Enhancing Apparel Pattern-Making Skills in Community College: A Study on the Impact of Visualization Technique

The importance of visualization in teaching and learning is increasingly emphasized in the contemporary education era. However, students need help manipulating apparel patterns due to the lack of visualization skills in pattern drafting, which causes failure in producing good apparel patterns. Thus, a teaching module based on the Meyer Model (1988) has been developed to help lecturers teach visualization skills on apparel patterns. This study aims to evaluate the effect of module implementation on the achievement and skills of apparel patternmaking for first-year students at Community College who take the subject of pattern drafting. A quasi-experimental design was used involving pre-test and post-test. A total of 83 students were selected by cluster random sampling and divided into a control group (40 students) and a treatment group (43 students). The research instrument used is a set of pre-tests and post-tests to measure the achievement and skills of students in manipulating apparel patterns. The results for the aspect of achievement showed that the Kruskal-Wallis test (H = 61.289, p= .001) and the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test (Z= 7.863, p= .001) indicated significant differences. Similarly, the results for the aspect of skills showed that the Kruskal-Wallis test (H = 59.877, p= .000) and the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test (Z= 7.738, p= .001) also indicated significant differences, and this shows overall significant differences in student achievement and skills. In conclusion, the Vis Man Pola Module helps lecturers teach and learn to solve student problems in the classroom. The exposure to visualization skills in this module also indirectly guides the user in effectively completing the apparel pattern making.