Reflective Practitioner, Cass Student Exhibition

It is often only after a significant event that one has time to draw breath and reflect on what has been achieved. So now I have had that time to consider the full impact of the final exhibition of students work for the new Reflective Practitioner module I have been so occupied with over the past term, with students on the Business Management Undergraduate Course at Cass Business School. This was the culmination of 11 weeks work on a demanding and very different type of pioneering course that asks students to concentrate on developing a set of skills that will give them the extra edge as managers, and which employers and recruiters are telling us are key to what they are looking for, and all centering on self-awareness, reflection and persuasive communication. And how great to see the exhibition so well attended by many visitors from both within the university and also at high level from business and the arts, several of whom had made significant contributions to the course, and told their personal stories about how these skills have been massively important in their own career journeys.
The students both curated the exhibition and acted as guides. It was exciting to see and hear them speaking so eloquently and confidently about each exhibit and what it represented in terms of their own learning journey. At the heart of this work was the idea of keeping a Reflective Journal, where each student could privately reflect and explore ideas and content. For many these became truly important, and allowed them to put forward their reflections on management in any way they wished. It is quite extraordinary to see the range of writing, visual recording through notes and sketches and images. There is possibly no better team working exercise than designing, curating and guiding visitors through an exhibition, under huge time pressure. And a great endorsement of the course when a student came up to me and said, “You know a lot of us didn’t fully realise what we have achieved on this course until today, just seeing the results exhibited like this is massive. ”
And yes it was massive: insights, reflections, perceptions, critical analysis, all persuasively communicated, and in a complex visual display. One stands out, each student artfully communicating their personal management journey on the back of a business envelope.