Event date and time: Wednesday 13th May 2026, 14.00 – 15.00
How can creativity enhance learning development? In what ways can learning development be made more inclusive and increase student engagement?
Two senior lecturers from the Academic Support team at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London have developed an initiative, Radical Pedagogies, to explore inclusive models of participation and engagement. We focused on developing student-centred teaching materials that celebrate diversity and respect individuality. Our aims were to weave social justice, creativity and activism into teaching, making the educational experience more meaningful for students.
By gathering materials centred on expanding the radical potential of pedagogy and transforming learning, alongside generating ideas through exploring contemporary activism, we have developed resources which are applicable within transdisciplinary contexts, and foster creativity, curiosity and risk-taking.
The initial realisation was a box set of 20 cards. Each card introduces a topic and includes activities. We started to develop these cards soon after the pandemic, when we thought it was important to create tactile resources. The cards can be used flexibly to engage critical thinking and stimulate creativity and are divided into four themes:
- Avant-Garde Action
- Critical Thinking
- Radical Re-imaginings
- Thinking Time
The content of the cards draws on our personal research interests spanning poetry, film, performance art, feminist and queer theory, social justice, anti-racism, decolonising the curriculum, anti-capitalist critique and concepts of time.
We involved students in the card production, held a day-long student focus group and recruited a student designer/illustrator. This co-creation with students was invaluable.
Colleagues have enhanced their teaching sessions using these cards, in areas from critical thinking to time management.
In this interactive workshop, participants will have the chance to discuss the cards and carry out some activities. We hope to inspire colleagues to create similar resources to enhance their own teaching.
- [10 mins] Introducing the project and its aims to enhance learning development, inclusion and engagement.
- [5 mins] The process of producing the cards, involving students.
- [5 mins] introducing a few cards.
- [20 mins] Sharing all cards with participants. Discussion of cards/ trying out activities.
- [5-10 mins] How the cards have been used in learning development at LCC and their impact. Future plans.
- [10 mins] Discussion. If you were to make similar cards, what topics from your own research interests/disciplines would you introduce?
Presenters: Dr Helena Walsh and Sarah Macdonald, London College of Communication, University of the Arts London