As an educator in Gender Studies, I am constantly guided by feminist values in recognising diversity and power hierarchies in the classroom. Out of 167 enrolled students in the unit Sex, Gender, Culture that I coordinated in 2026, 48.5% were domestic and 51.5% international students, from diverse national, cultural and linguistic contexts. While 76.5% students identified as female, there were several who identified as gender-diverse or non-binary. I find Kimberlé Crenshaw’s (2015) theory of intersectionality powerful in highlighting the ways in which race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, class, and ability intersect to create exclusions.
While this unit focuses on understanding and articulating key ways in which theorists understand gender, for the last two iterations (in 2025 and 2026) I have introduced an application-based learning and assessment task where students work in groups to identify a gender issue of their interest, reflect on a change that they would like to see happen in that area, and design a campaign plan to achieve the desired outcomes. I introduced this task with the idea of decolonising the classroom where knowledge is shaped not only by abstract ideas developed by white scholars based in the Global North but is also shaped by diverse knowledges and experiences including from students in the classroom. As Adrienne Rich (1986) says, if theory “doesn’t smell of the earth, it isn’t good for the earth” (p. 214).
Scaffolding and facilitation for success in groupwork
The purpose of this scaffolded assessment task, in addition to achievement of unit learning outcomes, is also for students to participate in collaborative learning through group work. Group work can be a fraught activity in learning environments. Students are oftentimes hesitant to work with peers from backgrounds different to their own. My conversations with students have revealed how they are often hesitant about group work especially when some students end up doing most of the work. However, if managed well, working in groups can be enriching. Groups provide variety in available learning methods, with members having the opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other (Lindsay & Orton 2014). Working in groups can also afford opportunities to form friendships which can be transformative in facilitating first-year students’ transition into university and help in developing a sense of belonging in university spaces.
The facilitation aspect of group work is key; group facilitation can be a “complex art” helping participants “harness their own energies, skills, and group wisdom” and bringing “all the facets of being human together” modelling and learning ways of “valuing, communicating with and treating each other humanely” (Lindsay & Orton 2014, p.48). An effective facilitator is alert, responsive, showing empathy, warmth, and personal awareness. As the unit coordinator, I spent considerable time planning tutorial activities, aligning assessment tasks with unit learning outcomes, designing marking rubric, and working with the teaching team.
A semester-long investment
Groups were formed in weeks 2-3, provided with regular inputs and instructions through lectures and tutorials including a guest lecture on feminist campaigns, and a worksheet to guide group discussions. Students were encouraged to communicate with each other in the initial weeks to discuss group rules and etiquette. They were allowed time in class to work together in their groups. Although the in-class time was not sufficient to complete the assessment, it helped them to initiate discussions and seek support and clarifications from tutors.
Tutors conducted regular check-ins to ensure students understood the task well and contributed equitably. Contribution to group processes could look different across groups as long as they were negotiated and communicated within groups. Regular check-ins enabled early detection and resolution of conflicts. The assessment marking rubric included marking criteria for group processes underlining the importance of participation and contribution to group processes. While all group members received the same group mark, there were instances where group members were marked individually depending on their (lack of) participation.
In week 7 groups were required to make 5-minute un-marked mini-presentations to share their work-in-progress. This was aimed at creating a space to seek and receive feedback from peers. This allowed students to listen and learn from their peers and provided an opportunity for tutors to observe progress and provide early feedback. Students were encouraged to reflect on how to provide constructive feedback and how to work with critical feedback. Creating spaces for students to listen, learn and provide feedback to each other also stems from the idea of democratising education where students are seen as confident and in control of their own knowledge. It de-centres educators as the sole source of knowledge and instead values students’ knowledge and capacities.
Reflection and evaluation
Having introduced the task in 2025, I conducted a formal research study to learn about student experiences. In addition to the USS, I disseminated an anonymised Qualtrics survey and conducted two focused group discussions to learn about student experiences.
In the 2025 iteration, students were required to initiate a group Padlet in week 3, continue working on it through the semester and submit the final version on completion. While students were clearly instructed that they would be assessed only on the final version, feedback through the study revealed that students found working on the Padlet confusing. While I had assumed that the information was useful and clear, students clearly did not think so. Taking student feedback on board, I revised the task in 2026 retaining the guidelines in the form of a worksheet but doing away with the Padlet.
While I had introduced the week 7 mini-presentations to explore if groups needed any specific support, I was pleasantly surprised to discover how students appreciated these check-ins. Students reported feeling less nervous and better prepared for their final presentations. The check-ins also created space for them to receive feedback on their own presentations and learn to listen and provide constructive feedback to each other leading to collective learning and reflection. This feedback loop was crucial in helping students develop robust, effective campaigns. By the time students made their final presentations in weeks 10-13, they had refined their work. It helped students to not only feel invested in their own project but also learn about gender issues from different perspectives and contexts. Students also felt they had been part of each others’ learning journeys. I re-introduced a Padlet activity in 2026 to encourage students to provide anonymous, constructive feedback to each other during and after the week 7 presentations within the time constraints.
Critical feedback from students has helped to shape the task over time. As an educator, it helps me be better attuned to student responses as I continue to work with and reflect on different pedagogical elements, be reflexive of my own assumptions, and be agile in my practice. I realise as an educator, my teaching is not stasis but is constantly evolving.
