My Textile Adventure

Educate, Advocate and inform using Textiles 

The role of a Home Economist

 - Home economists are individuals who work along side non-governmental organizations to improve all aspects of families worldwide. Home economists are activists in lobbying for issues that endeavor to improve the wellbeing and diversity of individuals, families and households. Home Economists are strong advocates for individuals and family wellbeing worldwide (IFHE, 2008). 

Home Economists are determined by four major elements or areas of practice:

-  Academic Discipline - to educate new scholars, research, create new knowledge and ways of thinking.

- Everyday Living - living in households, families, and communities.

-As a Curriculum area - that facilitates students to discover and further develop their own resources.

-Or as a Societal Arena - influence and develop policy- to advocate for individuals, families, and communities (IFHE,2008).

My position as an up and coming Home Economics teacher is to fundamentally mentor students to become responsible adults. In the 21st century Home Economics is far more than just cooking and sewing, its about focusing on issues that impede on individuals, families and communities'. As an educator my focus will be to help build and strengthen student's knowledge and understanding about Home Economics as a whole. I will be accountable for guiding learners to become responsible, successful citizens and leaders who are creative, caring and empathetic acquiring the necessary skills to make ethical choices regarding finances, nutrition and take ownership of and responsibility of their own actions in life. 

I am a passionate caring empathetic individual who's main goal of becoming a Home Economics teacher is to prepare young people with a set of skills and knowledge that will assist them once they leave school and become part of the whole world context. I have a vision that sees the students I teach become empowered and conquer all challenges that come their way. 

Human Centered Design - is about embracing and believing that all obstacles even those that seen unmanageable. It is believing that those people who face such issues everyday are the ones who hold the key to the answers. The Human Centered Design provides troubleshooting to have a deeper understanding of the individuals they are looking to serve (IDEO.org, 2015).

The Human Centered Design is about adopting a mindset of optimism along with learning. There are seven key elements that set the design in the field guide. These include: Empathy, Optimism, Iteration, Creative Confidence, Making, Embracing Ambiguity, and Learning from Failure (IDEO.org, 2015).  

The seven key elements from the Human Centered Design would be passed through the classroom using three main processes that are inspiration, ideation, and implementation (IDEO).org, 2015).

Empathy-  In the classroom empathy would be the capacity to stand in another's individuals shoes as to speak and see things from their perspective. An example would be to see and understand where your students are coming from in the view of wellbeing, health, and safety.

Optimism- In the classroom optimism would be seen as students embracing challenges and approaching problems front on.

Iteration- In the classroom students would adopt an iteration approach to feedback that allows students to critically reflect, refine and improve on their learning. 

Creative Confidence- In the classroom students are seen as dynamic problem solvers. An example would be when students are given a set task (Design Brief) they are to investigate, justify, analyze and compare information they have found to complete the task.

Making- In the classroom this would look like when students are undertaking or creating a design process (project). Students could use a variety of sustainable martials or ICTs to complete their projects whilst considering factors to why it could or might not work.

Embracing Ambiguity- In the classroom this would look like students are working collaboratively to solve problems and be creative. This could be when students are doing a group assignment or playing a solving game.

Learning from Failure- In the classroom this would look like students learning about how to problem solve while interacting with others while designing experiments or prototypes. Students need to be reminded that they have not failed and that this is all apart of being innovative (IDEO.org, 2015).

Below is a Mind Map 

How does Human Centered Design Look in Textiles.

References

F, S. Gabriel. (1998). The Role and Contribution of Home Economics to National Development 1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323143130_THE_ROLE_AND_CONTRIBUTION_OF_HOME_ECONOMICS_TO_NATIONAL_DEVELOPMENT_1 

IDEO.org. (2015). The Field Guide: Human Centered Design. https://d1r3w4d5z5a88i.cloudfront.net/assets/guide/Field%20Guide%20to%20Human-Centered%20Design_IDEOorg_English-0f60d33bce6b870e7d80f9cc1642c8e7.pdf