As a learning designer focused on online teaching and learning, I approach this action research project from both a professional and deeply personal perspective. My own experiences with feeling unsafe to share (as both a member of staff and a student) in educational spaces have influenced my understanding of psychological safety. This personal insight is balanced with my professional role in designing inclusive and engaging learning experiences for others.
My cultural background has heightened my awareness of how the ‘mainstream’ represents just one of many valid perspectives. While I acknowledge my privilege in speaking English – the language of the dominant culture – this intersection of belonging and difference has made me particularly attuned to the complexities of creating truly inclusive learning spaces.
The philosophy inherent in this quote by Dieter Ram: “Indifference towards people and the reality in which they live is actually the one and only cardinal sin in design” resonates deeply with my position as a learning designer, where my role is not just to create educational experiences, but to actively combat indifference by understanding and responding to the diverse realities of learners’ experiences.
Having such a positionality both benefits and challenges my research. While my personal experiences with feeling unsafe to share inform my sensitivity to these issues, I must remain mindful that my current role as a learning designer and my ability to navigate dominant cultural spaces might make me less likely to see other perspectives. This awareness shapes my approach to the research, particularly in how I engage with participants and interpret their experiences of psychological safety in online arts education.
My intervention project for the IP unit explores my feelings around being made to feel that I should be ‘fitting in’ to spaces, be it professional or personal. You can read more here: The ‘perfect fit’ – embracing authentic identities in online environments.