Chanjuan Chen

5.7 Beyond Control: A Case Study on the Integration of Generative AI in Fashion Design Education through Actor-Network Theory (Paper)

Chanjuan Chen – University of North Texas, Denton, USA

Abstract:

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly growing technological trend reshaping industries, including education. This qualitative case study investigates the impact of implementing Generative AI in a university-level fashion design course on students’ creative processes and outcomes. Drawing on Actor-Network Theory (ANT), this study examines the dynamic relationships between human and nonhuman actors- students, instructors, university policies, AI platforms, and the broader socio-technical network within which they interact. Conducted over five weeks, the study employs diverse data collection methods, including pre-survey questionnaires, participant observations, interviews, focus groups, field notes, design process documentation, and artifacts. In alignment with the congress theme of “unexpected territories,” the study frames AI-based fashion design as a practice that reimagines identity, creativity, and learning. It explores the intersections of tradition, innovation, and ethics, reflecting on the paradigm shifts introduced by digital technologies. Data analysis employs linkography for examining the visual data and thematic analysis for the textual data. ANT offers a lens to uncover the socio-technical complexity of AI in the classroom, highlighting its dual role as both a creative enabler and an active participant in the educational network. The findings reveal how students and educators navigate AI’s potential to expand creative possibilities while critically reflecting on challenges such as authenticity, originality, and ethical considerations in digital spaces. This study contributes to the existing literature by applying ANT to art and design education, offering insights into integrating AI in these fields. It also provokes discussions on visual culture, value systems, and pedagogical innovation, emphasizing how AI challenges and redefines traditional boundaries in art and design education.

13.3 Parametric Harmony (Artwork)

Chanjuan Chen – University of North Texas, Denton, USA

Abstract:

Inspired by the organic lines and forms of nature, this wearable art piece explores the unexpected territories that emerge when digital technology intersects with our relationship to the natural world. Technology, often perceived as an extension of the forces that drive life, is reimagined here as a natural system and a continuation of biological evolution. By simulating complex patterns observed in nature and adapting them to the human form, this design traverses the boundaries between materiality and imagination, tradition and innovation. The garment integrates 3D-printed modular components with 2D digitally printed fabric, creating sculptural shapes and fluid curves made possible through parametric modelling. This synthesis of fashion, architecture, and digital technology challenges conventional design paradigms, suggesting a harmonious and collaborative future where nature and technology coalesce.

This wearable art piece combines 3D-printed modules and digitally printed fabric, inspired by organic forms and created through parametric modeling. It explores the harmony between digital innovation and the natural world.

Chanjuan Chen – Parametric Harmony (Artwork)