About the project
Project duration: 2023/24 academic year
Course programme: Graphic Design Communication
Courses involved:
- BA Graphic and Media Design (re-approval)
- MA Design and Visual Communication (re-approval)
- MA Graphic Design online (validation)
Changemakers involved: Lara Geary (LCC Changemaker 2023-2024)
Context
Courses periodically undergo reapproval processes, during which the course handbook is revisited by various stakeholders, including the LCC Changemaker allocated to the course. This ensures that the handbook accurately reflects the student experience and outcomes and upholds principles of racial and social justice and decoloniality.
Process
Through the work of LCC Changemaker 2023/24, Lara Geary, we will demonstrate how we approach this process.
Lara’s framework
I took a considered approach to help activate staff and students:
- develop skills, strategies, conceptual frameworks and the vision that will enable considerate actions to change the world through self-awareness
- value and instantiate collaborative approaches to problem-solving, idea creation and partnerships.
Course Handbook review
The initial stage involved immersing myself in the handbook to fully understand it, from which the work began and evolved.
Guided by the Racial, Social and Climate Justice principles
I used the Climate, Racial, and Social Justice Principles as a framework to consider learning and knowledge production as a collaboration between students, UAL, and its partners.
I assessed whether the course engages effectively and meaningfully with these guiding principles and if so, how. If not, I posed critical questions to raise awareness among staff about these topics, helping them understand how to practically engage with them.
I paid close attention to the language and details to avoid flattening experiences and to identify areas where the course could broaden and become more inclusive. This involved initiating conversations around terms such as history, norms, etc.
Understanding course outcomes
While collaborating with staff, I reviewed the course website and social media accounts to explore the work of current students and alumni. This provided valuable insights that helped inform the handbook’s details regarding outcomes.
