1. Clarifying Digital Goals through Visual Structure
The design of Digital Journeys is informed by goal-setting theory, which emphasises the importance of instructional clarity in supporting learning. Locke and Latham argue that effective goals are those that are “specific and challenging” rather than vague, as they “direct attention, mobilise effort, and encourage persistence” (Locke and Latham, 2002, p. 705). In educational contexts, unclear goals can increase anxiety and cognitive overload, as students expend effort deciding how to begin rather than engaging meaningfully with learning tasks. Within Digital Journeys, this theory is applied by making digital expectations explicit at each project stage, linking tasks to appropriate software, and visualising progression through a structured roadmap. In this sense, the resource functions as a goal-clarification tool, helping students translate abstract assessment briefs into concrete, achievable actions.
2. Supporting Confidence through Mastery-Oriented Learning
The project is also informed by goal orientation theory, particularly the distinction between mastery and performance orientations. Dweck describes mastery-oriented learners as those who focus on “learning goals in which they seek to increase their competence” rather than simply demonstrating ability (Dweck, 1986, p. 1041). By contrast, performance-oriented learning environments encourage students to prioritise grades and correctness, which can undermine confidence, creativity and risk-taking. Digital Journeys supports a mastery orientation by emphasising process over outcome, normalising iteration. As Dweck later notes, learning environments that value growth and understanding foster greater resilience and confidence (Dweck, 2006).
3. Learning through Experience, Reflection and Scaffolding
This process-focused approach aligns with experiential learning theory, which understands learning as an active and iterative process rather than the passive absorption of information. Kolb defines learning as “the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984, p. 38), a perspective that closely reflects how fashion students engage with creative software through ongoing project work. In Digital Journeys, students’ interaction with different software tools constitutes concrete experience, while the visual roadmap supports reflection by making digital workflows visible and intelligible. Clarifying when and why particular tools are used supports abstract conceptualisation, enabling students to form transferable skills of digital practice, while movement between software stages encourages experimentation and revision. This experiential process is supported through principles of scaffolding, which provide structured guidance at early stages of learning. Wood, Bruner and Ross describe scaffolding as enabling learners to accomplish tasks they “would be unable to achieve on their own” (1976, p. 90). By offering step-by-step visual guidance and task-specific software recommendations, Digital Journeys reduces cognitive overload while gradually supporting independent decision-making and builds confidence and autonomy in digital workflows.
4. Visual and Emotional Design as a Pedagogical Strategy
In addition to clarifying workflows, the project deliberately foregrounds visual and aesthetic design as a pedagogical strategy. Research in multimedia learning suggests that emotionally engaging and aesthetically considered materials can enhance motivation and comprehension. Mayer and Estrella argue that “emotional design can positively affect learners’ motivation and engagement” when visuals support rather than distract from learning goals (Mayer and Estrella, 2014, p. 14). Similarly, Um et al. found that visually appealing instructional materials can improve learners’ performance by fostering positive emotional responses (Um et al., 2012). According to CAST “barriers to learning are found in the design of the curriculum, not in the learner.” (CAST, 2018) UAL guidance on digital education emphasises that barriers to learning can be reduced through inclusive and thoughtfully designed learning materials and environments, framing accessibility as central to enabling full student engagement (University of the Arts London, n.d.). These findings support the decision to design Digital Journeys as a visually clear, intuitive, interactive and engaging resource.
5. Accessibility, Inclusion and Transparent Learning Pathways
Finally, the project is grounded in principles of accessibility and inclusion, responding to digital literacy gaps that can disadvantage some learners. The UAL Inclusive Teaching and Learning Framework emphasises the importance of designing learning resources that “anticipate and remove barriers to learning, rather than responding to them after the fact” (University of the Arts London, n.d.). In this context, Digital Journeys prioritises clear visual communication, legible design, and transparency of expectations in order to support equitable access to digital knowledge. This approach aligns with hooks’ argument that inclusive education should enable learners to “claim ownership of knowledge rather than merely consuming information passively” (hooks, 1994, p. 14). From a design perspective, Norman similarly argues that well-designed systems make actions visible and understandable, noting that “the real problem with interfaces is not that they are complex, but that they are confusing” (Norman, 2013, p. 9). By making digital workflows explicit and visually navigable, Digital Journeys aims to reduce barriers to independent learning and support students in engaging more confidently with creative software within fashion education.
Framing the Project Through a Social Justice and Pedagogical Lens
This project recognises digital literacy as unevenly distributed rather than universally shared. Research in higher education demonstrates that implicit expectations around digital competence can disadvantage students who lack prior access to specialist software or informal training, reinforcing existing inequalities within creative disciplines (Selwyn, 2010; Helsper and Eynon, 2013). In practice-based subjects, digital skills are often assumed rather than explicitly taught, which can further marginalise learners without prior exposure to industry-standard tools (Beetham, 2017).
In line with the Social Model of Disability embedded within the University of the Arts London Inclusive Teaching and Learning Framework, this project understands barriers to learning as produced by educational structures and practices rather than by individual students (University of the Arts London, n.d.). From this perspective, uncertainty around digital workflows is framed as an accessibility issue created by unclear or text-heavy instructional design, rather than a deficit in student ability.
In this context, text-heavy instructional design refers to teaching materials that:
- Rely predominantly on dense written explanations
- Lack visual scaffolding (diagrams, screenshots, step-by-step visuals, videos)
- Present instructions in long paragraphs rather than structured, chunked formats
- Assume strong reading stamina, language proficiency, and prior software literacy
Text-heavy instructional design is widely recognised within inclusive learning literature as a barrier for diverse learners, including (CAST, 2018; University of the Arts London, n.d.):
- Disabled students (e.g. dyslexia, ADHD, cognitive processing differences)
- Neurodivergent learners
- Students from non-design or non-technical backgrounds
- Students with English as an additional language
Digital Journeys is therefore positioned as an inclusive, visually structured intervention that makes software expectations explicit, reduces cognitive overload, and supports all students to build confidence and autonomy in creative digital workflows.
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