Awards P1 - And the winner is.... an inquiry into industry awards and their role in higher education

This podcast supports a panel discussion I am moderating on June 15 at 2pm UAE time which explores the role industry awards play in a higher education programme.  This is part of Middlesex University's Annual Learning & Teaching Conference.

This panel discussion features faculty members from across Middlesex University's international campuses who will discuss their experiences and successes in entering students' work into industry awards. The aim is to initiate a discussion on the importance of industry-judged awards in higher education, aligning with Middlesex University's priorities under "Transforming Learning." The creative industries place a high value on awards, and major international competitions include free or heavily-subsidised youth categories to identify exceptional creativity and instill a passion for the industry. The proposed discussion aims to inspire study into this under-researched subject, share good practices and inspire colleagues to consider incorporating industry awards into their own pedagogy to help students achieve success.

For more information and to register: https://www.mdx.ac.uk/get-in-touch/meet-us/mdx-annual-learning-and-teaching-conference-2023/session-1b

Transcript

INTRODUCTION

Are you ready to dive into the world of industry awards, employability, and academic success? Middlesex University invites you to join us for an exciting plenary session during our annual Learning and Teaching Conference.

Get ready for an engaging discussion led by esteemed faculty members from across Middlesex University's international campuses. They will share their experiences and successes in entering students' work into industry awards.

The creative industries highly value these awards, often offering free or heavily-subsidized youth categories to identify exceptional creativity and ignite a passion for the industry.

Join us as we explore this under-researched subject, share best practices, and inspire colleagues to consider incorporating industry awards into their own teaching methods. By doing so, we can help our students achieve unparalleled success.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to be part of the discussion that could shape the future of education. Mark your calendars for June 15th at 1 PM Gulf Standard Time.

This plenary session, entitled "Industry Awards, Employability, and Academic Success," promises to be an eye-opening experience for educators and professionals alike.

To register and secure your spot, visit our website. Participation is free, and the event will take place online, making it easily accessible for everyone.

We invite you to join the conversation and unlock new possibilities. Register now and be part of the future of education.

PART 1

In my second season of summer research, I am delving into the role of industry awards in higher education programs. These awards, given by organizations like the Middle East Public Relations Association, PRCA MENA, and TiE Dubai, have the potential to contribute to a structured and formal learning experience. I will be moderating a virtual panel discussion on this topic at Middlesex University's Annual Learning and Teaching Conference on June 15 (1pm UAE). You can register for the conference on the official Web site. 

I had the fortunate opportunity to come across EdDesign Mag, whose editor invited me to conduct research based on pedagogic practices in UAE schools. In my first feature, I explored vocational education and found a starting point for my investigation into how awards fit within formal education.

Industry awards can be considered a form of assessment that measures vocational skills. Therefore, it makes sense to begin by examining articles that discuss vocational assessment. Luckily, I discovered a recent and reputable Systematic Review published in the journal, Sustainability. The review, conducted by Siti Yusop and her team, identified 29 papers that met their study criteria. Among these papers, 44% advocated for a competence-based approach to assessment (CBA), followed by Performance-based (18%) and Formative Assessment (11%), with 12 additional sub-themes also identified.

Competence-based approaches, as defined by the authors, closely align with Problem-based learning. This approach integrates theory and practice, motivating students and allowing them to build their learning during assessment. 

Performance-based approaches involve using technology to observe and improve student competencies, adapting teaching and learning accordingly. For instance, Computer-assisted assessment (CAT) of problem-solving skills can be used to track students' progress using a structured rubric. This approach is suitable for vocations that involve continuous processes, such as manufacturing.

Formative assessment is an ongoing method where teachers provide feedback, corrections, and continuous activities to support students' learning. This approach encourages collaboration and helps students take ownership of their work.

The authors also emphasize the importance of teachers' role in vocational assessments. They found that classroom-based assessments that are disconnected from real-world practice were ineffective in helping students relate theory to practice in the workplace. They call for assessments that prioritize knowledge mastery, intellectual capital development, a progressive attitude culture, and the cultivation of high virtue, ethics, and moral values.

Based on this information, I am motivated to develop a rubric for industry awards, focusing on how they contribute to competence-based assessment, particularly in problem-based learning and portfolio-based submissions. The rubric would include criteria such as access to industry experts for knowledge exchange and the assessment of "virtue, ethics, and moral values". 

In the next section, I will delve deeper into the concept of assessment to further explore this topic.

PART 2

In this section I am delving into the fundamental elements of assessment, inspired by the work of Marina Ibrahim Mukhtar and Jamil Ahmad in their article titled "Assessment for Learning: Practice in TVET". This article has been widely cited in various literature, indicating its significance in the field.

The authors highlight the crucial role assessments play in improving students' learning and teachers' teaching, aiming to help students achieve their individual potential. They outline key elements necessary for a successful competence-based assessment. A clearly defined purpose, appropriate methods for gathering evidence, the availability of competency standards, a judging process, and a reporting mechanism to share results with stakeholders.

Purpose is a crucial aspect to consider when examining the significance of entering or winning an award. For instance, the Dubai Lynx encourages entries from individuals who wish to showcase their talent and be recognized for work that sets the standard for exceptional creativity in the region. The PRCA offers opportunities to encourage teams, make a mark, expand networks, and gain global recognition. Mepra's Arabic PR Awards, on the other hand, celebrates excellence in Arabic-led campaigns and aims to highlight the brightest Arabic communications professionals.

"Recognition" emerges as a common theme in these awards, contributing to a student's social capital by increasing their visibility and expanding their network. It is worth noting that I received employer enquiries about my ICCO PR World Cup Students on the day the winner's announcement was made. 

The "Who Knows You" factor is significant and can be supported by the university itself, benefiting both the institution's brand and the faculty team. Therefore, it is essential to determine if the purpose of awards is solely recognition and whether that is inherently negative. In the academic realm, where professors are accustomed to waiting for years for their work to be peer-reviewed and published in reputable journals, publicity-focused awards may be seen as frivolous. From the readings and brief review of the awards mentioned above, it is evident that competitions need to offer more substance than mere publicity. 

Fortunately, many competitions do incorporate meaningful elements. For example, the Dubai Lynx uses the submitted awards to organize events and generate data that inspires creativity and informs executives at all levels, promoting growth and ensuring the health of the advertising sector. The PRCA recognizes the value of peer-to-peer relationships and the ability of awards to motivate employees and support management teams. MEPRA organized an award category exclusively for Arab talent, fostering a community of Arabic-speaking and writing communications professionals. Yusop further suggests that portfolio work is valuable in competence-based assessment, and evidence obtained from winning an award contributes rich content to such submissions.

The challenge lies in whether young individuals have the ability to understand and appreciate the importance of these objectives on their future careers. Additionally, it raises the question of whether faculty and institutions recognize their role in addressing industry challenges while considering their own objectives.

Engaging universities in the development of awards is a valid strategy to overcome this challenge, as demonstrated by TiE Dubai. Their proactive outreach to academia results in a significant quantity of high-quality submissions each year. The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) also takes an academic-centric approach by involving professors in the judging panel for its PR World Cup. On the other end of the spectrum, EUPRERA and the PR Arena competition begin with academia designing the program of learning and assessment, and then industry provides the problem to be addressed.

Building upon the previous section, the rubric for judging industry awards should consider factors such as the contribution to competence-based assessment, particularly in problem-based learning pedagogy and portfolio-based submissions. Additionally, the lecturer's ability to provide suitable advice or formative assessment, facilitated by providing an adequate timeframe for briefing and preparing work, should be taken into account. Moreover, the award body should offer access to expert speakers and challenge students with projects that help them develop ethically and positively engage with society.

Case Example: Dubai Lynx Student Awards

For an excellent example of incorporating these elements, I would refer readers to the Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity's Student Integrated Award. In the 2022-23 edition, students were challenged to develop an integrated campaign for the Unstereotype Alliance. The challenge was supported by online workshops, videos, and expert articles, providing guidance from industry specialists. The brief was given at the beginning of the academic year in September, with the submission deadline at the end of the same term in December. Students were also invited to participate or volunteer at the Festival itself, offering them a broader engagement with the industry. Additionally, there will be a special seminar next week where winners from the professional categories will share their experiences from the Festival.

Factors related to "purpose," including the quality and quantity of recognition that students would receive from participating would be relevant criteria to evalate an award competition. As would the impact that participation would have on industry, institutions, students, and society at large.

PART 3

Continuing with the work of Marina Ibrahim Mukthar and Jamil Ahmad, we focus on the second box in their model, which is "Evidence." The authors emphasize the importance of portfolios within competency-based assessment (CBA). A portfolio is a structured document or electronic equivalent that includes statements, critical evidence, and other evidence that supports the learner's knowledge of the qualification. In their model, evidence holds a central role in the assessment process.

Mukthar and Ahmad distinguish between two forms of evidence: "evident process" and "evident product". Evident process refers to the teacher's observations of students as they engage in a task, while evident product refers to the finished outcome. By evaluating students' progress and assessing their projects at significant milestones, teachers can support high-performing students in advancing. They can also provide additional opportunities for those who have not yet achieved the required level of competence. This pedagogical approach is termed "Assessment for Learning".

This study aligns the previous chapter, which emphasizes the need for awards organizers to allocate sufficient time for formative assessment. One exemplary case of this approach is seen in TiE Dubai's University Competition. In terms of "evident product," the Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity Student Competition provides excellent opportunities for showcasing activations.

 Case of Evident Process: TiE Dubai University Competition

The TiE Dubai University Competition invites teams of undergraduate, postgraduate, and recent graduate students with early-stage businesses or promising concepts to submit a business case. The selected teams have the potential to present their ventures to investors within the Gulf region and later in a global finale in the United States.

To support submissions, TiE Dubai organizes weekly workshops from the official start until the submission date. These workshops enable students to develop their concepts and receive feedback from various experts who can address all areas of their business plans.

My students highly value these additional sessions, which either reinforce what we've covered in class or provide deeper insights. I'm proud that two of my students have reached the final stages in the UAE over the past three years, and many others have benefited from these workshops to support their final year assignments.

 Case of Evident Product: Dubai Lynx Student Competitions

At a basic level, the Dubai Lynx requires students to provide an A2 board, but this offers numerous opportunities for creative activations. In addition to being visible at the main exhibition, student work has been displayed at the local offices of the International Advertising Association (IAA), where senior advertising professionals have been invited to provide critiques. Students have also showcased their work on the Middlesex University Dubai campus, gaining recognition from their peers.

These A2 boards, while simple, offer great fun and many of them now decorate my office and virtual gallery in the metaverse. These boards help to generate opportunities for photographic evidence that students can incorporate into their portfolios, reflections, and other assignments to provide evidence of their competence and efforts.

In addition to the previous elements discussed, we can now include "evident process" and "evident product" in our evaluation rubric. I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead as we continue to develop this rubric and explore further aspects of assessment and recognition in education and beyond.

PART 4

The third element of Mukhtar and Ahmad's diagram focuses on appropriate methods for collecting evidence. The paper explores two directions based on whether the evidence pertains to the "process" or the "product."

 Evident Process Awards

 The first commonly followed format for awards is that of a "hackathon." Typically, this involves a recruitment process based on CVs and an assessment center activity. A selected group of students is gathered for a briefing, divided into teams, and assigned a wicked problem to solve within a short time-frame. The students must quickly form teams, analyze the problem, gather data from available sources, and develop a presentation that is ultimately delivered publicly to a panel of expert judges at the finale. Examples of such events include the Mepra National Student Pitch, the ICCO PR World Cup, and the EUPRERA PR Arena competition.

These events take place in an accelerated format, resulting in "evident products" that are often of lower quality than what students would typically produce. Therefore, the final idea itself is not the primary focus of assessment; rather, the emphasis lies on the quality and professionalism of the presentation delivery. Teams that effectively delegate work, demonstrate time management, and show commitment to the task tend to shine in these competitions. This showcases their mastery of the process of addressing a brief and their ability to work in a professional environment.

A similar yet more structured "assessment center" approach can be seen in Model United Nations simulations. Here, students receive advance information about a brief, are tasked with preparing working documents to demonstrate their understanding of the issues involved, and then engage in role-playing as representatives of specific nation states. During the simulation, they work collaboratively to solve some of the world's most complex problems. Alongside awards for the best policy paper, judges observe the students' interactions and score them based on a focused rubric. Students are assessed for their technical skills evident in the research and paper submitted beforehand, as well as their ability to work effectively in teams to address problems.

 Evident Product Awards

 The second and more common format for award competitions involves setting a brief for students and providing them with a reasonable period of time to research and produce a solution. The awards organizers offer varying degrees of specificity in the brief. 

 Rigid briefs

 In my experience, the Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity student awards and the AKQA-managed Future Lions competition set the benchmark for quality. In the aforementioned examples, the brief is relatively structured and defined, with a known client and a clearly described objective. This simulates a real-life scenario and challenges students to address problems outside their comfort zones or prior experience. When integrated into a class assignment, this approach can stimulate and inspire students to work harder. However, if the competition is presented as optional, and the subject material doesn't interest the class, the content of the brief can deter some students from participating.

 Flexible briefs

 The D&AD New Blood Awards provides multiple high-quality briefs for students to choose from. This allows industry judges to see the projects and content that genuinely interest the youth and showcase emerging skills that may not be prescribed by structured curricula. On the other end of the spectrum, the PRCA MENA's Student Awards invite students to submit their best work based on their own judgment. This exciting approach allows industry judges to observe the projects and content that reflect students' genuine interests and the skills they naturally develop.

 Goldilocks briefs

 In the middle ground, there are various sustainability-focused competitions, such as the "Eco Fashion Carnival," which challenges designers to develop concepts inspired by sustainability principles. The UN Sustainable Development Goals offer a vast range of directions with 17 thematic areas and over 160 action points. Students have the freedom to mix and match and create almost unlimited outputs within this broader boundary. 

 PART 5 

 The final section in this podcast reviews the right half of the diagram designed by Mukhtar and Ahmad which describes the evaluation process undertaken after evidence has been collected. This requires that evidence is interpreted based on the initial brief, judgement is passed as to how well the evidence meets the brief, and then how this is recorded and the method and audience that these results are later reported. 

In education the 'evidence' is first interpreted by the teacher who may share a provisional report with the student. This allows the student to discuss the interpretation with their tutor and potentially challenge their analysis. In any case, grades are ultimately validated by a judging panel generaly including two or more independent parties. This is then formalised by a progress review board before being written into the official records. 

In the case of an award, the first stage is the same. Student and teacher would meet to discuss the submission and determine whether the work is of a high enough quality to be entered. If the student disagrees they can still enter their work if they choose. 

I rarely have more than 2 or three entries pass through this stage, which helps to inspire students to put their best in, rather than submit anything and chance their luck. 

There may be two or more stages to judging. I have participated as a judge in several award competitions and the complexity of this process varies quite significantly. The Mepra Dave Robinson Award for Outstanding Youg Communicator was first assessed by the trade association's administrative team to ensure that all documents were submitted in the correct format. These would then be evaluated by a segment of a judging panel. Those entries that achieved a certain benchmark would then progress to a full meeting of judges to determine which, if any, deserved recognition. A final step would include a shortlist being invited for a face-to-face interview. 

Another competition involved an independent auditor, a professional management consultancy, who oversaw the entry process and our meetings as judges. Others are much simpler, only requiring judges to tick boxes in a questionnaire. Hackathons are also less 'rigorous' (in their current form) due mostly to the nature of the competition which is held over the course of a short-time period, and where the results are presented in a brief presentation. 

One of the main concerns with judging by industry peers is the lack of transparency of the process. Some competitions attempt to overcome this by inviting large panels of judges - so everyone has the opportunity to participate and observe that the right decisions are made. There is also a strategy in some cases not to have one outright winner, but instead to evaluate each campaign on its own merit. This may result in multiple "golds", "silvers" or "bronzes' which helps to overcome complaints of subjectivity and bias. This also allows awards to be presented and retain their credibility even in categories that have low participation. Yours may be the only submission, but that doesn't guarantee you a gold for example. 

Where judging appears strong and robust, reporting is more about the glitz and the glam. Lavish ceremonies where tables can cost AED 10-12000 (GBP2,000+) are the norm. In fact these events have become such money spinners for the organisers that criticism of awards as 'shortlisting everyone who enters to sell as many seats as possible' may be justified. In any case, it is the number of participants who attend to view the trophy being bestowed which contributes to the prestige of the competition. This may be particularly evident in the film industry where awards offer confidence to the distribution networks that a production will bring success. There are many events that announce winners over online channels, which is convenient and permits more access to friends and family - however, in my opinion nothing beats the face-to-face unveiling. 

And so this is where I will conclude. If you would like to hear more about this, we invite you to join us at Middlesex University's Annual Learning & Teaching conference on June 15 at 1pm UAE. It's an online event and free to attend. Hope to see you there!