Theodore Roosevelt made it clear that “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”. I am constantly reminded that the students I engage with are not where I was when I attempted my tertiary studies. They face different challenges and exist within different contexts. If I do not care about them within their context, why should they care about what I have to say?
I want my students to know that I am on their side, because their success is, consequently, my success. Their outcomes and results matter to me. It is therefore important to create an environment of trust in which students do not feel overwhelmed or intimidated by the material being presented. There are no “stupid” questions. The information is often right in front of them, and I believe it is up to the student to harness, explore, and manifest something meaningful from it. That said, students must also understand that they are ultimately responsible for their own learning experience (Rashid & Asghar, 2016). My role is to give them an appetite for learning and to nudge their curiosity in the right direction.
The most meaningful learning happens when students actively construct knowledge and build on what they already know. “Sharing is caring” is something I see play out every year, as students bring new perspectives and nuances into the classroom, often teaching me things I may not have noticed. The balance lies in supporting and challenging accurate understanding, while allowing students to meaningfully connect new information to prior knowledge (Cordingley et al., 2015).
The discipline I work in is constantly evolving. Technology and tools continue to change, and I feel a responsibility to equip students not only with technical skills, but with the ability to solve problems and find answers independently. Within design education, students need to develop both technical proficiency and the ability to reason. I am consistently exploring strategies that help students develop a strong sense of design while also becoming confident in using the tools required to execute their ideas. For me, the balance lies in combining the how and the why.
To support this, I incorporate problem-based learning approaches that activate student engagement. I encourage open discussion and intentionally create opportunities for peer-to-peer collaboration, allowing students to draw their own insights rather than relying solely on the lecturer. Scaffolding forms a critical part of this process, ensuring that students are supported as they practice and gradually master new skills.
I aim to ground my teaching practice in three core ideals:
Life-Long Learning
Encouraging students to connect learning to real-world contexts by drawing on personal and industry experience, broadening their perspectives and preparing them for future opportunities.
Collaboration and Communication
Creating space for meaningful interaction through activities and classwork that enable idea-sharing, dialogue, and collective learning.
Technology and Independent Learning
Encouraging students to become confident, self-directed users of technology by developing their ability to experiment, troubleshoot, and find solutions, while taking ownership of their learning process.
References:
Cordingley P, Higgins S, Greany T, Buckler N, Coles-Jordan D, Crisp B, Saunders L & Coe R 2015. Developing great teaching: lessons from the international reviews into effective professional development, Project Report. teacher Development Trust, London. Available from http://dro.dur.ac.uk/15834/1/15834.pdf.
Rashid T & Asghar HM 2016. Technology use, self-directed learning, student engagement and academic performance: Examining the interrelations. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 604-612.