Browsing by Author "Toljamo, Ruusa"

According to some previous studies recycling and the use of recycled materials have increased during recent years. Being environmentaly friendly and ecological plus sustainable development are mentioned in many places in the basic education curriculum. There are plenty of useable materials available for reuse. These things are the background for this research. The aim of this study was to find out how the recycled materials are used when teaching craft in basic education. The data for this study was collected through the inquiry that was carried out with the help of a half structured questionnaire for craft teachers. There were five teachers, who answered. The data consisted of how and where the recycled materials were received for teaching. Also teachers´ motives for the use of recycled materials were researched. The data was classified into themes which had connections between them that were analyzed using theory-based content analysis. The results indicated, that according to teachers who answered, the recycled materials were used under 25 % of all used materials. Most of the recycled materials that was used, were received through donations from the workplaces, the homes and the firms. The recycled materials were received from the second hand shops or the waste stages. The teachers who answered the questionnaire emphasized that the most important motives for the use of recycled materials were that they are ecological and inexpensive. Teachers also emphasized that the recycled material was chosen to fabricate a new product because the material was high-quality and unique, and it also made it possible to be creative when using the recycled materials. According to this research the recycled materials are used quite a few teaching craft in basic education. There was hardly any money or time spent for supplying them. According to questionnaire nearly every teacher answer that the most important reasons to use recycled materials are ecology and spending the money.