Uppeldi og menntun - 01.01.2011, Page 73

Uppeldi og menntUn/icelandic JoUrnal of edUcation 20 (1) 2011 73
BrynJar ÓlafSSon og gÍSli ÞorSteinSSon
að aðalnámskrá fyrir hönnun og smíði. Gísli hefur ritað fjölda greina um nýsköpunar-
mennt og hönnun og smíði og gefið út nokkrar kennslubækur.
Design and Craft education, ideological background
and development
abstraCt
Education for work was institutionalised in the 18th century in many countries. The
main reason was the founding of general education systems and the beginning of
industrialisation. New methods for manufacturing and production demanded new
skills from citizens. Pedagogically aimed craft education was established at the same
time as a school-based system of formative education using the term Sloyd.
The Icelandic craft subject was established in the beginning of 1900 under influenc-
es from the Sloyd movement in Scandinavia. The Icelandic subject was initially based
on a model for Danish school craft developed by Axel Mikkelsen in his Handicraft
school in Copenhagen. The Danish school subject, Sloyd (slöjd), was focused on bring-
ing physical work into harmony with spiritual aspects. The child became the centre of
attention as well as developing the capabilities of the whole person. It was important
to teach basic knowledge and skills in the beginning to enable more advanced stages
in the development of the individual as a good citizen.
Different curricula focusing mainly on the pedagogical value of craft were devel-
oped until 1999 when craft was re-established as a new technological subject under
the name Design and Craft, based on a rationale for technological literacy, innova-
tion and design. In 2007 Design and Craft was revised. Design and Craft is based
on a rationale for craft education, technological literacy, innovation and design. It is
compulsory for grades 1–8, but optional for grades 9–10. The main aim is to develop
technological literacy in students and ideation skills. The infrastructure of Design and
Craft is influenced by the national curriculum in New Zealand, Canada and England.
In the curriculum for Design and Craft influences from the importance of innova-
tion can be seen in students’ design decision opportunities. Students originate their
ideation on real-life problem-solving and design. This activity is connected to craft-
based making of artefacts from resistant materials and design systems based on electric
/electronic circuits, mechanisms, pneumatics and structures. Technical skills and
workshop management is an important part of the curriculum.
The Icelandic curriculum focuses on solving both individual and sociological
needs. Students work out their solutions through handicraft based processes. Training
students to organise their work is important. New factors in the 2007 curriculum are,
furthermore, outdoor education and green woodwork, sustainable design and health
and safety. Teachers have gained more freedom to construct the school curriculum
and manage their teaching.