Monica D. Murgia

Thank you for visiting!  I hope you’ve enjoyed the site.  My name is Monica D. Murgia, and here is a little about my background.  I completed my M.A. in Fashion & Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).   The program prepares students to either be museum conservators or curators for fashion and textile collections.  My focus was curatorial, with an emphasis on twentieth century fashion designers.  My thesis is entitled The Career of Antonio Canovas del Castillo. (You can read the introduction on my blog.  Click here.)

Currently, I reside in Los Angeles, CA and teach fashion design at the college level.

Statement of Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy reflects my interests in collaborative design.  Instead of the “full frontal teaching” method of large lectures and autocratic seminars, I prefer student-centered teaching that encourages learning by both students and teachers.  I favor classroom dynamics that permit dialogue and foster a degree of student input into the development of a design philosophy.  I like students to think about the class as a community.  This means that in my studios, I have students spend a fair amount of time in smaller groups and participate in critiques.  We examine the process as well as the product.  This encourages collaboration and develops a conscious awareness of individual design processes.

Creating an intimate, supportive environment is critical as the facilitator of creative education.  Regular and constructive feedback is central to my classroom, and this is achieved through developing rapport and supportive structures in the curriculum and rubrics.  Rapport also allows me to understand the students’ existing knowledge, areas of interest, and what they find challenging.  Once this information is established, I work with students to identify their strengths, develop their design philosophy, and challenge them to further develop their self-awareness through the design process.  Education is collaborative.  Students learn not only from the instructor, but also from their peers.   Participation in discussions and critiques allows for a broader perspective and analysis of design, develops strong verbal communication, and builds connections.  My classes and studios are focused on peer review, critical thinking, and effective communication.