In our third PGCert workshop, we were invited to reflect on teaching experiences involving a challenge related to assessment, share one insight, and express a hope for the future of assessment in the arts (see Figure 1 and 2).
As a technician, I am not directly involved in assessment. However, this activity was particularly valuable, as it drew my attention to a crucial part of the student experience that I do not engage in daily. I am frequently present in studios and asked to give feedback on students’ portfolios, technical drawings, and digital documents. To help them improve meaningfully, I need to understand how they are assessed and what criteria are being applied—otherwise, my feedback risks being misaligned with their learning objectives. Understanding assessment practices more deeply, and learning from peers who are involved in them, has helped me better support course delivery and become more aware of how I can advise students more appropriately in my role.
Challenge: Supporting Students Without Context
My main challenge relates to supporting a diverse range of students across different courses—often without access to any records, including those detailing learning difficulties or medical conditions. This has sometimes resulted in particularly delicate situations, where I have had to quickly assess how best to respond while remaining mindful and respectful.
In these cases, it can be difficult to judge what students have been previously told, what expectations have been set, or how they prefer to engage. I found I was not alone—other participants in the workshop noted similar difficulties, such as “not knowing students’ contexts,” “adapting to neurodivergent learners,” or “not knowing what they were previously presented with.” These issues all highlight the challenge of working with fragmented information while trying to offer consistent support.
Following this, I attended a mental health awareness workshop at the university, which was a helpful step in building confidence. It clarified where I can direct students in need of support, and just as importantly, helped me understand the limits of my responsibility. Knowing that I can act as a bridge toward appropriate help—without overstepping boundaries—was reassuring and has helped reduce the sense of pressure I had previously felt when encountering vulnerable students (UAL Student Services, 2023).
Insight: Giving Space and Structure
An insight I’ve been exploring in my own teaching came directly from observing a colleague: allowing more space for students to articulate their ideas, even when they seem to struggle, rather than jumping in with feedback too quickly. In my technical role, feedback is central, and I’ve started to treat these moments as informal assessments—ones that benefit from patience and active listening (Boud and Molloy, 2013).
Another strategy came from a peer’s post-it during the session: writing down three strengths and three areas to develop and handing the note to students. I applied a version of this during a co-taught session when we noticed that students were too tense and tired to fully absorb verbal feedback during final presentations. We instead wrote three actionable points for them to take away, offering a more durable and digestible form of feedback. This aligns with Nicol and Macfarlane‐Dick’s (2006) idea of feedback as a process that supports learners’ autonomy and understanding.
Looking Ahead
The third element of the activity—hopes for the future of assessment—was harder for me to connect with directly, but I am keeping it in mind. I know that I’ll gain a clearer understanding of both the possibilities and limitations of assessment over time. Having this conversation early in my teaching career—particularly just before stepping into my first assessment responsibilities as an Associate Lecturer—was timely and impactful.
It has made me want to engage more actively in discussions with experienced colleagues and to refer regularly to the assessment criteria frameworks we were introduced to during the PGCert (Advance HE, 2023). These tools feel essential for ensuring fairness, clarity, and consistency, especially as I navigate the transition from technical support to marking responsibilities.
References
Advance HE (2023) Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education. Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk (Accessed: 15 March 2025).
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. doi:10.1080/03075070600572090.
UAL Student Services (2023) Mental Health and Wellbeing Support for Staff. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-services/health-advice/mental-health-support (Accessed: 15 March 2025).