Digital transformation of design led challenges with IMPACT…

Invited Guest Speaker Jess Power is a Professor of Teaching and Learning and Associate Dean Students at Staffordshire University. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Fellow of The Textile Institute, Fellow of Chartered Management Institute, and a National Teaching Fellow. Professor Power has over 15 years teaching experience and has contributed extensively to the development of quality assurance, policy enhancement both internally and externally at national and international levels. She has led a variety of internally and externally funded research projects and has published widely with over 70 national/international publications, including keynote presentations. Jess is particularly interested in contributing to shaping the future of Higher Education through design challenge-led learning integrating academic disciplines, creating networks for learning and knowledge co-creation. Her innovative approach bridges disciplines and has resulted in best-practice models for integrating interdisciplinarity into teaching and learning. Her focus on interdisciplinarity has enabled her to transform the student experience by creating networks for individuals, who share the common goal of transferring knowledge beyond the boundaries of their own disciplines, whilst developing employability and enterprising skills. Jess holds the position of Honorary Secretary for the The Textile Institute, and has sits on the Professional Accreditation Committee and Publication Committee. Her expertise and specialist knowledge span’s both fashion and textiles and cross into other disciplines (health, engineering, education and business). This is evidenced through her sustained publication portfolio which demonstrates high quality research with impact for the commercial sector and wider HE sector. Her recent projects have formed a blueprint for innovation in HE T&L and have been widely disseminated through a series of high-profile case studies and have been nationally and internationally recognised as good practice

Promoting employability skills through active learning

The Higher Education (HE) landscape in England has changed dramatically in the last two decades. There is a political drive to improve accessibility and transparency of information available to current and prospective students. This combined with the new funding structure is placing more demand on HE intuitions to ensure students receive a positive experience and value for money. Employability by its very nature can only be assessed after graduation. However, developing strategies for enhancing student employability skills is a key area in HE. Traditional methods of teaching and learning however limit the development and evaluation of employability skills. Active learning strategies in contrast offer educators the opportunity to embed skill enhancement. It is imperative that graduates have developed life skills of problem solving, teamwork, communication and an enthusiasm for their selected career in addition to discipline knowledge. This paper details the development of employability skills within an apparel product development unit at level 6. The unit employed an active learning strategy using an operational framework. It was delivered over a period of 24 weeks for two consecutive years. It was found that there was evidence to suggest that active learning encouraged the development of employability skills

A study of flat-bed knitting technology for three-dimensional preforms

To enable shaped preforms to be produced accurately, it is essential to have a full understanding of the geometrical properties of the structure and the effects that the various shaping techniques produce. This publication discusses the technique of three-dimensional shaping and its affects on the geometrical dimensions of a hemispherical form. In the paper the calculation procedures employed to produce a knitted hemisphere shape are defined and relationships are established between the planar structure and the three-dimensional preform. The first part of the study demonstrates three-dimensional shaping with conventional knitting yarns. However, it was acknowledged that technical textiles employ high or low modulus yarns (performance yarns) to enable the desired properties of the structure to be achieved. Therefore, in the second part the use of technical yarns in creating three-dimensional knitted structures is reported. The results demonstrate that an interesting phenomenon was occurring involving distortions within the knitted structure. Further research is currently being undertaken to prove the theory that the internal distortions that occur as part of the shaping process are predictable and exact shapes can be produced. This will lead to the modelling of the hypothesis for a variety of structure types

The entrepreneurial mindset - truly transforming learning

The fourth industry revolution (4IR) is interdisciplinary in nature, crossing fields and transcending traditional academic disciplines. Universities of the future must equip students with the skills and attributes required for an ever changing commercial landscape. In a rapidly changing world, it is essential that graduates are endowed with the necessary discipline knowledge, combined with technical, problem solving, critical thinking, creativity and social integration skills. The next generation of workers are expected to change their careers at least seven times, often crossing discipline boundaries working collaboratively to solve commercial and society challenges. Assisting students in developing an entrepreneurial mindset is key to survival and the success of graduates of the future. Individuals who develop entrepreneurial mindsets are drawn to innovative opportunities and new value creation. The process of experimentation, creation and reflection cultivates the mind increasing ambition, drive and success. Those with entrepreneurial mindsets turn challenges into opportunity and develop advanced skills of critical thinking, problem solving and the ability to working beyond traditional discipline boundaries in fat paced collaborative settings. This research presents an evaluation of the benefits of integrating interdisciplinary commercial challenge-led learning into the HE learning experience is presented as a new mode of knowledge production to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. The framework presented builds intellectual capacity through creating sustainable collaborative networks to co-create knowledge and develop learning communities, enabling students to develop the required skills and attributes to contribute to commercial and society 4IR challenges

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

Developing employability skills through interdisciplinary industry challenges

This session will explore best-practice models for embedding interdisciplinary collaboration into the UG student experience. Key challenges, levers/mechanisms and institutional barriers will be discussed and debated. The Innovation and Creative Exchange Project will be presented as a blueprint for innovation in pedagogy. This project provided an exchange for industry and businesses to present challenges, and an opportunity for student to develop professional networks beyond their discipline. By drawing on specific examples of interdisciplinary student collaborative industry challenges implemented in the last 2 years at the University of Huddersfield, the value to student learning, employability and professional development is ascertained