ARP PROJECT
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PROJECT FINDINGS & ACTION PLAN
It has been a very interesting journey to work on my research, to read about how to do it from a creative perspective, to collect all the information, to challenge the process and to conclude with findings and an action plan.
After determining the participation on my survey was not conclusive, Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). I put all my attention on the casual interviews as I mentioned on my previous post “Research Challenges”.
Once I finalised all the interviews, I color coded the key mentioned topics which were common across the participants. The color coding helped me to visually unify ideas and to easily transcribe them in a table where I highlighted key categories, concepts and possible solutions. It has been revealing to observe both perspectives, from academic staff and from the students.
The key findings are:
- The MA FDM course doesn’t have any formal traceability tool in terms of employability.
- Students wonder about their future in the industry from an early stage as the course lasts 1 year.
- Networking is key for employability, the LCF provides multiple options, but students lack confidence to take advantage of the opportunity, which makes them feel uncertain about their future.
- Students would appreciate guidance as networking help them to feel included and helps them to move toward their professional goals. It would be valuable to provide support to define and action plan and a follow up accountability process.
- Networking should be contextualised and seen as an opportunity for development, a learning experience where information is exchanged, no matter the ultimate outcome.
- Not all the students are ready to participate in some of the activities provided by the LCF. We could support them building confidence, however, this is a journey where they need to keep being curious.
Is it evident on the research that the networking opportunities are there, students are eager to participate, but they feel not confident and equality somethings they’re not ready to move forward. The proposal solution would be to provide a space were we complement the current Tutorial Framework with a Tutorial Framework for employability addressing the MA’s FDM concerns about their future employability and where the current networking opportunities are consciously explored according to the students needs and interests.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019) Research methods for business students. 8th edn. Harlow: Prentice Hall. (Pages 297 & 298)
PRIMARY RESEARCH & CONSENT FORMS
One of the parts of the ARP I am enjoying the most is the Primary Research. It started last July 10th 2023 and finalised on January 5th 2024. I had conversations with different academics who work at the LCF as well as current & former MA’s Fashion Design Management Students. Most of the discussions were online and few of them in person after my lecturing sessions. I am glad I selected Casual Conversations/Non structured interviews as a method for my research as it allowed me to openly explore the subject. Indeed, I approached few of the participants twice, as there was the need of further exploring their insights. In a time difference of few months, the conversation was much meaningful.
I believe this is a result of the process of research. Once the researcher starts the journey, the knowledge on the subject matter is limited and it expands as the research evolves. The conversation between the researcher and the participant becomes more detailed, specific, covering certain areas not explored previously and creating links between the different discussions among the participants.
There is a more subjective aspect which impacts the research which is the relationship between researcher and participant, during the second rounds there was a higher degree of relaxation and trust. I would be very curious explore further in the future the impact of the research if the participants are also involved in the Step 3 of the Action Research Cycle, to deliver and implement a tool to increase the networking opportunities the students have during their one year course as well as their feeling of inclusion and adaptation.
ACTION RESEARCH CYCLE
It’s time to reflect on my research and at what stage of the Action Research Cycle I am currently in.
I have been able to got through Step 1, as the problem has been defined and the research question has been framed. The identified opportunity of increasing employability and the sentiment of being part of the LCF by participating in networking activities, translates in the the Research Question: How Networking can positively impact future employability for the MA’s Fashion Design Management Students as well as their personal adaptation journey to the LCF.
I am currently working on Step 2 and it’s being a challenging process, as mentioned in my previous post. Collecting data hasn’t been as smooth as I planned, specifically the survey data collection. However, the casual conversations have been really insightful and hopefully they will help to shape how teaching or activities related to teaching can be updated. Nevertheless, it would be recommended to work further on increasing the participation ratio from the current 18% to at least a 95% of the survey targeted participants: Current MA FDM students and Graduated ones. This is the sample size recommended by Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research methods for business students. To conduct this research later on the time line, during the second term of the course, it would help to increase the participation as the students will be more settle.
In reaction to Step 3, the research aim is to deliver a tool to increase the networking opportunities the students have during their one year course, but unfortunately, it won’t be possible to implement it before the submission of the project. Post project submission, I will be involved in a process where I will be able to use the developed tool (Step 3), monitor and evaluate the changes made (Step 4) and review, reflect upon the changes and repeat the cycle if necessary (Step 5).
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019) Research methods for business students. 8th edn. Harlow: Prentice Hall. (Pages 297 & 298)
RESEARCH CHALLENGES
It took me time to learn and choose the research methods I would be using for my ARP. Casual conversations and Surveys for a quantitative research.
I believe in the moment I defined my research methods I was too optimistic in regards to the level participation of the current and former MA’s Fashion Design Management students in the survey. In total there are 112 students between both courses, 2022/23 & 2023/24, however so far only 18 have participated in the Microsoft Form I released few weeks ago. Which is below the sample size recommended by Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019) Research methods for business students. I informed the current students via the course group created on Microsoft Teams and the formers ones through the private group created by the LCF on Linkedln. I will send a soft reminder, but at this stage I can’t rely on them.
This scenario forces me to focus on the casual conversations. That means two rounds of discussions per each of the 8 participants participants. The could be by Microsoft Teams, in person or by e-mail.
I will reflect further in how this situation positions my research inside The Action Research Cycle.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019) Research methods for business students. 8th edn. Harlow: Prentice Hall. (Pages 297 & 298)
RESEARCHING ABOUT WHAT I AM SEEING
December 2023, LCF
Since I started my Action Research Project I’ve been consciously paying attention to what I’ve been seeing and observing in the class room. The MA’s Fashion Design Management Students have been casually sharing their different networking experiences during the first term at the LCF. So far, they have had the opportunity of collaborating with other peers from the same course, working in a cross-unit which involves student from different courses, attending industry events and others. That translates in some relaxed discussions before starting my lecture. However, these conversations are not relaxed anymore for me as I’ve trying to gather as much information as possible which could be potentially useful to build my research. Basically, trying to actively understand the students’s experiences, views and challenges.
This experience directly resonated with the article from our 1st ARP session, Documenting classroom life: how can I write about what I am seeing?. As the article mentions, we don’t write what we see, we scribble. In my personal experience, I scribble key words, tone of the conversation, emotions and feelings. It is more about the action being observed than the specific words. Even though, the author highlights the impossibilities of capturing “everything” when observing any social scene, the relationship between the researcher as observer and the own own subjective past impacts the witnessing of the present scenario. Considering that, I have used my notes as a starting point to further research during my one to one casual conversations and the survey I shared with the students. These notes have opened me a space of new areas of research.
L. Jones, R. Holmes, C. Macrae and M. Maclure (August, 2010) “Documenting classroom life: how can I write about what I am seeing?” Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. Vol. 10(4), pp. 479–491.
HOW I DID MY SURVEY
I’ve chosen Survey as a research quantitative method with the purpose of understanding the current and past MA Fashion Design Management students perspective regarding the benefits of the networking opportunities the university is offering to them.
Before writing down the questions I read a chapter of Kara, Helen. Creative Research Methods in the Social Sciences: A Practical Guide, which helped me to reflect on:
- What I want to achieve with this research
- Which questions will help me to get relevant findings
- Are my analysis and its results going to be helpful in the next stages of the research process: writing, presentation, dissemination and implementation
- Which type of questions are better for my ARP? Are they closed questions or restrictive questions?
- Because of the nature of the questions, am I excluding any potential relevant results?
- Are the questions in the right sequence?
- Am I using the right vocabulary?
- Can I avoid any misinterpretation?
- To encourage high participation, is the number of questions adequate?
Once the survey draft was finalised, I wanted to verify it ticked all the boxes. On that note, I shared the draft with two current MA FDM students and with two former ones. The aim was to simply get their feedback, specially about the above points 4, 6, 7 & 8.
The opinion of these students was insightful and allowed me to notice some aspects I didn’t considered:
- They appreciate multiple choice closed questions
- The questionnaire could be more addresses towards the adaptation/inclusivity area
- There is one question which is not clear
Now I feel confident to finalise my survey and share it with the participants.
RESEARCHER WELLBEING
A few days ago I shared my Ethical Enquiry Form with my tutor and I got lots of relevant feedback. It took specially my attention the topic about the Researcher Wellbeing. It is something I didn’t consider, even though its relevance. I read the link my tutor provide me, and I further reflected on the current and potential risks for my wellbeing.
Currently I am in a very busy period of my life and I have recently considered to drop the PG Certificate. However, after lots of thinking and discussion, I strongly believe I should continue and finalise my research. To do so, and not to fall into stressful situations, I am conscious I need an action plan, a work structure, a critical path. For that purpose, I’ve registered in a monthly calendar all the key steps I should complete week by week till the submission of the ARP. I’ve color coded the actions based on: Forms, Primary Research, Secondary Research, ARP tutorials/cross programme, Blogging, Finalising the Presentation.
This plan has provided me tranquility and the security that if I follow it, I can submit my project on time.
RESEARCH METHODS & ETHICAL ENQUIRY FORM
Networking and its positive impact on future MA’s students’ employability and adaptation journey to the FBS, has been my research focus since we started the ARP, however it was not easy to summarise it in a tittle which I recently finalise it:
How Networking can positively impact future employability for the MA Fashion Design Management Students as well as their personal adaptation journey to the FBS
I believe this interest came from my years working in the industry and with the eagerness of detecting new young talent which could help any business evolving.
Furthermore, I wish many years ago I knew the importance of connecting with peers, colleagues, industry professionals, inspirational leaders… I’ve always done it instinctively but I would encourage everyone to be conscious and to have a methodology. The benefits are endless.
I am aware about students struggle to find a professional opportunity once they finish their MA’s, lots of competition, less job offers… they approach me asking for support and if I have any contacts. At the same time, I know the BFS/LCF offer different opportunities of interaction among the students and with the industry. However, I was not fully aware and I had to start my research. That translated in the need of learning about different research methods and evaluate which would be better for my ARP.
In terms of investigating the different networking opportunities, I had different options and among them: surveys, semi-structured interviews or simply casual conversations. I started from scratch as I was not aware of all the networking tools offered to the students, and this is why I decided to maintain casual chats with relevant staff members in order to shape the conversation depending on the inputs I obtain during the discussion. I believed to have some pre-defined questions would have limited the outcome as somehow, I would have been guided it. This decision was finally consciously taken after reflecting on it for weeks, after already having casual chats with the only goal of exploring and after our third ARP workshop.
Without knowing that this would be part of my research toolbox, I’ve started these casual chats in July and so far it has been an interesting journey which will help me to better define my survey to the Ma’s Fashion Design Management students, which I wanted to be quantitative to provide some data to my ARP.
The picture below shows the handwriting notes I tool during the casual conversations I’ve conducted so far.
I would like to highlight one of the key struggles has been to identify with who to maintain these casual conversations. For that, I hold few casual chats with peers and students, in order to understand who were those key stakeholders for my ARP.
Kara, Helen. (2015) Creative Research Methods in the Social Sciences: Practical Guide, Policy Press.
ARP TOPIC THOUGHTS
I am currently taking my time to define my research topic. I am aiming to select a research that resonates with my interests, that can add value to my practice (MA’s Fashion Design Management), specific enough, feasible, and related to social/racial justice.
Within my personal experience at the FBS, I’ve noticed how the students struggle to find a placement or a job once they finish their studies. They are very well prepared, with a high level of knowledge and eager to work. However, at the end of the year there are always some students who reach out for help to start their professional career.
At the same time, the UAL and the FBS are offering multiple options to create interactions with companies to increase the networking among the students and with professionals. Few of these options are: Graduate Futures, the Mentoring Network, different industry projects throughout the year… I wonder if the students are fully aware of all these opportunities and if they are able to define goals which will help once they start their professional career.
A very high percentage of the students move to London for the first time, they start working while they study, they have multiple projects to work on during their MA’s year and in addition they should be thinking about their professional futures. My aim would be to make MA’s FDM students’ journey easier, to empower them, to help them with their inclusion in the university as well as with their future employability by offering a clear “one page” guideline which contains all the possibilities that the University offers in terms of networking. In addition I would like to go deeper in the topic and provide an easy tool to define their networking goals as well as follow up. To make the journey easier and to empower all the students would be my commitment with Social Justice.
In order to define my final research, it was very helpful to casually chat with few UAL colleagues as well as with few students. My next step will be to define a proper survey as well as formal interview framework respectively.
A possible ARP title would be: “Effective networking tool box for MA’s Fashion Design Management students”.