Ethical Action Plan (500-750 words)*
Name: Julia Redman
Tutor: Andrew Slatter
Date: 06.10.2025
| What is the working title of your project? Also write a few sentences about the focus of your project. Topic: Impact of colour in teaching materials Research Question: “How can colour be used in teaching materials, both digital and analogue, to improve student lived experience, attention and attainment?” “Colour is a power which directly influences the soul” Wassily Kandinsky (artist) Focus: Impact on learning potential with considered use of colour for both neurodiverse and neurotypical students. Psychological impact of colour on student wellbeing – anxiety levels, confidence, retention of information. Impact of colour in teaching content on attention span, active participation, engagement. Impact of colour inclusion on teaching community, methods & workload. Initial data on disability will be taken from UAL’s own Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Report 2024, to set the scene and develop an understanding of the broader context of the study, throughout the UAL teaching & learning community. Detailed primary research, including a survey, and interviews, will focus the content on a more specific analysis of learning needs for both neurodiverse and neurotypical students, in terms of how on screen colour affects their ability to learn and retain information. Concluding statements will give recommendations for improvement in learning and teaching materials. |
| What sources will you read or reference? Share 5 to 10. Wilkins, Arnold. J., Reading Through Colour: How coloured filters can reduce reading difficulty, eye strain and headaches (2003) UAL Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Report (2024) Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/472836/PS24559-EDI-data-report-2024-20250731.pdf The 7 Principles of Universal Design. Available at: https://universaldesign.ie/about-universal-design/the-7-principles Irlen, Helen (1983). The Irlen Method https://irlen.com/the-irlen-method/ Jutlay, Parmi (2023). Colourful Classrooms: Unlocking the Power of Colour in Learning. Available at: https://www.ecoprinters.net/en/eco-blog/colourful-classrooms-unlocking-the-power-of-colour-in-learning Lott, Ben (2024) Designing For Neuro-diversity – The Impact of Colour. Denton. Available at https://www.denton.co.uk/insights/designing-for-neurodiversity-the-impact-of-colour/ Khan, Jahangeer & Liu Chengyu, (2020). The impact of colours on human memory in learning, Springer Open. Available at: https://sfleducation.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40862-020-00098-8 Neurodiverse connections. Available at: https://ndconnection.co.uk/blog/graphic-design-celebrating-neurodiversity Graphic Design. Available at: https://puddle.agency/neurodiversity-friendly-graphic-design/ Neurodiversity Design System. Available at: https://neurodiversity.design/ Denton (workspaces). Available at: https://www.denton.co.uk/insights/designing-for-neurodiversity-the-impact-of-colour/ |
| What action(s) are you planning to take, and are they realistic in the time you have (Sept-Dec)? I have adjusted teaching content to include different colour slides in classes Oct/Nov on the current Sustainable Design Management Unit (BSc Fashion Management 2nd Yr). Information on planned research has been shared with current cohort of 35 students, direct feedback to be obtained via Unit Evaluation Survey. A further questionnaire will be shared to the wider Fashion Business School community via the FBS newsletter and BSc Fashion Management Course Page on Moodle. Semi-structured interviews will be carried out with a small group of individuals across the teaching and learning community. Mixed methods – raw quantitative data from survey will be analysed to interpret patterns and preferences, supported with qualitative data, and examples from interview participants. |
| Who will be involved, and in what way? (e.g. colleagues, students, local community…). Note, if any of your participants will be under the age years of 18yrs, please seek further advice from your tutor. Staff & students of UAL. No participants under 18yrs. |
| What are the health & safety concerns, and how will you prepare for them? https://canvas.arts.ac.uk/sites/explore/SitePage/42587/health-and-safety-hub https://canvas.arts.ac.uk/sites/explore/SitePage/45761/health-and-safety-policies-and-standards Health & safety concerns are minimal, but the research will take into account the potential vulnerability of participants. The rationale and explanation for the surveys/interviews will be clearly defined. Wording of the survey will be carefully chosen and will take no longer than 10-12 minutes to be completed. |
| How will you manage and protect any physical and / or digital data you collect, including the data of people involved? https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#consenthttps://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#privacy-data-storage All data collected via surveys will be anonymised, and reported as part of an Action Research Project, the subject of which is the “impact of colour in teaching materials”. Participants in interviews will be asked if they want to be identified for their contribution, or maintain their anonymity. All data collected will be stored on UAL OneDrive & deleted after completion of analysis. |
| How will you take ethics into account in your project for participants and / or yourself? https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#responsibilities-participants https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#responsibilities-sponsors https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#responsibilities-wellbeing See Emotionally Demanding Research PDF on Moodle All participants will be treated fairly and sensitively, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, cultural identity, faith, disability. As this ARP is dedicated to the study of colour and its impact in teaching materials, it is expected, although not assumed, that there are likely to be a high number of neurodiverse respondents. Every time I have mentioned the subject of my study, it has elicited interest and a genuine desire to know more, particularly amongst my colleagues and peers, some of whom have already indicated that they themselves suffer from sensory incapacitation when faced with black on white content slides for presentations. |
* The form itself is around 300 words, so with your additions the total length will come to a maximum of about 1,050 words.
Signed Off by Andrew Slatter 20.11.2025
Interview Participant Consent Forms
