Abstract:

Advances in information and communication technologies and applications of their affordances to instructional settings increased the importance of e-learning practices as well. Even though e-learning endeavors created educational advantages without time and place barriers, effective and robust e-learning practices have rarely been proposed in the field of fashion design education. Sample attempts observed in several countries usually focused on theoretical contents in different courses such as fashion merchandising or brand development in fashion design. In this regard, the current study tried to explore the strengths and weaknesses of e-learning applications for fashion design education with a focus on the compatibility of current instructional practices to emerging e-learning applications. Implications are also supposed to help further practitioners and scholars while designing their unique e-learning environments for fashion design education. The sample of the study were ten undergraduate fashion design student enrolled in a leading Turkish state university in 2014 spring semester. Through the help of focus group interviews, student perceptions were investigated, potential of e-learning for fashion design education was discussed, and potential opportunities and drawbacks were suggested.

Keywords:

Fashion design education, e-learning, higher education.