Introduction to Learning and Teaching Technologies in Fashion Merchandising Blogfolio

 Fashion Merchandising (FM) is one of the most diverse and competitive industries. Additionally, technology is used extensively in the fashion supply chain. Therefore, as an educator, in order to better prepare my FM students for their futures, it is necessary for me to equip myself with knowledge of useful available technologies. The technologies I am talking about are not only those used in the FM industry such as body scanners, pattern makers, and product design tools, but also those used for connecting with students, increasing students’ understanding of class concepts, and preparing students for their futures. By utilizing knowledge of both types of technologies, I can ensure that my students stay on the competitive edge.

          One of my professional goals is to build life-long learning communities. One way to accomplish this is to build professional relationships through technology. To improve myself, to overcome my fear of change, and to be creative as well as innovative, I have decided to continuously learn about new technologies by taking classes, attending conferences, and by reading relevant publications.

          One of my motivations for creating this blogfolio has been to fulfill a requirement in the Advanced Hypermedia Development class (IT 644) I am attending. However, I also wish to share my reflections with other instructors as I learn new technologies, and also as I teach new technologies in the Fashion Merchandising program. In this blogfolio I intend to include my ideas for technology-centered assignments as well as my ideas about ways to use technologies as tools for teaching. Since I have or will use some of the technologies we focus on during this class (IT 644) in my assignments, I will also pass on and reflect on my students’ feedback or responses to particular technologies. A third purpose of this blogfolio is to create and present guides, examples, and tutorials for my students (or anyone), so they can also can also utilize the technologies I am going to explore. With this in mind I will try to provide step-by-step instructions for utilizing technologies that I use or discuss.

           This blogfoilo is an ongoing process, and part of my attempt to achieve the goal of building life-long learning communities. For this reason, I would like to invite anyone and everyone to volunteer their suggestions and opinions. Together we can build a learning community which is not limited to one specialization, discipline, language, or place. Thank you very much, in advance, to each of you who spends time reading my blogfolio, and especially to those who give feedback or responses. Your comments are much appreciated.