A companion Practical and Applied Arts Handbook provides background on Core Curriculum philosophy, perspectives, and initiatives. The Handbook articulates a renewed set of goals for PAA. It presents additional information about the PAA area of study, including guidelines about work study, extended study, and the Transition-to-Work dimensions. In addition, a PAA Information Bulletin provides direction for administrators and others regarding the implementation of PAA courses. Lists of recommended resources for all guides will be compiled into a PAA Bibliography with periodic updates.

Philosophy and Rationale

The renewed Clothing, Textiles, and Fashion curriculum guide is designed to create awareness of the role of clothing, textiles, and fashion in our daily lives. Modules are developed for the student who has the desire to learn to sew and/ or design clothing and textile products. Modules will provide the student with the opportunity for achievement and success through a combination of theory and practical experiences within the school and/ or workplace.

With the trend toward self-employment and small business, the knowledge and skills acquired can be transferred into the world of work.

The Clothing, Textiles, and Fashion curriculum guide focuses on developing an understanding of key theoretical concepts and on practising skills associated with the areas of clothing, textiles, and fashion. There is a balance of personal and work-based skills promoted throughout the guide. Practical application of the knowledge and skills will be demonstrated in projects reflected at both the personal and work level.

Consumer Knowledge: To develop a knowledge base that will enable students to develop buying practices when shopping for clothing and textile products.

Personal Skills: To allow students to cultivate practical clothing skills that can be used in their daily lives.

Technological Advances: To gain knowledge of the changes in the production of clothing and in the textiles industries and how they influence the lives of people today.

Careers and Employment: To explore career opportunities that may lead to successful employment in the areas of clothing, textiles, and fashion.

Entrepreneurship: To develop entrepreneurial skills and evaluate opportunities within the textile and fashion industry.

Foundational objectives are the major, general statements that guide what each student is expected to achieve for the modules of the PAA curriculum guide. Foundational objectives indicate the most important knowledge, skills, attitudes/values, and abilities for a student to learn in a subject. Both the Foundational Objectives for Clothing, Textiles and Fashion 10, 30 and the Common Essential Learnings (CELs) Foundational Objectives to be emphasized are stated in this document. Some of these statements may be repeated or enhanced in different modules for emphasis. The Foundational Objectives of the Core Modules of the Clothing, Textiles and Fashion 10, 30 curriculum include:

• To understand, develop, and apply the major concepts related to clothing construction.
• To provide a broad foundation of clothing design fundamentals and apply them to projects to meet individual needs.
• To generate an awareness of the factors that determine the appropriateness of successful design in apparel and textile products.
• To increase awareness of the economic and environmental influences on clothing decisions.
• To provide opportunities to use the decision making process in clothing selections.
• To identify and apply principles of clothing care.
• To develop skills in designing, restoring, or recycling clothing and textile items.
• To acquire an understanding of the concepts related to fitting standards and pattern alterations in the clothing and fashion industry and apply these concepts to the fit and appearance of a garment.
• To recognize that clothing, fashion, and textile items evolved from culture and reflect the economic, political, and social conditions of the times.
• To create a broad awareness of textiles uses in apparel, home furnishings, commercial furnishings, and industry.
• To examine, create, and evaluate a variety of textile design applications suitable for clothing and textile items.
• To explore and practise the fashion design process.
• To integrate classroom learning with work-related learning.
• To create an awareness of the careers and opportunities in the fields of clothing, textiles and fashion industries that exist in Canada.

The incorporation of the Common Essential Learnings (CELs) into the instruction of the Practical and Applied Arts curriculum offers many opportunities to develop students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities. The purpose of the CELs is to assist students with learning concepts, skills, and attitudes necessary to make the transition to career, work, and adult life.

The CELs also establish a link between the Transition-to-Work dimensions and Practical and Applied Arts curriculum content. The Transition-to-Work dimensions included in the PAA courses are: apprenticeship, career development, community projects, employability skills, entrepreneurial skills, occupational skills, personal accountability, processing of information, teamwork, and work study/experience. Throughout the PAA curricula, the CELs objectives are stated explicitly at the beginning of each module. The CELs are coded in this document as follows:

It is anticipated that teachers will find additional ways to incorporate the CELs into their classroom instruction.

Each Secondary Level credit is based on 100 hours of instruction. It is necessary to provide a balance between theory and practice. The renewed Clothing, Textiles, and Fashion modules begin at the basic sewing level using commercial patterns, sewing machines, and sergers when available. Introductory modules from Clothing, Textiles, and Fashion 10 will be recommended for the Middle Level.

School and community diversity will determine the work study employment opportunities in your locale. The optional work study component of 25 to 50 hours provides the student with the opportunity to apply classroom learning to the workplace setting and further develop career exploration. The work study component will be determined by arrangement with the employer, student and teacher monitor.

Career exploration, Transition-to-Work, and a smooth transition from high school to post-secondary education programs are important goals in all PAA courses of study. This course is a Practical and Applied Arts option that is a specified elective at the Secondary Level.

Work Study provides students with an opportunity to enhance personal skills and to develop skills using industry equipment and standards not available in a school setting. Refer to the Work Study Guidelines, a section of the Practical and Applied Arts Handbook and to the Work Experience Education Guide (1989), for information on required and best practices for student preparation, employer partnerships, and teacher responsibilities.

Note: the Work Experience Education Guidelines are being renewed as the Career and Work Exploration Curriculum Guide.

A portfolio is a valuable organizer of student projects and assignments. Envelopes, files, binders, or folders serve to compile information over a term for each student. Each student should have a portfolio representing his or her work during the course. Students may construct portfolios in which to keep their work and assessments throughout the term. Two portfolios may be valuable: a "working portfolio" to collect ideas observations, notes and critiques, and a "presentation portfolio" to maintain completed work. By keeping track of this material, students are able to monitor their level of achievement. Additions to and revisions of the portfolio should be done at the end of each module.

When a teacher examines a student's portfolio in order to make a decision regarding student progress, the information it contains may becomes documented evidence for the evaluation.

A daily journal may also become a part of a working portfolio as a means of tracking the student’s use of time and to record progress on ideas that are being developed. This will provide the student with a focus for self-directed or independent learning as well as an anecdotal record for part of the student’s evaluation.

A portfolio related to Clothing, Textiles and Fashion may contain: sewing samples, fashion design illustrations, and photos of completed sewing projects.

Teachers should also check the department’s Learning Resources Distribution Centre (LRDC) catalogue. An on-line ordering service is available.

The on-line version of this Guide is accessible at www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/paa.html. It will be "Evergreened", as appropriate.

Evaluation throughout the Clothing, Textile, and Fashion courses should be based upon the learning objectives outlined in the course of study. It is important to use a variety of assessment strategies to ensure an accurate evaluation of the student. The design of an evaluation matrix should reflect the amount of time devoted to each of the modules taught in the course. For example, if the Basic - Successful Sewing module is offered in the course, it could represent 25% of the student’s evaluation in a 100 hour course offering.

Regular program evaluation could include a survey of parents, students, and employers to determine program effectiveness and need for change, if any. Information specific to program evaluation is found in Saskatchewan Education’s School-Based Program Evaluation Resource Book (1989) and the Practical and Applied Arts Handbook (Draft 2000).

An example of an evaluation matrix follows:

Written Testing Projects and Research Assignments and Homework Classroom Presentation

20% 60% 10% 10%

There are three main types of student evaluation: Formative, Summative, and Diagnostic.

Formative evaluation is an ongoing classroom process that keeps students and educators informed of students’ progress.

Summative evaluation occurs most often at the end of a module, or course, to determine what has been learned over a period of time.

Diagnostic evaluation usually occurs at the beginning of the school year or before a module of instruction to identify prior knowledge, skills or interests in the subject area.