Write a written critical reflection on that experience (minimum 750 words), using the guidance adapted from Johns (1994) below to help you.
I designed and taught a two-hour uninterrupted online zoom workshop about colouring porcelain clay with coloured ceramic pigments. This synchronous lesson was designed for 10 intermediate higher education ceramic learners from around the world.
This lesson took place for several reasons; I had lots of interest from artists contacting directly. I enjoy sharing my unconventional method, as it fundamentally speeds up a longer process for artists. Finally, I find my classes build engagement and enhances communication around a subject that I find exciting.
I selected this lesson to reflect on, because it is currently the only online session I teach. By learning from this lesson, I aim to offer further courses online. Also, this lesson is repeated several times a year, so wish to reflect to improve how it flows, making it more engaging and inclusive for learners worldwide.
Prior to the lesson, I email a materials list, with written and visual aids, allowing learners to prepare and begin on time, which I believe is important. Although I had attempted to avoid, a learner arrived late and another learner’s connection was poor. Initially I waited for the latecomer, but I made the decision to begin for the majority. I intervened by deciding to record the lesson with consent. I started by giving a brief talk to the group, communicating this plan change in the zoom group chat, and via email to the late student. This change allowed the learner to fix technical issues and for the late learner to join in time for the lesson to begin. My aim was to reduce stress while still allowing for the teaching to run as closely as planned.
As the issues occurred, I began logically to coordinate solutions and imagined myself from the learner’s point of view. Although feeling flustered at the time, I restrained this feeling, as I wanted all learners to feel included, while wanting participants to not feel like they were missing out or frustrated because of others. I asked the prepared students to organise their materials for the lesson, allowing me a little time to organise.
By being clear, professional, and light-hearted with my communication, it allowed for students to feel more relaxed in the learning environment. I asked them directly at the time how they would prefer to proceed, giving all of them choices and the option to receive the recorded lesson post teaching.
It was valuable for the learners to see my commitment to inclusivity and respect for all participants at the time. This was also recurrent in my learner feedback form which participants filled out post lesson. During, I adjusted the speed of my teaching reacting to the ability of the learners. Although a pre-lesson questionnaire had been sent, in attempt to understand learners’ ability, this external influence was only achievable through tacit learning. Previous knowledge of attending online seminars prepared me for the potential for latecomers and technical difficulties and allowed me to act quickly and decisively.
I could have dealt with the situation differently by pausing the lesson, starting it later than planned, or by going straight into the lesson and allowing the latecomer to just try to catch up. I feel that this would have not been the right decision to make and could have led learners feeling stressed by time constraints.
I reflect on this lesson now and although I feel like I dealt with the issues well, I feel that time management was my main weakness. I feel that it has made me aware of the potential of external influences keeping me alert and prepared for anything. It has allowed me to reflect on my practice, ensuring I continually view my teaching from my learner’s point of view.
I think that this experience has taught me that process learning is most effective when students are actively engaged together. By learning through doing, learners gain a positive sense of community, collaborating with questions, discussion of diverse perspectives of their experience and problem solving to widen the learner’s subject area.
I feel that possible constraints with teaching this method lies in my lack of confidence for teaching different methods when it comes to practical learning, with the possibility of bringing this method into the classroom. I am interested to hear about other strategies that teachers who teach creative subjects use.
I think that it would be a useful prerequisite to require learners to agree with recording prior to lessons, with the knowledge they will receive a copy in case of disconnection or lateness. It would be useful to have a 15minute early login available to learners and a 30minute interval to allow for over running, catching up and a break for reflection. Another idea would be to have a smaller learning group to allow for more space for questions. These changes can be implemented on the course outline on enrolment and within the notes sent out prior to the class.

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