Practitioner-research Learning: A study of Adding Research Elements in Fashion and Textile Design Education

The effectiveness of applying practitioner-research as a practical learning technique for undergraduate students in Hong Kong majoring in fashion and textile design is evaluated in this study, which challenges the conventions of fashion and textile design education.

Educators are faced with problems of providing students with relevant subject-specific and transferable skills and knowledge as well as appropriate industry interaction. Undergraduate fashion and textile design students lack creativity and critical thinking skills, have less opportunities to engage in design research and have weak competitiveness in the future. By encouraging students to use research methodologies in design activities during class study, the study intended to implement practitioner-research in fashion and textile design teaching and learning. It has the potential to enhance students’ learning capacities, enrich their learning experiences, and help them to become more competitive for jobs or future education.

The study is based on both qualitative research and quantitative surveys. We investigated the impact of the strategy, practitioner-research learning, on the overall academic development of fashion and textile design education, as well as student attitudes toward practitioner-research learning and overall performance of the learning experience. Four existing fashion or textile design subjects were upgraded by re-planning the subject syllabus, teaching schedule and assessment criteria. Finding design inspiration, idea testing, result in analysis/problem solving, facility use in lab/workshop, design development, design focus end-use, design interpretation design promotion, portfolio/report writing, and fashion and textile design research directions such as new materials, improving the manufacturing process, and creating better consumer experience were introduced, and outlined for students. Students were tasked with researching and creating fashion and textile applications with imparted design techniques and research methods.

From preparation to students’ group design projects, this article chronicles and examines the entire process of upgrading subjects. It also uses surveys to access the effectiveness of practitioner-research in improving fashion and textile design teaching and learning. In addition, it evaluates how well the expected student outcomes such as problem-solving, critical thinking, research skills, self-directed learning, technology application and mastery and assignment completion, were fulfilled based on subject instructor ratings and student course experiences. We can show how practitioner-research learning improves students’ learning experience, transforms the way they learn, and makes them more creative in fashion and textile design based on the findings.