How does digital reflective practice in textile design education relate to creativity?

ABSTRACT

This article reports the results of a multiple case study that sought to understand how textile design students engaged in digital reflective practice (DRP) and how such engagement related to creativity. Theoretically informed by symbolic interactionism and constructivism, the study incorporated the views of textile design teachers, heads of departments and students in four different higher education institutions in Pakistan. The findings suggest that the use of digital tools for reflection in textile design studio courses can enhance students’ creativity, self-consciousness or awareness, and understanding of tasks and concept development. The creative process also entailed new possibilities of expression, presentation and meaning making by revisiting their work.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital reflective practice
• textile design education
• design pedagogy
• studio practice
• creativity
• multicase study

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Umer Hameed

Umer Hameed has been associated with Pakistani higher education since 2005 and has served in different positions, from academic coordinator to academic teaching. He is a textile design graduate interested in art and design education and completed a Doctor of Education from the University of Liverpool, UK.

Mike Mimirinis

Mike Mimirinis is an Associate Professor of Education at the University of West London where he leads the Doctor of Education (EdD) programme. His research broadly explores variation in the ways students and academic teachers experience teaching, learning and assessment in higher education. Mike co-ordinates the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI) SIG9 ‘Phenomenography and Variation Theory’.