Co-working, exploring the ways teacher-practitioners shape students’ learning experience in fashion and textiles higher education. In: Stepping out: studies on creative and cultural Sector engagement with Arts HE, David Clews (ed).

The paper describes the authors’ research project funded by the ADM: HEA Subject Centre and University of Brighton CETLD. It discuss the role of the teacher-practitioner in Fashion and Textiles higher education, focusing on: * What motivates Fashion and Textiles practitioners to engage in teaching? * How are teacher-practitioners supported by the higher education community? * How do teacher-practitioners shape undergraduate/postgraduate learning support and outcomes? * What are the perceived benefits and limitations of teacher-practitioners by students, teacher-practitioners, themselves and higher education staff peers? The Co-working project is concerned with assessing the form and scale of the contribution made to teaching and learning in Fashion and Textiles in higher education by teachers who also work as practitioners. This research is timely as it addresses governmental concerns as to whether education is delivering the appropriate skills to ensure students are employable post-graduation. The project explores the experiences of teacher-practitioners in higher education, and observes how they facilitate student learning and enhance student employability within the Fashion and Textiles industry. The perceptions of the role are reflected on and debated. The paper identifies the key themes that have emerged from the Co-working project’s resulting data, which was collected through structured interviews with teacher-practitioners and undergraduate/postgraduate students and staff from the Royal College of Art and the University of Brighton. The paper identifies and defines the impact of the teacher-practitioner on Fashion and Textiles undergraduate/postgraduate education to inform higher education’s understanding of the role.