Yosana Blog

A colleague and I met to reflect on our PgCert, she introduced me to James Söderman’s Visualise It ; a collage-based tool from Queen Mary’s University for developing research topics.

Part 1 – Starting with a blank page

Beginning without keywords or guided prompts encourages students to embrace the uncertainty that comes with new projects. This resonated with many of my tutorial experiences, where students can articulate ideas verbally but struggle to get them onto paper. The blank page can feel daunting, yet the act of doing removes theory’s abstraction and affirms its relevance within art pedagogy (Irwin, 2003). Experiencing this discomfort myself, rather than simply observing it in students, deepened my empathy and sharpened my sense of why this method matters.

Part 2 – Choosing a word

I placed the word memories at the centre of the page. The choice was not accidental; it came from a conscious decision to adopt a student’s perspective, selecting a subject the way a student might: something personal, sensory, and emotionally present but not yet fully formed into an idea. For weeks, I had been returning to memories of a family holiday on a farm of figs and papayas. I struggled to draw what I could clearly visualise, and that struggle was instructive. It gave me an embodied understanding of a frustration I regularly witness in tutorials: the gap between internal vision and external expression.

Part 3 – Layering images and text

I sourced images that came closest to my memory; shades of papaya pinks and reds, colours often associated with femininity and a girl’s perspective, alongside greens representing the farm. Working through the memory visually; finding colours, layering images, making associations, became an act of creative unblocking.

Reflection

This exercise brought to mind An A/r/tographic Métissage: Storying the Self as Pedagogic Practice. As Isabelle et al. (2019) suggest, art educators occupy multiple roles that shapes their pedagogy. “A/r/tography is a living inquiry that combines life writing and life creating” (Irwin, 2015). Positioning myself as researcher, leaner and student reflects my broader interest in understanding processes of learning; and how to adapt them for students who struggle to articulate their thinking.

As an artist, the memory had been sitting unresolved in my mind for weeks, and working through it visually offered a way to unblock undeveloped ideas. By the end, I felt relieved, inspired, and ready to develop a larger body of work. That feeling is worth noting pedagogically: if this is what the process can offer an experienced practitioner. It speaks to what it might unlock in a student who feels stuck.

My role as an educator is to help students build, sustain, or rebuild their capacity to explore and communicate ideas. This activity also prompted wider discussion about educational structures and who they serve, and how we might contribute, even at a small scale, to a better student experience. It is a method I will encourage, students to hold a collage session with peers who are struggling to develop their concepts.

Reference

Irwin, Rita. ( 2003), ‘ Toward an aesthetic unfolding in/sights through curriculum. ’, Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, 1:2, pp. 63 – 78,  https://jcacs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jcacs/article/view/16859/15665. Accessed 07 /03/26

Irwin, Rita. ( 2015), ‘ Becoming through a/r/tography, autobiography and stories in motion. ’, International Journal of Education through Art, 11:3, pp. 355–74

Söderman, J. (2022) Visualise It. Queen Mary University of London. Available at: https://hub.qmplus.qmul.ac.uk/view/view.php?t=S5j13GMhJBVn6X4uUgm0 (Accessed: 07/03/26).

Issabelle et al. (2019), ‘An a/r/tographic métissage: Storying the self as pedagogic practice’,
 Journal of Writing in Creative Practice, Volume 12, Issue 1-2, Apr 2019, p. 113 – 115 https://doi.org/10.1386/jwcp.12.1-2.109_1 Accessed 07/03/26

This session was design as a pilot of connecting sensorial interaction with materials. In hopes this will enable younger designer to make informed dedication on sustainable materials.

Duration: 20 minutes

Teaching Strategy: Guided Sensory Based Material Exploration

Learning outcomes

• Identify textiles material using sensory analysis

• Describe fabric properties using textiles terminology

• Match materials to appropriate garment or product uses

Duration	Task	Resource	Student
2-5 mins	Introduction and learning outcome – brief introduction of sensory analysis and its industry relevance   Touch (handle, texture, flexibility)   Sight (surface, sheen, weave/knit structure)   Sound (Crispness, drape movement)	PowerPoint	Introduce rhetorical question, to encourage international dialogue and or thinking.   How often do we choose fabrics based on how they feel, even before we think about fibre content?

Introduction of materials and their relevance to the industry enabled all participants to have a foundation of understanding. Enabling all students to feel that they could contribute at any capacity.

How often do you choose fabrics based on how they feel, even before we think about fibre content?

Usage of a question, to encourage dialogue and or thinking.Participation came from asking questions and or adding new information, interest and engagement initiates when something in this case a question triggers the learner’s curiosity ( Dewey,1913) . It’s essential to understand which triggers are effective to achieve engagement (Ainley, 2012). Based in my previous experience with delivering material based session, I’ve learnt that it’s essential to incorporate an icebreaker. This eases the mood in the session but also allows me to gauge the level of knowledge peers will have on the given topic. Once more context was provided , peers engage well with the question.

Duration	Task	Resource	Student
5 mins	Activity 1 – Guide fabric sensory analysis Distribute samples to a small group of students (small group 2-3)     Guided Support Texture: Smooth, Coarse, soft, crisp   Flexibility: stiff vs fluid   Surface: matte vs lustrous   Thermal feel: warm vs cool	PowerPoint   Hardcopy of activity instruction   Bionic reading of Hardcopy of activity instruction     Fabric swatches Cotton Jersey Sportswear Wading Knit	Handle fabrics and verbally describe properties Take brief notes using correct textiles descriptors

For activity 1, peers worked in small groups of two or three, interacting with the fabrics using a worksheet to guide their use of terminology. Two groups were given the same set of materials: (1) wadding, (2) cotton jersey, and (3) sportswear fabric. One group was given a slightly different set: (1) wadding, (2) cotton jersey, and (3) knit fabric. This structure was intended to help students recognise that the visual appearance of a material may not be significant if the application and/or key material properties are the same. Also, to assesse the valid of the overal group’s response.

The spread of responses across different sensory descriptors suggests peer were engaging with and distinguishing between materials; they weren’t just guessing or giving random answers. The fact that different fabrics scored differently across categories shows real discrimination between materials was happening.

Duration	Task	Resource	Student
5 -7 mins	Activity 2 – Linking fabric swatches, sensory properties to design and end-use decision. Using the materials from task 1, to match end-use   Guided questions Why would this fabric work well for this or industry garment? Check learning and assessment   To evaluate understanding and vocabulary used can help student to learn more about fabric behaviour and property	PowerPoint   Hardcopy of activity instruction   Bionic reading of Hardcopy of activity instruction   End -use written Cards with garment types or application   Fabric swatches Cotton Jersey Sportswear Wading Knit	Match each fabric to the most suitable application     Using sensory and functional language to justify choices     Example: The silk satin’s smooth handle and lustre make it suitable for evening wear Make connections between material properties and fashion application   -Demonstrate awareness of sensory analysis in textiles decision-making

This activity was one of the most successful elements of the session. It enabled peers to apply the knowledge gained from the previous activity to connect fabrics with their intended applications. This was a whole-group activity, allowing all participants to justify and argue their selections. Once the task was completed, the correct answers were displayed, leading to further discussion and dialogue.

Duration	Task	Resource	Student
3 mins	Feedback	Post-it notes	Feedback, positive negatives and whether different reading resources was beneficial to all learning styles

Feedback

Positive

The micro-teaching session was consistently described as engaging, informative, and well prepared. Peers valued the clear structure, well-designed visuals, and appropriate pacing, noting that the slides supported learning without causing cognitive overload. The session demonstrated strong consideration of inclusion, with participatory activities that were well aligned to the learning outcomes and encouraged direct engagement with fabrics.

Several feedback highlighted how thought-provoking the content was, particularly in revealing the hidden technical aspects of textiles and how materials are emotionally interpreted, often without sufficient material literacy. Overall, the session was praised for being inclusive, well organised, and delivered in a way that made peers reconsider fabrics and textiles from a new and meaningful perspective.

Constructive Feedback

It was suggested that including a wider range of materials could further enrich the session. Due to the duration of the micro-teach, I chose to only have 3 types of material with distinctive features as an introduction to the topic. However, should this become a longer session , I do agree more materials will be essential. Another feedback also indicated a preference for a more open-ended interpretation of the fabrics, although they acknowledged that the provided descriptors were useful as an initial framework.

Overall , the learning outcome was to reinforce the connection between materials, the body, and the surrounding environment. This was achieved successfully, as peers interacted confidently and thoughtfully with the materials. The use of questions at the beginning of the session helped to open a personal dialogue about materials and participants’ experiences, enabling discussion around comfort and discomfort in different environments.

References

Dewey, J. (1913). Interest and effort in education. Boston, MA: Riverside.

Ainley, M. D. (2012). Students’ interest and engagement in classroom activities. In S. L. Christenson, A. L. Reschly, & C. Wylie (Eds.), Handbook of research on student engagement (pp. 283–302). New York, NY: Springer. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2018-7_13

Renninger, K. A. and Bachrach, J. E. (2015) ‘Studying Triggers for Interest and Engagement Using Observational Methods’, Educational Psychologist, 50(1), pp. 58–69. doi: 10.1080/00461520.2014.999920.

Often at the beginning of a course, as students adapt to a new country, language, and culture, there is a small delay in their spoken word and understanding of what has been said to them. During this period, I focus on non-verbal and gestural language to identify components, materials, and processes. Gestures can be interpreted differently by many but are acknowledged as intentional and meaningful bodily movements (Ishino and Stam, 2011). Kendon (1982) categorises gestures into four groups: gesticulation, pantomime, emblem, and sign language. Ishino and Stam (2011) explain that gestural language removes the syntax found in sign language as well as spoken language.

During an induction on how to thread up the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) embroidery machine, I use non-verbal and/or sign language to help students understand what I’m asking.

As shown in image 1, closing and opening your index and middle fingers creates the movement of scissors. This enables students to understand that you’re referring to cutting or looking for scissors. Distinguishing between the object (scissors) and the process of cutting is identified by the presence or absence of movement. For instance, closing and opening your index and middle fingers across a particular area of fabric indicates cutting that area. Thomas-Sunesson et al. (2018) explained that multilinguals find it easier to understand non-verbal communication.

By removing verbal communication, students can draw all their attention to understanding the visual information presented to them. Additionally, when students realise they can still communicate without perfect language skills, they feel less afraid of making mistakes. This confidence encourages them to participate more in class and in social situations.

I have noticed Technicians cross different courses , using non-verbal cues such as hand gestures and visual demonstrations, to help students understand meaning without relying solely on words. This is particularly helpful for instructions and classroom routines.

However, non-verbal language is only as effective as the student’s understanding of the gesture. An alternative method of communication is through translation using a phone and/or small tablet. This method is efficient but not instant, as it requires students to locate their phone, search for or find a translation app, type the word and/or phrase, and then show it to the technician. Essentially, this process takes away the spontaneity of verbal conversation.

The effectiveness of non-verbal language can be significant in most cases. However, the efficiency of this method could be enhanced by integrating key non-verbal charts across technical workshops, which would help students identify what tools they need. The chart could feature 6–9 signals labelled underneath, enabling a global language within the university workshops.

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References

British Sign Language (2026). ‘Scissors’. Available at  https://www.british-sign.co.uk/british-sign-language/how-to-sign/scissors/ (Accessed16/01/26)

Ishino, M  and Stam, G (2011) ‘Integrating gestures: The interdisciplinary nature of gesture’ , Introduction, John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam & Philadelphia, pp 4-5 Available at https://library.oapen.org/viewer/web/viewer.html?file=/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/45671/625251.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (Accessed 20/01/26)

Kendon, A. 1982. “The study of gesture: Some remarks on its history.” Recherches Semiotique/Semiotic Inquiry 2: 45–62

Thomas-Sunesson, D., Hakuta, K. and Bialystok, E. (2018) ‘Degree of bilingualism modifies executive control in Hispanic children in the USA’, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 21(2), pp. 197–206. doi: 10.1080/13670050.2016.1148114.

Hi my name is Yosana. 

I’m a fashion and textiles technologist, who loves to explore and learn new things. 

Looking foward to embark in this new journey.