To graduate from the Fashion and Textile Design schools, students must pass their final major project module.
Why is this module important for the students?
Engaging in this module will ensure that the weaving students are capable of implementing the creative practice skills learnt during the duration of the course and are prepared to develop and utilize these skills beyond the lifespan of their academic training and into their future professional careers.
In this module, students control their own learning by identifying their specific area of investigation through a reflective evaluation of their own practice and intended future career direction.
Throughout the project there should be a clear emphasis on independent creative decision making by the students with the teachers taking on the role of a ‘coach’ rather than direct instructor. To achieve this, the teachers will apply pedagogic practices such as Socratic questioning and provide critiques and feedback on student’s projects.
The two workshops on developing the Final Major project’s module - held in April and September 2019 - equipped the teachers from Saunders Weaving and Vocational Institute and 13 other regional weaving schools with coaching and supervising skills as well as instructions on developing standard assessments and bench-marking on the student’s Final Major projects.
