Speakers

Biography

Nouf Alsuwaida is an assiociate professor at the University of Ha’il in Saudi Arabia. Her doctoral studies focus on Educational Learning Technologies in the field of Art and Design at New Mexico State University in the United States. Nouf’s teaching experience includes fashion design, architecture & heritage motifs, and the history of textiles, social media in arts. Her research interests are in women’s education issues, women’s traditional clothing, teaching and learning in fashion design, art tharapy, curricilum & instruction, E-learn and distance education, and technology theories in pedagogy.

Abstract

The study investigates the experiences of patients who attend art therapy sessions. The researcher developed a textile-based program in 2023 with six patients in one Mental Health Hospital in Saudi Arabia. The study uses Dewey’s theory of learning by doing to help patients learn a new skill, explore emotions, mitigate stress, and help eliminate anxiety and depression. The researcher gives learners one simple of heritage motif as a source inspiration to design from.  Then, learners explore the use of technology tool to use colors for textile design and teach them the way of weaving to be able to create artwork by balancing action and reflection individually. The research design is a qualitative case study method, and data is collected through observation to identify the result of the patient’s emotions after teaching the textile process. Thus, Recommendations are given for practical ways other Art and Design faculty can also build courses that promote student of mental health engagement and interactions using art therapy.