NAME: MUKUNDI JANE WAIRIMU

REG NO.: K17-3865-2019

UNIT TITLE: COMMUNITY COLLABORATION FOR FASHION DESIGN

UNIT CODE: HFM 403

Fashion Collaboration with Machakos Institute of Technology.

Community collaboration in fashion design is an innovative and inclusive approach to promote

sustainability, diversity and creativity in the fashion industry.

About Machakos Institute of Technology.

Machakos Institute of Technology (founded in 2008) is a private educational institution in Machakos,

Kenya. MIT has nine faculties with an emphasis on social work, community development, scientific and
technological research. The institution is located in Machakos town on Mbolu Malu Road, on the first
and second floor of Kinyali Building.

The Institute offers Short, Artisan, Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses, among them
being Fashion Design and garment making.

Vision.

To be a global leader in transformative technical education, innovation and research.

Mission.

To train students to practice at the highest level of professional competence.

Core Values.

-Agility –Creativity –Innovation –Integrity –Professionalism –Team Work

Lessons learnt while collaborating with Machakos Institute of Technology.

I’ve always been passionate about sharing knowledge, fostering learning and inspiring others to reach
their full potential, Machakos Institute of Technology has been a great avenue to further develop my
skills and knowledge in design and marketing.

This experience aligns perfectly with my long-term career goal of becoming a lecturer.

Among the lessons learnt are;

1. I’ve learnt techniques and teaching methods that are effective in engaging and educating
students. This includes strategies for different learning styles, classroom engagement and I’m
looking forward to learn and employ innovative teaching technologies.

2. . My communication skills in delivering lectures and in interacting with students have improved,
both in delivering content clearly and fostering an open and inclusive classroom environment.
Thus improving my ability to convey complex ideas in a comprehensible manner which is crucial.

3. I’ve gained insights to curriculum development and the process of creating educational
materials that are both engaging and aligned with learning objectives.

4. 4. I’m keen to learn about mentoring and advising students, as well as guiding them in their
academic and career goals.

5. 5. I’m privileged to have learnt how to create an inclusive and diverse classroom environment,
where all students feel valued and have equal opportunities to succeed.

6. 6. Learnt that teaching is a dynamic process that requires adaptability. Students have diverse
learning styles, and effective teaching often involves adjusting your approach to meet their
needs

7. 7. Learnt that teaching is a dynamic process that requires adaptability. Students have diverse
learning styles, and effective teaching often involves adjusting your approach to meet their
needs
Ways I’ve collaborated with Machakos Institute of Technology
Fashion Design Department;

1. Learning styles.

 Given that every student has a unique learning style, understanding their various learning styles
is vital. After engaging the students, I realized that most of them are a combination of visual
learners and read/write learners.

Presenting concepts by showing them the relationship between different ideas visually and describing
them using visual statements has helped greatly.

The reason for incorporating this in my teaching technique is, the way a student consumes information
can be a determining factor in their academic success.

Example where visual and read/write learning style has been used. (Industrial Organization
Management notes procurement procedure)

1) CATALOGUE

-This is a booklet that lists visual products offered by a supplier giving not only their price but a brief
description of it.
Fishbone diagram

Example of write learning style;

2. Engaging students in Fashion Marketing.

With an interest in the entrepreneurial side of fashion and design sharing the knowledge I’ve acquired
over the years is vital.

Engaging fashion design students in fashion marketing is important to help them understand the
business side of the industry and make their designs more marketable.

Ways I’ve engaged students in fashion marketing;

 Real-world Case Studies

Using real-world case studies to demonstrate how successful fashion brands market their products.
Analyzing marketing strategies used by well-known fashion companies and discuss their impact on the
brand’s success.

 Social Media Marketing

Introducing students to the world of digital marketing and the role of social media in promoting fashion
brands.

Practical exercises and questions on how well students know the importance of social media in
marketing, and if they’ve used it in their businesses if any.

 Portfolio Building

Encouraging students to create portfolios that include their designs. This helps showcase their skills and
understand how design and marketing work together to create a cohesive brand image.

 Encourage critical thinking.

Encouraging students to critically evaluate marketing strategies and their impact on design decisions.
This can be done by discussing the ethical and sustainable aspects of fashion marketing.
  Trend Analysis

Engaging students on how to conduct trend analysis and market research. This helps them understand
consumer preferences, emerging trends, and how to design products that align with market demands.

3. Engaging Fashion Students on Sustainability.

It was unfortunate that most students were not aware of sustainable practices, sharing knowledge that
pertains to sustainability is key bearing in mind the direction the fashion Industry is taking.

Among the ways I’ve engaged students in sustainability are;

 Keeping up with trends

Encouraging students to stay current with the latest sustainability trends and innovations in the fashion
industry

 Encourage Self-Reflection

Encouraging students to reflect on their personal values and how these values can guide their design
choices toward sustainability.
  Open Discussions.

Fostering open discussions about environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry, which
encourages students to critically analyze the industry’s challenges and come up with innovative
solutions.

 Circular Fashion Concepts.

Teaching students about circular fashion concepts, including recycling, upcycling and repairing
garments.

Encouraging them to design with the idea of extending a garment’s lifespan in mind.

Relevance.

The relevance of this collaboration is significant for various reasons.

 Mutual Learning

The collaborative process has benefited not only me by other stakeholders in the institution eg. Students
and the experienced professionals in the fashion design department.

 Knowledge Transfer

The experienced professionals pass their expertise, skills and insights which ensures that valuable
knowledge is not lost.

 Networking Opportunities

This opportunity offers me the chance to network with professionals in the field, which is invaluable for
future job opportunities, mentorship and career guidance.

 Career Readiness

This collaboration has prepared me for the demands of the job market by gaining insights into
workplace culture, expectations and professional norms.

 Perspectives

This collaboration has opened my mind to new perspectives, new ideas and current understanding of
trends and technologies.

Challenge Experienced.

 Learning Styles.

Due to the students having different learning styles, I’ve experienced challenges when it comes to
delivering content, thanks to the seasoned colleagues who helped figure a way out, by using different
teaching techniques.

 Lack of conducive learning environments.

The institution lacks enough facilities for students to learn in, this would affect the students
concentration as we would be sharing rooms with fellow lecturers.
  Ignorance.

It’s unfortunate that I experienced ignorance from students who might have seen me as their mate, thus
inhibiting content delivery in some cases, thanks to my lecturer Ms. Coletta Matayo who encouraged me
to focus on the goal which was teaching.

References.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mit.ac.ke
%2F&psig=AOvVaw0U3HZn60LeCv1bVe5fWrpM&ust=1698402992732000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved
=0CAUQjB1qFwoTCJC5havCk4IDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

https://bau.edu/blog/types-of-learning-styles/
A FEW LESSONS LEARNT AND CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED
AFTER THE 1st PRESENTATION.

Lessons learnt.
 DELIVERING CONTENT.

A major take home from this experience has been in delivering content, there’s a temptation as a
teacher to want to introduce a concept as easy, with a hope that the students see it the same way. I’ve
learnt that more often than not students end up stuck if they find it hard to interpreted this “simple
concept.” I’ve realized the importance of allowing a concept be hard to the students, and through
guidance walk them to a realization of how understandable the concept is.

 PATIENCE.

This is a value that has largely developed during this period, after understanding that the learners had
different learning styles, it called for patience with each learning style.

CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED.
 INADEQUATE LECTURE HALLS.

The major challenge in the past three weeks has been the ongoing KNEC examinations. Bearing in mind
that there’s one workshop for all classes, it was resolved that the classes be suspended for sometime
until the KNEC exams were over.

This was a great challenge since we had barely covered 70% of the syllabus that was intended to be
covered this semester.

 Solution;

I resolved to giving takeaway assignments that would be presented for marking on usual class meetings,
this helped the students with revision and completion of the syllabus.

References.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mit.ac.ke
%2F&psig=AOvVaw0U3HZn60LeCv1bVe

Torey Hayden’s book – The Tigers Child