ELaine Polvinen: Teaching Fashion in a Virtual Environment
Posted by Elaine Polvinen on December 5, 2007
What follows is a summary of my presentation at FIT last Friday 11/30/07 and today 12/4/07.
Waiting for the FIT presentation to begin with Nyla from the House of Nyla.
link to slide presentation
Beth Harris had asked me to address some general points for you. The first was asking what got me started with considering virtual reality as a teaching tool.
The fall of 2006 was my first knowledge of the existence of a public virtual reality application like Second Life was a Wall Street Journal ONLINE article titled Now, Virtual Fashion, by Andrew Lavallee relating to a Virtual Fashion Designer that was creating fashions in Second Life and earning a living selling them. I also watched an interview online on CBS NEWS with a virtual designer.
I was skeptical but at the same time I was curious and inquisitive about the potential value of immersive 3D virtual reality learning for fashion concepts. At the time I was well aware of the emergence of virtual reality as a pre-production tool in the fashion world. This type of total software system, for example the Optitex™ system integrates garment design, surface design, fit, construction and 3D virtual presentation – before a real prototype is made. Since that time I have conducted research into mass customization and personalization online marketing [MPCP 2007] and have become more convinced then ever of the total virtual transformation that is currently occurring in all aspects of the fashion industry.
Beth wanted to know what worked for me in SL? I cannot say I have had any experience in SL where I did not learn something. It is a multi-faceted, multi-tasking, multi collaborative linking tool of unlimited creative and technical potential and I believe that we have barely scratched the surface of its potential. But the catch is that one has to “experience” it to begin to really understand the true potential of this new collaborative linking environment. It’s really hard to wrap your mind around it without actually experiencing it.
Beth asked, “What do you imagine is the potential/future of SL in the fashion and related industries?” I can only answer after a year of in depth experience in virtual reality applications for fashion and marketing research that virtual reality already “is” currently transforming the future of fashion and related industries. It is happening very fast.
What should educators be showing students now about SL? I know there are harware/security obstacles and/or issues on individual campuses but you can start by talking about the impact that virtual reality will have on all aspects of the fashion industry. Have your students conduct research, collaborate with other faculty, staff and administrators to have your campus (computing services and the library) set up one or more labs where SL can be accessed. Include Introduction to Second Life modules into an existing class wherever possible. Help students achieve a “comfort zone” with the initial transition into a virtual environment.
Waiting for the FIT presentation to begin wearing a House of Nyla Fashion.
I have a series of OpenCourseWork Fashion CAD modules under development. Introduction to Second Life will be one of them. It will be posted before spring 2008 semester.
The final question Beth asked me is if experience in SL and education about fashion product development/marketing/public relations/brand building in SL is something employers will be looking for in our students? A number of 3d virtual applications are already out there that are being used for all sorts of fashion product development. If students already have experienced and internalized a variety of 3D virtual reality concepts – any new 3D application learning curve they may encounter on a job is automatically reduced by at least 50%. As far as the business end of it goes - a first hand in depth virtual experience is critical to understanding the power of social (and soon to be virtual) online marketing.
To reflect the changes that are currently taking place in industry, a new world is coming to fashion education. As educators we have to pool our resources just to try to keep up with the rapid changes that are currently occurring. A free open access virtual environment like Second Life is an ideal international collaborative linking environment for fashion faculty to research, collaborate and teach together to benefit the future professionals in this industry.
December 5, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Elaine, I wonder if you have any specific advice for us at FIT about how we proceed from here — with a pilot perhaps, and I was thinking that perhaps we need to run some sessions “Getting Started in Second Life.” What do you think?
December 5, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Well how about working with and/or asking the SLN to sponsor Introduction to Second Life for Teaching for SUNY faculty to participate in? I am sure they can work with the SUNY Research Foundation here at Buffalo State to arrange to use the BSC island for the SUNY virtual workshops.
When I attended the Project LIVE at Monroe Community College last Friday - a representative from the SLN asked specifically for advice on how to proceed from here. They seemed to want very much to support active involvement in Sl from SUNY faculty.
I plan on posting materials and audio/videos for anyone to use in their classes but as I said before - first hand experience is critical to fully understanding the potential of the environment.
March 5, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Hi, I am very interested in teaching fashion design on-line. I have two degrees in fashion design. My last degree is from Syracuse University in NY. I am starting a ED.D. in on-line teaching. I am doing this to teach people fashion design and education on-line. Also, I would like to be employed at a University. Presently, I teach in South Korea, I am an American.