Account of Microteaching

Link to the Powerpoint Presentation

PGCert Microteaching Reflection 

For my PGCert microteach, I created a session on “First Steps into 3D Modelling with Rhino”, aimed at complete beginners. The idea was to simulate an introduction to a 3D modelling environment for students who might find the software intimidating or overly technical. I designed the session to ease them into Rhino 3D by starting with a practical design challenge and introducing the interface through play and simplification. 

I showed a 3D printed model at the start, to help alleviate the potential thought of “I could never achieve anything in 3D.” I presented the final output and stated, “By the end of this session, you’ll know how to model this object and have it ready for 3D printing.” In a standard teaching context, this would normally be delivered over two hours, and I aim for students to leave feeling that they’ve successfully built their first model and learnt a lot already without noticing the extent of their abilities to absorb knowledge. 

The session was object-based, structured around the Zig-Zag Chair by Rietveld (1934). I used scenario setting as a teaching strategy, asking participants to imagine they were encountering this task for the first time, interpreting technical drawings and trying to construct a 3D object from them. 

Because Rhino can be such a technical and potentially intimidating software, I created multiple sensory cues and objects to help students feel grounded before engaging digitally. I combined a PowerPoint with printed drawings, 3D printed models, physical props, animated GIFs, and a live software demonstration. 

Participants were invited to: 

• Physically position printed views (Front / Right / Top) of the chair onto labelled bases 

• Place pins on a printed photograph of the chair to mark its simplified polyline form 

• Compare polylines vs lines through a printed diagram and a looping GIF 

• Mentally reconstruct the object by assembling the printed views vertically 

• Watch a short demo showing how the same steps translate in Rhino 

This was all designed to build confidence step by step, and to help students make connections between real-world geometry and virtual space before opening the software. 

Timed session plan (approximate and with a deviation due to technical issues)

• Brief intro to myself, the session aim: removing the fear of Rhino. Set the scene: “You’re a designer who needs to model a simple object for rendering or 3D printing.”
• Present the Design Challenge Show the Zigzag Chair – ask: What are the minimum commands you would use to model this? Show 3D printed version.
• Engage with Pre-Modelling Questions Guide students to break down the object’s geometry. Ask about projection views, shapes, and construction planes.
• Live Demo in Rhino Open Rhino and start modelling the chair. Walk through: creating polylines, extruding, offsetting surfaces. Use simple GIFs to reinforce commands.
• Interface Overview Recap Explain command line, object types, viewport use, and Rhino feedback system. Mention shortcuts, toolbar, and how to interpret the software responses.
• “Going Further” Prompt Present scenario: now you need the same chair in a close-up render—what would you add? Invite ideas. Show how modelling depth evolves in different settings.

Reflection on Feedback and Teaching Approach 

I was quite nervous before the session and, surprisingly, forgot one of the short activities I had planned. I think the pressure of the setting affected me more than expected, and it made me realise how I tend to overprepare in a way that suits my own logic-driven thinking. In the future, I might try recording myself or rehearsing in a less perfectionist way, to help feel more relaxed and confident. 

The feedback from my tutor was very encouraging. He described my session as a good example of reinforced learning—a concept I wasn’t familiar with by name, but which I researched afterwards. Ormrod (2012) defines it as a teaching method that strengthens cognitive pathways through repetition and layered engagement. It helped me realise that what I had built—logical sequences, physical prompts, and visual clarity—naturally supported this kind of learning. I now use this strategy more consciously. 

It also made me aware that, although I had designed an interactive session, it was probably best suited to logical learners—people like me, who thrive on clarity and structure. Seeing five of my PGCert peers deliver their own microteaching sessions helped me notice how different personalities and teaching styles can have very different but equally successful impacts. One was described as “authentic” by our tutor, for example—someone who was so natural in their style that we forgot we were students and they were the teacher. That really stuck with me.  

From my technician perspective it was also enlighting to see common traits and differences between other fellow technicians and academics. 

The experience helped me reflect on the tone I bring into the classroom. I often come across as serious or precise, but I now want to balance that with a more relaxed and engaging presence—especially in group settings. Reading my peers’ feedback also reminded me of the power of positive reinforcement, and how important it is to help learners see their strengths first—something I hope to carry into all forms of feedback I give going forward. 

References 

Ormrod, J.E. (2012) Human learning. 6th edn. Boston: Pearson. 

University of the Arts London (UAL) (2023) Inclusive teaching and learning: Creating supportive environments. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/staff/teaching-and-learning/inclusive-teaching-and-learning (Accessed: 25 March 2025).