a) Using a scaffolded flipped classroom model as the delivery methodology ?
Final Answer:
No, teaching technique didn’t work for the following reasons:
- My class was planned for more advanced learners who already knew basic Unreal Engine software (free to download) and had a stronger VFX-related background, as I wrongly assumed this year would follow the same pattern as the previous MA cohort. Unfortunately, I did not participate in student admissions, so I was unaware of their actual level. Only 3 out of 16 students had basic Unreal Engine knowledge, and half of the students came from directly related industries such as games, VR, animation, or post-production. I later adapted the content to their level, but overall, I consider this a failed attempt. This resulted in less time on task and, therefore, less time using and improving soft skills.
- One entry-level student stated that studying before class was “useless and unfair” and that all content should be taught in class only.
- When I asked each class whether they had prepared for the session, only a handful of students (around 5 out of 16) had done so. These numbers decreased drastically over time, and eventually, no one studied before class.
b) Offering six channels to support students’ reflection and application of soft skills ? (Padlet Journalling, Soft Skills Passport, Final Project Presentations and Blog).
- Introductory Workshop: Introductory Workshop: This was very useful, and students participated well. However, some soft skills were still difficult for them to understand. I observed that non-native English speakers had more tough time identifying and understanding soft skills.
- Soft Skills Passport:
- Only 1 out of 16 students actively interacted with the Soft Skills Passport in the intended manner. Two students copied and pasted content throughout the weeks, which invalidated their entries.
- It was mainly used by students to understand soft skill definitions and check which ones they could mention during final presentations.
- It was not used as a tool for weekly self-reflection and growth.
- Padlet Journalling:
- 8 out of 16 students engaged with soft skills reflection at the beginning of the course, which was also used for the pre-production presentation.
- It worked well for the initial pre-production presentation, which followed the introductory workshop on soft skills
- By mid-course (November), no one interacted with Padlet for journalling or soft skills reflection.
- Final Presentation using Padlet or slides (PPT or Canvas):
- 11 out of 16 students engaged with soft skills.
- Blog: It was mainly used for documentation for other classes, so there was almost no mention of soft skills. Students often pasted Padlet links or content directly into the blog. Even with summative evaluation, blogs were poorly written, with little or no reflective writing and mostly images uploaded with minimal descriptions.
- Final in-depth (optional) workshop: This was intended to explain why and how VFX and related industries demand soft skills, what STEM soft skills are, and how UAL evaluates them. It did not happen for reasons stated earlier in this document.
Other Findings:
- 3 out of 16 students did not engage with the soft skills topic in either Padlet or presentations. Their documentation and presentations focused on hard skills.
- 6 out of 16 students engaged partially, either at the beginning or at the end (mostly at the end).
- Engagement at the end of the project was greater (11 out of 16) compared to the beginning (8 out of 16). Students also showed more detailed evidence and reflection at the end. I speculate this happened because of the pressure of finalising their projects. They spent more time working and analysing their performance regarding soft skills.
Final Answer:
It is effective to implement soft skills gradually across not only the first term but all four terms, to allow these concepts to settle in students’ minds.
- The scaffolded flipped classroom approach is not effective for increasing time-on-task. Most students do not study beforehand, and when they do, it is random and inconsistent.
- Padlet journalling and the two presentations are very effective, as they seem to create pressure and accountability.
- I expected students to use the blog to evaluate their soft skills usage in other classes, but they failed to do so. It seems they only self-reflect when explicitly asked.