Creative Futures Innovation Toolkit

I really enjoyed presenting at The Square 2025, our recent I-TELL conference. This was a particularly meaningful moment for me. It was the first time I had shared independent scholarly research, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. There was an extra layer of emotional attachment to the work I was presenting.

My session focused on the journey students take into higher education. Many arrive from systems dominated by terminal exams and surface-level learning. At the same time, employers tell us they want graduates who are creative, adaptable and able to think critically. We are caught in the middle of that tension, and my research is an attempt to make sense of it.

As part of my DEE project, I explored how assessment policy influences what we can do in the classroom. The literature made it clear that rigid policy often restricts innovation. It limits the space we have to design assessments that nurture creativity and allow students to take risks.

In my talk, I offered a few recommendations for colleagues. One was to try out alternative assessment formats and see how they land with students. Another was to think about a wider cultural shift in assessment, moving away from ideas of punishment and towards trust, dialogue and meaningful learning.

Thank you to Professor Paul Ashwin – Lancaster University – for the feedback and support.