For the observation records, I have:

• Completed Parts 1 and 3 on the form for each time I’ve been observed, and
• In Part 3, carefully considered the feedback received and responded to it with a growth mindset, and
• Sent a copy of the completed form back to my (peer) observer?
• Completed Part 2 on the form for the session you observed, and
• Received the completed form back from my peer Lee MacKinnon with their response?
• Added each observation record to your blog here:

Record of Observation or Review of Teaching Practice         

Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Professional practice portfolio review

Size of student group: 60

Observer: Carys Kennedy

Observee: Jo Glover

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
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?

I teach on the diploma in professional studies so it’s the portfolio session

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

This was an AL teach on the branding course

What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?

Improve career employability

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

Business cards at the end

Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?

n/a 

How will students be informed of the observation/review?

Video so in the past

What would you particularly like feedback on?

Presentation skills 

How will feedback be exchanged?

email

Part Two

Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:

Thanks Jo for sharing the recording of the portfolio session. You asked for my thoughts about your presentation skills.

• You managed the hybrid element of the event brilliantly, with real confidence. I’m personally a big supporter of continuing to allow students to attend remotely at times, so this was great to see.
• You were attentive to the online participants, which is easy to miss in a hybrid session.
• Your talk was multi-modal, balancing text, images and video content. This helped it to be engaging.
• You shared your own impressive career journey with generosity and candour. There was a clear personal touch to your presentation throughout.
• You included relevant tips throughout your presentation (e.g. apply for summer internships, trying different roles, contacting hiring managers…) to make your own journey relevant to students.
• You brought in examples relating to diversity, such as Age of Black Power, Queer British Art and Lunar New Year.
• You included interesting vignettes and stories related to your career, and artists/organisations you have worked with. These helped to make your talk interesting.
• Your presentation style is clear, confident and friendly. You took a lovely personal approach and the students were evidently pleased to learn from your experience and expertise. 
• In hybrid sessions, the students online often can’t hear questions/talking in the room so it can be helpful to repeat this for the benefit of people online.
• It can be helpful to verbally signpost what you’re about to talk about (e.g. I’ll share my career journey, then go into detail about a couple of places I’ve worked, before answering questions.) The classic advice is “Say what you’re going to say, say it, say what you’ve said” to support people to follow the presentation.
• The pace of delivery was good. You spent 20 minutes talking about your overall career journey, 15 minutes talking about the Tate and 10 minutes talking about Selfriedges. This left 15 minutes for questions. My impression was that students found the Q&A part valuable, and I’m curious whether you think 15 mins was long enough? Would pausing after each section for questions and/or a summary of tips have worked?
• Some students can find asking questions in a large group intimidating. You mitigated against this by your friendliess and openness. Can you think of any other ways you could ensure all students feel able to ask questions?
• The session involved a lot of listening, which requires a lot of concentration. Again, you mitigated against this by your delivery style, storytelling, and use of audiovisuals. Can you think of any other ways to keep student engagement up in a lecture-type setting?

On a more personal note, it was lovely to hear even more about your practice and all the amazing work you’ve done. Very inspiring! I’m sure your students felt the same way.

Part Three

Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged:

Carys, thank you for your thoughtful and generous feedback. I really valued your comments and the time you took to watch the session. It’s taken me a little while to process everything, but that’s because your reflections made me stop and think carefully about how I present and how I want students to feel during and after these sessions.

I’m glad you picked up on how I managed the hybrid format. It’s something I care about a lot. We’re in a new era of phygital (physical-digital) working and learning, and hybrid events are becoming the norm. So making sure online participants feel seen, included, and involved is something I’ve been consciously trying to get better at. Hearing that you noticed this gave me reassurance that I’m on the right track. I’ll continue to address people by name where possible, repeat or summarise anything missed due to sound issues in the room, and keep checking in with both audiences.

It was also great to hear your comments on the multi-modal structure. I try not to lean too heavily on slides, and I’ve found that using video, stories, visuals and text together tends to land better. It’s how I’d want to receive information myself. I’m not a fan of one-dimensional presentations (and students switch off fast if they feel like they’re being lectured at), so that mix is always intentional. Thanks for reaffirming that it worked.

You mentioned my use of personal examples and storytelling, which I really appreciate. I often worry I’m sharing too much or going off on tangents, but it’s important to me that students understand this isn’t a polished or linear career path I’m talking about. It’s taken hard work, juggling, detours and lots of learning. If I can show that, then I hope it gives them confidence in their own journey. It’s not about saying ‘do this’ but more: ‘here’s how I got here, and here are some things that might help make it easier for you, that I wish I’d known.’

Your comment about the relevance of the career tips meant a lot. Things like internships, contacting hiring managers, trying out different roles… those were all small things I had to learn the hard way. I include them now so others hopefully don’t have to. Same with examples like the Art in the Age of Black Power exhibition, or Queer British Art, or working on Lunar New Year activations – they’re not just name-drops, they’re there to show representation in practice and how we can use design to communicate beyond dominant narratives.

On the more practical side, your advice about repeating in-person questions for online attendees was really helpful. It’s one of those easy fixes that makes a huge difference. I’ll be much more mindful of that next time. I’ve made a note to repeat audience comments too so online participants stay in the loop.

Your suggestion to verbally signpost the talk more clearly also landed with me. I tend to favour a natural flow – storytelling, not too rigid – but I can see how helpful it is for people to have a clear outline. ‘Say what you’re going to say, say it, say what you’ve said’ might feel obvious, but it’s something I forget to do, and it’s so simple, but so effective. Something as clear as saying: “First, I’ll talk about my career journey, then I’ll go into a couple of key roles I’ve had, then we’ll open up to questions…” helps people settle in and know what’s coming.

The breakdown you gave of my pacing was useful too. I hadn’t really thought about whether 15 minutes at the end was enough for questions, but you’ve made me think. Maybe I could break the talk into three shorter parts and pause for questions after each one. That would make the session feel less like a lecture and more like a conversation. It also gives students more chances to contribute without feeling like they have to speak in front of a big group at the end. I’ve tried to mitigate that already by being open and approachable, but your comment got me thinking about how else I can reduce the pressure.

For example, next time I might offer a QR code or link to an anonymous question form, or use Padlet for quiet students to type in thoughts. These micro changes can make a big difference for people who feel intimidated, especially those with access needs or those who are neurodivergent. This will help to build trust and flexibility.

Your point about attention span during listening-heavy sessions was also really valid. I do try to use visuals, storytelling and tone to keep it flowing, but I know people have limited focus, especially in longer sessions. I’m thinking now about how I could bring in moments of interaction – even just one-minute pair chats, reflection prompts, or a quick “turn to the person next to you” – just to switch up the energy. I know from exhibition design that those moments to pause and engage help retention, so I want to bring that ethos into these kinds of presentations too.

Overall, your feedback really helped me reflect on my intentions, the delivery, and where I can grow. It reassured me on what’s working, but also gave me new ways to approach future sessions with more structure, clarity and accessibility. I want my talks to feel inclusive, useful, real and reflective of where the design industry is (and where it’s evolving to). Thank you again for your generosity, your practical suggestions, and your encouragement.