Teaching Context

As the Curriculum Development Curator of the CSM Museum & Study Collection, I design and deliver all the object-based learning workshops we run for UAL and external learners. In the last nine months since starting my role, I have taught 25 bespoke workshops for more than 700 students, which has exposed me to a variety of learning styles and needs. While no student has explicitly identified as neurodiverse yet, some course leaders and student feedback have indicated the presence of neurodiverse individuals in my workshops.

My awareness and interest in the relationship between neurodiversity and creativity started early on in my role when artist, Chris Kelly, curated the exhibition: Interwoven for our window display (CSM Museum, 2023). Moreover, I recently learned that 50% of our students identify as neurodiverse (Willcocks, 2024). According to the Annual Report (2022), CSM has the highest percentage of students who have declared a disability, standing at 21% in 2023/2024. Given that CSM also has the highest attainment gap between White and B.A.M.E students, measuring -17% in 2021/2022, I am curious to know how much of that disparity is influenced by disability.  

Earlier this year, I attended the British Museum’s Multi-Sensory Learning in Museums Conference (2024). I was fascinated and inspired by the Learning department’s use of smell and taste in their object-based learning workshops for children with special educational needs and disabilities. At the Museum, we primarily teach using three key methodologies: Jules Prown’s forensic reading, Gillian Rose’s visual analysis, and the emotional or extra-rational reading. Since these frameworks effectively stimulate multiple senses, like sight, sound, and touch, we had not previously considered incorporating taste and smell. This realisation led me to question ways in which I could expand the sensory modalities engaged through objects in my workshops for adults.

Intervention Plan

I aim to create a new object-based learning methodology that is tailored to support the learning needs of neurodiverse women of colour. To avoid asking students to participate in free labour, I will first test out my methodology in a pilot workshop for suitable colleagues. After I have received and incorporated their feedback, I will invite Academic Support to co-run my workshop to expand its reach. While all students will be invited to attend for parity, it will be specifically targeted to neurodiverse women of colour.

My plan is based on Jean McNiff and Jack Whitehead’s Action Research Cycles method (2009). For my intervention, I will complete the first cycle by researching and developing the object-based learning methodology. During my action research, I will complete the second cycle by delivering and evaluating my workshops for colleagues and students. For Fellowship, I will complete the third cycle by further developing and delivering my workshops for external museums.

Positionality

My positionality has strongly influenced my intervention. I am a British-Iranian woman of colour, who was diagnosed with dyspraxia late into high school while studying for my A-Level exams. As a neurodiverse member of staff and former student at CSM, I can relate to some of the experiences of my target group. However, I acknowledge that everybody’s experience is unique, so it is important I consider their individual needs. Moreover, I am wary not to exclude trans women of colour, who are also part of the neurodiverse community.

Supporting Theories and Data

Object-based learning is an inherently inclusive form of experiential pedagogy. As Paolo Freire advocated in his seminal publication, Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1968), object-based learning positions educators as facilitators of knowledge rather than authoritative figures who impose their knowledge on passive learners. Therefore, it empowers them to foster a participatory and dialogical learning environment in which students can engage critically with material culture. This transformative approach also aligns with Michel Foucault’s critique of power structures within educational institutions and the need to challenge dominant narratives and systems of oppression (Foucault, 1977). The positive feedback I received from Kwame Baah and Danielle Radojin for my peer observed workshops in Unit 1, attests to my ability to deliver inclusive workshops.   

My intervention also aligns with Critical Race Theory because it focuses on neurodiverse women of colour, acknowledging their intersecting identities of race, gender, and disability. Moreover, it seeks to empower marginalised voices and challenge dominant educational practices that favour white, neurotypical students. My intervention is a small act of social justice that seeks to create an equitable learning environment, which could help to reduce the attainment gap. Aware that Museums were historically inaccessible to minority ethnic groups (Hatton, K, 2015), Willcocks’ has made anti-racism a key consideration in our work. Due to our rigorous collecting process for the annual Graduate Award (Tohidi, 2023), we have a diverse selection of contemporary objects I could teach with that will spark critical thinking and engaging discourse about the intersectional issues above.

Feedback from Colleagues and Peers

The first colleague I consulted feedback from is Jhinuk Sarkar. This conversation had a huge impact on my intervention because it helped me identify a niche. Inspired by Kimberle Crenshaw’s Intersectionality Theory and intrigued by the “potential coalitions” between race, gender and disability (1991), I decided to aim my intervention at supporting neurodiverse women of colour. Moreover, a subsequent feedback session I arranged with Head of Museum, Judy Willcocks, and Associate Dean of Learning, Silke Lange, enforced the significance of my research because neurodiversity, particularly from an intersectional lens, has not yet been a focal point in the field of object-based learning.

Initially, I intended to co-create and deliver a pilot workshop at the CSM Museum & Study Collection with neurodiverse women of colour studying at CSM. However, Willcocks advised me to change my approach because the museum is not embedded in a particular course, which makes co-creation challenging. Instead, she suggested I use my research to develop my workshop and test it out with colleagues who share characteristics of my target group. Then, once I have revised my methodology using their feedback, I could run it as a student workshop in collaboration with Academic Support. Not only would this approach be more ethical, but it would also broaden the scope of students who could attend my workshop. Feedback from my blog group also highlighted the ethical concerns of creating a focus group of neurodiverse women of colour, affirming the value of Willcocks’ approach.

My feedback session with Willcocks provided me with many practical suggestions to implement in my workshop, based on her decades of teaching experience and knowledge of neurodiversity. For example, she recommended I break down instructions and deliver them in multiple formats, limit my selection of objects, pace my content and frequently check in, factor in regular breaks, and engage a limited number of senses to prevent sensory overload. Willcocks also made me aware of external factors to consider, like the time of day I run the workshop, the temperature of the room, and background noise, since all these elements can distract and overwhelm neurodiverse students.

For my next feedback session, I sought the advice of MA Culture and Enterprise Programme Director, Richie Manu. Manu helpfully introduced me to his relevant research in this field. In the Learning Styles diagram below (Cohune, 1968), we can see that sight was the predominant modality, accounting for 83% of the pie chart. This was followed by hearing (11%), smell (3.5%), touch (1.5%), and taste (1%).

I agree with Manu that this approach is outdated and non-inclusive; we both feel that educators should adopt the Experiential Learning Style (2017) instead. Shown below, it advocates that each modality should be given equal emphasis so that learners have agency and choice. This approach is supported by Carey Jewitt (2008), who said that “multimodality asserts that all modes are partial. Each contributes to the production of knowledge in distinct ways and therefore no one mode stands alone in the process of making meaning.”

Inspired by Manu’s wider-sensory project scope and idea generation diagram below (2017), I will ensure my workshop includes an object that represents each modality and design the layout in a way that learners can choose their exit point.

My conversation with film director, Lotje Sodderland, was also very informative. In her Netflix documentary, My Beautiful Broken Brain (2014), she recalls going from a neurotypical to neurodiverse person overnight due to suffering a stroke aged 34. Her unique lived experience affirmed her belief that communication is key to learning. During our meeting, Sodderland tells me she used Siri to read her script for Channel 4 aloud since she still struggles to read. This insight gave me the idea to offer text to speech for my post workshop object notes so participants can digest notes in their preferred format. Sodderland also emphasised that many neurodiverse people are sensitive to sound and can feel claustrophobic in crowded environments. These are important factors I will consider when I plan my workshop in Unit 3.

Since my consultations with colleagues and peers occurred before my second tutorial with my PgCert tutor, I did not know if consent forms were necessary at this stage and how to write one. This is something I will discuss with my tutor and implement for the Action Research project.

Concluding Thoughts

This intervention has had a significant impact on me as a person and practitioner. On a personal level, it has made me feel more aware, accepting, and proud of my dyspraxia. Growing up, neurodiversity was not a topic of conversation and conditions like mine were seen as a setback. In hindsight, being diagnosed late into my education was a blessing in disguise because it enabled me to create learning processes and systems that now set me apart as a practitioner. It has also helped me be more empathetic and aware of the different learning needs my students may have. I am looking forward to continuing my research over the Summer break and piloting my workshop with colleagues before I pitch it to Academic Support.

References

1. Biggs, J. and Tang, C. (2011) Teaching for Quality Learning at University. 4^th edition. Maidenhead: Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press. [e-book in library]
2. Chatterjee, H. and Hannan, L. (2015), Engaging the Senses: Object-based Learning in Higher Education, London: Routledge.
3. 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://doi.org/10.2307/1229039.
4. Foucault, M. (1977) Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Translated by A. Sheridan. New York: Pantheon Books.
5. Freire, P. (1968) Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 13^th Edition. England: Penguin
6. Hatton, K. (2015) Towards an Inclusive Arts Education. London: Institute of Education Press, University of London
7. Kelly, C. (2023) Christopher Kelly Design. Available at: Christopher Kelly design (Accessed: 29 Feb 2024).
8. Manu, R. (ed.) (2017) ‘Wider-sensory exploration: fostering curiosity in teaching and learning strategies’, Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal, Vol. 2, No. 3. Available at: Wider-sensory exploration: Fostering curiosity in teaching and learning strategies | Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal (arts.ac.uk)  (Accessed: 10 July 2024)
9. McNiff, J, Whitehead, J. (2009) Doing and Writing Action Research. London: SAGE Publications
10. Multi-Sensory Learning in Museums. British Museum, 26 April 2024
11. My Beautiful Broken Brain (2014) Directed by Lotje Sodderland [Feature film]. Netflix
12. O’Brien, J. (2024) ‘Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024: Jhinuk Sarkar talks adult diagnosis and learning strategies’, UAL. Available at: Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024: Jhinuk Sarkar talks adult diagnosis and learning strategies (arts.ac.uk) (Accessed: 21 March 2024).
13. Paris, S. G. (2002), Perspectives on Object-Centred Learning in Museums, New York: Routledge.
14. Rekis, J. (2023) ‘Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice: An
    Intersectional Account’, Cambridge University Press, Issue 38, pp.
    779-800, Available at: 10.1017/hyp.2023.86
15. Sarkar, Jhinuk. (2022) Square Hole [Podcast]. May. Available at: Square Hole | Podcast on Spotify (Accessed: 15 May 2024).
16. Social Justice in Museums. Museum of London, 18 June 2024
17. Ted X Talks (2015) Creativity unearthed by a sensory adventure. 4 December. Available at: Creativity unearthed by a sensory adventure | Richie Manu | TEDxClerkenwell (youtube.com)  (Accessed: 08 July 2024).
18. Tohidi, D. (2023) The Class of 2023: Graduate Award. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/central-saint-martins/stories/the-class-of-2023-graduate-award [Accessed 16 July 2024]
19. Tohidi, D. (2024) CSM Museum & Study Collection Feedback Form. Available at: CSM Museum & Study Collection Feedback Form – Google Forms (Accessed: 29 Feb 2024).
20. UAL (2022). Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Annual Report 2022/2023. UAL. Available at: UAL Equality Diversity and Inclusion annual report 2022/23 (arts.ac.uk) (Accessed: 06 May 2024)
21. Willcocks, J (2024) Decolonising Museums [Lecture]. Central Saint Martins. 09 May

The Cambridge Dictionary (2024) defines racism as “policies, behaviours, rules, etc, that result in a continued unfair advantage to some people and unfair or harmful treatment of others based on race.” I believe this definition is pertinent to the Higher Education sector, where the unfair advantage has most notably manifested in the form of the attainment gap between white and students of colour. According to the UAL’s latest EDI report (UAL, 2022/2023), CSM has the highest attainment gap across UAL; it was -17% between white and B.A.M.E students in 2021/2022. This is made worse by the fact that only 23% of academic staff identify as B.A.M.E.

The TedxCroydon talk about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion was insightful. Asif Sadiq argued that diversity training is often biased, built with stereotypes, and the opposite of inclusive (TedxCroydon, 2023). This is how I felt about UAL’s anti-racism workshop because it didn’t consider the spectrum of minority ethnic groups who also suffer the consequences of institutional racism. I agree with Sadiq when he says that education is delivered in a certain way and gives you a perspective, not the whole perspective. More often than not, that perspective is Eurocentric and drawn from dominant cultures. His point about diversity training focusing on the challenges and ignoring the successes of minority communities also resonated with me. In a talk I attended by disability advocate, Samantha Renke, she critiqued the medical model of disability and inspiration porn for causing a biased, negative portrayal of disability in society (Renke, 2024). Sadiq also argues that group and experiential learning are powerful tools for achieving diversity, which I have witnessed through my teaching practice as an object-based learning educator (TedxCroydon, 2023).

I found the Channel 4 video about white privilege quite hard to watch, mainly due to the fact the activity involved young children. I think the approach is effective in theory because it visually represents the widening of the divide between white and students of colour as more questions are asked. However, it was clear some students felt very uncomfortable and isolated, saying comments like “it’s unfair because none of us are white” (Channel 4, 2020). I think the activity would have been more effective and inclusive if there was one teacher of colour asking the questions and another checking in with students left behind.

Again, the positionality of the presenter for the Telegraph film about Advance HE’s impact on universities is problematic. It would have been more credible and impactful if it was led by a presenter of colour with lived experience of the “institutional racism” referenced by the co-chair of the Race Equality Governance Committee rather than a privileged white male professor who cannot understand or relate to the experience of the students he is interviewing (The Telegraph, 2022). I believe Advance HE has good intentions and that its Race Charter has potential to encourage anti-racist change across the sector, but it is likely to be superficial since it incentivises universities using an awards system. As Sadiq said in his talk (TedxCroydon, 2024), “true change is going beyond the boxes and really understanding that each and individual is part of that change.”

I commented on Yasi, Michelle, and Sid’s blog posts.

References

Bradbury, A., 2020. A critical race theory framework for education policy
analysis: The case of bilingual learners and assessment policy in
England. Race Ethnicity and Education, 23(2),
pp.241-260. 

Cambridge Dictionary, Cambridge
Dictionary (2024) < RACISM |
English meaning – Cambridge Dictionary> [accessed 26 June 2024)

Channel 4. (2020) The School That Tried to End Racism. [Online}. Youtube. 30
June. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I3wJ7pJUjg 

Garrett, R. (2024). Racism shapes careers: career trajectories and imagined
futures of racialised minority PhDs in UK higher education. Globalisation,
Societies and Education, pp.1–15. 

Orr, J. (2022) Revealed: The charity
turning UK universities woke. The Telegraph [Online]. Youtube. 5 August.
Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRM6vOPTjuU

Renke, Samantha. “Social Justice in Museums: advocacy, activism and
co-production”. Lecture to Social Justice in Museums Study Day, 18 June.
2024, Museum of London

Sadiq, A. (2023) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it
right. TEDx [Online}. Youtube. 2 March. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR4wz1b54hw 

UAL (2022). Equality,
Diversity, and Inclusion Annual Report 2022/2023.
UAL. Available at: UAL
Equality Diversity and Inclusion annual report 2022/23 (arts.ac.uk) (Accessed:
06 May 2024)

The main recurring theme that stood out to me when analysing the resources provided within the context of Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality is that women with intersecting identities are particularly vulnerable to oppression and discrimination. In Crenshaw’s theory, she explains that political and social movements often marginalise those who are at the intersections of various identities, such as Black women (Crenshaw, 1990). Similarly, Haifaa Jawad’s blog demonstrates that, although the ‘Accept and Respect’ statement endorses Muslim women’s participation in physical activity, “women’s participation in the sporting arena is contested because the dominant (Western/secular) sporting culture can lead to high visibility of women’s bodies and public mixed-sex arenas,” (Jawad, 2022). Such exclusion is a consequence of using single-axis frameworks that consider faith and gender separately (Crenshaw, 1990) and requires secular states and international sports governing bodies to provide sex-segregated spaces and accommodations for modest dress (Jawad, 2022).

UAL’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Annual Report 2022/2023 shows a steady decline in the number of students who state they follow a religion and belief. Between 2019/2020 and 2023/2024, the figure decreased from 34% to 29% (UAL, 2022). This data makes me ponder if the rise in global wars and political turmoil has changed students’ views on religion or instilled fear in revealing this part of their identity. As (Reki, 2023) states in his article, marginalisation affects students who are religious differently. He explains that “those who adhere to a minority religion in the West, such as Jews are reported to have “decreased sense of well-being and increased religious skepticism” in college contexts compared to those in a religious majority (Reki, 2023). At UAL, the religious majority identify as Christian (UAL, 2022).

In light of the recent occupation of the CSM reception by UAL’s Social Justice for Palestine student group (UAL_SJP, 2024), I also took note of the fact that 1% of the college’s students identify as Jewish compared to 4% who identify as Muslim (UAL, 2022). While this group is peacefully protesting against the genocide happening in Gaza, it is unjust to alienate Jewish students by tainting them with the same brush. I agree with Religion Professor, Simran Jeet Singh, who says that “there are multiple ways of looking at things and we need to try understand where people are coming from with empathy,” (Trinity University, 2016).

As I have discussed in previous blog posts, one limitation of not teaching a regular group of students is that I am unaware of their intersecting identities. Therefore, faith is not a feasible strong consideration to have my practice. However, I try to navigate sensitive objects and topics, like religion, with respect and diplomacy to prevent conflict occurring between students during group discussions at object-based learning workshops. Earlier this year, my manager, Judy Willcocks, noted some tension arise between student curators for our Belongings exhibition (UAL, 2024), which celebrated the contribution of migrants and refugees to British culture. This was a learning curve for our team, which highlighted the significance of having appropriate training to mitigate tension that leads to distress amongst students.

I commented on Yasi, Michelle, and Michael’s blog posts.

References

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://doi.org/10.2307/1229039.

Jawad, H, (2022) ‘Islam, Women and Sport: The Case of Visible Muslim
Women’, LSE, 22 September. Available at: Islam,
Women and Sport: The Case of Visible Muslim Women | Religion and Global Society
(lse.ac.uk) (Accessed: 22 May 2024).

Rekis, J. (2023) ‘Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice: An
Intersectional Account’, Cambridge University Press, Issue 38, pp.
779-800, Available at: 10.1017/hyp.2023.86

TED (2014) Kwame Anthony Appiah: Is religion good or bad? (This is
a trick question). 16 June. Available at: Kwame Anthony Appiah: Is
religion good or bad? (This is a trick question) (youtube.com) (Accessed:
22 May 2024.

Trinity University (2016) Challenging Race, Religion, and
Stereotypes in Classroom. 1 December. Available at: Challenging Race, Religion,
and Stereotypes in Classroom (youtube.com) (Accessed: 22 May 2024).

UAL (2022). Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Annual Report 2022/2023.
UAL. Available at: UAL
Equality Diversity and Inclusion annual report 2022/23 (arts.ac.uk) (Accessed:
06 May 2024)

UAL_SJP. (2024) ‘The reception area of UAL Central Saint Martins is occupied!’ [Instagram]. 16 May. Available at: UAL Students for Justice in Palestine (@ual_sjp) • Instagram photos and videos (Accessed: 22 May 2024).

UAL. (2024) Belongings. Available at: Museum exhibitions | Central Saint Martins (arts.ac.uk) (Accessed: 22 May 2024).

Having read Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality at the start of Unit 2, I was able to understand the intersectional issues conveyed in all three interviews as “potential coalitions between race, gender and disability,” (Crenshaw, 1991). While Ade Adepitan, Chay Brown, and Christine Sun Kim’s lived experiences are unique, I took note of certain parallels. For example, there is a clear need for and reliance on the disabled community they identify with. In Sun Kim’s own words, “a perk of being a member of the deaf community is you have a shared culture, a shared language, and so people like to stay there. They don’t want to be oppressed the way they are in the hearing community, but sometimes they get trapped in that echo,” (Art 21, 2023). Meanwhile, the Paralympic community has given Adepitan evidence that, when society gives disabled people opportunities to thrive, “the sky is the limit,” (Paralympics GB, 2020)

Moreover, there is a recurring notion that it is not the disabilities that impact the quality of life of the interviewees, but rather society that makes their disabilities feel like a hindrance. In the interview with Adeptian, he says that he is “disabled because society has not allowed [him] to shine,” (Paralympics GB, 2020). Adversely, Sun Kim’s experience of living as a deaf artist in Berlin demonstrates the improved quality of life that can be achieved when you live in a country where the ” government actually supports their people,” (Art 21, 2023). Oppression and discrimination are particularly apparent in the interviews with Adepitan, whose physical disability intersects with race, and Chay Brown, who hidden disability intersects with gender. The reason for this is likely to be that society has historically attached a lot of shame and stigma onto people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, and mental health illnesses. Yet, Brown acknowledges that being a white trans male with a hidden disability makes him more privileged than some members of the neurodiverse, LGBTQ+ community (Parapride, 2020). This statement resonates with Crenshaw’s point about accounting for “multiple grounds of identity when considering how the social world is constructed,” (1991).

According to UAL’s EDI Annual Report, 21% of students studying at CSM in 23/24 declared a disability, which is 3% higher than 22/23 and the highest figure across all the UAL colleges (UAL, 2022, pg. 21). Interestingly, the attainment gap between non-disabled and disabled students was only 2% in 22/23, which suggests that educators are fulfilling additional support needs. With regard to disability considerations in my own teaching context as the Curriculum Development Curator of the CSM Museum & Study Collection, I am yet to encounter declared hidden or physical disabilities. The reason for this is likely to be that I rarely teach the same group of students more than once, so either the tutor or student don’t feel the need to tell me in advance if there are disability considerations I should be aware of before delivering object-based learning workshops. However, having taught more than 500 students in the last six months across all colleges and levels of education, I feel confident to say that neurodiversity impacts most of my students. In one instance when the tutor was present in my workshop, he spoke with me afterwards in private about the conduct of a particular student who was quite disruptive, alluding to undiagnosed ADHD.

I commented on Yasi, Michael, and Sid’s blog posts.

References

Art 21 (2023), Christine Sun Kim in “Friends & Strangers” –
Season 11 | Art21. 01 November 2023. Available at: Christine Sun Kim in
“Friends & Strangers” – Season 11 | Art21 – YouTube (Access: 06 May
2020)

BBC Three (2023) Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change. 2 July. Available at: BBC One – Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change (Accessed: 24 May 2024).

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://doi.org/10.2307/1229039.

Paralympics GB (2020), Ade Adepitan gives amazing explanation of
systemic racism. 16 October 2020. Available at: Ade Adepitan gives amazing
explanation of systemic racism – YouTube (Accessed: 06 May 2024)

Parapride (2020), Intersectionality in Focus: Empowering Voices during
UK Disability History Month 2023. 13 December 2020. Available at: Intersectionality
in Focus: Empowering Voices during UK Disability History Month 2023
(youtube.com) (Accessed: 06 May 2020)

UAL (2022). Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Annual Report
2022/2023. UAL. Available at: UAL
Equality Diversity and Inclusion annual report 2022/23 (arts.ac.uk)
(Accessed: 06 May 2024