All SLN funded research projects were completed in August 2008. Project outcomes will be made available on this website in the near future

 

We aim to evaluate the role of the Cultural and Supporting Studies (CASS) curriculum on BA (Hons) degree courses in Art and Design at Northbrook College. We will assess the relationship between theory and practice, since CASS provides a key component of academic study in courses based mainly around practical activities in various studio disciplines. Particular focus will be placed on the CASS component of the BA (Hons) Fashion Design.

We will explore the ways in which the relationship between theory and practice, in particular academic studies and studio-based practical work, can be developed and improved. The first stage of the project will be to critically evaluate current teaching strategies and revise and plan new integrated approaches incorporating research and design activities. We will build on existing initiatives (for example the theoretical input into the Fabric Deconstruction studio project on BA (Hons) Fashion in Level 1), and develop new briefs. We will also examine aspects of teaching and learning strategies that have a bearing on theory and practice: use of text and visual material in written and practical projects, the division of teaching areas between studio and classrooms, and maximising the potential of visits to museums, exhibitions and foreign visits. We intend to revise existing project briefs in order to integrate studio-based work and academic study into a holistic programme, which would encourage students to take a reflective approach to personal research and further their skills and appreciation of critical enquiry, analysis, written and visual presentation. As well as planning and delivering this revised curriculum, the project will entail a formal evaluation based on a series of interviews and questionnaires completed with staff and students.

Project Update April 2008

So far our project to design and assess strategies to integrate theory and practice in the delivery of teaching on the level one BA (Hons) Fashion Design Course at Northbrook, has moved through phases of planning and preparation to delivery and we have just begun to appraise students responses. The first part of our project to combine the elements of theory and practice in the course curriculum has been focused on a design project entitled Fabric Initiative: Deconstruction. This is essentially a studio based project encouraging students to find innovative ways of constructing garments, whilst at the same time developing their familiarity and awareness of the use of fabrics. The projects theme draws on the ideas of Deconstruction Theory as proposed by the French Post-Structuralist philosopher Jacques Derrida, whose strategies of literary and philosophical ‘deconstruction’ has been applied to avant garde fashion by designers such as the Belgian group the Antwerp Six and Martin Margiela. This has provided plenty of scope for introducing students to theoretical ideas which they have been encouraged to apply to constructing, or ‘deconstructing’, fashion garments. The project has been planned through a series of meetings between myself, as the tutor responsible for the level one students Cultural and Supporting Studies (CASS) input, and Steven Dell, who is both the Course Leader and tutor for the project. We have revised the original project brief and prepared additional materials to provide support and reference for the students. These included powerpoint briefing presentations from Steven and an art historical and theoretical overview from myself. These presentations have now been made available as an online resource (see link below). In addition to the brief content, which includes a schedule and details of project requirements, we have provided a supplementary Glossary of critical terminology. We have also compiled a ‘reader’ including a selection of secondary texts on Derrida and Deconstruction as well as articles relating to the application of these ideas in a fashion design context. Studio sessions featuring visiting lecturers (J.J. Hudson and Robert De Niet), have been complimented by tutorial and seminar input from myself and Steven (some of which have been documented on video). We have this week been conducting tutorials with students so they may consolidate, reflect and evaluate their progress with the project. These have been focused on refining a short statement, or abstract, elaborating their theoretical approach to their completed designs. The final phase of this part of the project has been giving the students a questionnaire to assess their response and engagement with project and their familiarity with the theoretical ideas we have introduced. Whilst these have not yet been returned and evaluated, we have so far been pleased with the practical outcome of the student’s work and their enthusiastic appreciation of the new approach to design this project has introduced to them. We are planning further activities to gauge response and document the project such as video interviews with a small selection of students and an informal focus group and social event at the end of the project.

Contact: Richard Walker

Email: r.walker@nbcol.ac.uk