Fashion DIET connects to other e-learning platforms for textile education
On 8 February 2022 members of the Fashion DIET Consortium joined a special university meeting on the topic of e-learning platforms for textile education. This online meeting was organised by the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin – University of Applied Sciences together with the Chemnitz University of Technology to see what e-learning platforms have been developed in Germany so far. Additional attendants were representatives of the German Research Institute DITF (Deutsche Institute für Textil- und Faserforschung Denkendorf) and the Association of the Textile and Fashion Industry in South-West Germany. The participants discussed the latest developments and initiatives regarding e-learning platforms for textile education. An overview of the different platforms, their contents and accesses are summarised in figure 1:
During the discussion, it turned out that the target groups of these e-learning platforms are quite similar (i.e. focusing mainly on vocational colleges and secondary schools). In contrast to other platforms, the Fashion DIET project offers its educational material in virtual learning spaces via the open e-learning platform Glocal Campus. This platform turned out to be advantageous as it enables virtual collaboration in a wide range of subjects on the basis of an international university network. From the view of the Fashion DIET consortium this is of great importance, as in the future, teachers and learners must increasingly cooperate internationally so that the guiding principle of ESD can be permanently established on an international level. In the course of this year major project content of the Fashion DIET project, i.e. around 42 lectures on various topics of sustainability in the context of textiles and fashion, will be made available via Glocal Campus. Next year, the teaching and learning material will be added to the platform step by step.
In addition to the first exchange, further measures have been decided. The main point that was made during the meeting was that each e-learning initiative felt a need for stronger networking in order to increase the visibility and recognition of the textile profession. To implement this, the participants decided to link websites and channels of the respective institutions and projects to each other. Further planned activities are the mutual integration of learning modules between the platforms as well as a connection to the Texoversum database of Reutlingen University. Further exchanges and coordinated activities have also been planned: The Fashion DIET platform will be linked to “GoTextile!”, a marketing tool for apprentices in textile companies. Moreover, all representatives of the meeting have been invited to take part as stakeholders at the next Learning, Teaching, Training (LTT) activities within the framework of the Fashion DIET project, i.e. the upcoming LTT in April 2022 in Yambol, Bulgaria, as well as the LTT in spring 2023 taking place at Reutlingen University. This could be very helpful to get feedback on the platform Glocal Campus and the ESD module of the Fashion DIET project. In return, the Fashion DIET team has been invited to join a virtual exchange in summer 2022 organised by Chemnitz University of Technology.
Fashion DIET consortium, March 2022
