Finnish craft education, as well as the basic education school system in general, continues to undergo various changes. One such change involved a transition from the basic education crafts subject with two content areas (textile and technical crafts, taught separately and according to pupils' choice) to the subject of crafts in which all pupils study both content areas. Subsequently, the craft teacher education programmes specialising either in textile or technical crafts were replaced by programmes covering both content areas. This study investigates how student craft teachers (who studied during the early years of this transitional period) perceived their preparedness to teach basic education crafts. Preparedness to teach, originating from the concept of self-efficacy, entails students' perceptions of their acquired competencies, future responsibilities and expected challenges as craft teachers. We combined a survey instrument used earlier in Finland and a semi-structured interview to provide a rich understanding of students' views. According to the survey, students were least concerned about their subject-specific (i.e., craft) skills. Simultaneously, they were most concerned about their special education skills, which concurs with previous domestic and international research results. However, this mixed-methods approach revealed a clear discrepancy between the survey results and the issues that students raised in the interviews. We discuss the results considering the school system changes (including increasing pupil diversity) and the balance between subject-specific and pedagogical skills provided by teacher education. Notably, despite the transitional period and multiple changes, students' perceptions on entering working life as craft teachers were predominantly positive.Keywords: Craft teacher education, curriculum change, differentiation, pedagogical skills, pupil diversity, special education
Emotions and emotion regulation skills are part of everyone’s life. From the perspective of psychological well-being and the smooth functioning of everyday life, individuals are required to possess the ability to recognise, process, and regulate different emotions. Creative activities, included in fields such as visual arts, music, and crafts, have been shown to evoke a wide range of emotional reactions and to provide opportunities for emotion regulation through various strategies. This article examines crafting as a means of emotion regulation from the perspective of hobbyists’ experiences. The data consist of responses from 56 craft hobbyists to an online questionnaire with open-ended questions, which were analysed using data-driven and theory-guided content analysis, drawing on Gross’s process model as well as Fancourt’s classification of approach, avoidance, and self-development strategies. The results indicate that crafting offers adults diverse, flexibly applicable ways to regulate their emotions. Hobbyists described crafting particularly as an approach strategy for encountering, structuring, and calming emotions, but also as a means of temporarily setting aside burdensome emotions in accordance with an avoidance strategy. In addition, crafting strengthened identity, self-efficacy, and self-compassion, reflecting its significance as a self-development strategy. The findings contribute to existing understanding of emotion regulation by demonstrating how multiple regulation strategies are intertwined within a single creative everyday practice and support adults’ emotional learning and self-regulation.
I artikeln analyseras hur estetiska och kulturella uttryck konstrueras som undervisningsinnehåll inom ett pedagogiskt spänningsfält mellan frihet och fostran i svensk slöjdundervisning. Syftet är att synliggöra hur uttrycken ges betydelse som diskursobjekt, hur elever investerar i betydelsestrukturen och vilka sätt att slöjda som görs tänkbara och eftersträvansvärda. Ett empiriskt arkiv konstruerades av transkriberade ljudinspelningar från 15 praktiknära observationer av fem slöjduppgifter i årskurs 3–5. Materialet analyserades med utgångspunkt i Ernesto Laclau och Chantal Mouffes diskursteori. Med inspiration av Rudine Sims Bishops metaforer om speglar och fönster preciserades riktningen i de identifierade betydelsestrukturerna. Genom bell hooks kärlek som praktik gjordes därefter en etisk tolkning. I resultatet framträder en spegellogik där kulturella uttryck artikuleras genom kontinuitet, noggrannhet och vägledning samt en fönsterlogik där estetiska uttryck artikuleras genom individuell riktning, framtidsanknytning och öppet slutresultat. I elevernas tal framträder affektiva investeringar i spegelns precision och fönstrets personliga tolkningsutrymme. Vägledning förbinder logikerna genom att läraren både förmedlar hantverkets referenspunkter och stödjer elevens möte med det ännu obestämda. Den pedagogiska uppgiften består i att hålla frihet och fostran i balans. Keywords: Slöjdpedagogik, kärleksetik, diskursanalys, estetiska och kulturella uttryck, pedagogiskt spänningsfält, spegel och fönster
AI text-to-image generative technology has transformed how we can visualise. Access to such tools opens new learning opportunities that require development and a critical mindset. As part of an ongoing design-based research project in art, crafts, and design education, we are interested in learning about how AI can contribute to new insights or enhance students’ creative learning processes. Previous research shows that AI-generated images can inspire creative processes, but few studies have included children and young people. This study explores how AI text-to-image generative technology can contribute to students’ creative learning processes in a project that seeks to bridge digital and tactile experience. In this current study, we collaborated with a teacher to develop a project for Year 6 students (11–12 years old). The students generated patterns using Midjourney, printed them on adhesive vinyl, and attached them to silkscreens to create stencils for textile prints. Data was collected through the qualitative methods of participant observation and informal conversational interviews, conducted by three researchers who made individual observation notes. We further analysed the students’ interactions with the AI and documented their work through photography. The results suggest that using AI-assisted pattern generation in combination with traditional silkscreen printing can foster student engagement, perseverance, and creative ownership. Keywords: AI, text-to-image generation, pattern making, art and crafts education, silkscreen printing
The purpose of this study is to explore how a sustainable craft systems model functions as pedagogical tool in education for sustainability through crafts. The theoretical framework for this study formulates on education for sustainability, sustainable crafts and education for sustainability through crafts. This educational design research applies a multilayered systems thinking approach to connect theory in practice and practice in theory. The intervention takes place in a workshop in craft teacher education context in higher education. The data consisted of the participating students’ (N=33) learning assignments and audio recorded group discussions (N=4). The data was analysed with inductive and deductive content analysis. The results highlight that a systems model of sustainable craft offer a visual and conceptual tool which, together with explorative and reflective learning tasks, open and concretize students’ viewpoints on sustainability in crafts and help students conceptualize abstract and complex concepts. The intervention also enabled students’ future visioning related to future work life. The results encourage to utilize theoretical basis for reflection of craft practices in education to support discussion and implementation of sustainability issues in practice to enhance education for sustainability in higher education. Keywords: Sustainable craft, sustainable craft systems model, education for sustainability, higher education, craft teacher education.
