Abstract
This article reports a research project that examined the background, status, understanding of and attitude to Design and Craft education (Hönnun og smíði) in Icelandic elementary schools. The main conclusions showed that certain aspects of Design and Craft need to be further defined in order to strengthen its position in the school system. Concepts were not clearly defined and research on Design and Craft education was lacking. The participants’ attitudes to Design and Craft were positive and the subject was popular amongst students. However, results showed a lack of understanding of the differences between basic terms such as Art, Design and Craft. All of the interviewees thought Design and Craft were important subjects for individualized learning and wanted to give them a more prominent role in general education. Design and Craft education in the Icelandic National Curriculum has not been fully realised. The research identified that schools have not allocated extra hours for the subjects, even though local authorities were supportive and flexibility existed in the time schedule. Lack of finances was, furthermore, not a hindrance to increased Design and Craft education.
Highlights
IntroductionThe subject of Icelandic Craft (Smíði) was established in the beginning of 1900 under influences from the Danish model for Sloyd (uppeldisleg smíði), (Thorarinsson, 1891; Mikkelsen, 1891)
The subject of Icelandic Craft (Smíði) was established in the beginning of 1900 under influences from the Danish model for Sloyd, (Thorarinsson, 1891; Mikkelsen, 1891)
Supported by Parliament, the first Icelandic educational director Thorarinsson travelled to Scandinavia in the summer of 1890, to study educational systems for general education (Finnbogason, 1994)
Summary
The subject of Icelandic Craft (Smíði) was established in the beginning of 1900 under influences from the Danish model for Sloyd (uppeldisleg smíði), (Thorarinsson, 1891; Mikkelsen, 1891). Based on the above law, a new national curriculum was published in 1976–1977 (Menntamálaráðuneytið, 1977) In this curriculum ‘Art and Handicraft’ was established as a new area for craft education. The new subject Design and Craft was based on a rationale for technological literacy, innovation and design It became compulsory for grades 1–8, but optional for grades 9–10. When the Icelandic National Curriculum was revised in 2007, a new subject area for the arts was established which included textiles, art, music, dance and drama. Design and Craft became an independent, technologically-based subject (Menntamálaráðuneytið, 2007)
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