Study Information: Tailoring the Curriculum
PI: Matt Porter
Research Instrument: Survey
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Fashion design education in the US is a delicate negotiation of competing interests among students, institutions, and the evolving industry. However, student voices are often left out of the planning and design of curriculum and degree plans. In order to locate the ways in which undergraduate fashion education can better serve its students, the present research seeks to center student perspectives as a fulcrum for restructuring undergraduate fashion design curriculums.
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Population:
Pop. A-Embedded Perspective: Participants will include current Junior and Senior undergraduate students at select 4-year institutions in the US within their respective fashion design majors. No preference will be given to other demographic identifiers.
Pop. B-Reflective Perspective: Participants will include graduated fashion design students from 4-year programs who have been graduated for at least 6months up to 9 years.
Recruitment:
Recruitment will occur via email and snowball sampling. Initially, recruitment emails will be sent to program coordinators, student organization officers, and via PIs professional networks on LinkedIn.
Method:
Participants will be asked to complete a pre-screening survey (Appx 1) to verify eligibility for study and to gain demographic data. All responses will be anonymous and no personally identifiable information is to be gathered. Eligible subjects will then partake in one virtual charrette administered via Zoom and Miro. The charrette is anticipated to last between 1.5-2 hours (depending on group size). Subjects will engage with other participants and PI during the virtual charrette responding to prompts (Appx2) collectively, individually, and in small breakout groups. Sessions will be screen recorded through Zoom software and stores on PIs protected hard drive. If participants prefer, they may opt for an individualized interview rather than the charette. Interviews will occur virtually and follow the same schedule as the charrette (approximate time 1hour).
Informed Consent:
Survey: We are interested in understanding student perspectives on their current undergraduate fashion design education and what their diverse perspectives can lend to shaping future fashion design curriculums and degree plans. The following survey has been designed to collect demographic information to determine eligibility for participation in this study —which would consist of at least 1 virtual charrette (lasting 1-2 hours) at a later date—and to gauge present satisfaction with your current education. Information collected and responses will be kept anonymous and strictly confidential.
Please answer presented questions to the best of your ability and be advised that most responses are OPTIONAL.
Your participation in this research is voluntary. You have the right to withdraw at any point during the study, for any reason, and without any prejudice. Please feel free to contact the Principal Investigator at the below contact should you have any questions or concerns.
By clicking /signing below, you acknowledge that your participation in the study is voluntary, you are 18 years of age, and that you are aware that you may choose to terminate your participation in the study at any time and for any reason. The following survey should take approximately 10 mins to complete. Thank you for your participation.
Charette: (To be read at the opening of the session) We are interested in understanding student perspectives on their current undergraduate fashion design education and what their diverse perspectives can lend to shaping future fashion design curriculums and degree plans. The ensuing charrette has been designed to engage current fashion students in their desires, hopes, and needs to achieve their educational enrichment and professional aspirations. This session is anticipated to last approximately 1.5-2hrs and will be recorded via Zoom. Proceedings will not be published and kept secure with PI. You are welcome to have your camera on or off during the session.
Your participation in this research is voluntary. You have the right to withdraw at any point during the study, for any reason, and without any prejudice.
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Participation in this research suggests minimal risk. To ensure no adverse consequences by participants institutions or employers, the following precautions will be taken: 1) all correspondence, information, and data such as recordings will be anonymized. 2) Documentation with identifiable information will be stored securely with password protected electronic files and not published 3) Should they desire, respondents will be given the opportunity to review drafts of the final work prior to publication.
Respondents may benefit in the following ways:
—Data collected from this study will be incorporated into a forthcoming book chapter on trends in art education entitled Art Education+. As a result, participants will have contributed to internationally visible research in shaping curricular practice for undergraduate fashion design degree plans.
Study Ethics:
This study was reviewed and meets the requirements of exemption as outlined by University of California, Irvine's (not affiliated) HRP Self-Exemption Determination.