myblog | Sara Massieu | Activity

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 22:12:26 +0000

Last week of term. How are you feeling? Students’ Feedback As closure of the last technical workshop of the term, I wanted to have the feedback and perspective from students regarding the technical sessions. I repeated the activities that we did in the first workshop[1] to get some feedback. The feedback definition changed from the teachers’ transmission of information to a student-centered understanding of the given data toward performance and academic development. (Rovagnati et al., 2021). The first step was for students to assess their technical skills in the graph. Nothing can be evaluated or analysed without criteria with which to make judgements/assessments. (Gray, Malins, 2005) It is important to consider that the perception of their skills should be based on what they answered on the first day. Why? Because on the first day, they assessed their skills higher than they actually were. Graph made by students on the first day of the term. To achieve this, I used tracing paper to place over their first day’s answers. This allowed me to track their perception of their progress relative to their starting point. Graph with the tracing paper from the last session update on top. Graph with my markings to show the difference of students perspective. I had to add that 2 students understood that they needed to retrace what they did in the first session. As you can see, some students feel their skills have improved, while others feel their skills remain the same. This is interesting because it contrasts a lot with the written feedback the students gave on the tags. Lecturers should utilise a range of feedback modes,including face-to-face, verbal, written, audio and video feedback. (Glazzard, Stones, 2029) In the case of the tags, 13 students participated (54% of the total). The majority of the feedback said they feel their skills have improved and that they feel more confident with them. They also mention that they need to practice. I did mention to them that the course was designed to support them at the starting point of their journey, but that they will definitely need to practice. The students also mentioned that they enjoyed the sessions and found them helpful. One student mentioned that their skills are still poor, besides making some progress. Definitely something to pay attention to. This information shows that from those 13 students, the 92% feel more confident with their skills. This mean that the curriculum design of the course still needs to improve for that 7.6% that is still struggling. Tags from the first session. Tags from the last session. Since both activities are anonymous, I tried to match some of the tags from the first day with those from the last day based on the handwriting. I wanted to see if I could track some of the individual students’ journeys. Please note that I can be wrong with the matches. What I can take from the comparison between the individually compared feedback is that they seem more confident and less anxious or confused. Tags that I think match together. The white tags are from the first day, and the colour ones are from the last workshop. This is a challenging course to teach, because it is not for only graphic designers; it is a course for students who come from other disciplines, such as architecture, engineering, social sciences, other disciplines of design, graphic designers, etc. At the Course Committee Meeting, it was noted that some students find the technical sessions too basic, while others find them adequate. It would be important to find a way to level students during the next unit and for future years. I am currently in talks with the course leader and my technical colleague to find the best way to teach technical skills with the multilevel challenge this course presents. [1] Refer to this blog post to see the first workshop activities: https://smassieu.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2025/11/26/second-week-first-technical-session-how-are-you-feeling/ References: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. (2021). Get looped in on ‘Feedback’: Its history is more than noise, available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-atplay/the-history-of-feedback Glazzard J., Stones S., 2029, Student Perceptions of Feedback in Higher Education, International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, Vol. 18, No. 11, pp. 38-52, Available at: https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.18.11.3 Gray, C. and Malins, J. (2004) ‘Chapter 5: Interpreting the map: methods of evaluation and analysis’ in Visualizing Research: A guide to the research process in art and design. Farnha […] “Last week of term. How are you feeling?”

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:52:39 +0000

Culturally Responsible Teaching. Language barriers and adaptive learning materials A frequent factor that I have faced since I started teaching at UAL is language barriers with international students. Language barriers affect every stage of a student’s learning journey, from understanding lectures to completing assignments to participating in class discussions and social interactions (Olagunju et al., 2024). This consideration is very relevant, as in the Graduate Diploma in Graphic Design[1] (GDGD), 75% of the cohort are international students with English as their second language (Sousa, 2025). This is a similar number to previous years. These challenges students face also translate into pedagogical challenges for the teaching staff, including teaching methods, assessment and classroom dynamics. World map showing where the Grad. Dip. students and the main teaching staff are from. (Massieu, 2025). Explore this map here: https://artslondon.padlet.org/smassieu_/grad-dip-students-map-25-26-9rsbq4nh1trmjsk0 In my teaching and involvement with students, it is important to focus on challenges with session participation and students’ comprehension during the workshops. Language barriers can affect how students participate in sessions, leading to feelings of anxiety, self-consciousness, and difficulty understanding questions or following the pace of the discussion (Sánchez, 2023). Something that I have come to realise is that true equity in the classroom extends beyond uniform treatment. It requires intentional, targeted support that addresses systemic barriers and meets students’ diverse needs (Zhou, 2025). An interesting finding that Sánchez (2023) mentions is that some students feel more encouraged to participate in certain situations, for example, when the teaching staff is international. In the case of the GDGD, the main teaching staff is all from America (as in the continent, not the U.S.A). In this case, my positionality as a UAL migrant alumnus and now migrant teacher takes me closer to international students’ experiences. Introduction to Bookbinding manual I made for students. It’s important for me to create safe spaces for students in the classroom. Students expressed a need for more preparation time in class, supportive encouragement, and gentle facilitation from teachers to create a safe and inclusive environment that promotes active participation (Sánchez, 2023). I always reassure students that they don’t have to apologise for asking questions and there’s no rush. I want them to make them feel that they have time to think or translate what they need to ask. I have also been developing different teaching materials with the same information for each session, so they have visual aids, a document they can translate and my explanation/demonstration. For example, I always make a presentation with visuals and the main concepts in text. I explain everything and give them handouts with the instructions and highlights. Before the session, I upload the presentation to Moodle. After the session, I always send an email to the group with the presentation link, the extra resources Padlet and a reminder that if they need help, they can book a 1-1 tutorial with me. I know this is a work in progress and that there’s room for improvement, but after speaking with some students, I noticed that by trying to support with language barriers, the different formats of the teaching materials have also supported students with different learning styles. This was an exciting thing to learn. Examples of the different teaching materials: Example of the presentation for the “poster zine workshop” Me doing the demostration for the “poster zine Workshop” Example of the students with the handouts of the “poster zine workshop” Students working with the handouts. In the background, the instructions are also in the presentation. Task slide of the Introduction to Photography Workshop. Introduction to Photography Workshop Padlet. This includes the instructions of the task, a link to extra resources, and examples of each of the exercises the students need to complete. [1] This is my study group, as I have designed the Introduction to Editorial Design course for them. References: Durrani A., (2024) International student services at U.S. Colleges: What to know?. US News & World Report. Available at: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/articles/international-student-services-at-u-s-colleges-what-to-know Sánchez, L., (2023) Exploring the Impact of Language Barrier on Academic Performance: A Case Study of Postgraduate International Students in the European Institute. LSE. Available at: https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/skills-and-opportunities/assets/documents/Change-makers/research-archive/2022-23/29-Report-Language-Barrier.pdf Olagunju, D., Assumang,K., Boansi,O., Achumba, U., Olaiya, P. and Adesoga, O.,(2024) Curriculum Development of Postgraduate Study Program Based on Life-Based Learning Philosophy and Disruption Technology, GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, GSC Online Press. Available at: https://www.gsconlinepress.com/journals/gscarr/sites/default/files/GSCARR-2024-0371.pdf Massieu, S., (2025) Grad.Dip. Students map 25-26. Padlet. Available at: https://artslondon.padlet.org/smassieu_/grad-dip-students-map-25-26-9rsbq4nh1trmjsk0 Zhou, A. (2025) ‘Stories of culturally responsive teaching from frontline instructors’, Equitable Teaching – University of Michigan LSA. 18 February. Available at: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/equitabl […] “Culturally Responsible Teaching. Language barriers and adaptive learning materials”

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 15:30:45 +0000

Second week, first Technical session. How are you feeling? Graduate Diploma in Graphic Design students I was unsure about how to measure the impact of the Technical sessions on the students. A good start will be to measure the students’ feelings about their Graphic Design technical skills in the first session of the course. This course has students from different backgrounds, including social sciences, engineering, and other design areas such as Fashion Design. Because of this, they have different skills.What I did was bring some tags and give one to each student. Anonymously, the students who wanted to participate wrote their feelings in the tags and gave them to me. Of the 24 students, 16 participated (66.6%). The results show: Anxious – 6 Tired – 3 Curious – 4 Excited – 4 Confused – 2 ´Feelings tags´pinned to the board during the activities. Tags of the students who participated in the activity. As you can see from the image, there were also other startup feelings, such as happy, eager, and apprehensive. The only feeling I wasn’t expecting in the second week of their course was “Tired”; that is something to take into consideration, but it’s not related to their technical skills. The other thing I wanted to know is how the students perceive their current technical skills in Graphic Design. To know this, I brought a board and made an informal chart where students anonymously had to point out their perception of their skills on a scale from 0 to 100. It was a bit harder to keep track of this one, but I would say that all of the students participated in this one. Picture of the board chart alongside the pinned ´feelings tags´at the bottom. As you can see in the image, the students tend to rate their technical skills on the upper end of the scale. This is an important thing to note, because the perception they have on their own skills is biased. In the first session, I could tell their skills were way lower than they thought. Which is normal considering it’s just the second week of the course. Because of this, to measure how they perceive their technical skills after the minicourse I designed for them, I want to make another chart like this one. After talking to my tutor, she suggested that this time they would measure their skills against what they answered in the first part of the exercise. I’ll do that part using tracing paper, placed on top of the first chart they made. I also want to know how they are feeling after the sessions, so I will give them new tags to fill out anonymously. For me this is another way to map the student journey con the mini course based on their own feelings and perception. Words and/or pictures can map student journeys through the course to see what this reveals about the course structure. (Stephens, Salines,and Warner, (n.d.) In one of the tutorials, one of my colleagues suggested I do an exercise to measure how they are applying the skills learnt during the minicourse. For this session, I decided to design a workshop on poster design and experimental image-making. This will challenge their knowledge of design principles and also allow them to experiment with new techniques. For this poster, they will have to use typography, composition, layout, hierarchy, contrast, and balance. Things that we have been covering in our sessions. The workshop will also help them to improve their creativity skills. A challenge should be approachable, understandable and actionable, and it should be clearly scoped—not too big or too small, not too vague or too simple. (IDEO, 2012). References IDEO (2012) Design Thinking for Educators: Toolkit. 2nd edn. Palo Alto, CA: IDEO. Stephens, T., Salines, E. and Warner, C. (n.d.) Course Designer 3: Defining Course Aims. London: University of the Arts London, Teaching, Learn […] “Second week, first Technical session. How are you feeling?”

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 22:21:01 +0000

Where does this Action Research project come from, and where am I at? I started working as a technician at UAL two years ago. Since then, I have been asked by all the course and unit leaders to deliver random, out of context technical teaching. I think this approach doesn’t help students in the long run, as they don’t develop technical skills in a useful and logical way. They are just getting technical teaching that is semi-helping them to solve an immediate problem without any context. There isn’t a clear learning curve that helps students follow the path to become graphic designers. Due to the lack of organisation and learning outcomes, students aren’t acquiring the technical skills necessary to become graphic designers. Some of the standard methods of sequencing content across units include logical, thematic, project-led or problem-solving, and psychological approaches (Stephens and Staddon, n.d.). Timeline example of the BA Year 3 Unit 10 of the technical teaching I did during the spring term of 2024. Diagram of the sessions held during this term and how the sessions are linked to each other (besides the general Editorial Design skills). (Massieu, 2025) For this pilot mini-course, I want to use the logical, thematic, and project-led approaches. Logical in the sense that the design of the sessions will build the knowledge from zero. Thematic because it will focus on learning Editorial Design. Lastly, it will be project-led, as the skills learned during the 13 weeks will be applied in the final project that students must complete for the unit. A design printed publication of their design portfolio. Methods of Organisation (Stephens and Staddon, n.d.) This Introduction to Editorial Design ‘mini course’ pilot is based on student-centred course planning. Student-centred planning ensures course accessibility (Stephens, Salines, and Warner, n.d.). The course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the topics during the workshops, and then to offer Padlets with extra learning resources and a record of their progress, so they can refer back to them whenever needed. Additionally, I have created teaching and study materials with the same information in various formats, allowing students with different learning needs and those who don’t meet the required English level for the course to follow the sessions as easily as possible. Work in progress Padlet archive of all the Padlets co-created with the students during the sessions. I update this Padlet with the new ones after each session happens. Prompt questions to help the design of courses with the Student-Centred Planning approach (Stephens, Salines, and Warner, n.d.). I am currently at the stage of delivering the sessions for this Pilot test, so in the Action Research Spiral, I am between the Act and Reflect stages of the second spiral, as the first spiral consisted of all the teaching I did before planning this pilot test. O’Leary’s Cycles of Research and the stage I am in in the project. (Massieu, 2025) References: Stephens, T. and Staddon, E. (n.d.) Course Designer 6: Course Structure. London: University of the Arts London, Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. Stephens, T., Salines, E. and Warner, C. (n.d.) Course Designer 3: Defining Course Aims. London: University of the Arts London, Tea […] “Where does this Action Research project come from, and where am I at?”

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 02:41:14 +0000

Reflections on education after attending the CILECT Congress Guadalajara 2025 The CILECT1 Congress Guadalajara 2025 addressed the contemporary challenge of answering the critical questions: “What films to make?”, “For whom to make them?” and “Why make them?” It seeks to create a space for dialogue between educators who share the mission of inspiring the next generation of filmmakers. The conference focuses on Filmmaking educators from around the world. I attended the conference with the workshop The Emotional Architecture of Storytelling: Ownership, Emotion, and the Ethics of Narratives2 (Massieu, 2025) Sara Massieu presenting during her workshop at CILECT Congress 2025. Photo by: Kim Noce The workshop The Canon is a Curriculum: A Participatory Workshop on Diversifying Film Education3 (de Gussem, 2025) was very illustrative because de Gussem faced some of the same problems I face with the students I teach. In the case of MA Global Collaborative Practice and the Graduate Diploma Graphic Design, I have students who come from all over the world, from different cultures, but also from different backgrounds. The students who enrol in these courses are not necessarily graphic designers. For de Gussem, her script writing workshops face similar challenges due to cultural and background differences. She adapted her course, described by her as “very westernised”, to a more inclusive approach by collaboratively encouraging students to share stories connected to their own cultures, then exploring commonalities, characteristics, narrative styles, etc., to discuss what each structure offers in terms of meaning and worldview. I’m not entirely sure how I could implement something like this in the different courses I teach, but it’s worth considering this approach. In the workshop “Compassion Revolution”4 (Nåls J., Westgård H., Norrman K., Meyers S., 2025), the authors discussed how compassion is central to understanding organisations and leadership. It was a lovely way of seeing education focusing on something completely different from the topics and the skills students need to learn. They not only talked about the importance of generating safe spaces in the classrooms but also on how sharing and being vulnerable together is also a way of caring. In their spaces, everyone is the same and everyone is equal, meaning everyone shares, and teachers also share. The things shared in the sessions are not to leave the space or time of the sharing. Anna de Beus also touched on in her workshop5 that to create a safe space is also important to allow people to have their own boundaries. She also mentioned that it’s essential not to be scared of triggers, as they are a normal part of being human. For me, these two workshops were brilliant because, based on my experience at UAL and in the Pg.Cert., everyone tells you that you must avoid triggers at all costs. I understand why they say that, and I also think it is important to be aware of triggers and to be cautious. However, the fact that educators are avoiding triggers and trigger subjects does not necessarily help create safe environments. How can it be a safe space if even educators are afraid to talk about certain topics? It’s like we are creating taboos instead of establishing safe spaces where students can feel completely free to be their whole selves, knowing they will be supported if something becomes too emotional. I think all these topics are extremely important and also require much more reflection and thought. However, I wanted to acknowledge them while they are still fresh in my mind, as I wait to take the plane back from Mexico to London. References: de Beus A. 2025, Inner Compass: Personal Development as a Foundation for Ethical Filmmaking, [workshop notes]. CILECT Congress. 29 October de Gussem S. 2025, The Canon is a Curriculum: A Participatory Workshop on Diversifying Film Education, [workshop notes]. CILECT Congress. 29 October Nåls J., Westgård H., Normann K,. Meyers S., 2025, Compassion Revolut […] “Reflections on education after attending the CILECT Congress Guadalajara 2025”

Sara Massieu posted a new activity comment

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:28:26 +0000

Hi Chuck!
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this post and reply to it.
I definitely agree that the majority of the responsibility for making the necessary adaptations for diversity lies with the system, in this case, the university providing it. Because while not doing so, as you mentioned, we should be mindful of how reciprocity is not…Read more

In reply to - Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog Religion, Inclusion, and the Complexities of Adaptation in Academic SpacesInclusion in educational settings is not merely about representation; it also […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 12:38:20 +0000

Intervention Report: International Collaboration Storytelling as a multicultural and ethical act. Online workshop series between the UK and Mexico. This intervention report reflects on the proposal of a series of online workshops, a collaboration between the Bachelor’s in Design of Fictions and Transmedia Narratives at IBERO (Mexico) and the MA in Animation at LCC, course in which I’m an ASL. The aim is to create a shared, practice-led learning environment where students can explore the power of storytelling as an emotional, ethical, and multicultural act. The context for this proposal arises from my background as an alumnus of both courses and my strong relationships with the respective course leaders. It also draws on my positionality and experience with international collaborations. Before joining UAL, I spent two and a half years in two of the International Collaboration Offices at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in the United Kingdom[1] and Germany[2]. There, I learnt that the internationalisation of HE institutions is not an end in itself; it is a mechanism through which professionals with a global vision are trained, capable of generating cutting-edge knowledge that meets the needs of present and future generations. Internationalisation is a process that evolves according to the University’s objectives and the development of the global world. (UNAM Alemania 2021). The idea for the workshops comes after talking with Clara Chan, a friend and the Visual Effects Supervisor at Sony Animation, following the completion of her first personal animated film (in which I also had the honour to work on) after 22 years of working on other people’s stories. This led me to reflect on how differently we tell stories when we are telling our own experience versus when we are telling someone else’s story, and on our responsibilities as creators. I find this topic to be particularly important and often overlooked in both the industry and education. The truth of a work depends on the integrity of the maker; it’s not a magic technical thing (Gordon Quinn, 2013). I believe that the responsibilities we hold as creators and filmmakers are sometimes forgotten. This is why I want to discuss these dilemmas with students. Wong (2024) notes that one of the key elements of a successful global collaboration is the strategic alignment of the institutions’ goals. The Global Engagement Strategy of UAL states that “by providing access to inclusive globally connected education and research with international collaboration and engagement oriented to delivering positive change in the world.” (UAL, Global Engagement Office, 2024). This aligns perfectly with Ibero’s internationalisation vision, which seeks the development of programs aimed at fostering global skills and competencies that enable the university community to make a significant contribution to society (Universidad Iberoamericana, n.d.). Due to the strong focus on social justice at both universities, I see significant potential for this collaboration. Ibero is a university that emphasises a Humanist education, and all students across courses are required to take compulsory subjects on social justice, human rights, climate crisis, etc. What is missing is the connection between theory and practice within each of the university’s programmes, as these subjects are delivered uniformly to all bachelor’s students, regardless of whether they are studying engineering, design, or law. I think it can sometimes be hard for students to see the potential application of all this knowledge in their own practice. Examples of the compulsory subjects all Ibero’s students need to take during their Bachelors degree On the other hand, during my time in the UK and at UAL, collaboration in general feels overly complicated and often causes problems. Trahar and Hyland (2011) also described problems with intercultural interactions in diverse groups and difficulties with group work in the UK, although students found the experience rewarding. Perhaps it’s a cultural phenomenon, but in Mexico, collaboration is more deeply embedded in education, as students are expected to work on group projects from the early years of basic education. This makes collaboration easier and more natural; although it’s not perfect, it doesn’t cause panic among students or staff. Because of this, I believe it is a valuable opportunity for students to learn various working methods, including those in an international context. During a peer review discussion about this project, I got the fantastic suggestion that, since collaboration can be tricky, it would be good to hold two separate sessions with students from each university to prepare them for meeting each other. I’m implementing this, as it’s also a good opportunity to discuss the potential biases each of them might have towards the other, as well as their expectations for working together. Cultural literacy is essential to understand and respect different cultural contexts and practices (Wong, 2024a).Another great suggestion I’m implementing is to have students create a ‘collaboration manifesto’ in the first session, when they meet each other. A study in Canada found that effective intercultural group work requires teaching the process of working with others, which includes intentionally preparing, forming, and evaluating group outcomes (Reid and Garson, 2017). This manifesto would allow them to define what works for them and establish good collaboration practices. Additionally, it can be referred to later if any problems arise. Precedent international collaboration projects done with the MA Animation at LCC While talking to another colleague, she mentioned that she wasn’t sure this collaboration would work well in person, but that the fact it was online made the project easier, as it can sometimes be harder for students to be in a room full of strangers and be expected to collaborate. Harris (2022) poses the question: Could the digital classroom be an opportunity to accommodate those with more introverted learning preferences, and even to embrace their silence? The fact that students are in an online space might foster a sense of anonymity, encouraging them to discuss interesting topics more smoothly and feel less anxious or threatened. I think it’s important to normalise different participation styles by allowing students to share personal experiences only when they feel comfortable. Sometimes this means controlling my anxiety about having a room with no cameras or mics on and understanding that fostering a safe online environment might involve that. Having cameras and mics off might reduce the sense of vulnerability and awkwardness among the less confident, as well as increase their sense of agency. It is worth noting here that the chat box is a reassuring presence” (Harris, 2022). Returning to the focus of this collaboration, it aims to create a shared, practice-led learning environment where students can explore the power of storytelling as an emotional, ethical, and multicultural act. To define what a narrative is, Richardson (1990) describes narrative as both “a mode of reasoning and a mode of representation,” and Kreiswirth (1992) considers narratives as “human constructs that operate by certain conventions.” I like these two definitions because they discuss narratives as something connected to our society that is shaped and also shapes the way we perceive the world. Narrative ethics regards moral values as an integral part of stories and storytelling because narratives themselves implicitly or explicitly ask the question, “How should one think, judge, and act—as author, narrator, character, or audience—for the greater good?” (Phelan, 2013/2014). Through four to six co-taught sessions and one reflective closing, students will undertake a structured journey from narrative fundamentals to animated expressions of identity, justice, and emotional experience. The workshops explore how stories are shaped across cultural contexts and how visual and movement-based storytelling can convey complex emotional and social meanings. Example of what I’ve been preparing for sessions 1 and 2 The idea is that each session builds progressively—from developing narrative concepts and visualising emotions to experimenting with animation techniques and discussing the ethical implications of representing others’ stories. Whether or not we live with stories or ontologically exist narratively, each perspective provides different ways of understanding story and experience. For instance, if we metaphorically view narratives as tools for living, we can see how/why they fail particular situations (Adams 2008). Because of this, I want students to think and at the same time question things like: What are the ethical responsibilities, if any, of storytellers to their audiences? What are the ethical dimensions of the narrative’s techniques? Invited talks by international industry professionals, such as Clara Chan, Kate Jessop (BIAF), Beff, and Loop the Loop Collective, will be held during each session, providing real-world context and creative inspiration related to that day’s topics. Final outputs include visual narratives, animation experiments, and a shared digital exhibition or showcase. This project also lays the groundwork for future academic exchanges and shared curriculum development between the two institutions. Example of what I’ve been preparing for sessions 3 and 4 Through developing this proposal, I have gained deeper insight into the complexities and responsibilities involved in designing intercultural, practice-based learning experiences. This process has highlighted how storytelling can serve not only as a creative tool but also as an ethical and social practice that engages students in self-reflection, cultural dialogue, and responsible authorship. One of my key learnings is the importance of intentionally preparing students for intercultural collaboration—not only through creative exercises but also by addressing their assumptions, biases, and collaborative expectations in advance. Indicators of success would include the depth of intercultural dialogue, the ability of students to articulate ethical considerations in storytelling, and their comfort navigating different collaboration styles. Optional anonymous feedback would also provide insights into students’ personal and cultural learning journeys. This process has made me more aware of my positionality as an educator working between two cultural contexts, as well as my previous work experience and how I can apply both in my current practice. I recognise my responsibility in facilitating spaces where students feel both safe and challenged, where diverse storytelling practices are not homogenised but valued for their unique cultural and emotional dimensions. Ultimately, I view this project as an opportunity to contribute to more conscious creative education, where internationalisation is not just about mobility but a meaningful intercultural exchange rooted in care, criticality, and collaboration. [1] Based in Kings College London, London. [2] Based at the Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin. References: Adams, T.E. (2008) ‘A review of narrative ethics’, Qualitative Inquiry, 14(2), pp. 175–194. doi: 10.1177/1077800407304417. Chicago Humanities Festival (2013) Gordon Quinn: Ethics of Documentary Filmmaking. YouTube video, 54 minutes. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_981ZEM99e0 Harris, K., 2022. Embracing the silence: introverted Learning and the Online Classroom. Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal, 5(1), p. 3. Kreiswitth, M. (1992). Trusting the tale: The narrativist turn in the human sciences. News Literary History,23(3), 629-657. Quinlan, K.M., 2016. How emotion matters in four key relationships in teaching and learning in higher education. College Teaching, 64(3). Available at: Research gate Lagay, F.L. (2014) ‘The Ethical Force of Stories: Narrative Ethics and Beyond’, AMA Journal of ethics, 16(8), pp. 622–625. Available at: https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/ethical-force-stories-narrative-ethics-and-beyond/2014-08 Mittelmeier, J., Lomer, S., Al Furqani, S. and Huang, D. (2022) Internationalisation and students’ outcomes or experiences: A review of the literature 2011–2021. Advance HE. Available at: https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets.creode.advancehe-document-manager/documents/advance-he/Internationalisation%20and%20students%27%20outcomes%20or%20experiences%20-%20literature%20review_1668780830.pdf Phelan, J. (2013) ‘Narrative Ethics’, in Hühn, P. et al. (eds.) The Living Handbook of Narratology. Hamburg: Hamburg University. Available at: https://www-archiv.fdm.uni-hamburg.de/lhn/node/108.html Reid, R and Garson, K (2017) ‘Rethinking multicultural group work as intercultural learning’, Journal of Studies in International Education, 21 (3): 195-212. Richardson, L. (1990). Narrative and sociology. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 19(1), 116-135. Shang, B. (2025) ‘Ethics of Narrative’, ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews, pp. 1–7. doi: 10.1080/0895769X.2025.2453490. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/citedby/10.1080/0895769X.2025.2453490?scroll=top&needAccess=true Trahar, S and Hyland, F (2011) ‘Experiences and perceptions of internationalisation in Higher Education in the UK’, Higher Education Research and Development, 30 (5): 623-633. UNAM Alemania (2021) Quinto Aniversario: celebración de la colaboración académica entre Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México y Alemania. México: UNAM Alemania. p. 9. Available at: http://www.alemania.unam.mx/Recursos/5TOANIV_U-A_ESP_DIG%20(3).pdf Universidad Iberoamericana (n.d.) Ibero Internationalisation. University website. Available at: https://internacional.ibero.mx University of the Arts London, Global Engagement Office (2024) Global Engagement Strategy 2024–2032: Creativity Needs the World. London: UAL. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/470243/GE-Strategy-2024-32-External-English-PDF-885KB.pdf Wong, A.W.Y. (2024) ‘Key elements for global education collaboration and partnerships’, Advance HE, 24 July. Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/news-and-views/key-elements-global-education-collaboration […] “Intervention Report: International Collaboration”

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 11:22:40 +0000

How positionality can be the "diversity quota" and the reason for discrimination in the same place at the same time. BLog post 3: Race When I joined UAL as a student, I wasn’t expecting diversity. In my mind, I was going to go and study in a British university that was going to be mainly formed by a white British community, and I was fine with that reality. At the end of the day, you are moving to another country, so you have to accept and adapt to that. Of course, I knew that there would be some international students, but I also didn’t know that London is as diverse as it is. I loved the diversity in daily life, and to this day, it is one of my favourite things this city has to offer. I think, for me, the problem with diversity in UAL is that the institution talks about it all the time, maybe so much that the word has lost its meaning. As a student, I didn’t see it. In my MA course at LCC, around 95% of the students were from mainland China. This is not diverse either; the fact that most students from one course are from a section of the BAME groups is not diversity. As the only Latina in the course, I felt for the first time at UAL that I was fulfilling the diversity quotas. We can get stuck in institutions by being stuck in a category. This is not to say that we cannot or do not value the work of these categories. But we can be constrained even by the categories we love. (Ahmed, 2012). Now with the Pg.Cert. I realised that international students are not even in the awarding gaps statistics. So, it’s a weird diversity quota to be in. You are in, but you are not enough to be considered truly. A few years later, after graduation, I joined UAL as a Teaching and Learning Technician, a role that, in itself, faces a lot of discrimination. Since then, I’ve felt that my hiring has been only ticking boxes, as I literally fit in all the inclusion and diversity boxes there posibly are. Since I joined I’ve faced discrimination on being a technician, Latina, an immigrant, a woman, and on being young. All the things that UAL calls diversity. I work mainly with a team of white males over 50, and all the manager and senior roles fall into white people (mainly men, too). So, again, there are other situations in which UAL’s definition of being a diverse university is nowhere to be seen. Institutions often struggle to define inclusive education and do not have access to guidance and resources to effectively embed inclusive practice throughout their practices. (QAA Higher Education 2023). Now, thinking in the case of my teaching, being inclusive means that all students are given an equal opportunity to succeed, independent of their background or demographic characteristics. Higher education providers have an ethical, moral, and legal obligation to ensure that this happens in practice. (Hubbard and Gawthorpe, 2023). Reflecting on all this makes me feel a bit of a hypocrite, I’m doing my best to support students equally, while I’m fighting with all these institutional issues and giving so much energy trying to shield the students from all that shit because as I’ve been told many times “it’s all about student experience”. The imagined futures of racialised individuals in academia are often limited not by capability, but by the structures surrounding them. (Garrett 2024) But then, how about staff experience? How can students be in a good and safe place if the staff is not?I know this post is not really about reflecting on how to address diversity in my practice, but I considered that, for now, other issues were more pressing. I’ll make another post reflection on that later. Doodle I did during the race Pg.Cert. workshop References: Ahmed, S. (2012) On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life. Durham and London: Duke University Press. Hubbard, K. and Gawthorpe, P. (2023) Inclusive Higher Education Framework. Inclusive Education Framework. University of Hull & Quality Assurance Agency. Available at: https://www.inclusiveeducationframework.info Garrett, R. (2024). Racism shapes careers: Career trajectories and imagined futures of racialised minority PhDs in UK higher education. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 1–15. Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2023) The Inclusive Education Framework. Available at: https://www.qaa.ac.uk/membership/ben […] “How positionality can be the “diversity quota” and the reason for discrimination in the same place at the same time.”

Sara Massieu posted a new activity comment

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 10:43:23 +0000

Hi Antonella!
Thanks so much for your comment, you touched very important and interesting points. And I also liked how you mention that even we all need to adapt, the bigger responsabilities for inclusion lay with the institutions.
I liked how you phrased that the goal is not to accommodate belief at the cost of others’ safety or dignity, b…Read more

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Sat, 24 May 2025 20:12:53 +0000

International Collaboration, Online Workshop Series: “Animation and the Ethics of Narratives Across Cultures” I am designing and preparing an international online workshop series in collaboration between the Bachelor’s in Design of Fictions and Transmedia Narratives at Universidad Iberoamericana (Mexico) and the MA in Animation at LCC. Its aim is to create a shared, practice-led learning environment where students can explore the power of storytelling as an emotional, ethical, and multicultural act. Through four to six co-taught sessions and one reflective closing, students will engage in a structured journey from narrative fundamentals to animated expressions of identity, justice, and emotional experience. The workshops explore how stories are shaped across cultural contexts and how visual and movement-based storytelling can convey complex emotional and social meanings. Each session builds progressively—from developing narrative concepts and visualising emotions to experimenting with animation techniques and discussing the ethical implications of representing others’ stories. Invited talks by international industry professionals, such as Clara Chan (Sony Imageworks) and Kate Jessop (BIAF), will be held during each session, providing real-world context and creative inspiration related to the topics of that day. Some of my planning scribbles Some of my planning scribbles The collaborative model encourages intercultural empathy, teamwork, and storytelling grounded in social consciousness—qualities essential to today’s creative industries. Final outputs include visual narratives, animation experiments, and a shared digital exhibition or showcase. This project also lays the groundwork for future academic exchanges and shared curriculum development between the two institutions. Additionally, in relation to this project, I will be hosting a workshop on the topic of Ethics of Narratives, titled “The Emotional Architecture of Storytelling: Ownership, Emotion, and the Ethics of Narrative,” at the CIECT Congress 2025 in late October in Mexico this year. I’ll make a test run on the concepts and see how they can be applied to this larger project. Cover image of the video pitch for the conference; I’ve attached the video in the appendix. Indicative literature: Harris, K., 2022. Embracing the silence: introverted learning and the online classroom. Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal, 5(1), p. 3. Quinlan, K.M., 2016. How emotion matters in four key relationships in teaching and learning in higher education. College Teaching, 64(3). Available at: Research gate Lagay, F.L. (2014) ‘The Ethical Force of Stories: Narrative Ethics and Beyond’, AMA Journal of ethics, 16(8), pp. 622–625. Available at: https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/ethical-force-stories-narrative-ethics-and-beyond/2014-08 Phelan, J. (2013) ‘Narrative Ethics’, in Hühn, P. et al. (eds.) The Living Handbook of Narratology. Hamburg: Hamburg University. Available at: https://www-archiv.fdm.uni-hamburg.de/lhn/node/108.html Shang, B. (2025) ‘Ethics of Narrative’, ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews, pp. 1–7. doi: 10.1080/0895769X.2025.2453490. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/citedby/10.1080/0895769X.2025.2453490?scroll=top&needAccess=true Appendix Draft 1 of the proposal **I apologise for the first page being in S […] “International Collaboration, Online Workshop Series: “Animation and the Ethics of Narratives Across Cultures” “

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Sat, 24 May 2025 19:10:47 +0000

Religion, Inclusion, and the Complexities of Adaptation in Academic SpacesInclusion in educational settings is not merely about representation; it also requires patience, nuance, and a willingness to engage with differences. As institutions evolve and become increasingly diverse, particularly in countries with high levels of migration, it is essential to reflect on what inclusion looks like in practice. Moreover, it is important for me to consider where its limits might be established in the context of safety, shared space, and institutional norms. As an immigrant, I understand that moving to a new country involves adapting to cultural and institutional practices that may not reflect my own traditions or beliefs. However, I do not expect the systems I enter to accommodate every aspect of my background, nor do I view this as a form of alienation. On the contrary, adaptation can coexist with the cultivation of personal and cultural identity. For example, one of the most important celebrations in Mexico is the “Day of the Dead,” for which there are two bank holidays. Although it is important to me, I do not expect a UK institution to grant me those bank holiday days. If I wish to take them, I need to use my annual leave or adapt my celebration to weekend days. And that’s fine by me; I believe that adaptation and acceptance must go both ways. Inclusion must create environments where individuals can participate without sacrificing religious expression. For example, in a friend’s genetics lab, a student tried to pray in an area with hazardous materials that could endanger him and others. Despite the university having prayer rooms for safe practice, the student felt discriminated against when the Professor pointed this out. This highlights the need for mutual accommodation to be effective. I’m not saying religion and belief shouldn’t be considered in our classrooms; I’m contemplating how to include them correctly. Sometimes, religious beliefs contradict the freedoms of others. How do we accommodate this in class? It seems similar to cases involving disabilities, where “reasonable adaptations must be made.” In reality, what’s considered reasonable is open to quite a lot of interpretation. (McCulloch, 2025). Inclusion is not about unlimited accommodation, but about careful, respectful consideration of how people live, believe, and belong. It involves balancing patience with differences and building structures that honour individual needs and communal integrity. Accommodation raises questions about the interpretation, application, and enforcement of laws and rules (Seglow, 2015). I haven’t considered religion in my classes, but now I’m thinking about how to be more mindful of it. Dr. Singh mentioned encouraging students to look beyond stereotypes and understand that everyone faces their own challenges (Singh, 2016), which I aim to incorporate into my teaching. I still need to learn more techniques or strategies. References: BBC (2025) ‘I felt completely isolated’: What it’s REALLY like to be DEAF in prison. [Online video]. 20 May. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w6mXL22F50 Equality Act 2010. (2010) c.15. London: The Stationery Office. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents Seglow, J. (2015) ‘Religious accommodation law in the UK: five normative gaps’, Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, 21(1), pp. 109–128. Simran Jeet Singh (2016) Challenging Race, Religion, and Stereotypes in the Classroom. 1 December. Available […] “Religion, Inclusion, and the Complexities of Adaptation in Academic Spaces”

Sara Massieu posted a new activity comment

Thu, 22 May 2025 16:53:57 +0000

Hi Antonella!
Love to see your reflections on how, sometimes, being an atheist influences how we teach. In that sense, I’m just like you, I’m an atheist, and I haven’t considered religions in my classrooms before. I’m not sure how to approach this in my practice, as you say, there are some things that we cannot change, since they are part of a…Read more

In reply to - Antonella Nonnis wrote a new post on the site My PGCert Journey When faith intersects with gender: students' voices and inclusive academic challenges around religionsIn 2022, I worked with an Iranian student who […]

Sara Massieu posted a new activity comment

Thu, 22 May 2025 07:46:35 +0000

Hi Rosaline!
Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to watch and engage with the video.

About the manual, I don’t think it has been applied to any others museums. We did make an analysis on the rest of museums in town (around 10). But sadly, the director of the Museo Regional Potosino got a bit greedy with the knowledge and did’t…Read more

In reply to - Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog Blog post 1: Intersections of Disability: From Museography to the Arts Classroom Video Blog Post In case the video is not working go here: https://you […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Sun, 04 May 2025 20:04:11 +0000

Blog post 1: Intersections of Disability: From Museography to the Arts Classroom Video Blog Post In case the video is not working go here: https://youtu.be/7SDfm_-2DVQ Video transcription: Transcription-SMDownload References: Castellanos, X. and Massieu, S. (2018) Manual of Inclusion in Museums. Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México & Libre Acceso A.C. Crenshaw, K. (1991) ‘Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color’, Stanford Law Review, 43(6), pp. 1241–1299. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1229039 Gobierno de la Ciudad de México (2016) Manual of technical accessibility standards. Mexico City: Gobierno de la Ciudad de México, p. 161. Espinosa Ruiz, A. and Bonmatí, C. (2014) ‘[Accessibility, inclusion and design for all in museums and heritage]’, in Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress on Education and Accessibility: Museums and Heritage. Huesca: University of Zaragoza. ParalympicsGB (2020) Ade Adepitan gives amazing explanation of systemic racism. YouTube video, 16 October. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAsxndpgagU Story, M.F., Mueller, J.L. and Mace, R.L. (1998) The Universal Design File: Designing for People of All Ages and Abilities. Revised edn. Raleigh, NC: The Center for Universal Design, North Carolina State University. Suárez Estrada, R. (2017) ‘[Thinking and designing in plural: The seven principles of universal design]’, Revista Digital Universitaria, 18(4), p. 6. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Available at: http://www.revista.unam.mx/vol.18/num4/art30 Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Oficina para la Integración de Personas con Discapacidad (2005) Basic guidelines to facilitate university entrance exams for people with disabilities at the Complutense University of Madrid. M […] “Blog post 1: Intersections of Disability: From Museography to the Arts Classroom”

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:38:19 +0000

Reflections on developing minicourses for students to learn more than just ‘technical skills’ Mindmap I made during a Pg.Cert. workshop about challenges and opportunities we face within our practice Since I started teaching at […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:40:13 +0000

Case Study 3. Integral technical skills tutorials, a form of self-assessment for students.Assessing learning and exchanging feedback As a technician, I have a different relationship with students. One reason is that technicians […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 23:49:10 +0000

Case Study 2. A journey on developing resources for students. Planning and teaching for effective learning Slide of the instructions on the presentation Since last summer, I’ve been creating an a […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:26:32 +0000

ROT. Peer review. Analysing a lesson plan for a Videogame Zine online session.I reviewed the lesson plan for an online video game zine workshop for year 3 students in the illustration bachelor’s degree program. The w […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 13:52:37 +0000

ROT from tutor. Reflections on how making interactive questions can help student engagement and how to balance excitement with pacing. Still image of the video example created during the session I am happy to hear that I could create a welcoming environment at the […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 22:23:35 +0000

Reflection on organising and planning technical teaching across two sites, five courses, and ten year groups. The less than ideal scenario of who gets priority.Since I joined UAL as a T&L Technician, organising and planning the technical teaching sessions has been challenging. My team’s technical […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 13:32:17 +0000

Studio Space: Reflections on Cultivating Studio Culture Regardless of Physical Space It’s interesting to consider how the term “studio” is often associated with a specific physical space, such as a workshop, classroom, or ph […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 19:14:12 +0000

ROT. Reflections on the feedback about how to design a dynamic online session and less content-heavy. Peer to Peer review. I was interested to know if the session was content heavy. In the meeting, Fred noted that the session was designed to address gaps in areas tha […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 12:24:53 +0000

Case Study 1: Creating a safe space and using common feelings to bond in online environments. Knowing and meeting the needs of diverse learners Ani-Codex Edition 2 MA Animation LCCUK and South Korea students UAL Students […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 16:01:43 +0000

Microteaching: Rapid ideation and creativity. Adaptable exercises for innovation in 20mins. Title slide of the presentation When I was planning this session, I had doubts about which object to choose. I had previously run a […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:09:21 +0000

Reflections on WS 1 Day 1. When I started the Pg.Cert.I explored seven of the preparatory readings. While some papers were really interesting, others fell flat. Going […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 14:01:05 +0000

Intro post. A bit about Sara I’ve just noticed that I forgot to do my introductory post! (Apologies!) So, my name is Sara Massieu, and I work as a Teaching Learning T […]

Sara Massieu wrote a new post on the site smassieu's blog

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 19:04:50 +0000

Reflections on Pg.Cert. Day 1. WS1 So, when I started the Pg.Cert., I was like 80% of my students and half read the instructions of the preparatory readings. Instead of reading […]