Project outcome, key insights and outlook general
Preview

STITCH-ED investigated craft approaches from design for exploration with two 4th classes and found that this strengthened the analytical, constructive reference to everyday themes. The teaching staff also found that the children interacted and were more involved in the topics than in the subject lessons. Also, it became clear that other skills came to light and the project provided the opportunity to get to know each other differently.  Thus, STITCH-ED helped explore and raise local awareness for the value of craft at primary school level in a digitally transformed environment – both in Switzerland and in India.

With the STITCH-ED project website we make the concrete formats and experiences available for other schools and teachers, where it can serve as inspiration material. The website will also be used for critical discussion around such formats and as reference for further development in future projects. Thus it constitutes a corner stone for the discussion and development around artisanal work as creative problem-solving approach for society.

Finally, the international collaboration led to a joint research paper, which was accepted for presentation at the Design Cumulus Conference in Rome, 2020 – but due to Covid19 the Conference was cancelled. Now, the paper is reworked for journal publication.

Project outcome Switzerland

• The STITCH-ED project clearly created new links between the Lucerne School of Art and Design and the local community in Emmen. The feedback during and after the opening of the STITCH-ED exhibition was overwhelming and the careful documentation of the activities and experiences have received recognition by the local school authority and principle of the involved school. Teachers and students from the Hübeli School emphasised the positive experience of being involved in the collaboration with the Lucerne School of Art and Design.
• STITCH-Ed activities thus created a basis for future collaboration across different educational sectors, and a basis for strengthening creative formats, which actively adds to process of implementing the Curriculum 21 in Switzerland.
• Then, the project established new links into the local administration, and into business networks. In this context STITCH-ED strengthened and revitalised the debate around artisanal work as design strategy for the Swiss educational system– e.g. by critically reflecting the pilot workshops within the STITCH-ED public podium discussion.
• The project results are made available through the STITCH-ED Website across LUASA and beyond for people interested in the topic field.
• Furthermore the results directly feed into the realisation of the LUASA Crealab Summer School and into the projected Craft Round Tables at the Lucerne Future Forum.
  

  Project outcome India

• Learning Atmosphere matter
  Learning atmosphere complements learning outcomes. As in the first workshop, the students were taken outside of the classroom, and in the second workshop they were taken to the audio visual room. Each space had its own unique energy, its flexibility, and the ease with which the students took to the space was amazing. It allowed the freedom to discuss freely and to think with their peers. This seemingly had a positive effect on the results of the workshop. Within the available facility one did make do with what was available in the given time. However, having said that, an exclusively designed classroom for design and craft activity in every school is a must need.

The current classrooms in India, are based on a memorising or a   bookish learning, hence the row wise arrangement of desks and benches which  does not support craft or design learning models

• Thinking through making allows for self driven explorations
  Hands on making was sustained by constant trial and error, which resulted in an iterative process.
  Students were self driven to continue exploring on their own interest. As an observer, and as a facilitator, it was a challenge to make kids stop when they are having fun. And that is the true test of design or craft activity. This also created a thinking enabled  dialogue among students

• Mixed grouping created a positive learning attitude
  Mixed grouping allowed kids to be motivated. Both young and old accomodated each other’s view ideas thought during the discussion. This was interesting to see how compassionate the senior students were to the junior, and in emberasing their pace, view point and many more. Sharing of individual points of view irrespective of the class or section of school had an impact on the overall thinking process. This seem to mutually benefit both young and old

• Objective driven learning merits outcome driven learning
  Objective centric way of teaching, urged students to go beyond ‘one-correct answer format’, and look for alternatives. This created a room  for discovery of the unknown. Break free from the rigidity of perfection. In both the workshops,the objectives were simple and clear. With such a goal in mind, children also collaborate and work together.
• Ownership of learning
  Students created and retained their own workshop experience thereby having ownership of their learnings
  Students had complete control of the intent, the learning and the learning outcome. This created a complete ownership of their work with a sense of pride 

We see the following key challenges

1. Craft /design thinking is material and space intensive
2. Time consuming, requires constant revision
3. Tracking students growth is difficult in large number(15 max)
4. Existing classroom environment is not conducive
5. Mind-set: we dont’ believe that children can be problem solvers

Future Outlook

STITCH-ED led to the project Craft Round Table, which asks the question of how craft competences contribute to a people-centred and sustainable, digitally transformed world of work? The project is funded by internal seed money from the Universities interdisciplinary research Clusters («ITC – Digitale Transformation der Arbeitswelt»).

Two research questions seem particularly meaningful for both context – India and Switzerland:

1. RQ1: How do we give the children the creative confidence at primary school to be problem solvers through a design led thinking approach?
2. RQ2: How can we make ‘thinking through making’ meaningful within school curriculum?

From this STITCH-ED directly led to the submission of research proposal to the National Science Foundation (SNF): “DITRA – Exploring the renaissance of makerdom and the craft spirit in the digital transformation and its implications for design.”