Cultivated learning Artefact proposal

Cultivated learning

This aspect of my practice is around identity in craft knit and its enriched history, with the prospect of modern teaching in Higher Education settings. I have named it cultivated learning as I am the seed sewer, the work is about understanding how knitting isn’t a Western only craft, although records show a very dominant Western view of the craft. Providing a small seedling of representation from knitting in a global setting, could potentially encourage global engagement in research and investigative practices around knitting and identity within the student learning journey. This workshop would be a combination of synchronous (interactive) and asynchronous (data collective) that will be showcased in the technical resource platform SharePoint, with cohort permission, this has the potential to grow into an inclusive student-generated resource.

Referencing the book ‘Knitting Around the World: A Multistranded History of a Time-Honoured Tradition’ by Lela Nargi who has documented 20 patterns in particular location-based style knitting. Although this book is extremely knowledgeable, a new knitter would be lost in its very enriched and complex knitting styles. The artefact that I am proposing is a more user-friendly and possibly interactive map that would showcase a traditional knitting style from around the world. Being Irish, and with the history of Irish knitting, I have shared conversations around fashion and craft with Aran knitting being routed in spirituality and paganism with its symbolism of meaning behind the cable stitch and its formations. As the fisherman jumpers/sweaters were family-orientated or clan-based, they provided an ‘identity card’ for when fishermen were lost or killed at sea. Much of the symbolism is routed in small charm-based designs, certain stitches represent luck, family, wealth, health, work, success, love, nature and God.

The idea of this artefact is inspired by my own identity in knitting, a sense of belonging to my heritage, how I was taught (generational) and how my idea of teaching is a community, open-sourced learning, I have a huge distaste towards gatekeeping knowledge, especially knitting knowledge. The artefact is to bring a sense of ownership to a student’s learning journey, with encouragement around identity and investigate localised– knitting or yarn (fibre) crafts, the prospective outcome would be both a thought-provoking and encouraging conversation surrounding one’s identity and their heritage through craft. Setting wise I would assume this can either be a pre-task before the beginning of BA1 or the start of BA1 in teaching/historical lessons around knitting and its global recognition within fashion, craft and community. The major outcome of this artefact is to inspire handcraft and its very prominent connection to fashion in the present time, something that I have witnessed a decline in recently due to the fastness of machines and now with the introduction to digital technology, students are less willing and often neglectful towards slower traditional crafts.

Reference list

aranstore.co.uk (2021). The meaning and symbolism of different Aran stitches. [online] aranstore.co.uk. Available at: https://www.aranstore.co.uk/blogs/news/the-meaning-and-symbolism-of-different-aran-stitches.

Burke, P. and Mcmanus, J. (2009). NALN Research Report Exclusion and Misrecognition in Art and Design Higher Education Admissions.

England, L. (2023). Crafting professionals: Logics of professional development in craft higher education. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 22(2), p.147402222311568. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/14740222231156895.

handknitty.com. (2023). The History of Knitting in Different Regions – HandKnitty.com. [online] Available at: https://handknitty.com/history-of-knitting/ [Accessed 28 May 2023].

Lucas, B. and Claxton, G. (2009). Wider skills for learning What are they, how can they be cultivated, how could they be measured and why are they important for innovation? [online] Available at: https://media.nesta.org.uk/documents/wider_skills_for_learning_report.pdf.

Nargi, L. (2011). Knitting Around the World. Voyageur Press (MN).

Richards, A. and Finnigan, T. (n.d.). Embedding equality and diversity in the curriculum: an art and design practitioner’s guide.

Westrup, R. and Reading, S. (2022). Learner, student, graduate: a toolkit for student identity formation and critical reflection. [online] THE Campus Learn, Share, Connect. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/learner-student-graduate-toolkit-student-identity-formation-and-critical-reflection [Accessed 28 May 2023].