The Virtual Shoe Salon: A creative and active approach for teaching research and data analysis to fashion students

The push towards creative and active learning in higher education has gained momentum in recent years, creating opportunities for innovative, student focused approaches. The Covid-19 pandemic shifted the educational landscape to the online world, propelling the need to create compelling learning activities for students. While also fostering a sense of community and facilitating both peer relationships and peer learning. This paper presents the development and initial implementation of an innovative teaching tool, The Virtual Shoe Salon, which is based on creative pedagogies and experiential learning. The Virtual Shoe Salon has been implemented to embed stronger skills in research and data analysis within the curriculum of our fashion business courses. As a teaching method it can embrace both online and face to face environments. Drawing from a theoretical foundation of material culture, combined with an adaptation of the photovoice research approach, the salon takes the ordinary, but expressive objects of shoes to engage students in research and analysis through collaboration, conversation and peer to peer learning. The paper presents the rationale for the Virtual Shoe Salon, and findings from its implementation with 250 students. Subsequent evaluation and reflection with both students and staff have evidenced the positive role of the Virtual Shoe Salon in facilitating active and collaborative learning around research and data analysis. While it has actively encouraged a dynamic and collaborative learning environment, the Virtual Shoe Salon has initiated a shared space underpinned by the sense of community and belonging for students that Covid-19 had eroded.