Track D: Skill learning sessions

On Friday the 18th of October two teaching and learning sessions of skill learning were carried out. Our former university lecturer and a specialist in yarn techniques Marja Anttila taught the first group (three students) the filet lace and the next group (three students) the frivolite -techniques.

Picture 1. Here practicing the filet lace.

Picture 1. Here practicing the filet lace.

Picture 2. Learning the hand positions in frivolite.

Picture 2. Learning the hand positions in frivolite.

The students will practice these techniques and reporting their progress now till the end of November when they are supposed to teach this craft technique to their fellow students in a course called “Skills and Teaching”.

Track B data collection completed for autumn 2013

We’re happy to inform that the first of three data collection rounds for track B is now succesfully completed.

Hands on visualisation assignment

Still capture from research video, capture by Tellervo Härkki, video by Miika Toivanen

Since September 6th we have been working with craft students from University of Helsinki Textile Teacher Education. All the 12 participants for this study attended a compulsory course called Basics of Craft Studies. As part of the course the participants were given a design task they got to solve in groups of three, during three consecutive design sessions. All the design sessions were videotaped, and at the end we also had group interviews.

The practical arrangements were done in co-operation with Työterveyslaitos. The basic setup was to have two cameras per group: one horizontal camera with external microphone and one camera at the ceiling. We also provided personal microphones for the participants and they were asked to wear markers in their wrists. In spite of all this, more than one of the groups managed to not only to complete their design assignment with flying colors but to have fun with it. The participants mentioned the word flow several times when describing their design sessions.

All in all this vivid phase took 8 weeks, and the end result is some query data, nice 24 hours of video data plus 5 hours of additional audio from the group interviews. Something to start transcibing and coding!

At this stage it’s time to warmly thank all the participants for their active and enthusiastic contribution – without you this research wouldn’t be possible. So big thanks to you all!