Exploring the Potential of Virtual Reality (VR) in Textile Design: Enhancing Textile Design Visualisation, Aesthetic Evaluation and Production Translation

This thesis presents an original, long-term ethnographic study that
identifies effective pedagogical practices in Higher Education (HE) Printed Textile Design Education. It focuses on two key institutions in the United Kingdom and China. As global design education becomes increasingly interconnected, understanding the pedagogical, cultural and institutional differences between these two systems is essential. Such insights can support innovation and cross-cultural collaboration in the creative industries. The study was conducted over four years and involved immersive fieldwork. This included participant observation, interviews with students and educators, and analysis of curriculum materials and studio practices. The research draws on experiential learning principles within printed textile design pedagogy. These perspectives helped reveal how educational philosophies and socio-cultural contexts shape teaching and learning in design. A central innovation in this study is the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies into the printed textile design curriculum. VR was used as a pedagogical tool to accelerate students’ learning. It enabled immersive visualisation and manipulation of textile designs in a three- dimensional environment. This facilitated a more comprehensive understanding of scale, form, colour value, and spatial relationships. It was particularly useful when students transitioned from two-dimensional surface design to three- dimensional applications, such as interior fabrics, textile products and garment construction. The research also examines an extended pedagogical framework that supports this transition. It emphasises digital fluency, material experimentation and the need for educator-focused support resources. These resources can help teachers overcome the challenges commonly associated with adopting new technologies. Findings reveal notable contrasts between the UK and Chinese systems. Differences were identified in curriculum structure, assessment practices and the balance between tradition and innovation. UK institutions tend to emphasise conceptual development and critical reflection. In
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contrast, Chinese programmes give greater priority to instructor-led technical precision and commercial values. Despite these distinctions, both systems are increasingly adopting digital tools. These technologies are being used to strengthen teaching delivery and to reinforce sustainable practices. Overall, this study contributes a cross-cultural and technologically informed framework for evaluating and enhancing printed textile design pedagogy. It offers insights and practical resources for educators and digital curriculum developers who aim to cultivate more inclusive, adaptive and future-oriented design education models. These developments also support broader objectives in the global Fashion and Textiles (F&T) sector, particularly the move towards digitally enabled dematerialisation and sustainability through digitisation.