Cultural Heritage and Craft Education. Comparative Experiences and Collective Values among an International Group of University Students

Author(s):

Sirpa Kokko(presenting / submitting)Patrick Dillon(presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2013

Network:

20. Research in Innovative Intercultural Learning Environments

Format:

Paper

Session Information

20 SES 06 A, Networking for Intercultural Learning

Paper Session

Time:

2013-09-11

15:30-17:00

Room:

D-404

Chair:

Raimonda Bruneviciute

Contribution

This paper is a development of earlier research on crafts and craft education as expressions of cultural heritage (Kokko and Dillon, 2010). It reports research with a group of Erasmus exchange students (n=20) from seven different countries who were studying on the International Study Programme for Education at the University of Eastern Finland during the autumn 2012. The main field of study for most of the students was Educational Sciences. They participated in an optional course 'Cultural Heritage and Craft Education'. The objectives of this course included looking at art and craft curricula and pedagogies: (i) from a comparative view paying attention to social, cultural, equality and gender aspects; and (ii) as part of a wider frame of cultural heritage education.

Young people’s perceptions of cultural heritage and crafts, and the values they place on them, are substantially shaped by their formative experiences, both informal (in homes) and formal (in schools). The importance of cultural heritage education has been acknowledged at the European level. For example, the Framework Convention on the value of cultural heritage for society (Council of Europe 2005) identifies the need for European countries to preserve cultural resources, promote cultural identity, respect diversity and encourage inter-cultural dialogue. Furthermore Eurydice (2009, 7), the EU strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training over the next decade, emphasises the importance of transversal key competences, including cultural awareness and creativity. Regardless of these guidelines, there is a need to find out innovative ways to sustain cultural heritage education. However, globalising trends tend to sideline ‘tradition’. Cuts in education and changing curricula in many countries may downplay cultural heritage and arts with them being considered less important and dropped (Kokko & Kyritsi 2012). The authors of this paper share a concern about the situation with regard to both culture heritage education and craft education.

Method

The research was conducted in the narrative tradition. It assumes that we make sense of experiences by structuring them as stories. It is phenomenological in that there is an assumption that the phenomena are meaningfully experienced and can be represented in personal stories and narratives (Gallagher and Zahavi 2008). Data were collected through individual and group exercises with the students as follows: (i) written accounts of their understandings of the terms ‘culture’, ‘heritage’, ‘tradition’ and ‘craft’; (ii) written accounts of memories evoked by craft activities during the craft practical sessions in the course; (iii) outcomes of a group exercise making connections between different value statements about crafts and cultural heritage; and (iv) transcripts of group discussions about their experiences of craft education and cultural heritage in their respective home countries. The outcomes of these exercises were discussed with the students and consolidated around themes concerned with cultural heritage and craft education. Finally, students wrote an essay about craft education in the curriculum of comprehensive schools in their home countries. The essays were analyzed to establish similarities and differences in experiences of craft education relative to the countries of origin of the students and the wider frame of cultural heritage.

Expected Outcomes

Detailed analysis of the outcomes is in progress and will be reported for the first time at the conference. Students’ understandings of the terms ‘culture’, ‘heritage’, ‘tradition’ and ‘craft’ provide baseline reference points against which subsequent analysis may be related. Preliminary analysis of the ‘essays’ reveals that most of the countries represented by the students have cultural heritage associated with crafts which is part of their national identity but these things are not taught at school. Preliminary analysis of the ‘memories’ exercise shows that making craft artifacts evokes strong associations with people, places, artifacts, activities, feelings and sensations. Preliminary analysis of ‘statements about crafts’ exercise reveals strong connections between the way crafts connect us with culture and the possibilities for self-expression through crafts. These results will be discussed in the context of changing arts and crafts curricula and the need to make a consolidated argument for craft education in the wider frame of cultural heritage.

References

Council of Europe, 2005. The Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, Council of Europe Treaty Series No. 199, Faro, 27 October 2005. Eurydice 2009. Arts and cultural education at school in Europe. Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA P9 Eurydice). Gallagher, S. & Zahavi, D. (2008) The Phenomenological Mind. London: Routledge. Kokko, S. & Dillon, P. 2011. Crafts and craft education as expressions of cultural heritage. Individual experiences and collective values amongst an international group of women university students, International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 21 (4), 487-503. Kokko, S. & Kyritsi, A. 2012. Cultural Heritage Education for Intercultural Communication, EUROMED 2012, 4th International Conference, Progress in Cultural Heritage Preservation, Short Papers, 165-168.

Author Information

Sirpa Kokko (presenting / submitting)

University of Eastern Finland, Finland

Patrick Dillon (presenting)