Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA): Open Access Journals
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Shared Spaces or Shelters for Precarious Workers? Coworking Spaces in Italy
No full textThis paper critically discusses the relationship between new workspaces, such as Coworking Spaces (CSs), professionals using such spaces, and the related work patterns, looking at the Italian context in particular. There appears to be a mismatch between the educational level of such workers, their expertise and expected professional status on the one hand, and their reality in terms of employment precariousness and low income, on the other. It appears that CSs and, more in general, new shared workspaces act more as shelters from a difficult and exclusionary job market than as mainly ‘serendipity accelerators’. The hypothesis of this article is that, through a careful interpretation of the emerging dimensions and spatial effects of CSs, it is possible to more clearly identify some dynamics of inclusion and exclusion on the one hand, and of sharing and competition on the other, that characterize the job path of new knowledge-based occupational groups
Creative Pedagogy in an Undergraduate Creative Design Course: Discussions around Instructor Interviews
No full textCreative thinking in design is a focus of PK-12 technology and engineering education. Pre-service STEM teachers from The College of New Jersey in the United States of America are required to take a course, Creative Design, as an integral part of their degree sequence. Additionally, Creative Design is a liberal learning course which fulfills a Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts requirement, and is therefore open to all students. The course is extremely popular, with approximately nine sections running each semester. Originally conceived in the 1960’s, topics covered in Creative Design include the design process, design thinking, technical drawing, design elements and principles, and human factors engineering (ergonomics). This study adopted a qualitative research design to explore if and how instructors of Creative Design employ creative pedagogy. The research question driving this inquiry was; how and in what ways are instructors of Creative Design using creative pedagogy in their classrooms? Four Creative Design instructors from The College of New Jersey were interviewed for this study. Open-ended questions allowed for deeper exploration of participants’ views and opinions. Thematic analysis was used to generate themes and gain a holistic understanding of participants’ use of creative pedagogy. Themes emerged such as open-ended problems, collaboration, and creative self-efficacy that were well aligned with research-based practices in design education
The Mātanga project: Developing a Self-Sustaining Model for Technology Teacher Education for and within the New Zealand Community
No full textThis paper outlines a study aimed at exploring the Mātanga (Māori term for expert) project, a professional learning and development (PLD) programme designed to foster and sustain teachers’ engagement with the technology education curriculum in New Zealand. The programme provides a response for technology teachers to develop their specialist identity by focusing on the notions of technological and technical thinking. The Mātanga project is led by expert teachers (Mātanga), for Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary technology teachers. It aims to reposition the agency within the professional community and support participants to feel more connected to local, regional and national support, through digital networks. Situated within a qualitative interpretivist framework and through a socio-cultural lens, the data analysis was based on the perceptions, experiences and evolving understandings of Mātanga (n=9), and participant teachers (n=12). Thematic analysis allowed for the extraction of meaning and reporting of emerging knowledge, as informed by existing literature on contemporary approaches to PLD in technology education. Early findings suggested that the participants who gained most from the project were digitally confident, and experienced regular and purposeful interactions between Mātanga and participants. Further findings identified that Mātanga perceived a need to develop their own mentorship skills and thought that this would strengthen the effectiveness of the project. The project positively impacted individual teacher’s subject identity and practice, which in turn will inform the evolving nature of technology teacher education, and the potential for self-sustaining models of professional learning and development in the future
Reducing Occupational Safety Incidents as a Precondition to Teaching Technology in Special Education
No full textConsidering the safety culture is one of the key elements in teaching technology. However, different occupational safety risks, as well as disturbance and violence situations, are encountered in the safety culture of schools. A reporting culture that is a natural part of the staff’s activities in high security areas has not yet emerged in schools. This study looked at the school safety from the staff’s occupational safety point of view. The aim of the study is to provide new information on the type of incidents, like hazards, accidents and near-misses, that occur to the staff in the field of special education, in order to understand how to prevent these to facilitate technology education in the future. The research question in the study is what kind of incidents occur to the staff in a special education school. The data (N=60 incidents) was collected into a digital risk management system within one year in 2019. The data was analyzed by using qualitative content analysis. During the analysis and categorization process three sub-questions were formed: where did the safety incidents happen, which part of the body was hurt and in what way did the pupils behave violently? The results present an analysis of what kind of incidents happened at one comprehensive school in special education within a year. The results will help in incident management and safety culture management within occupational safety in special education. The results can be applied to reducing occupational safety incidents as a precondition to teaching technology in special education
Spatial Visualization Skills of Student Teacher Applicants : A Pilot Study in the Finnish CDT Teacher Education Admissions
No full textProblem-solving is a key element in design and engineering processes for finding answers to challenges and open problems. The use of spatial visualization skills is part of problem-solving in terms of transforming ideas into 2D or 3D form and transferring this thinking into practice in a practical hands-on process. Spatial visualization seems to play a key role in the design, engineering and production processes as well as in various professions. Spatial visualization skills can be considered as an important part of teachers’ multidimensional professional competence as they teach students and guide and tutor their hands-on projects. While educating teachers, it would be important to know the levels of the student teachers’ spatial visualization skills to consider its role in courses and even in admissions. However, there are no existing studies on spatial visualization skills of student teacher applicants. To address this research gap, we pose the following research question: What is the level of spatial visualization skills of student teacher applicants in craft, design and technology teacher education admissions? The data, analyzed with document analysis, includes student teacher applicants\u27 performance in a spatial visualization test (N=89, three tasks) as part of Finnish craft, design and technology teacher education admissions. According to the results, four of the five applicants performed on a good level whilst only four per cent of applicants performed weakly. Since spatial visualization skills can be trained, it is important to recognize student teachers’ weak performance so that it can be enhanced in various courses. This study is part of a larger problem-solving skills evaluation project in CDT teacher education admissions
Manifestations of social resistance in craft processes: Iku, Nasa and Sami indigenous craft
No full textThis paper aims to analyze craft objects that could contain inherent meanings of social, cultural, ecological or political resistance. The creative processes of makers from the Iku and Nasa indigenous peoples of Colombia and the Sami people of Sweden have been studied. The paper encompasses a theoretical reflection on the communicative capacity of objects and their implicit meanings as well as of the basic concepts of resistance and craft paired with a brief description of the Iku, Nasa and Sami indigenous peoples. An analysis of the manifestations that could be considered as resistance in the studied artisanal processes is brought forward through 11 interviews with artisans and the paper proposes a final reflection on how craft objects can have the capacity to communicate social, cultural, political and ecological resistance.This paper aims to analyze craft objects that could contain inherent meanings of social, cultural, ecological or political resistance. The creative processes of makers from the Iku and Nasa indigenous peoples of Colombia and the Sami people of Sweden have been studied. The paper encompasses a theoretical reflection on the communicative capacity of objects and their implicit meanings as well as of the basic concepts of resistance and craft paired with a brief description of the Iku, Nasa and Sami indigenous peoples. An analysis of the manifestations that could be considered as resistance in the studied artisanal processes is brought forward through 11 interviews with artisans and the paper proposes a final reflection on how craft objects can have the capacity to communicate social, cultural, political and ecological resistance
A role for industrial looms in craft research
No full textAs a definition of craft practice, the workmanship of risk emphasises the judgement and skill of the crafter, as they engage with materials, tools, and techniques to produce artefacts. Through experimental design research methods, self-forming three-dimensional textiles were created with the aim to develop both the use of digital and automated tools for weaving, and language to describe the process of textural forming in weaving when hand and machine meet. Examples of experimental work illustrate the potential of industrial looms as tools for crafting complex textile systems and expressions. The results include a method for crafting at the intersection of the workmanship of risk and CAD/CAM, providing a framework for this hybrid practice, while a new language of textile forming for craft including industrial and CAD/CAM tools emerges
Patterned Silk Weaving in Ancient Times : A Study of Some Silks from Central-Asia Found in the Viking Area.
No full textPatterned silks came to Scandinavia as small pieces of reused material, but they were still valuable for the Vikings to have been used as trimmings on their garments. In over a millennium, the weave structure of samitum in these fragments was used in all patterned silk. In the medieval it was displaced in favor for other structures. It has lapsed into obscurity for weavers today. For several reasons the study of these silks has been difficult. The fragments are fragile. They were not made in Norway. Few have mastered this weaving technique. Is it possible to reconstruct these ancient silks, based on the knowledge gained from studying historical silks and experience acquired from using the structure in modern textiles? This article is about my attempt to do so, and also my reflections of the possible longtime impact on these silks on the weaving tradition in Norway.Patterned silks came to Scandinavia as small pieces of reused material, but they were still valuable for the Vikings to have been used as trimmings on their garments. In over a millennium, the weave structure of samitum in these fragments was used in all patterned silk. In the medieval it was displaced in favor for other structures. It has lapsed into obscurity for weavers today. For several reasons the study of these silks has been difficult. The fragments are fragile. They were not made in Norway. Few have mastered this weaving technique. Is it possible to reconstruct these ancient silks, based on the knowledge gained from studying historical silks and experience acquired from using the structure in modern textiles? This article is about my attempt to do so, and also my reflections of the possible longtime impact on these silks on the weaving tradition in Norway
FoU i lektorkvalificering og dets betydning for undervisning
No full textAssistant professors at university colleges in Denmark - including assistant professors teaching pedagogical courses for vocational teachers - must complete a four-year qualification process involving teaching as well as research and development (R&D). R&D is a relatively recent addition to the education of vocational teachers, which was previously handled by the now abolished Danish Vocational Teacher Education (DEL).
Revising the qualification process for assistant professors is related to a change of policy, which implemented a research requirement at all university colleges. Consequently, the understanding of the relation between R&D and teaching at the university college level has changed. Previously, the consensus was that knowledge was handed down from universities to university colleges and ultimately to the vocational professions themselves. Now, on the other hand, university colleges operate with the idea of a continuous knowledge circuit between R&D and teaching. As a result of the research requirement at university colleges, new possibilities for interaction between R&D and teaching arise. These new possibilities are qualitatively examined in this paper.
As vocational education is knowledge-based and must build on R&D, this study qualitatively examines the relation between R&D and teaching through interviews and observations. The analysis is based on Bernstein´s sociological theory and the notion of recontextualization. Founded on this theoretical perspective, three ideal types are constructed from the empirical data: The profession-oriented teacher, the didactic-oriented teacher, and the research-oriented teacher. Each of the ideal types is exemplified by statements from interviews. These examples illustrate the relation between R&D and teaching, in addition to a variety of different self-understandings and thoughts on professions and trade. Based on the analysis, the impact of the qualification processes of assistant professors is discussed.Adjunkter på professionshøjskoler i Danmark, herunder også adjunkter, der underviser på erhvervsskolelæreres pædagogiske uddannelse, skal gennemføre et fireårigt lektorkvalificerings-forløb, hvori indgår både undervisning og deltagelse i forskning og udvikling, FoU. I forhold til tidligere, hvor uddannelse af erhvervsskolelærere lå på det nu nedlagte Danmarks Erhvervs-pædagogiske Læreruddannelse, DEL, er FOU et nyt krav.
Dette ændrede lektorkvalificeringsforløb hænger også sammen med et nyt politisk fastlagt krav om forskning på professionshøjskoler. Som konsekvens heraf ændres også forståelsen af forholdet mellem FoU og undervisning. Før talte man om nedsivning fra universiteter til professions-uddannelser og professioner, men nu taler man om et videnskredsløb mellem FoU og undervisning. Med professionshøjskolernes forskningsret opstår således nye muligheder for udvikling af samspillet mellem FoU og undervisning, hvilket artiklen undersøger med empiri fra lektorkvalifi-ceringsforløb.
Da professionsuddannelser er vidensbaserede og skal bygge på FoU undersøges i et kvalitativt studie forholdet mellem FoU og undervisning ved interviews og observationer. Analysen foretages ud fra Bernsteins sociologiske teori og hans begreb rekontekstualisering. På baggrund af denne teoretiske synsvinkel konstrueres ud fra empirien tre idealtyper, som kaldes den professions-orienterede underviser, den didaktisk orienterede underviser og den forskningsorienterede underviser. Disse idealtyper konkretiseres ud fra udsagn i interviews, således at der præsenteres et eksempel på hver af idealtyperne. Ud over forholdet mellem FoU og undervisning viser eksemplerne undervisernes forskellige selvforståelser, samt hvorledes de forholder sig forskelligt til professioner og erhverv. På baggrund af analysen diskuteres, hvilken betydning lektor-kvalificering og dermed uddannelse af forskellige typer af undervisere kan få fx inden for uddan-nelse af erhvervsskolelærere afhængig af, hvorledes undervisere ser på uddannelse til en profession
Stridbara röster i textilslöjdens tjänst: En genomgång av innehållet i Svensk Slöjdtidning under 1960-talet
No full textMaterialet i den här artikeln är främst hämtat ur facktidskriften Svensk Slöjdtidning, organ för Sveriges Slöjdlärarinneförening åren 1960–1969. Ett deskriptivt förhållningssätt samt en kvalitativ textanalys för bearbetning och tolkning av materialet har använts vid granskningen. Avsikten med den valda metodansatsen var att undersöka vilka skribenter som skrev om textilslöjdens innehåll, vad textilslöjd implicerade under 1960-talet och analysera de problem som man brottades med samt hur texterna avspeglar en strävan mot utveckling av slöjdämnet. Textillärare Ingrid Lenberg, då anställd vid Aktiv hushållning är en av de röster som flitigt förekom i tidskriften. Hon var ordförande i Sveriges slöjdlärarinneförening och en aktiv artikelförfattare med bland annat argument för att konsumentkunskap skulle införas som ett ansvarsområde i slöjdundervisningen. Fil lic. tillika väv- och textillärare Gunhild Engholm skrev också flitigt artiklar rörande textilslöjdens innehåll och tillämpning i grundskolan. Det fria skapandet med kulturarvet som inspiration för elevers egna idéer debatterade hon ofta om. Både Lenberg och Engholm var stridbara förkämpar för hur textilslöjdens innehåll kunde anpassas till samhällsutvecklingen.Materialet i den här artikeln är främst hämtat ur facktidskriften Svensk Slöjdtidning, organ för Sveriges Slöjdlärarinneförening åren 1960–1969. Ett deskriptivt förhållningssätt samt en kvalitativ textanalys för bearbetning och tolkning av materialet har använts vid granskningen. Avsikten med den valda metodansatsen var att undersöka vilka skribenter som skrev om textilslöjdens innehåll, vad textilslöjd implicerade under 1960-talet och analysera de problem som man brottades med samt hur texterna avspeglar en strävan mot utveckling av slöjdämnet. Textillärare Ingrid Lenberg, då anställd vid Aktiv hushållning är en av de röster som flitigt förekom i tidskriften. Hon var ordförande i Sveriges slöjdlärarinneförening och en aktiv artikelförfattare med bland annat argument för att konsumentkunskap skulle införas som ett ansvarsområde i slöjdundervisningen. Fil lic. tillika väv- och textillärare Gunhild Engholm skrev också flitigt artiklar rörande textilslöjdens innehåll och tillämpning i grundskolan. Det fria skapandet med kulturarvet som inspiration för elevers egna idéer debatterade hon ofta om. Både Lenberg och Engholm var stridbara förkämpar för hur textilslöjdens innehåll kunde anpassas till samhällsutvecklingen