Creativity and design thinking skills are considered pillars in arts practice in general. Traditional arts education, in particular, involves a tension between pure technical skill and the ability to design creatively regardless of craft limitations. The present study focuses on eliminating the boundaries between craft and art and bridging the gap…

In Finland, the National Core Curriculum for basic education from 2014 discusses holistic and multi-material craft, which includes technical work and textile work aiming to break down the gender-based tradition in craft education. However, teachers have been confused about the concept of multi-materiality; it has raised tension between textile…

The paper discusses how a teaching approach, "interdisciplinary design and invention pedagogy," affected primary school student teachers' learning outcomes through the craft design process in pre-service teacher education. This study applies developmental work research (Engeström in J Educ Work 14(1):133-156, 2001; Engeström in…

Electronic textiles (e-textiles)--fabrics embedded with electrical or electronic components--offer a new model for teaching this content. E-textiles also engage students in programming and engineering design through nontraditional projects and materials. This article describes a four-week electricity curriculum using three e-textiles projects that…

This article gives a very brief history of weaving and discusses using a primitive loom in the art classroom. Particular attention is given to construction of the loom and the design concerns in weaving. One of seven articles in this issue on fiber arts. (SJL)

Three separate articles describe batik projects for 1) fourth graders; 2) the mentally retarded; and 3) college personnel. The first article provides instructions for the batik process. One of seven articles in this issue on fiber arts. (SJL)

Developed at The Mountain School (Lookout Mountain, Georgia), a project funded under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 1974-75, this curriculum guide for an interdisciplinary minicourse in weaving provides for integration of environmental and career education goals with those in academic areas. Introductory material…

Based on the premise that familiarity with art forms of other cultures can broaden students' cultural understandings, the teaching guide presents instructions for creating two West African art forms--batik and tie-dye. The unit is intended as the basis of a three and one-half week minicourse for students in art courses in grades eight and nine.…

This teaching guide provides information to help junior high school art teachers develop and implement programs based on African art. Objectives are to help students appreciate various types of African art, understand the relationship of African art to European art, and produce Adinkra cloth (a colorful cloth printed with personal symbols and…