I found my Action Research Project topic to be larger than I could manage in the time available, but I did manage to investigate one part, the effect of Analogue Drawing in Technical sessions. This part is what I see as an element in the ARP spiral, which enables me to place the research in an ongoing investigation of my larger topic.
I would have liked to send the questionnaires sooner in the term to avoid students’ deadlines. I would also liked to have given the students more time to fill in the surveys. I have also learned that surveys need to be concise and targeted. Online questionnaires are a good way to make the respondents anonymous, and to enable them to finish it in their own time, but I could also give the students a set time to do the survey, perhaps after a session.
I have also learned that I need to reach a broader range of students, not just the engaed ones.
In addition, I have also learned that my working style is to have lots of random comments and references, and to put them together in a formal academic style to make them logical and digestible for myself. Writing Blog Posts has helped to crystalise and formalise my thought immensely!
My Action Research Project sought to address Social Justice issues of Student Inclusion, Digital Equity, Digital Literacy and equitable access to technology by enhancing engagement in sessions designed to teach digital skills, and Sustainability. Through the integration of an Analogue-to-Digital workflow and the incorporation of an Analogue Drawing-based methodology, the research has highlighted the importance of contextualising digital skills within students’ overall creative practice.
The findings reveal that digital skills alone are insufficient to produce high-quality submissions or to adequately prepare students for industry demands. Instead, embedding these skills within a broader creative workflow – grounded in iterative processes that move between Analogue and Digital practices – fosters deeper engagement and creative exploration. The drawing activity proved instrumental in bridging Analogue and Digital modes of thinking, helping students to view Digital tools not as rigid or intimidating, but as integral components of a creative and iterative process.
Survey responses indicate that the drawing exercises promoted engagement, confidence, and inclusion across all student cohorts. Year 2 students, having more sustained exposure to these practices, demonstrated the most cohesive alignment with the project’s goals. The data shows that the drawing activities helped students adapt to Digital tools, understand Digital work as part of the creative process, and feel more relaxed and confident about learning new Digital skills. Furthermore, collaborative drawing exercises fostered a sense of community, albeit with room for further exploration to maximise peer-to-peer learning and group bonding.
While the findings strongly support the value of integrating Analogue practices like drawing into Digital skill development, the research also revealed challenges. These included barriers to technology use or drawing accessibility (the question did not have any comments so I cannot be specific until I do further investigation) and mixed responses regarding the role of drawing in understanding digital processes. These areas warrant further investigation to refine the pedagogical approach and ensure inclusivity and effectiveness for all learners.
In conclusion, the project underscores that Digital Equity and Literacy must be situated within holistic, creative practices that resonate with students’ existing skills and workflows. By modeling a process-orientated, Analogue-to-Digital approach, I can create more inclusive, engaging, and effective learning environments.
