Contextual Background:
As part of the Learning Technology (LT) department in LCF, we have collaborated with Fashion Business School (FBS) and School of Media and Communication (SMC) to introduce students to ACPro course including InDesign, which is an application used for designing print and digital layout program which integrates seamlessly with other Adobe design programs. As part of this course, students will construct a four-page newsletter for a different theme in the process of gaining familiarity with InDesign’s interface and many of the tools and techniques commonly used to design a publication.
At the end of the course, students will go through the online exam and if they pass, they will be awarded Adobe Certified Professional upon completion.
Evaluation:
For this term, I was not really involved in teaching this ACPro course as we moved to a new building in East Bank, I am part of the team that working with another team to make sure the building is ready to open in September 2023.
However, based on my experience teaching this course previously, which involved 3 days of hands-on learning and a half-day dedicated to exam preparation. I think because of the one-off course, I acknowledge it is difficult to engage with the students and develop relationships and interactions while we prepare them for the exam.
Therefore, my primary objective this term is to design activities that promote a more interactive learning environment, fostering greater student involvement throughout the course.
Moving forwards:
Hands-on Learning:
The ACPro course emphasises hands-on learning and practice. At the beginning of each project, I will provide clear explanations of tools and techniques used for accomplishing basic tasks, followed by step-by-step guided exercises on their computer.
These techniques could be very boring if it happens all the time. To prevent repetitiveness, I incorporate opportunities for exploration after each task. Students are given the freedom and flexibility to experiment with their newly learned skills. Additionally, I present real-world examples from the magazine or publishing newspaper and challenge students to replicate them using the learned techniques.
Following this, students can present their work and receive feedback from peers. For those who encounter difficulties, we provide clear, step-by-step guidance until they successfully complete the task.
Breakout Rooms and Discussions:
I usually divide the lab into smaller groups for focused group activities or discussions, promoting a more interactive learning environment. Each group will have a one-hour pre-planned project that needs to be completed within an allocated time frame. They can use their own creativity and skills to finish the task. This will encourage discussion and collaboration among the students within each group. In the end, I will go to each group and provide some feedback based on their work while at the same time promoting continuous improvement.
1 to 1 demonstration:
It could be overwhelming for students in the beginning to understand the new techniques to use in the InDesign course. Some of them might struggle to keep pace with their peers. To accommodate individual learning speeds, I dedicated 1 to 1 demonstration for students who required more time to catch up.
Initially, I will go through the content at an average pace and allowing students to follow me closely. However, if the students still have difficulties following, I will set up a 1 to 1 demonstration with that student. This can help them to speed up their lesson and not fall too much behind.
By combining these strategies and tailoring them to this InDesign course content that mainly hands-on practice and demonstration-focused lessons, I can create a more engaging and effective learning experience for the students and move away from a passive learning environment.
References:
Simon, B., Esper, S., Porter, L. & Cutts, Q. (2013) ‘Student experience in a student-centered peer instruction classroom’, in Proceedings of the ninth annual international ACM conference on International computing education research. ICER ’13: International Computing Education Research Conference, San Diego San California USA: ACM, pp. 129–136.
Tinnion, D., Simpson, T. & Finlay, M. (2021) ‘Face-to-face teaching changed too! Perspectives on the transition from large to small group teaching and learning from graduate teaching assistants’, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education [Preprint], (22).