Mr Darren Raven

National Teaching Fellow 2013 Darren Raven's teaching practice involves developing vocationally-situated challenges that explore the concept of education as a liminal space, engendering a transformative exchange between learners, tutors and creative industry practitioners. His design projects require students to explore and apply design research methods to gain insight, inform process and underpin the development of practical skills. Motivated by a strong commitment to widening participation, Darren has undertaken numerous curriculum development projects aimed at enhancing the student experience and improving the ability of students to articulate and reflect upon their learning. In 2006 Darren conducted a CLIP CETL Teaching and Learning Fellowship award, focusing and developing students abilities with creativity and synthetic thinking skills through the adaptation of de Bonos Cognitive Research Trust (CoRT) thinking tools process. Activities and workshops developed through this project continue to be shared with students, academics, managers and support staff both nationally and internationally. Between 2007-2009, Darren collaborated in two UAL-wide projects exploring assessment feedback and achievement. Outcomes from these projects helped develop cross-year projects and co-curricular social activities to develop course culture. These included a learning-centred 'medal and mission' approach to assessment feedback language which highlighted positives and indicated areas to improve and new induction activities to develop learners understanding of expectations regarding course engagement and independent working. In 2010, through a UAL Making a Difference award, Darren explored and successfully introduced problem-based learning (PBL) within the graphic design programme as a means to encourage the development of self-directed learning, collaboration, effective and flexible approaches to problem exploration and resilience for learning. In 2012 Darren received a White Square Teaching Award, an initiative set up and voted for by UAL students. Feedback from this award included: "Your students appreciate you go above and beyond what is expected from staff in your role. Students have demonstrated that not only are you passionate, approachable and inspirational, you also personally go out of your way to make an extra effort that is deeply appreciated."