Conditions for versatile craft activities in early childhood education and care

Beskrivning

Research topic/aim
Children in early childhood education and care (ECEC) have a right to take part in creative processes, according to Finnish National core curriculum. National evaluations (Finnish Education Evaluation Center, 9:2021) indicate that craft do not get enough attention in ECEC. Children’s possibilities to express themselves through different forms of craft needs to be highlighted and strengthened. The aim with the present study is to examine conditions for craft in ECEC settings where Swedish is medium of instruction.

Theoretical framework
Craft is used as an umbrella term covering both textile and technical craft. Craft offers possibilities to social interaction, times of non-verbal communication, problem definition and solving, and possibilities to develop and try out ideas and hypothesis (Carlsen, 2015; Yliverronen, 2019). The aim is to provide children with holistic experiences consisting of designing, making, and evaluating phases. The designing and making are multi-modal processes that require perception, fine motor, and technical skills as well as hand, mind, and eye coordination (Yliverronen & Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, 2016). Craft as a subject is framed by e.g., educational and legal conditions. This emphasizes that processes and prevailing conditions either enable or constrain personnels possibilities to work with craft (Lundgren, 1999; Randers-Pehrson et al, 2023). Furthermore, specific areas, such as craft is affected by the personnels own assumptions and perceptions (Lundgren, 1999).

Methodology
Data is collected through a questionnaire sent to ECEC settings in areas where Swedish is medium of instruction. Data about conditions for craft education is analysed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The analysis is driven by the research question and the results are presented with themes and descriptive statistics.

Findings
Possible results indicate that there are several reasons why there are inequalities within the encounters children have with craft. Similarities and differences between respondents’ access to materials and tools set premises for implementation of craft. Craft activities require material and tools and is further very much dependent on personnel’s individual interest, motivation, or willingness to work with children and craft. This leads to an impression that children’s encounters with craft is strongly situation dependent.

Relevance to Nordic educational research
From a Nordic perspective, craft occurs in all core curricula for ECEC. Therefore, it is important to study premises for craft in ECEC settings. How craft is organized and implemented can strengthen craft in ECEC in a Nordic perspective.

References
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77– 101.
Carlsen, K. (2015). Forming i barnehagen i lys av Reggio Emilias atelierkultur. Åbo Akademi.
Lundgren, U. (1999). Ramfaktorteori och praktisk utbildningsplanering. Pedagogisk Forskning i Sverige, 4(1).
Randers-Pehrson, A., Rimstad, Åsta, & Carlsen, K. (2023). Utopier og realiteter i kunst og håndverksfaget: – Rammefaktorers betydning for kunst og håndverksundervisningen. Acta Didactica Norden, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.5617/adno.9757
Yliverronen, V. (2019). Esiopetuksen käsityö: Kolme tapaustutkimusta esikoululaisista käsityötehtävien parissa. Helsingin yliopisto.
Yliverronen, V., & Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, P. (2016). Learning craft skills. Exploring preschoolers’ craft making process. Techne Series, 23(2). https://journals.oslomet.no/index.php/techneA/article/view/1505

Tilläggsbeskrivning

Symposium - Adventurous and challenging encounters in Nordic ECEC

Period	7 mars 2024
Evenemangstitel	Adventures of Education: Desires, Encounters and Differences
Typ av evenemang	Konferens
Konferensnummer	53
Plats	Malmö, SverigeVisa på karta
Omfattning	Internationell