Browsing by Author "Nuutila, Anni"

Craft education serves as a potential platform for students' creativity. The focus of craftwork studies has lately been changing form technique learning and product making to more creative direction. This is also evident in the new, 2016 launched, curriculum of craft education. The curriculum emphasizes craftwork as a more experimental and exploratory subject where different techniques and materials are combined. The purpose of this Master's Thesis was to develop new and more creative ways to teach craftwork. The project consists of three parts. In the first phase, different ideas were mapped by brainstorming and utilizing existing theories. Subsequently, based on the ideas from the first phase a teaching module was built. The execution of the scheme was documented by filming a video. In the last phase the video material was analyzed and creative activities were highlighted. Eventually, by combining the existing theories and observations from the video an outline for online material for creative craftwork teaching was develop. This teaching material aims to approach craft education from a more creative and expressive point of view. This project indicated that several factors affect the creative craft process. Giving enough time and encouragement to all students' individual craftsmanship proved to be important for increasing creativity among students. Possibility to explore different materials and techniques had also a positive effect on creativity. Team work, encouraging and casual atmosphere contributed also to the creative process. Teacher's role as a supporter and inspirer was also important. The produced web material is based on the observations from this study and also supports the new craft curriculum. The material is online and thus easily available for everybody. In addition, a Facebook page was created to encourage people for more interactive conversation. www.luovalanka.wordpress.com