As mentioned in the previous post, recruitment will encourage participation from individuals who identify as neurodivergent, queer, disabled, or as supporters/allies committed to fostering inclusive environments, to build solidarity and shared understanding across differences. Recruitment will leverage accessible platforms such as MS Forms and Padlet (similar to this Padlet), to ensure broad and inclusive outreach.
The session will employ participatory methods like show-and-tell, small-group dialogues, and zine co-creation, facilitating self-expression, critical reflection, and community-building (Kara, 2015; Taylor & Robinson, 2009). I will use the below zine (displayed in fig. 1) – (NEED to ASK PERMISSION TO ALEX) and anecdotes from personal experience (as recently exploring the possibility of having ADHD and having worked for many years with neurodiverse children, students and colleagues) as an ice-breaker to spark further discussions among students on the three topics of conversation.
The final output could be a collaborative zine, as exemplified above, that serves as both a tangible representation of student narratives and a potential resource for institutional advocacy by sharing insights with EDI and Disability Services teams – always contingent upon participant consent and control over dissemination. A visual map or a collage of findings could also be stored on a UAL web server. This strategy adopts an intersectional and trauma-informed approach, acknowledging the multiple and overlapping oppressions that students face (Crenshaw, 2013).
Step-by-Step SIG’s Schedule and methodology:
Icebreaker (Using Padlet or fallback material). Suggested Prompts for Padlet or Verbal Kick-off:
- What does a “typical” learning journey look like for you at LCC?
- Can you sketch or describe a moment when you felt fully supported – or completely overlooked?
- Where does technology help or hinder you in your creative or academic process?
- What would an inclusive learning environment look like to you?
Using visuals, drawings, short notes – anything goes.
SIG Open Discussion (90 minutes or 120 with one break) on the 3 Themes with Guiding Questions
Theme 1: Navigating LCC – From BA to MA. Prompting Questions:
- What do you wish you had known when you started at LCC?
- How do experiences differ between BA and MA levels – in terms of support, freedom, or pressure?
- What are some opportunities LCC offers that you’ve been able (or unable) to take up?
- What feels like a systemic challenge vs a personal one?
Optional Activity/Prompt: Timeline or storyboard mapping, “Plot a high and a low point in your LCC journey.”
Theme 2: Technology as Bridge or Barrier. Prompting Questions:
- Which platforms (Canvas, Moodle, SEAtS, etc.) do you actually use – and how?
- Do you find that these tools help you learn, or do they add more administrative tasks?
- How does AI show up in your learning? Does it feel like a friend, a threat, or something else?
- What’s one digital change you’d make to support creative practice better?
Optional Prompt: Share an example from CHI 2025 on student interaction with AI for comparison.
Theme 3: Inclusion, Identity, and Institutional Practice. Prompting Questions:
- In what ways does LCC feel inclusive or exclusive — in terms of neurodiversity, disability, race, culture or gender?
- Have policies or procedures (accommodations, extensions, class participation) helped or harmed you?
- What forms of support do you need that aren’t currently available?
- How can governance, not just people, become more empathetic?
Optional Activity: Ask attendees to create a “Policy Wishlist” – a fictional policy that would make them feel more supported or seen.
End: Synthesis + What Next?
- What patterns or recurring stories have we heard today?
The following are to be asked in the online Consent Form that participants must complete:
- Would you be interested in a follow-up session, a zine, or some other creative output?
- Where do we go from here? Can we turn these experiences into action or proposals?