Phenomenological research is a qualitative approach that seeks to understand and describe lived experiences from the perspective of those who live them (Husserl, 1970). Unlike other methodologies that may prioritise measurable outcomes or theoretical constructs, phenomenology focuses on subjective experience, exploring how individuals make sense of the world around them (Groenewold, 2004).
In the context of my research, a phenomenological approach allows me to examine how students experience psychological safety in online arts education, particularly as it relates to their willingness to share creative work.
As a research strategy, it allows me to focus on “learn[ing] from the experiences of others […] broadening our understanding of the complex phenomena involved in learning” (Neubauer, Witkop and Varpio, 2019), specifically as these phenomena are experienced by students.
Edmondson (1999) defines psychological safety as “freedom from fear, embarrassment, or humiliation in groups.” In the context of arts education, this concept becomes increasingly nuanced. As Samuel Beckett (1975) reminds us, “To admit that to be an artist is to fail, as no other dare fail, that failure is his world.” This perspective highlights the profound vulnerability inherent in developing one’s creative practice, where the act of making and sharing inevitably involves the risk of failure, critique, and misunderstanding. Psychological safety, therefore, is not merely about cultivating a “nice” or supportive environment in which to share, learn, and fail; it demands a critical examination of the power dynamics, values, and institutional structures that influence students’ willingness to share their work and fully engage in the learning process.
According to Schein and Bennis (1965) psychological safety can also be something that reduces “a person’s anxiety about being basically accepted and worthwhile”. If we couple this with the belief that in art and design education, ‘the work’ is ‘synonymous with the person[hood] of the student and an integral part of their professional identity’ (Orr and Shreeve, 2017), then this means that when we ask students to share their work, we’re asking them to offer up for critique a part of themselves. For black and ethnic minority, LGBTQIA+, mature, and first-generation university students who are often excluded from normative student culture, this ask can be particularly challenging . Such feelings of exclusions from the ‘norm’ can lead to feelings of fear and isolation, impacting their motivation, experience and retention (Tinto, 1993), a scenario exemplified by former LCF student, Romero Bryan:
I wanted to explore my culture, in terms of reggae music and the dancehall scene, being I am originally Jamaican, with links to Cuba also. Unfortunately, it was frowned upon by the tutors. I guess they were scared they couldn’t relate to my experiences… It was very much a Western approach to the subject areas you were allowed to explore. Anything outside of that was a no-go zone.
Romero Bryan, Shades of Noir, 2020
Romero’s experience highlights how the lack of psychological safety can limit the ability of students from diverse backgrounds to fully engage in and express their creative identities. He experienced the learning environment as one in which certain perspectives were implicitly excluded, restricting his creative exploration and reinforcing feelings of alienation as his identity and experiences fell outside the norm.
While psychological safety has been studied across various contexts in education, a significant gap exists in understanding its role within arts education, particularly in online environments. My research direction has been influenced by existing studies that explore psychological safety as a phenomenon, albeit in different disciplinary fields such as medicine or business studies. This gap presented an opportunity to examine psychological safety specifically within the online creative arts education space.
References
Beckett, S. (1965) Proust: And three dialogues with Georges Duthuit. London: Calder.
Groenewald, T. (2004) ‘A phenomenological research design illustrated’, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 3(1), pp. 42–55. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690400300104.
Neubauer, B., Witkop, C. and Varpio, L. (2019) ‘How phenomenology can help us learn from the experiences of others’, Perspectives on Medical Education, 8(2), pp. 90–97. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-019-0509-2.
Orr, S. and Shreeve, A., 2017. Art and design pedagogy in higher education: Knowledge, values and ambiguity in the creative curriculum. Routledge.
Schein, E.H. and Bennis, W.G. (1965) Personal and organizational change through group methods. New York: Wiley.
Teherani, A., Martimianakis, T., Stenfors-Hayes, T., Wadhwa, A. and Varpio, L. (2015) ‘Choosing a qualitative research approach’, Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 7(4), pp. 669–670. doi:10.4300/JGME-D-15-00414.1.