Teaching Philosophy
Han-Ah Yoo
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My teaching philosophy encompasses three main factors:
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Creating an environment where students build a solid fashion design foundation for the current and sustainable future fashion industry based on the design process and the development of technical and analytical skills.
2. Producing independent thinkers through an active learning approach, and students use the
design process (concept to final product) to reach their individual learning outcomes.
3. Fostering a passion for design and becoming a lifelong learner by providing an atmosphere of
consideration, support, and trust in the classroom.
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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Apparel design is a complex problem-solving activity where the range of possible problems and solutions is infinite. I believe that apparel educators should build in students a foundation of conceptual thinking, a skill that is transferable to a wide range of experiences. Students who complete my courses can use appropriate technology to facilitate critical problem solving, lead creative endeavors, and have the technical skills to achieve innovative outcomes.
Apparel course curriculums not only need to disseminate conceptual design and product development knowledge but also skill-based expertise about how to use and apply relevant apparel technologies. I encourage my students to learn and practice designer’s process through demonstrations, critiques and their design projects. Through an open-ended iterative and exploratory process, young designers learn how to be inspired, how to work with someone has different thought, and how to ideate and implement their ideas. Technology is constantly evolving and pushing the boundaries of the discipline. Therefore, I aim to make students aware of the possibilities of using technology as tools for executing their ideas. Integrating these two skills, creative problem-solving and embracing technology, in the classroom is an integral part of preparing students for careers in the apparel industry.
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SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability and technology-enhanced apparel innovation are inextricably tied to my areas of research. Through my research, I model for students how 3D visualization software can help fashion companies become more sustainable and how 3D visualization software can help fashion companies become more sustainable. Major design companies have adopted new technologies for sustainable processes and expect their development process to become 100% digital within the next five years. Therefore, understanding the correlation of new technologies such as 3D VP with sustainable design is increasingly crucial and relevant. Under a vision of sustainability, my teaching focuses how 3D design education can address environmental and social issues by co-creating common frameworks, teaching methodologies, and resources. My ultimate goal is creating a positive vision and standard for the future of sustainability.
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CREATIVE THINKING
This informal approach, critical thinking, lets students open the door which is easily carried over into other subjects with new approaches. I am particularly interested in encouraging students to think out of the box by trying unconventional approaches to solving problems in combining different elements of the work they are dealing with. I believe that this would encourage students to think independently, rather than being enslaved to approaches such as rote memorization and following instructions without questioning for themselves.
I believe that my student’s design solutions can be found at the point where their individual interests intersect with the design problem. In encouraging students to discover these solutions, I suggest to the student’s several different ways to go about finding the best answer or better one, as opposed to directly telling them how to achieve the goal from my point of view. This method of teaching enables students to embrace their own aha-moments of discovery through exploration based on their individual interests, creativities and backgrounds: social, cultural, and family.
Also, I believe designers need to learn how to present and prove their design concept through not only conceptualizing ideas but also prototyping the idea digitally or physically. As John Berger stated in his book, Ways of seeing, “We never look at just one thing; we are always looking at the relationship between things and ourselves.” This invisible tie between the real world and each individual is key in developing a creative and unique vision. As an educator and a visual communicator, my teaching approach is based on this common belief that we all live in a cage that has been shaped by our own perception. The cage consists of many bars. These bars reflect an individual’s personal experiences, backgrounds, their level of education, etc. This cage can be thought of as a perceptual filter on one’s eyes and mind that helps the individual perceive and represent the tangible and intangible.
Today’s students, having been born in the digital age, can “bring many different skills to school” and might “have more recent, more accurate, or even more relevant information in some field” than his or her professor as Victor Papanek described in his book, Design for the real world. I want to add student’s different perspectives bring diverse creative solutions and generate energy in the design studio. Although all students have their own unique skills and ways of thinking, similar to that of a gemstone, these individual intellectual assets need first to be dug up and polished before the student is able to realize his or her full potential wholly. Through in-class practice, students will develop the ability to embrace their individual perceptual filters, thereby allowing for the creation of fresh ideas that can then be contributed to the field of apparel design.
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HUMAN-CENTERED EDUCATION
It's my goal to create an environment where students can express themselves in a comfortable environment, feel secure enough to push their current abilities, and be open to critical analysis in both a group setting and one-on-one with the instructor. This happens when mutual respect is established between the teacher and student and when the educator manages the many diverse personalities in the classroom. At the heart of my educational philosophy lies the fact that each student is an individual and should be treated as such. I deem personal contact with individual students as a key strategy to ensuring that each and every student is noticed and given guidance and encouragement. It also makes it easier for them to ask for help and assistance.
For me, a teacher is one who is respectful, understanding, approachable, and supportive. The way I interact with students demonstrates my respect for them. For example, I never say anything derogatory to them or use them (or any of their work) as a poor example. I illustrate understanding by listening to their needs, even if I am unable to comply. Because I treat students with respect and understanding, I am approachable; students often ask for additional help and thank me for making them feel comfortable and not intimidated for asking questions. When I work with students, I am supportive of their ideas and desires.