Mrs Kate Sayer

Kate Sayer graduated from UMIST in 1999 with a BSc (Hons) in Textile Design and Design Management with a Modern Language. She obtained her MPhil in 2004 entitled "Methods of teaching knitwear design on the BSc (Hons) Textile Design and Design Management course at UMIST". She worked within the Department of Textiles and Paper at UMIST from 1999-2004 where she provided design and technology support for the local knitwear industry, as well fulfilling academic roles within the design team.

In 2004 she was employed as a Lecturer, within the School of Materials, Textiles and Paper at The University of Manchester. She is responsible for delivering modules on knitted structures and patterning, and knitting technology as well as practical problem based learning projects within the Textile Design and Design Management programme.

Research is focussed on the delivery of technology to non-technology students and includes the teaching of knit to designers and the aesthetic potential of seamless knitwear technology.

• Pedagogic Development - Problem based learning with funding from TQEF
• Seamless knitwear - the design skills gap

• Sayer, K.N., Studd R. (2006). Matching Learning Style Preferences with suitable Delivery Methods on Textile Design Programmes. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 16(2) May, pp163-176.
• Sayer, K.N., Challis, S., Wilson, J.A. (2006) Problem Based Learning in Constructed Textile Design’. International Journal of Art and Design Education, 25(2), pp 156-163.
• Sayer, K.N., Challis, S., Wilson, J.A., (2006) Seamless Knitwear – The Design Skills Gap. The Design Journal, 9(2), pp 39-51.
• Sayer, K.N., Studd, R. ‘Breaking the communication barriers of teaching technology to non-technologists’ – Proceedings of the INTED2007 conference, Valencia, March 2007. ISBN 978-84-611-4571-1
• Sayer, K.N. ‘Blended learning approach to Constructed Textile Design’, Proceedings of the Textile Futures Conference, Manchester August 2006.
• Wilson, J.A., Sayer K.N. ‘The Emotional Response to Art and Design Work – Empirical Studies’, Proceedings of the Design and Emotion Conference, September 2006.
• Sayer, K.N., Wilson, J.A., Hyde, B.H. ‘Pedagogic Development: Enquiry-Based Learning for Constructed Textiles’, CEEBL 1st Annual Symposium: Projects 2005/06, June 2006. Case study published by CEEBL in 2007, ‘Case-Studies:CEEBL-Supported Projects, 2005-6’ ISBN -13:978-0-9554815-0-5, ISBN -10:0-9554815-0-3.
• Sayer K.N., ‘Evaluating the potential of WebCT for teaching Knit Design’, Proceedings of the International Conference on Teaching and Learning with Technology in Art Design and Communication, London September 2005.
• Wilson, J.A., Challis, S., Sayer, K., ‘Designing for the future’, Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Advanced Fiber/Textile Materials in Ueda, Shinshu August 2005.
• Challis, S., Sayer, K., Wilson, J.A., ‘An empirical study of the emotional response to art and design work’, Proceedings of the Ars Textrina Textiles Conference, Leeds, July 2005.
• Sayer, K.N., Wilson, J.A., Challis S., ‘Knitting Education for a BSc (Hons) Textile Design Programme’, Proceedings of the Textile Institute 84th Annual World Conference, NC January 2005.
• Wilson, J.A., Challis, S., Sayer, K.N., ‘Developing an Objective and Transparent Assessment System for Practical Textile Design Work’, Proceedings of the Textile Institute 84th Annual World Conference, NC January 2005.
• Sayer, K.N., Cooke, W.D., Knitwear Design for the 21st Century – Proceedings of the World Congress of Knitting, Manchester, October 2002.