REVISTA DE INVENTICA / Vol. XXIII Nr.
69 / 2010
E-LEARNING MODULES FOR FOOTWEAR DESIGN AND PATTERN MAKING
Aura MIHAI1, Mehmet SAHIN2, Mariana PASTINA1, Marta Catalina HARNAGEA1
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to introduce the results of a European funded project, titled “Virtual
Training Centre for Shoe Design”. VTC-Shoe (www.vtcforshoedesign.com) is an innovative training tool
developed as a Leonardo da Vinci - Development of Innovation project under Lifelong Learning
Programme
Key words: footwear, e-learning, design, virtual learning
1. INTRODUCTION
The changing needs in training, in terms of both
quantity and quality, calls for promoting competitiveness
and employment on the European footwear industry.
One of the major problems of the footwear industry at
the moment is that the overall level of skills and
qualifications needs to be raised and, therefore, it is also
necessary for training modules to respond to the
continuous evolution in the workplace so as to confront
the problem of unemployment and increased
competition. Although the industry is asking for
designers as professionals, the lack of training in this
area, on various levels, has been detected in some
countries [1].
Paper aims to evaluate the innovative training tool
developed within the framework of a Leonardo da Vinci
project, titled “VTC-Shoe: Virtual Training Centre for
Shoe Design. The content of the tool is based on a
curriculum at intermediate level composed of four main
parts: Foot, Footwear, Measurements and Tools, Design
and Pattern Making. The training tool has been
developed in English but it is also available in the native
languages of the partner countries: Romanian, Turkish
and Greek.
Fig. 1. VTC Shoe site content
2. EVALUATION CRITERIA
The modern teaching technologies represented by e-
learning or virtual learning offer the support for
developing a new kind of training, from where the
students get useful information in order to complete their
theoretical background and to achieve skills by
practicing. This tool is useful both for students and
trainers from VET schools or/and from industry. In
order to analyze the success of the mentioned training
product, and the quality of the new developed on-line
course, named here under the acronym VTC- Shoe, the
following criteria and sub-criteria, specific for on-line
courses, have been applied:
Curriculum design
Modules and lessons content
Pedagogical purposes
Use of modern technology
Teachers/ learns experience
Assessment and feedback
2.1. Curriculum design
VTC-Shoe project has a common curriculum which
has been designed based on a research activity conducted
in the partner countries. The curriculum has been
developed in three stages: Common curriculum frame,
Draft form of common curriculum and Final form of
common curriculum. Each new developing stage is based
on the feedback from final users (learners from VET
schools, universities, industry). The new curriculum has
been designed on needs analysis and takes care of
developing competences in footwear design and pattern
making.
A brochure with content of common curriculum has
been printed out in four languages as an extended
dissemination product. The proposed curriculum gives
the right content in order to determine the proposed
learning outcomes: necessary knowledge and exercising
support for learners from beginners to an intermediate
level in a high practical demanding area of study-
footwear design and pattern making.
2.2. Modules and lessons content
The site content is available in all four languages
(English, Romanian, Turkish and Greek) under User and
Password on following address:
http://www.vtcforshoedesign.com/. The lessons’ content
has been developed based on references by partners for
this project, and they represent an original contribution.
Framework: Four modules are identified and
described, as: Module I-Foot, Module II-Footwear,
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Module III- Measurements and tools, and Module IV-

Design and pattern making (fig.2). First three modules
offer theoretical knowledge and the last module, that has
been extended more, offers practical demonstrations
from simple to complex pattern making models.
Progression through the developed content is obvious. A
format for each module is provided.

Fig. 4. Site’s appearance

Accessibility and navigation: Site is accessible and

Fig.2. Learning modules: Module I-Foot, Module II-Footwear,
Module III- Measurements and tools, and Module IV- Design
and pattern making
Approach and methodology: Under this button
from main page, the site provides context for VTC Shoe
approach. The adopted methodology is described in a
very clear manner.
Course objectives: Each lesson, assimilated as
unit, has a syllabus that contains the Unit descriptor, the
Topics and the Content. The Unit describes the objective
of lesson, and the Topics give information about
competences assumed to be gain by learners. The course
objective is given by the sum of individual objectives of
each lesson (fig.3).
easy for being navigated. It does not require for special
training in using computer techniques. The site has a
User Manual that has been printed out in four languages
as dissemination product, two aims being completed: to
offer necessary instruction for navigation to the end users
and to contribute to dissemination and valorisation.
2.3. Pedagogical purposes
Student centred learning. Online learning requires
a student-centred approach and it can be used to create a
community of learners [2]. The VTC Shoe site gives the
opportunities for practice and the students can adopt they
own rhythm for learning. Site has innovative
approaches to delivering a high demanding for practices
and exercises content. Pedagogy is focused both on
content and the learning process.
Learning by doing. The students achieve both
theoretical knowledge (12 lessons) and practical skills
(12 lessons) in footwear pattern making. They have the
opportunity to use this educational software to solve
specific problems, for example to design a new footwear
product as development of classic constructive types
(women’s court shoe- 2 variants, men’s shoe- 2 variants,
children’s shoe- 2 variants, sport shoe, loafers, sandals,
children boots, women’s boots, bottom components,
linings).

Fig.3. Lesson structure: unit descriptor, topics, content

Site’s appearance: The VTC Shoe site is appealing

and has a balanced design as written text, drawings,
pictures and schemes. Inside the lessons you can progress
following Next button. Or you can come back on the
previous slide. A button for accessing the lesson content
is provided, too. One could observe the high amount of
web design work that has been done in order to get good
results by giving concise information in the limited space
of each slide. The colour scheme is good looking and
appropriate to the needs for fast learning.
Fig.5. Practical lesson. Women’s court shoe
 ………………………. 3

Step-by step technique. Each lesson/unit is given

step-by-step. Each unit is introduced to the trainee by
giving the Unit descriptor, Topics and Content. The
knowledge regarding footwear design is progressively
transferred to the learner, from simple to complex.

Fig.10. Example of lesson. Step 5-Draw the topline

Fig.6. Example of lesson. Step 1- General design requirements

Fig.11. Example of lesson. Step 6- Mark the instep point

Fig.7. Example of lesson. Step 2- Mark the ball points

Fig.12. Example of lesson. Step 7- Draw the outside lines

Fig.8. Example of lesson. Step 3- Draw the girth’s line

Fig.13. Example of lesson. Step 8-Draw the inside lines

Fig.9. Example of lesson. Step 4- Height of quarter
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Fig.14. Example of lesson. Step 9- Mark the insole

Fig.18. Example of lesson. Step 13-Correct the design lines

Fig.15. Example of lesson. Step 10- Cut the paper shell Fig.19. Example of lesson. Step 14- Patterns of vamp strips

Fig.16. Example of lesson. Step 11-Mirror the mean forme

Fig.20. Example of lesson. Step 15- Rotate the quarter

Fig.17. Example of lesson. Step 12-Copy the design lines

Fig.21. Example of lesson. Step 16- Patterns of quarter straps

 ……………………….
Fig.22. Example of lesson. Step 17- Pattern of bar strip
Fig.23. Example of lesson. Step 18- Separate the pattern
2.4. Use of modern technology
Web-based tools: VTC-Shoe uses tools that
support learning objectives: Address data base,
Animations/Videos, Self tests, Design collection,
Press/News, Links. Even if there are some references
inside some of the theoretical lessons, a list with
References could be useful.
Educational media: Graphics and media
(animations, simulations and videos) used have obvious
learning purposes that emphasize and rich the lessons’
content. The only weak point is they require for some
download time and they have not been provided with a
time adjusting/interrupting facility. Two types of
presentations are available: through Internet connection
or by using a CD (in case the internet connection is not
available). All simulations, videos and movies have been
created for this project and they are original and
innovative contribution ( fig.24).
2.5. Teachers/ trainers experience
High qualified teaching staff from partners
developed a well designed content that allows for
adopting a flexible teaching strategy, oriented towards
the students [3, 4]. Specific activities for content
development, web designing, and graphical designing
has been taken under the project and their common work
result is a very good training tool. This tool can be easily
adapted to the needs of any VET school from Europe
engaged in Footwear Design and Pattern making , as an
5
entire, or its’ content can be used partially in respect with
different study programs.
Also, the experience of the trainers/researchers who
participated as staff in this project is reflected by the user
friendly characteristics of VTC Shoe that makes from
this tool a useful source for self training. In one specific
stage of the project, their feedback from piloting courses
was very important for corrections and improvements
during the lifetime of the project.
Fig. 24. Video, simulation and animation
2.6. Student assessment
Student self-evaluation: Tests give self evaluation
chance to the student in order to improve his/her skills.
The tests are congruent with learning objectives [5]. In
this field of study - Design and pattern making, practice
is very important. Therefore tests for practical lessons
have been developed.
Feedback method: Tests are designed in an
interactive way so that student can see the right or wrong
answer immediately, before going to the next question.
Fig. 25. Self evaluation section
3. CONCLUSION
VTC-Shoe project intends to improve vocational and
educational training curricula on shoe design in
Romania, Turkey and Greece by focusing on the
development of innovation and good practice. The results
of partners common developments will be transpose into
a virtual centre, making it available on European level.
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By accessing the new created footwear design training
course, trainers and teachers, designers, adult learners, as
well as trainees and apprentice will be keeping up to date
with skills and knowledge necessary for high
performance and innovation, both in training and
footwear design.
The method used for pattern making in this virtual
training centre is termed “VTC-Shoe Method”
developed by the authors. This method is not a unique
method but a combination between the 3D modelling
method and the 2D grid based method. The authors
decided to combine these two methods because if these
two methods are taken separately, as other sources do,
the trainee can find some limits with them.
Considering that the level of VTC-Shoe is
intermediate, what is important is to give trainees a basic
grid, both in 3D and in 2D, to help them to feel the line
and the shape of patterns. In further stages, they can
design without so many construction lines. Thus, this
method works for beginners, when they do not know
how to place the right line, how to find the right position
for a separation line between patterns. It also helps them
to think on the patterns related with the position of that
pattern on foot.
Fig. 26. VTC Shoe Pattern Making method
VTC-Shoe method, a combination of the methods
presently being used in shoe design field, is based on
step-by-step technique based on the common curriculum
designed by the authors. The authors use the step-by-step
technique due to the fact that this kind of training should
be graded from the simple to the complex or from the
basics to the more complicated application. Each
unit/module is given step-by-step. Each unit is
introduced to the trainee by giving the unit descriptor,
Topics and Unit Content. Then, the authors give
preparatory stages to start giving the actions. In this way,
the knowledge regarding footwear design is transferred
to the trainee on a virtual environment by using
computer.
Virtual Training Centre for Shoe Design could be
used by universities, footwear companies, colleges and
training institutions all over Europe and elsewhere,
because they are integrating in an organised and
illustrative way all the steps required to acquire quickly,
easily and in a technologically advanced manner the
skills necessary for shoe design, and pattern construction
and which will be more clearly and in a more effective
educational approach than in an ordinary classroom.
Aknowledgement: VTC- Shoe project has been funded
with support from the European Commission within the
framework of LLP- Development of Innovation.
REFERENCES
[1] Com. SW Doc.: Commission Staff Working Document: On
the Promotion of Competitiveness and Employment on the
European Footwear Industry, Brussels, on 28.2.2001, SEC
(2001) 366, pp.42.
[2] Burd B. A., Buchanan L. E., Teaching the teachers:
teaching and learning online, Reference Services Review,
2004 , ISSN: 0090-7324, Vol . 32, No.4 , pp.404 – 412 ,
[3] McNamara C., Overview of Training and Development,
http://www.managementhelp.org/trng_dev/trng_
dev.htm, accessed 2010-04-10
[4] Mehra B., Learning by Doing: Some preliminary
reflections of an online educator, Research and Practice in
Social Sciences , Vol. 1, No. 1, 2005, pp.4-23
[5] Donovan J., Mader Cynthia E., Shinsky John, Constructive
student feedback: Online vs. traditional course
evaluations, Journal of Interactive Online Learning,
www.ncolr.org/jiol, ISSN: 1541-4914, Vol. 5, No.3, 2006,
pp.283-296