PgCert

Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: 30/01/2025

Size of student group: 15-20

Observer: Haemin Ko

Observee: Yui Yamamoto (Academic Support Tutor role)

Part One

Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review:

What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?

Part of the Major Project for MA Performance Screen Year 2. Towards the final project, they prepare for the professional practice. As an academic support, I offer two workshops on writing: artist statement and funding application.

How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?

I have worked a few of them before but most of them are the first timers.

What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?

Students will understand the insight of Artist Statement and bring some materials to write and compose.

What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?

Writing the draft of artist statement and generating the materials.

Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?

Some people might not like the exercises I offer.

Engagement due to the lack of previous contacts.

Might be boring but this workshop is mandatory. Hopefully the attendees are motivated enough.

How will students be informed of the observation/review?

Yes

What would you particularly like feedback on?

Practicality (if the workshop is useful or not), Clarity, engagement,

How will feedback be exchanged?

Through this reflection form or discussion.

Part Two: Feedback from Haemin

What Went Well

Smooth Hybrid Setup

The class ran both online and in person at the same time, and the tutor did a great job checking in with online students regularly. The pace felt steady and engaging, making it easy for everyone to follow along.

Warm and Natural Start

Before the session, I was wondering whether the tutor already knew the students or had taught them before. But the way they started with light, icebreaker-style questions really helped set a relaxed tone. The introductions flowed naturally, making the session feel welcoming.

Encouraging Student Participation

The tutor eased into the topic by asking simple questions, making the discussion feel approachable. They also acknowledged and responded to each student’s answers in a way that encouraged open conversation. This made the atmosphere feel inclusive and comfortable.

Clear Session Structure

One of the standout moments was how the tutor gave a quick yet clear overview of the session—laying out the purpose, structure, and content in a way that made it easy to grasp the bigger picture. It helped set expectations and made the session more structured.

Good Use of Different Learning Materials

Mixing handouts, visual aids, and verbal explanations kept students engaged. Having a variety of materials really helped cater to different learning styles, making it easier to stay focused and absorb the content.

Supportive Learning Environment

The tutor gave students plenty of space to ask questions and share their thoughts. They also allowed enough time for discussions, so no one felt rushed or pressured to keep up. This made the class feel relaxed yet productive.

Some Ideas to Consider for Future Sessions

 A Bit More Guidance on Artist Statements
It could be helpful to go over the key parts of an artist statement in a bit more detail, especially for those new to it also for globally use. A step-by-step breakdown or looking at a few examples together to criticize might make things clearer. It could also be interesting to touch on how artist statements vary across different fields—like fine art, animation, film, or visual design—so students can see how it applies to their own work.

Clarifying Some Key Terms
Some words, like multidiscipline or inner discipline, might have slightly different meanings depending on the context. A quick explanation or even just suggesting students think about how these terms relate to their own work could be a nice way to help them connect with the ideas more easily.

Final Thoughts

It was great to see students engaging with each other’s artist statements and finding common themes. This helped create connections and a supportive atmosphere. To make statements even more personal and impactful, it might be helpful to share simple tips on highlighting unique interests and avoiding descriptions that feel too general.

The open discussion approach worked really well, allowing for broad thinking. Since time was limited, a quick recap at the end with key takeaways could be a useful addition. Sharing a few practical keywords or real-world examples—like how artist statements are used for exhibitions, jobs, or residencies—might also help students apply their ideas more confidently.

Overall, the session was engaging and encouraging, and with a few small additions, it could provide even more clarity and practical guidance for students.

Part Three: My Reflection

The feedback is all on point. I believe generally I am good at engaging with students and setting up a good atmosphere. As she mentioned, due to a lack of time management and in-depth content research, I was unable to explain some topics well, such as the terms of words, interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary approaches, and the difference between a biography and an artist statement.

As a Visiting Practitioner and Academic Support Tutor, this lecture was created from scratch based on my experiences and some online courses. Since my artist career is not very long, I did not pay much attention to the details of certain terms. Given the limited time of two hours, my priority was to help students generate the contents and compose an artist statement. Therefore, I skipped the refining part, such as clarifying specific word terms, even though this was also important. As this was a one-off session, my focus was on generating content rather than refining the writing. I believe, overall, my strategy worked. However, as the feedback suggests, there are areas where I can improve.

Somewhere inside me, I always think about how I want to be perceived by students. As both an artist, a visiting practitioner and academic support tutor, I often wonder if there is someone better suited to deliver this session in terms of language proficiency and level of experience. I accept where I am in my career and honestly acknowledge that I am still learning.

Additionally, although I have won some residencies and grants, I am not the most successful grant receiver, nor am I entirely confident in writing artist statements. I am also not paid to do so. If I have the opportunity to conduct this session again, I will bring examples of successful grant applications and analyse them together with the students, while openly acknowledging my own lack of knowledge and experience in certain areas.

Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Lip synch animation exercise Group A

Size of student group:  20

Observer: Yui Yamamoto

Observee: Haemin Ko

Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action.

Part one

What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?

 This session combines lip-sync animation with cultural awareness, helping students:

1. Master timing, mouth shapes, and body performance.
2. Understand/aware cultural differences in gestures and expressions.
3. Create authentic, globally relatable characters.

It builds on body mechanics and acting skills, preparing students to tackle real-world animation with inclusivity and professionalism.

How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?

Every 2–3 weeks for 3 hours per week, since September 2024, with about 18–20 people.

What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?

 Create animations that effectively combine dialogue, body language, and cultural nuances to produce believable and relatable characters. Respond with sound and dialogue paired with proper performance, considering a global audience with diverse cultural contexts in both script and gestures. Gain experience in audio recording and incorporating it as part of the animation process.

 At the end, all the short clips will be combined to create a film, allowing students to see how their individual works come together as a cohesive piece. This will provide an experience of how collage animation looks and feels in a collective format.

What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?

1. Individual Animation Clips: Students will create short lip-sync animations that integrate dialogue, body language, and culturally aware gestures.
2. Combined Collaborative Film: All individual clips will be compiled into a cohesive film, showcasing how the animations work together as a unified piece.
3. Audio Integration Skills: Students will gain experience recording and synchronizing audio with animation as part of their final output.
4. Exploration of Cultural Diversity: Outputs will reflect an understanding of diverse cultural nuances, demonstrated through character gestures, dialogue, and performance styles.

Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?

1. Students may struggle with timing and aligning mouth shapes perfectly with dialogue.
2. Misunderstanding or misrepresenting gestures and cultural nuances could lead to inaccurate animations.
3. Completing detailed animation work within the given schedule might be challenging for some students.
4. Software familiarity (e.g., TVPaint, premier) and troubleshooting technical errors may slow down progress.

How will students be informed of the observation/review?

I’ll let the students know about the observation and review process at the beginning of the session, so they’re aware it’s part of their learning experience. At the end of the week, I’ll wrap up by explaining the feedback process and ask them to complete a short online survey to share their thoughts and review the session. This will help ensure they feel involved and can reflect on their work.

What would you particularly like feedback on?

Any ideas or feedback to make the session more interactive, clear, or effective in the future are welcome. It would also be very interesting to hear from other courses or colleagues with different points of view about anything I could improve or might have missed.

How will feedback be exchanged?

After the session, we will have a conversation to exchange direct experiences and observations. This may take some time to reflect on and write down. If there’s anything we can suggest or reflect on deeply, it would be good to keep a small record.

Part 2: My comments and feedbacks

Structure of the Class

Before starting the class, Ko reviews the day’s task. Although some students were not prepared with their assignments, she was flexible and gave them time to prepare for the task. The class started smoothly.

Warm Environment

Ko is very kind to everyone, including latecomers. She pays attention to each student individually and understands that some students may feel shy in her course. She approaches them with warmth and kindness, making her both likable and approachable. She is very proactive to approach students.

Diversity

Ko incorporates diverse examples of body language and cultural references, engaging students from various backgrounds. She acknowledges cultural differences by asking students questions, naturally and humorously integrating these discussions into the class. Additionally, she encourages students to develop their own style rather than simply referencing existing lip-sync techniques. I feel that she truly respects the individuality of student’s colour.

Efficient Engagement

Ko is highly engaged and curious about each student’s project, offering quick but insightful advice. For example, she uses waiting times effectively, giving students guidance on different animation methods, techniques, and software within just a couple of minutes. This ensures that students feel supported and taken care of.

During the class, she doesn’t hesitate to share personal stories, such as those about her family, to connect with students and make discussions on language more relatable. Many students may have similar experiences, making this an effective way to foster engagement.

To support a large group of students, Ko has hired a GTA (Graduate Teaching Assistant) who helps ensure that everyone is keeping up. 

Suggestions

As Ko is very approachable and dedicated, she often finds herself extremely busy. She communicated with students non-stop for three hours, which is great for student support but may also be exhausting for her. To protect her energy, she could consider delegating some responsibilities to the GTA. For example, I noticed that Ko spent time explaining the brief for the lip-syncing task. If possible, the GTA could run brief review sessions or send email reminder to go through the brief.

Additionally, while the GTA has just started in their role, it would be beneficial for them to develop more independence and confidence when assisting students with small and technical tasks. This might take some time to cultivate, but if Ko can utilise the GTA more efficiently, she could potentially reduce her workload.

This session focused on lip-syncing. While Ko provided a clear explanation of the process, it might also be beneficial to incorporate exercises. She suggested that students observe themselves in the mirror to study body and mouth movements. Practicing in a rehearsal room with a large mirror may enhance the experience. Additionally, even a brief vocal warm-up before heading to the recording studio could be beneficial. Sometimes, learning by doing can be more effective than just describing the process. While I understand that lip-syncing is not a major part of animation practice, this is just a small suggestion to expand the possibilities.

Part 3: Reflection on Feedback and Next Steps 

I really appreciate this feedback—it’s helped me see what’s working well and where I can make small but useful changes. It’s always good to get an outside perspective, especially on things like managing my energy, keeping students engaged, and using the GTA’s support more effectively. Here’s what I’ve taken from the feedback and what I’ll do next. 

Managing Energy and Using the GTA More 

One thing that stood out was how much I interact with students throughout the session. I want to be approachable and supportive, but I see how this can be tiring over time. The suggestion to let the GTA take on more tasks makes a lot of sense. I’ll start giving them clearer responsibilities, like reviewing the session brief or helping with quick technical questions. 

I also want to help the GTA feel more confident in their role. Right now, they’re still getting used to it, but with a little more guidance, they’ll be able to step in more independently. Over time, this should help spread out the workload and make things run more smoothly. 

Making Lip-Syncing More Hands-On 

I really like the idea of adding more physical activities to the lip-syncing session. I already encourage students to watch themselves in a mirror, but I can make it more structured by setting up specific exercises. If possible, I’ll arrange for a rehearsal space with a large mirror, or at least suggest that students bring small mirrors so they can study their own facial movements while speaking. 

A quick vocal warm-up before recording is also a great idea. Even though lip-syncing isn’t a big focus in the course, getting students to physically engage with the process could make it more interesting and effective. 

Encouraging Cultural Diversity and Individuality 

I’m really glad the effort I put into bringing cultural diversity into the classroom was noticed. I believe students should develop their own artistic voice rather than just copying existing styles. I’ll keep creating discussions around movement, body language, and storytelling from different cultures, so students feel encouraged to express their own backgrounds in their work. 

Implementing Changes in the Curriculum 

I’ve been teaching this exercise for many years, but some of the points raised in the feedback were things I hadn’t thought about before. These insights are really valuable, and my staff members are happy to incorporate them into our curriculum. We’ve decided to update and reflect on these changes from the next term, making sure they are actively included in our teaching approach. 

Next Steps 

Based on this feedback, here’s what I’ll focus on: 

· Giving the GTA clearer tasks, like reviewing briefs or answering technical questions 

· Helping the GTA feel more confident so they can support students more independently 

· Adding hands-on activities to the lip-syncing session, like using mirrors and trying vocal warm-ups 

· Finding a better balance in my energy by letting students work independently at times before stepping in to give feedback 

· Updating our curriculum to reflect these valuable insights from the next term 

This feedback has been really helpful in showing me ways to fine-tune my teaching while keeping the supportive and engaging atmosphere that I value. Moving forward, I’ll focus on creating a balance between being there for students and making sure my approach is sustainable.