IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION A

Abstract

This paper explores an innovative pedagogical model that relocates learning from traditional classrooms into public cultural spaces. Grounded in Brookfield’s (2005) Four Lenses of critical reflection: student, autobiographical, collegial, and theoretical. The author led a month-long collaborative project between students from the London College of Fashion (UAL) and the Young V&A Museum in London, transforming a museum studio into an active design room. During this residency, BA Fashion Jewellery students assisted academic staff in delivering a series of hands-on workshops to their peers within a dedicated creative space. These sessions were designed by faculty but facilitated with student support, encouraging collaborative learning, peer-to-peer engagement, and a sense of ownership over the learning environment. The museum space functioned as an extension of the classroom, immersive and participatory. To evaluate the impact of this alternative setting, the author collected qualitative data through questionnaires. The responses offered insight into students’ and staff experiences and informed ongoing pedagogical adjustments, highlighting the power of peer learning and public engagement experiences. This project shows how shifting educational environments can foster deeper student ownership, applied skills, and community engagement. It also argues that partnerships like this should not be seen as peripheral to the curriculum but as central to how we prepare students in creative disciplines for the complexities of professional life. Through continual reflection and responsive design, we can turn external collaborations into transformative learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom and into the world students are preparing to enter.