward

Reflecting on this experience has highlighted the importance of ensuring that feedback is not only provided but also actively used by students to improve their work. While individual tutorials and written comments offer personalised guidance, students sometimes find it difficult to interpret feedback independently or prioritise the most important revisions.

One strategy I plan to strengthen is encouraging students to engage more actively with feedback as part of an iterative learning process. Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2006) argue that effective feedback should support students’ capacity for self-regulation, enabling them to monitor and improve their own work. In practice, this could involve asking students to summarise the feedback they receive and outline the actions they plan to take before their next tutorial. Such reflective responses may help students engage more deeply with feedback rather than viewing it simply as instructions from the tutor.

Another area for development is integrating peer feedback opportunities within the research development process. Research suggests that peer dialogue can help students clarify their thinking and gain alternative perspectives on their work (Boud and Molloy, 2013). Introducing structured peer discussions, such as small group sessions where students present their research questions and receive feedback from peers, may help students identify potential gaps or weaknesses in their research proposals earlier in the process.

In addition, the concept of constructive alignment highlights the importance of ensuring that teaching activities, feedback processes and assessment tasks are closely connected (Biggs and Tang, 2011). Applying this principle more explicitly could involve designing formative checkpoints throughout the project development stage. For example, students might submit short proposals or literature review outlines for feedback before progressing to later stages of the research process.

Some aspects of these approaches have already been trialled informally during writing retreats, where students discuss their progress and share challenges with peers. These sessions appear to encourage more open discussion about research difficulties while also allowing students to act on feedback immediately. However, time constraints and varying levels of student preparedness can limit the depth of these exchanges.

Overall, this reflection emphasises that effective feedback involves more than providing written comments. Creating opportunities for dialogue, peer engagement, and iterative feedback processes may help students better understand how to refine their research ideas and develop stronger final projects.

Action Plan

Action	Timeline	Purpose
Introduce structured student feedback reflection before tutorials	Next teaching cycle	Encourage deeper engagement with feedback
Integrate peer feedback discussions on research proposals	Next block	Provide multiple perspectives on research ideas
Introduce formative proposal checkpoints	Immediate implementation	Strengthen alignment between feedback and assessment
Continue writing retreat sessions with guided reflection tasks	Ongoing	Support iterative development of research projects

References

Biggs, J. and Tang, C. (2011) Teaching for Quality Learning at University. 4th edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Boud, D. and Molloy, E. (2013) Feedback in Higher and Professional Education: Understanding It and Doing It Well. London: Routledge.

Nicol, D. and Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006) ‘Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice’, Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), pp. 199–218.

Contextual Background

As a postgraduate research degree, the programme requires students to develop independent research projects. However, I have observed as the unit leader for the Advanced Research Methods unit that for many students, this is their first experience conducting academic research. Students often find aspects of research particularly challenging, including research design, critical literature review, and academic writing.

Evaluation

Students frequently encounter several interconnected challenges when approaching research. Many struggle to interpret academic literature critically, differentiate between methodologies, and design appropriate research strategies. In addition, academic writing conventions, such as synthesising literature and constructing analytical arguments, are unfamiliar to many students, including some native English speakers.

To address these challenges, I focus on making complex research concepts accessible through clear explanations and practical examples. During lectures, I use simplified language and visual frameworks to explain methodological concepts. Seminars are designed as practice-based sessions where students analyse literature, develop research questions, and discuss research design in small groups.

I also collaborate closely with the university’s Language Development and Academic Support services, encouraging students to attend workshops and access additional learning resources. Furthermore, students are allocated specialist tutors for one-to-one tutorials, alongside unit leader drop-in sessions where they can seek clarification and feedback on emerging research ideas.

These approaches have helped students develop greater confidence in discussing research concepts. However, some students continue to feel uncertain about applying theoretical knowledge independently, suggesting that further support is needed to bridge the gap between understanding research concepts and conducting research themselves.

Moving Forward

Reflecting on this experience has encouraged me to consider how research methods teaching can better support postgraduate learners who are still developing academic confidence. While clear explanations and structured activities are valuable, research education also requires students to gradually assume greater ownership of the research process.

One strategy that could further support learning is the use of research-based learning, where students actively engage in inquiry rather than simply learning about research methods conceptually. Healey and Jenkins (2009) suggest that students develop a deeper understanding when they participate in authentic research processes such as formulating questions, analysing data and interpreting findings. Building on this principle, I plan to expand seminar activities that simulate stages of the research process. For example, students could collaboratively critique published research articles, identifying methodological strengths and limitations before applying similar analytical frameworks to their own projects.

Another area for development is providing clearer scaffolding for academic writing. Research suggests that explicit guidance and modelling can help students understand how academic arguments are constructed (Wingate, 2012). In practice, this could involve analysing example literature reviews during seminars, highlighting how sources are synthesised rather than summarised. Short writing exercises could also be integrated into seminars, allowing students to practise developing critical commentary with immediate feedback.

Peer learning may also provide additional support. Encouraging students to share research progress in small groups can help them articulate their ideas more clearly while learning from different perspectives within the cohort. Collaborative learning environments can promote deeper understanding and help students overcome the sense of isolation that sometimes accompanies independent research projects (Boud, Cohen and Sampson, 2014).

Some of these approaches have already begun to influence my teaching practice. For example, integrating short literature analysis tasks into seminars has encouraged more active discussion and helped students become more confident in interpreting academic sources. However, implementing these activities within limited teaching time remains a challenge, particularly when students are at different stages of research development.

Overall, this reflection highlights the importance of designing learning environments that balance clear guidance with opportunities for independent inquiry. By gradually shifting students from structured support towards more autonomous research practice, I aim to better prepare them for the demands of postgraduate research and their final dissertation projects.

Action Plan

Action	Timeline	Purpose
Integrate structured research article critique activities into seminars	Next teaching cycle	Strengthen students’ ability to critically evaluate literature
Introduce short academic writing exercises with feedback	End of block	Support development of analytical writing skills
Encourage peer discussion of research progress	Immediate implementation	Promote collaborative learning and idea development
Continue collaboration with Language Development services	Ongoing	Support the development of analytical writing skills

References

Boud, D., Cohen, R. and Sampson, J. (2014) Peer learning in higher education: Learning from and with each other. London: Routledge.

Healey, M. and Jenkins, A. (2009) Developing undergraduate research and inquiry. York: Higher Education Academy. Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/developing-undergraduate-research-and-inquiry

Wingate, U. (2012) ‘Using academic literacies and genre-based models for academic writing instruction’, Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 11(1), pp. 26–37. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2011.11.006

Contextual Background

I teach on the MA Global Fashion Retailing programme at London College of Fashion, where a typical cohort includes around 67 postgraduate students. Approximately 95% of the cohort are international students, with diverse cultural and educational backgrounds, and many speak English as an additional language. As Unit Leader for Creative Retail Futures, students must deliver a final group presentation to industry partners, which can be particularly challenging for students who lack confidence in public speaking or presenting in English.

Evaluation

During early seminars, I observed that many students were hesitant to speak during whole-class discussions. While some students participated actively, others, particularly those less confident using English in academic settings, remained quiet. This created a challenge because the unit assessment requires students to present professional project proposals to external industry partners.

To address this, I introduced scaffolded speaking activities designed to gradually build confidence. For example, students were first asked to contribute a single sentence in response to a prompt, before progressing to slightly longer one-minute presentations. I also incorporated informal pitching exercises, such as asking students to present the contents of their bags as a product concept. These activities created a lower-pressure environment where students could practise speaking and gradually develop confidence.

Over time, I observed increased participation across the cohort. Students who initially remained silent began contributing more frequently during seminars. Feedback from the unit evaluation also indicated that many students felt their presentation skills improved significantly, and several commented that the seminar activities helped them feel more comfortable presenting in front of others.

This experience aligns with research suggesting that students from linguistically diverse backgrounds may experience anxiety when participating in class discussions and benefit from structured opportunities to build confidence gradually (Biggs and Tang, 2011).

Moving Forward

Reflecting on this experience has highlighted the importance of intentionally designing learning environments that support linguistically and culturally diverse cohorts.

One strategy I plan to continue using is scaffolded participation, where students gradually develop confidence through structured speaking tasks. Educational research emphasises that scaffolding enables learners to build competence progressively while receiving appropriate support (Vygotsky, 1978). In this context, short contributions and informal presentations act as preparatory steps for more complex tasks, such as the final industry presentation.

Another approach worth strengthening is the use of peer discussion before public sharing. Asking students to discuss ideas in small groups before presenting them to the wider class can reduce the pressure associated with immediate public speaking. This strategy aligns with active learning approaches that encourage collaborative meaning-making and deeper engagement with course content (Biggs and Tang, 2011). In practice, I plan to incorporate more structured think–pair–share activities to help students formulate responses before contributing to whole-class discussions.

I would also like to further develop creative communication activities linked to industry practice. The positive response to the “what’s in my bag” pitching activity suggests that playful tasks can reduce anxiety while simultaneously developing persuasive communication skills relevant to retail practice. Expanding these activities, for example, through short brand pitching exercises, may help students practise presenting ideas in ways that mirror professional industry environments.

Encouragingly, the outcomes of these strategies were visible in the final assessment presentations, where students demonstrated greater confidence and professionalism when presenting their projects to industry partners. Even students who had initially been reluctant to speak contributed meaningfully to their group presentations. This experience reinforces the importance of recognising the diverse linguistic and cultural needs within international postgraduate cohorts and designing activities that gradually build participation and confidence.

Action Plan

Action	Timeline	Purpose
Introduce scaffolded speaking activities early in the semester	Next teaching cycle	Build confidence progressively
Use structured small-group discussions before class-wide sharing	Immediate implementation	Reduce pressure for hesitant speakers
Expand industry-style pitching exercises	Next unit iteration	Strengthen professional presentation skills
Collect targeted student feedback on seminar participation	End of block	Evaluate effectiveness and refine strategies

References

Biggs, J. and Tang, C. (2011) Teaching for Quality Learning at University. 4th edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Vygotsky, L. (1978) Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

This microteaching session was designed as a short extract from a postgraduate unit in the Fashion Business School, introducing the Customer Journey Map as a strategic marketing and customer experience tool. The session lasted 20 minutes, structured as a 12-minute mini lecture followed by an 8-minute participatory activity.

Timed Session Plan

Time	Activity	Purpose
0–2 min	Introduction and session objectives	Fashion Business School lecture background brief. Introduce the concept of the customer journey map and its relevance to marketing strategy
2–12 min	Mini lecture: Traditional vs New customer journey	Explain the shift from linear models (e.g. AIDA funnel) to circular journeys, emphasising loyalty loops
12–20 min	Collaborative Miro activity	Participants map customer touchpoints across journey stages and reflect on customer experience

Key Planning Decisions

A key planning decision was how to meaningfully introduce a complex, theory-driven concept within a very short timeframe. I structured the lecture to compare the traditional linear customer journey (e.g. funnel and AIDA models) with the circular customer journey, emphasising the shift towards loyalty loops and ongoing engagement. To bridge theory and practice, I deliberately embedded examples from a real-life consultancy project, illustrating how customer journey mapping is applied in industry to design omnichannel strategies and improve customer experience.

Another important decision was to include a hands-on activity using Miro, which I was testing for teaching for the first time. This aligned with the purpose of PgCert microteaching: not only to demonstrate teaching practice, but also to experiment with new tools, evaluate their effectiveness, and gain insights for future teaching design.

What Happened in the Session

The session ran smoothly and according to the planned structure. While the theoretical content was necessarily condensed, participants engaged quickly once the activity began. Using Miro, participants mapped their own customer touchpoints across different stages of the journey, producing a wide range of thoughtful and creative outputs within a short period.

Figure 1. Example outputs from the collaborative Miro customer journey mapping activity.

Summary of Feedback Received

Feedback was consistently positive, with participants describing the session and activity as engaging and interesting. The use of visual diagrams, models, and analogies was highlighted as particularly helpful in translating theory into practice. The Miro activity was described as highly generative, activating learning effectively and giving participants strong agency in the session.

One area for development noted was that, within a short session, even a carefully selected contextual explanation can feel dense. This reinforced the idea that “less is more” when introducing complex theoretical material in short teaching formats.

Reflection and Learning

This microteach offered valuable insights into content condensation, audience awareness, and tool experimentation. Preparing a 20-minute session required difficult decisions about what to prioritise, and the feedback reinforced that theoretical content needs to be even more tightly distilled in short formats. This was particularly evident given that the audience consisted of colleagues from different disciplines, many without a business or marketing background. Had I known this in advance, I would have simplified the theoretical framing further and relied more heavily on the activity as the primary learning vehicle.

Testing Miro for the first time was a key learning outcome. The success of the activity confirmed the value of collaborative digital tools in enabling rapid engagement, reflection, and ownership of learning. It also prompted me to consider how similar activities could be expanded in longer teaching sessions with my Fashion Business School master’s students, allowing deeper analysis and application to brand-led projects.

The feedback also reinforced the importance of prioritising active learning over content delivery. In future sessions, I plan to reduce theoretical explanation and allocate more time for interactive exercises that allow students to apply concepts in practice. Overall, this microteach strengthened my confidence in using practice-based, participatory teaching approaches, while reminding me that effective teaching is often about creating space for learning rather than delivering more information.

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