Microteaching Reflections 5th Feb

Posted on 12th March 2025 by Matt Carless

Yesterday we got together for our first microteaching session. Our task was to deliver a 20-minute teaching session using an artifact to demonstrate our ability to use object-based learning. I chose to make a short presentation with a basic demonstration of how to use a light meter (see photo) for exposing a video camera.

I was originally planning to bring only the light meter itself to the session (see photo) when, during planning I encountered an obstacle. What was the best way to show the fundamentals of exposing a camera to someone who had possibly never taken a photo or video manually before? We use a light meter to measure light on objects and people in a scene to ensure that what we capture in front of the camera is within our sensor’s dynamic range. After trying to express this without any visual stimulus, I decided to change my plan.

I think the upside of this, on reflection from the feedback, was that the ideas I was presenting were structured and supported by good live examples explaining the concepts. However, in adding this in and concentrating so heavily on my explanations of what we are measuring and why, I ended up defaulting to a transmissive teaching approach, where knowledge is delivered from teacher to student without active engagement (Loughran & Russell, 2007). This was not how I had originally intended to deliver this session. Due to the nature of the subject and my own experience, I leant on visual aids instead of thinking about how to use a more varied approach to impart this information. Prior to this, I have always tried to avoid relying purely on transmission in my workshops, instead aiming to break up sessions with as much hands-on learning as possible. Unfortunately, in this observed environment, I felt pressure to ensure I had correctly covered the concept of why a light meter is used, instead of allowing my colleagues to explore this for themselves.

Learning from Others

There were four other microteaching sessions delivered during yesterday’s session. My observations from each are below:

Jade

  • Immediately created a  relaxed atmosphere in her introduction, clearly stating the session’s outcomes and boundaries.
  • Engaged actively with participants, moving around the room to provide support and respond to individual needs.
  • Used examples from her own practice, incorporating industry terminology and references.

Jade effectively leveraged her industry knowledge to contextualize the session, aligning with Shreeve’s (2008) teaching strategy. By linking each garment she showcased to industry practices, she established credibility and trust in the learning process.

Adam

  • Opened with a check-in, focusing our attention and creating a mindful presence within the space.
  • Provided a quote related to the session’s theme, giving us insight into the key ideas he wanted us to consider.
  • Encouraged peer-to-peer discussion, prompting us to explore the given objects.
  • Despite creating a calm and safe learning environment, the specific aim of the session was unclear.

Adam’s check-in was particularly effective in shifting the energy in the room. His decision to encourage participants to reflect on their emotions and intentions for the session fostered engagement. After this, he relied heavily on dialogue exchange between students, guiding discussion rather than leading it directly.

Dereck

  • Encouraged movement and hands-on exploration of objects without needing much prompting.
  • Created a safe and welcoming environment, fostering participation with ease.
  • Clearly defined the tasks and seamlessly incorporated his industry knowledge, delivering key insights while we worked on the task.
  • The session was ambitious, leading to some cognitive overload toward the end. However, he adapted well, refocusing our attention on a specific aspect of the task.

Charlie

  • Provided historical context for the technique she demonstrated, incorporating diverse references in her introduction.
  • Gave clear and concise instructions, using positive reinforcement to build learners’ confidence.
  • Was encouraging and patient, highlighting areas for improvement while remaining available for support.
  • Adapted well when she realized she had not printed enough copies of the instructions, demonstrating her ability to adjust to unexpected situations. 

Implementation and Practice

Reflecting on this session and my colleagues’ microteaching has highlighted some gaps in my current teaching approach. Under pressure, I tend to revert to a basic transmissive strategy. While transmissive teaching is not inherently ineffective, my goal in this course is to critically assess my teaching methods so that I can refine and expand them. Rather than defaulting to familiar techniques, I want to explore new ways of engaging learners throughout my time on the PgCert.

Refs

Loughran, J. & Russell, T. (2007). Beginning to Understand Teaching as a Discipline. Studying Teacher Education, 3(2), 217-227. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425960701656524

Shreeve, A. (2008) ‘Transitions: variation in the experience of practice and teaching relations in art and design’, PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Review of a Peers teaching Practice – Written by me

Posted on 12th March 2025 by Matt Carless

Link to resources provided for review – https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mkcGsVJqrkYwu8exRcdui6dNzd4SqB_c?usp=sharing

Hey Antonella 🙂 

Firstly I just wanted to say thank you for being my partner for this observation, I thoroughly enjoyed looking through the lecture notes you sent me. It looks to me like a wonderfully thought out module which is very engaging for the students.  I think we covered this well in the recorded meeting the other day but below are the few ideas I had that we spoke about.

Maintaining Student focus – Breaking up the information 

Something that I think might be helpful within the main body of the lecture is to break this up with some physical activity to help solidify the students’ understanding of this information. The slides you have presented are wonderfully informative, however I think depending on the learner this could possibly feel overwhelming if they are new to the ideas. 

Something that I think might help to settle some of this information and the group is to split them off into smaller teams after the first 30 – 45 minutes of the lecture and prompt them to discuss some of the content.

Exercise idea – 15mins/20mins

Split the class into smaller groups, get them to discuss and write down a list of the ethical concerns. Then they have to try and think up how you can practically mitigate this, again matching this to what they have written down. 

You could then open up the discussion by getting each team to name a concern and how they would mitigate it. You would then be able to cover the next few slides of information in a more conversational way, as you move into defining the practicalities of conducting research. 

Thoughts on language used

To me the slides you have presented are clear and well written, however there might be a bit too much information presented on them at one time. I think splitting this into two separate handouts (personally I would go physical if possible and put them on moodle ofc) one a glossary of terms as you have suggested, but another with some of the facts/legislation on. 

With any dates/legislation etc I think for the students it would be best to be able to come back to this at a later date and review. By losing some of the information on the slides it puts more focus on your verbal points in the moment. 

A glossary of terms I think also would be an exceptional idea! Students often are not as equipped with the terminology they need and adding this as an asset I think would be a great addition to the lecture. If this is available on moodle beforehand as well, those who chose to use it might have a better retention from the session. 

Handouts for forms 

In the practicalities segment of this lecturer when you are giving information of the consent forms etc, do you have any physical examples in class? I think this would be really useful for the students to see an example during the session. 

Class exercise 

Something here which might be useful, is to hand out/give a digital example before the break of a piece of freewriting. On their break ask them to give this a quick read and for them to think about the form/way it is written, what it is etc. I feel this prompt will be useful to the students if they haven’t had much experience of doing this practice before. 

Breathwork exercise? 

Additionally you might want to seed the idea of using breathwork to center themselves before they begin to write/observe. Introducing the idea of a simple counting from 5 – 1 slowly in time with nose to mouth breathing as an exercise in finding stillness. I’ve seen this work quite effectively in class before to help bring collective clarity before they begin the task. 

Thank you again for pairing with me for this exercise, I really enjoyed our chat the other day 🙂

Link to completed ROT for Antonella – https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uVcdP_4dnwhdO5K5TQYZ-XPSDzYsrq3i/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110209103505110704763&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Review of my teaching practice – Written by a Peer

Posted on 12th March 2025 by Matt Carless

This review was taken from the ROT form written by Antonella Norris about the MA Film introduction to the Alexa Mini LF workshop breakdown she reviewed. A link to the document and supporting content is below:

MA Film Introduction to the Alexa Mini Workshop Plan  – https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Wtm55e9X1wDt5ofAljJXiTNCNFE5nOiRBaeDPPGq3so/edit?usp=sharing

Matthew’s Intro to Alexa Mini LF workshop is well-structured and engaging, effectively balancing technical instruction, hands-on learning, and teamwork. The session provides students with a strong foundation in camera operation and cinematography, ensuring that they understand the Alexa Mini LF and develop collaborative skills essential for industry practice. The interactive approach and adaptability to different student experience levels are particular strengths, making the session both informative and engaging. Below is a breakdown of the key strengths and areas for potential enhancement.

Strengths of the Lesson Plan

1. Clear Structure & Logical Progression

The session follows a well-organized flow, beginning with foundational camera setup in the morning and transitioning into practical applications in the afternoon. This structure allows students to build confidence before working more independently.

2. Hands-On Learning & Active Participation

The workshop effectively prioritises experiential learning, ensuring students actively engage with the Alexa Mini LF rather than passively absorbing information. Exercises such as rigging from sticks to handheld and lens mapping practice reinforce technical skills through direct practice.

3. Consideration of Different Learning Levels

The session acknowledges students’ varied experience levels and promotes peer-supported learning. A tiered learning approach was suggested, where more experienced students could begin exploring lighting concepts earlier while others focus on mastering camera fundamentals. Matthew already implements this informally but structuring it explicitly in the lesson plan would enhance its effectiveness.

4. Realistic Industry Application

The final lighting recreation exercise is particularly effective. It challenges students to replicate professional lighting setups, fostering problem-solving skills and teamwork. Even when the lighting segment is omitted due to time constraints, students still gain a strong understanding of camera exposure and its relationship to lighting.

5. Use of Learning Resources

Integrating faculty-produced guides and external resources (such as the Alexa Mini Build Visual Guide and lens mapping video) provides students with valuable supplementary materials.

Areas for Enhancement

  1. Instructional Delivery Adjustments

Step-by-Step Handouts Guides & Visuals: I can see that you offer this in your slides. However, to help those who struggle with multitasking and understanding, concise, one-page handouts with key setup instructions can alleviate the pressure of keeping pace with the build, particularly for those unfamiliar with the equipment and terminology or with dyspraxia. They can also help them remember what they have done afterwards. Additionally, multitasking requires a significant cognitive load; although students are fresh at the beginning of the session, this could help them maintain focus and autonomy.

Annotated slides pics: While you have provided a general step-by-step guide on the slide, which students find very helpful, breaking those steps further with annotations that display actions, directions, movements, and labels of parts might simplify these steps.

Label physical components: While this may not be practical, labelling the items and components directly could assist students unfamiliar with the equipment and the terminology used.

Glossary Handouts/Posters: Defining key terms such as CCM-1, EVF (MVF-1), WC4, EF Cine Lenses, EI, codec, exposure triangle, and lens mapping would enhance retention and understanding. You could print the glossary on large A1 to A2 poster-sized sheets distributed across 3 to 4 locations in the room for easy access at any time.

2. Balancing Demonstration & Student Engagement

While Matthew prefers a “build together” approach, a “show one step – students do one step” method may improve retention, especially for those struggling with multitasking. Providing a printed step-by-step guide could help students follow along at their own pace and serve as a reference later.

3. Enhancing Reflection & Feedback

Currently, the session lacks a formal reflection section at the end. Incorporating a structured conclusion where students share their biggest takeaway, challenges faced, and remaining questions could strengthen learning outcomes. Collecting written feedback (via forms or digital tools) would help refine future sessions based on student input.

Final Thoughts

Matthew’s workshop is highly interactive, well-paced, and engaging, providing students with a strong foundation in cinematography. By formalising some of his existing practices—such as tiered learning, structured reflection, and improved visual aids—he can further enhance the clarity and effectiveness of his teaching. This feedback aims to build on the strong foundations already in place and support the continuous improvement of an already well-structured session.

Link to full ROT Doc – https://docs.google.com/document/d/1boLVn0Tl_BRu65FMr2XFstj6YfsirACI/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110209103505110704763&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Reviews of Teaching Practice Blog post

Posted on 12th March 2025 by Matt Carless

Notes after Meeting with Antonella

I have really enjoyed the process of completing the observation for this module. I was paired with Antonella, an academic from LCC, whose specialism is in User Experience Design. Before we began our meeting, we were both concerned that, coming from such different fields, we wouldn’t know how to help each other. However, we both agreed that this was actually a huge advantage, as we could approach each other’s work with fresh eyes.

I had asked Antonella to review my workshop plan for the MA Film Introduction to the Alexa Mini LF course, which I run once a year. A copy of this plan can be found here:

Workshop Plan  – https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Wtm55e9X1wDt5ofAljJXiTNCNFE5nOiRBaeDPPGq3so/edit?usp=sharing

She made some great points on how I can improve my session:

  • Add aids to the visual guides: In part of my lesson plan, I have created a follow-along photo guide. Although this can be useful for students with a background in the field, Antonella felt some students might struggle to understand what is being referred to in each picture. She proposed adding annotations to highlight the specifics of what I wanted the students to focus on.
  • Build a handout/guide for the Alexa Mini LF assembly: Building on the above point, she suggested turning this visual guide into a more comprehensive build guide for the Alexa Mini LF. Instead of just using it as a reference on the day, students could have access to a guide that helps them build and tick off the different components as they go. This step-by-step handout should be both physical and digital so students can access it in the workshop and afterward.
  • Create a glossary of acronyms and a list of components: She also suggested creating a glossary of acronyms and components for the students. During our discussion, she pointed out that many students may not be familiar with some of the terminology used in the session. To ensure all students are on the same page, I could produce a glossary and include it in the linked information already available for my session, alongside any other third-party resources.
  • How to support a wide range of needs in my workshops: After describing my session, Antonella mentioned that some students may feel overstimulated by the amount of information. The above points were ways to help alleviate this, giving students control over how to access information after the session (handouts, glossary, etc.).
  • Incorporate time for reflection: She also suggested adding a reflective exercise to the session. This would give students the opportunity to think back on what they have learned and how they might apply it moving forward. This advice, which I also received from my tutor in other feedback, is something I’ve been exploring separately. I’ve noticed a pattern in the reading I’ve done that promotes reflective practice, which I am already trying to implement into my work.

To conclude, Antonella provided some wonderful insights and ideas on how I can expand the accessibility of my workshops. There is a common thread throughout what I teach, and I’m always fighting against the need to cram too much in. My discipline is very technical, and there are always many things to fit into each session, alongside the creative application. Her comments have helped me see how I can better impart this information to my students so that every student gets the most out of my sessions.

Link to full ROT Doc – https://docs.google.com/document/d/1boLVn0Tl_BRu65FMr2XFstj6YfsirACI/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110209103505110704763&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Case Study 3

Posted on 12th March 2025 by Matt Carless

Assess or give feedback to learning

Intro

My main experience of giving feedback in my role as a technician is through exercises in class. I set exercises in my workshops to help cement the topics that we have been exploring. These are usually short filming/camera/lighting exercises after which we watch and critique the results together.

Evaluation

When holding a critique of the students’ work in my classes, I encounter two main obstacles. Firstly, how to create a safe and open space where all individuals feel comfortable evaluating each other’s work. Secondly, how to ensure students engage with the task properly. I have noticed that students can sometimes have a negative response to feedback, either becoming defensive or talking over the comments being made. At times, they may disengage or undermine what is being asked of them.

This resistance to feedback aligns with the challenges outlined by Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2006), who emphasize that feedback should encourage self-regulated learning rather than feel judgemental. When students view feedback as a means of improving their own work rather than as criticism, they are more likely to engage constructively. Therefore structuring feedback sessions in a way that promotes reflection and dialogue is crucial in overcoming these challenges.

Moving Forward 

The idea of a critique, unless fully explained in the given scenario is the first thing to address. The word “crit” itself can be divisive, often carrying a negative connotation (Race, 2001). It is therefore important that I address this before the critique begins. I must take responsibility for defining both the parameters and the language used by myself and the students during the critique. By setting clear expectations and clarifying what good performance is, I can help calm nervous students who may be apprehensive about evaluation while reinforcing that this is a safe and open space for learning. Self critique is a valuable tool that students must develop a resilience toward as artists. To formalise this in my practice, I have begun incorporating this approach into my workshop plans, ensuring that these discussions are structured and that I set ground rules verbally before we begin the critique.

Self-criticism and critique of others’ work is a daily reality in the film and TV industry. As Race (2001) discusses, self and peer assessment can play a crucial role in developing independent learning skills, making students more accountable for their progress. By centering the class around this reality, I am helping to shift student focus from viewing feedback as criticism to seeing it as a part of their growth. Drawing from my own industry experience, I introduce examples from professional settings outside of UAL to further illustrate this point, helping students move past their defensive attitude. To formalise this, I have started developing external briefs and handouts, often repurposing old industry briefs to make it feel more relevant to them. This framing of importance helps focus students, as it makes the task feel less like “just a technical exercise.”

In the future, I want to extend these exercises outside of the classroom, getting students to use the content which they shoot in class and working on it as homework. When given a purely in class exercise which is just a technical test, students often treat it as throwaway. By reframing the purpose and assigning tasks that result in meaningful creative output, I believe this will shift student attitudes. Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2006) highlight that effective feedback should provide opportunities for students to close the gap between current performance and desired outcomes. By ensuring that students see value in their work, they will be more likely to engage with feedback and apply it meaningfully.

Refs 

Race, P. (2001) A Briefing on Self, Peer and Group Assessment. Assessment Series No.9. York: Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN).

Nicol, D.J. 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. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070600572090

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Case Study 2 

Posted on 12th March 2025 by Matt Carless

Plan for and support student learning through appropriate approaches and environments 

Contextual Background


I deliver instruction across five BA and MA courses at UAL, teaching students how to safely operate camera and lighting equipment for both studio and on-location filming. Each course has specific needs, requiring a flexible space housing specialist equipment to accommodate varying cohort sizes and workloads. This work requires a lot of equipment, such as physical sets for the students to light and film in as well as lighting, rigging, stands and camera equipment (See photo).

Evaluation

Although I have access to dedicated studio spaces I am often assigned to generic classrooms that lack the necessary equipment. This requires me to retrofit these spaces for each workshop. The poor management of these spaces and lack of adequate provisions wastes valuable time, negatively impacting both my ability to teach and students’ learning experience. This in turn can affect the structure of my workshops, due to losing time in my sessions I am sometimes forced to cut or modify content. 

Moving forward 

Working in a live studio environment, creates a central space for teaching in art and design and playsing a vital role in structuring learning. It fosters a collaborative, social environment where students engage in discussions, create work, and receive feedback. This setup mirrors professional environments and prepares students for real-world practice (Orr & Shreeve, 2017). I am therefore trying to move all of my workshops to a consistent studio environment, ensuring when any student is onsite they have access to this resource. I have actioned this through working with my line manager and the head of the Screen School at UAL to bring about these changes when booking in my timetable in the future.

Additionally, I’ve been reflecting on my own teaching approaches and have been adjusting them to better recreate a ‘co-teaching’ environment. Having a consistent classroom structure to work with gives me more time in the planning of my classes. Spending less time retrofitting unfit spaces allows me more time in the sessions to react to my students’ needs. As Cook and Friend (1995) state, “classroom design and teaching approaches must be flexible and responsive to the needs of all students” to ensure engagement. Each student’s background and needs differ, by ensuring I have consistency in my provision, I can better adapt my teaching approach where necessary to support my content being understood by the students. 

Bacharach, Heck, and Dahlberg (2010) emphasize that “co-teaching allows instructors to tailor their approaches to the unique learning needs of students, ensuring greater inclusivity.” To support this, I’ve incorporated more group exercises and discussions into my workshops, providing students with opportunities to learn from one another and assist each other during tasks. This approach centers each student in the learning process, ensuring active participation within the session. By moving away from a more transmissive approach and avoiding the ‘top down’ model of teaching, the students can engage more with the content. Having a consistent studio space with access to all the equipment I need at hand, means I can focus on building the teaching environment which is best for my students. Without having their learning suffer from lack of provision or retrofitting classrooms that aren’t fit for purpose. 

References:

 Bacharach, N., Heck, T., & Dahlberg, K. (2010). Co-teaching in higher education: A model for creating inclusive classrooms. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 7(7), 23-30. 

Cook, L., & Friend, M. (1995). Co-teaching: Guidelines for creating effective practices. Focus on Exceptional Children, 28(3), 1-16.

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Case Study 1 

Posted on 12th March 2025 by Matt Carless

Use evidence-informed approaches to know and respond to your student’s diverse needs.

Background and Context

I’m a specialist technician at UAL’s Screen School, teaching camera and lighting for BA and MA courses. Every year in student feedback, they request more technical instruction, but some struggle to attend due to work commitments. UAL is an international university, so our student body is diverse, with a wide range of economic backgrounds.

Evaluation 

A major issue in BA courses is the shared camera and lighting provision, limiting student access compared to other competitive programs. This restricts self-directed study, as most equipment used is confined to on-site learning. Camera and lighting equipment is generally very expensive and not something most students will have access to outside their course. Less affluent students often have to work to afford their course/rent/life in London, a city with high cost of living, while some can purchase more time and access outside our learning environment. At times lower income students cannot access these workshops due to outside commitments and jobs. 

Unfortunately this disparity inside UAL is mirrored within the UK arts and creative industry sector as a whole. “The story of social class within this story is one of exclusion. Every sector… has an over-representation of those from upper middle class social origins, with those from working class origins making up far less of the workforce” Brook, Orian & O’Brien, Dave & Taylor, Mark. (2017). With this being the future for my students, I must ask how I can help ensure every student is given equity of access when studying in my classes.

Moving forwards 

With my workload spread across five courses, I’ve yet to establish a consistent way for students to book one-to-one support. So far, this has been on an ad hoc basis through email or in-person requests. To improve this, I’ve set up an online booking system and added a fortnightly day for one-to-one sessions in the studio. With one-two-one sessions students can then request more specific support, if they have had to miss additional workshops due to work commitments for example.  Research by Brooks and Kelly (2006) highlights the emotional and motivational benefits of one-to-one tutorials, noting that many students feel alienated during the transition to university. I believe by increasing the provision of one-two-ones I’ll be better equipped to support my students at UAL. As they can access these one-two-one sessions both in person and online.

In addition to this I have begun to enhance the current online resources available to my students. At present, there is no dedicated online content for the production side of each BA course in the Screen School. I currently rely on third-party walkthroughs, while useful they can lack the precision of in-house content, particularly since some equipment shown doesn’t match our own. I’ve created a visual guide for my MA students I work with, which have received positive feedback (see appendix A). This is at this time a basic version of what I will in time create, my aim moving forward is to produce instructional videos in the future. This means that any students who miss my workshops can still access support when they need it, inside or outside of the institution.

Refs

Brook, Orian & O’Brien, Dave & Taylor, Mark. (2017). Panic! Social Class, Taste and Inequalities in the Creative Industries.  
Brooks, K. (2006) ‘Could do Better?’: students’ critique of written feedback. University of the West of England, Bristol.

Appendix A – MA Visual guide – https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zOmHVDVzQEhCt-b1DFJ84-23N0uu6rQeIKulqX2_nNI/edit?usp=sharing

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Intro to me

Posted on 19th December 2024 by Matt Carless

Hi World,

I’ve been working in higher education for around 10 years, mainly in various technical roles. I am currently a camera technician for the Screen School. Throughout the last decade the core principle of my work has been to to teach students from BA to MA level how to operate camera and lighting equipment. However, I haven’t had any formal training in teaching! (shock horror) so am looking forward to diving into this course and gaining the skills that I need – so hopefully, I can stop feeling like a fraud.

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