Browsing by Author "Takalo, Taina"

The importance of design skills and problem solving is emphasized in the basics of the core curriculum. The challenging process of craft design includes multiple stages. To reach desired results, the education of the craft design process should reflect the children's own experiences and take the typical ways of processing matters at different age into account. The objective of this thesis was to find out how play and playfulness as pedagogical operations models conduce to completion of the design process. Design based research was used as the main research method. The creative process and the design phases using play based methods were the objects of this development work. A defragmented learning synthesis, where a story and a linked building game work as the starting point of the entire craft process, was formed as the progeny of the development research. The development research began with a theoretical problem analysis which helped outline the interface of the play activity and the creative craft process. The theoretical frame of reference playful craft is based on this interface. The testing of the learning ensemble and the practical development work was carried out as a two-week project including six teaching sessions of different durations. The learning ensemble was implemented as pupil group work. 12 pupils who were separated into four research groups took part in this research. The research material consists of observations, a research diary and documents and products produced by the pupils during the research. Based on the research outcome it can be assumed that the different forms of play can support the completion of different stages of design process. Pretend play fuels the development of ideas and works as a source of inspiration and creativity. Play contributes to team work skills and planning together as well as discussing the pupils' own ideas and work. Play and playful attitude can increase the joy of learning and motivate the activity in process.