Reshaping Teaching Strategies for Innovative Materials in Art and Design

Abstract

Textiles have faced a new challenge with the advancement of electronics and nanotechnology. Smart textiles represented the newest stage of the technological revolution, which is grounded in new fibre materials and textile manufacturing processes for fabrics exhibiting additional functionalities. These fabrics have been engineered to see, hear, sense, communicate, store and convert energy, and even tune colour. This multidisciplinary field includes end-to-end prototyping from fibre design to system integration of new textile based products, and also requires to comprehend the underpinnings of material science and nanotechnology. Classical teaching methods are not effective enough to engage and motivate students with art and design background. The real question is, "How do you teach smart textiles in graduate level, especially to the students who never studied quantum mechanics, differential equations and fluid dynamics before?" This study outlines reshaping teaching strategies for innovative and tangible materials in art and design education, and addresses the importance of student-led experiences in research projects and integration of hands-on learning.