A New Methodology for the Integration of Performance Materials into the Clothing Curriculum

This paper presents a model for integrating the study of performance materials into the clothing curriculum. In recent years there has been an increase in demand for stylish, functional and versatile sports apparel. Analysts predict this will reach US$126.30 billion by 2015. This growth is accredited to dramatic lifestyle changes and increasing participation in sports/leisurely pursuits particularly by women. The desire to own performance clothing for specific outdoor pursuits is increasing as it becomes more mainstream and affordable. There is a distinct blurring of lines as fashion/clothing designers enter the niche market of performance apparel. This results in a strong business case for embedding advanced product development and the study of performance materials into the undergraduate curriculum for mainstream clothing students. Traditionally modules within Higher Education are taught as discrete subjects. This has advantages since it enables students to develop knowledge and skills specific to each individual elements of the subject discipline. The expectation is that students will integrate, connect and make sense of all the discrete elements within the various elements of their learning during their studies. Whilst this is the ideal scenario, in practice often the first opportunity to integrate the various elements with a project occurs at final year, through a major project. The purpose of the model presented in the paper was to integrate sections of the curriculum previously taught as separate entities into a single element at second year, using a blended learning approach combining both practice and theory. Thus, providing the opportunity for student to synthesize the knowledge obtained in various elements of their studies and develop an understanding of emerging and new technologies relevant to the creation of specific end-products much earlier within their studies. A series of weekly guest lectures were provided with experts in relation to clothing comfort, advanced textiles, marketing, costing, garment realisation, advanced sewing technology, and innovative design. The students worked in teams to produce a range of garments for specific outdoor pursuits, underpinned by appropriate research. An integrated approach to teaching was adopted as the various team members simultaneously worked on testing performance materials, joining technically advanced fabrics, developing the design and specific stylelines based on ergonomics and investing novel construction methods. This challenged not only academic skills but also lifeskills - teamwork, organisation, communication, negotiation, and problem solving. Teams had to test, re-test and negotiate the most appropriate performance material, joining method, styleline and construction method to make the product fit for the selected advanced application. The model differs from others in its approach in a number of ways: firstly by utilising fully integrated team teaching, engaging a diverse range of subject experts which enabled the students to extend their network beyond the programme team, reinforcing research informed teaching and the teaching/learning nexus. Secondly active learning was employed as a means of challenging the learner, thus developing life/subject skills through establishing systematic connections of the different elements of their learning. Finally, in establishing knowledge-transfer thorough peer-support and networking, knowledge was exchanged between students as they progressed through the development stages. This paper presents a successful model of blended learning which integrates research, technology, design and practical skills underpinned by the advanced study of textiles which is essential to any clothing curriculum. Keywords: curriculum design, performance materials, product developmen

The Blended Learning Unit, University of Hertfordshire: A Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Evaluation Report for HEFCE

The University of Hertfordshire’s Blended Learning Unit (BLU) was one of the 74 Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs) funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) between 2005 and 2010. This evaluation report follows HEFCE’s template. The first section provides statistical information about the BLU’s activity. The second section is an evaluative reflection responding to 13 questions. As well as articulating some of our achievements and the challenges we have faced, it also sets out how the BLU’s activity will continue and make a significant contribution to delivery of the University of Hertfordshire’s 2010-2015 strategic plan and its aspirations for a more sustainable future. At the University of Hertfordshire, we view Blended Learning as the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance the learning and learning experience of campus-based students. The University has an excellent learning technology infrastructure that includes its VLE, StudyNet. StudyNet gives students access to a range of tools, resources and support 24/7 from anywhere in the world and its robustness, flexibility and ease of use have been fundamental to the success of the Blended Learning agenda at Hertfordshire. The BLU has comprised a management team, expert teachers seconded from around the University, professional support and a Student Consultant. The secondment staffing model was essential to the success of the BLU. As well as enabling the BLU to become fully staffed within the first five months of the CETL initiative, it has facilitated access to an invaluable spectrum of Blended Learning, research and Change Management expertise to inform pedagogically sound developments and enable change to be embedded across the institution. The BLU used much of its capital funding to reduce barriers to the use of technology by, for example, providing laptop computers for all academic staff in the institution, enhancing classroom technology provision and wirelessly enabling all teaching accommodation. Its recurrent funding has supported development opportunities for its own staff and staff around the institution; supported evaluation activities relating to individual projects and of the BLU’s own impact; and supported a wide range of communication and dissemination activities internally and externally. The BLU has led the embedding a cultural change in relation to Blended Learning at the University of Hertfordshire and its impact will be sustained. The BLU has produced a rich legacy of resources for our own staff and for others in the sector. The University’s increased capacity in Blended Learning benefits all our students and provides a learning experience that is expected by the new generation of learners in the 21st century. The BLU’s staffing model and partnership ways of working have directly informed the structure and modus operandi of the University’s Learning and Teaching Institute (LTI). Indeed a BLU team will continue to operate within the LTI and help drive and support the implementation of the University’s 2010-2015 Strategic plan. The plan includes ambitions in relation to Distance Learning and Flexible learning and BLU will be working to enable greater engagement with students with less or no need to travel to the university. As well as opening new markets within the UK and overseas, even greater flexibility for students will also enable the University to reduce its carbon footprint and provide a multifaceted contribution to our sustainability agenda. We conclude this executive summary with a short paragraph, written by Eeva Leinonen, our former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, which reflects our aspiration to transform Learning and Teaching at the University of Hertfordshire and more widely in the sector. ‘As Deputy Vice Chancellor at Hertfordshire I had the privilege to experience closely the excellent work of the Blended Learning Unit, and was very proud of the enormous impact the CETL had not only across the University but also nationally and internationally. However, perhaps true impact is hard to judge at such close range, but now as Vice Principal (Education) at King's College London, I can unequivocally say that Hertfordshire is indeed considered as the leading Blended Learning university in the sector. My new colleagues at King's and other Russell Group Universities frequently seek my views on the 'Hertfordshire Blended Learning' experience and are keen to emulate the successes achieved at an institutional wide scale. The Hertfordshire CETL undoubtedly achieved not only what it set out to achieve, but much more in terms of scale and impact. All those involved in this success can be justifiably proud of their achievements.’ Professor Eeva Leinonen, Vice Principal (Education), King's College, Londo

Technology enhanced learning in 21st century mass higher education. Aspects of design, practice and strategy for a necessary step change

Modern day mass higher education presents challenges for both learners and teachers. Whilst digital resources, Web 2.0 technologies and online connectivity can add significantly to the learning opportunities of 21st century students, many cross programme Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) provisions remain collections of somewhat disconnected and basic materials. In its early development, organised e-learning has generally been the province of specialist programmes and individuals championing the new technologies. However along with the adoption of technology enhanced learning, there is a growing need to develop, design and embed more fundamental and far reaching strategic approaches that embrace the core of traditional university learning and teaching programmes. This paper focuses upon a large undergraduate core module and discusses the implications of a practice based case study which explored how traditional campus based undergraduate learning and teaching could be redesigned and enhanced by the addition of online technology and e-pedagogy. It considers aspects of both pedagogical and technological design and examines how a VLE can support learners and teaching teams. Findings showed that students were extremely positive about the mix of onsite and online learning. They saw anytime, anywhere access as fundamental, and valued the flexible access and collaborative opportunities offered by Web 2.0 and mobile resources. Considerable operational benefits arose in supporting teaching teams and student marks increased. Drawing upon lessons learned from practice, and feedback gained from students and teachers, the paper examines how the approach may inform future curriculum delivery and programme specification. It considers the contribution that blended learning may make in addressing the needs of 21st century learners in mass higher education, and reflects on the implications of the case study in terms of aspects of design, practice and strategy

Digital communities: context for leading learning into the future?

In 2011, a robust, on-campus, three-element Community of Practice model consisting of growing community, sharing of practice and building domain knowledge was piloted in a digital learning environment. An interim evaluation of the pilot study revealed that the three-element framework, when used in a digital environment, required a fourth element. This element, which appears to happen incidentally in the face-to-face context, is that of reflecting, reporting and revising. This paper outlines the extension of the pilot study to the national tertiary education context in order to explore the implications for the design, leadership roles, and selection of appropriate technologies to support and sustain digital communities using the four-element model

All hands on deck: CREWED for technology-enabled learning

The University of New South Wales’ (UNSW’s) Faculty of Engineering is introducing a new process for designing and developing blended and fully online (distance) courses, as part of action research to support curriculum renewal. The process, referred to as CREWED (Curriculum Renewal and E-learning Workloads: Embedding in Disciplines), is being used to develop key courses that add flexibility to student progression pathways. By integrating the design of learning activities with the planning and organization of teaching and support work, CREWED addresses some of the known barriers to embedding innovative use of learning technologies within disciplines. CREWED incorporates key features of two course development models from the UK, one emphasising team building and the other emphasising pedagogical planning. It has been piloted in priority curriculum development projects, to ensure that the disciplinary organizational context is supportive. One pilot is a fully online distance version of a postgraduate course. The other is a blended version of an undergraduate course. Both are core (required) courses in accredited professional engineering degree programs and were previously available only in face-to-face mode. The UNSW pilots have confirmed the importance of articulating clear pedagogical models, and of planning ahead for the resources required to put these models into practice, as part of departmental capacity building, especially where teaching has primarily been treated as an individual classroom-based activity that competes with disciplinary research for academic staff time and resources

Institutional and Student Transitions Into Enhanced Blended Learning

This presentation provides an overview of the ‘Transitions into blended learning’ project, which has focused on three areas: developing an institutional transition framework, researching student experiences, and identifying interventions to support effective transitions. The framework identified external drivers for blended learning, a set of considerations for institutions, and a set of processes to facilitate change involving three stakeholder groups at the heart of the model. The work included learner experience research with students newly engaged in blended learning. This work identified support needs around access (to technology and learning materials), attitudes (towards learning online) and attributes (skills) needed to engage autonomously in blended learning. The institution-wide Enhancement themes team identified a set of interventions or ‘anchor points’ to prevent the institution ‘drifting back’ into purely traditional approaches to learning and teaching. These included the recognition and promotion of good practice through case studies, development of an institutional e-learning framework, and an event to encourage staff and students to share good practice in blended learning. This three-year project was largely led by a PhD student (JA), working with the principal investigator (VHD) and the institutional representative (KG)

Collaborative pedagogy and digital scholarship: a case study of 'Media Culture 2020'

This paper presents an educational case study of ‘Media Culture 2020’, an EU Erasmus Intensive Programme that utilised a range social media platforms and computer software to create open, virtual spaces where students from different countries and fields could explore and learn together. The multi-disciplinary project featured five universities from across Europe and was designed to develop new pedagogical frameworks to encourage collaborative approaches to teaching and learning in the arts. The main objective of the project was to break down classroom and campus walls by creating digital learning environments that facilitated new forms of production, transmission and representation of knowledge. Media Culture 2020 was designed to pilot a novel mode of ‘blended learning’, demonstrating a number of ways in which ‘Web 2.0’ networked technologies might be adopted by academics to encourage open and collaborative modes of practice. The project utilised a number of social media platforms (including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Google Hangout, Google Docs and Blogger) to enhance the learning experiences of a diverse set of students from different cultural and international contexts. In doing so, Media Culture 2020 enabled participants with a diverse range skills and cultural experiences to develop new working practices that respond to the convergence of digital media and art, as well as the internationalisation of media production and business, through the use of open, interactive software