Dr Caitlin Kight from the School of Education talks about her experience of applied research, exploring the benefit of creativity in pedagogy, from Lego Serious Play to collaboration with the National Trust.
CH: To start, would you like to introduce yourself?
CK: My name is Dr Caitlin Kight, and I’m a lecturer in the School of Education. My current research is about reflection and creativity, and I do a lot of applied work about how we can use creative interventions in pedagogy and innovation.
CH: So what first got you interested in science communication and public engagement element?
CK: I was always interested in lots of different disciplines, so I had a hard time choosing what I wanted to do. I grew up in a university town, and had some amazing experiences with scientists who put on these wonderful events. I always had it in my mind that that would be a really nice thing to do, to excite the next generation and get them engaged with learning.
We often have discussions about the difference between engagement and outreach. And for me, it’s not like there’s a difference; I think there’s a continuum. The really good people don’t just talk at you, they have a conversation. That’s part of what engagement is. It’s not just a one-way thing!
CH: When you’re engaging communities with these ideas around creativity and reflection, what are the main things you’ve learned and what are some of the challenges and benefits that you’ve found?
CK: I have never done any outreach or engagement where I’ve thought, I wish I hadn’t done that. The people who engage for the most part, they’re open, they’re friendly, and they’re just really happy you’ve given them a thing to distract their kids on a Saturday! It’s just lovely, the energy that you get. I always feel so fulfilled, it feels very meaningful. And that’s especially true in a widening participation context.
What I’ve learned is how carefully you have to think. Who am I talking with, what am I doing this for? If I want to reach X, where and how do I do that? You really gain appreciation for how the little dynamics make or break something.
And if you want to do it well, you have to integrate it and plan for it. Nothing is exactly like something I’ve done before, same as teaching, and I like that.
CH: You’ve mentioned a few different communities that you’ve worked with, but are there any other groups you’re keen to work more with going forwards? Or new approaches you’d like to build into this work?
CK: When I first started thinking I might be a researcher, I was particularly interested in working with Indigenous tribes in the US, as a way of reconnecting with my (distant) heritage. I envisioned a mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge; however, once I got involved in decolonization work, I recognised that I had made a lot of assumptions about whether and how people might want to work with me — and this replicated problematic patterns of extraction.
What the decolonisation work has taught me is how important it is to take the time to genuinely listen to other voices — particularly those of marginalised people — so you can truly come into community. This allows you to honour and make use of everyone’s expertise, which is especially important if you want to tackle systemic and structural issues through your work.
CH: What would your advice be to someone who is looking to enter public engagement for the first time, particularly in that context of education and communication?
CK: I think it is really important to examine your own motives. Why are you doing this? What do you hope to get out of it? How would you feel if you were on the receiving end?
It’s also important to meet people where they are. I mean physically – pay people the respect of going out to them. And don’t do it in language that is off-putting. I think we forget how jargony we sound. Everyone has their own thing from their own context, and they need to filter that out for someone who doesn’t know that stuff.
Both of those are so important for making you more human and allowing you to connect with people. And then you get a much more genuine response.