Looking, Experimenting, Creating, Telling - Testing a Pedagogical Model for Design Learning

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by OmBimo

This article reports outcomes from international workshops on traditional costume construction and surface embellishment techniques, inspired by the Creative Europe TRACtion (Traditional Costume Innovation) project. Students and adult learners in Ireland, Finland, and Malta developed creative, sustainable, and innovative responses to textile artefacts using the Finnish Association of Design Learning (SuoMu) Design Learning Model. Teaching strategies from educators and craftspeople connected workshop ideas, materials, and participants. The study analyzed participant feedback thematically and examined visual outputs to identify creative-thinking indicators such as fluidity, flexibility, elaboration, and uniqueness.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Creativity and cultural definitions

Tacit knowledge and selected textile artefacts

Case contexts and costume analysis

Ireland: embroidery, lace, and whitework

Finland: Äyrämöinen folk costumes

Malta: Għonnella construction and design

Looking, Experimenting, Creating, Telling–Testing a Pedagogical Model for Design Learning Kathryn McSweeney, ATU St Angelas, Sligo, Ireland Riikka Räisänen, University of Helsinki, Finland Mari Kosunen, University of Helsinki, Finland Päivi Fernström, University of Helsinki, Finland Kaisa Hyrsky, University of Helsinki, Finland Zoi Arvanitidou, University of Malta, Malta Lorraine Portelli, University of Malta, Malta Abstract This article shares the outcomes of international workshops focused on traditional costume construction and surface embellishment techniques and designs. These workshops were inspired by the findings of the Creative Europe TRACtion (Traditional Costume Innovation) project. The latter motivated students and adult learners in the Republic of Ireland, Finland, and Malta to develop creative, sustainable, and innovative responses to traditional textile artefacts. The Finnish Association of Design Learning (SuoMu) Design Learning Model was applied to support the development of creative thinking in the workshops. Additionally, teaching strategies developed by textile educators and craftspeople in each context complemented the SuoMu Design Learning Model, facilitating interactions between workshop ideas, materials and participants. The workshops aimed to foster design, creative thinking, sustainability, innovation, and a deeper appreciation of textile heritage. Participant feedback was analysed through thematic data analysis, and the visual outcomes were examined for indicators of creative thinking, such as fluidity, flexibility, elaboration, and uniqueness. The SuoMu model played a key role in guiding the design process and developing creative thinking skills. Sketching and brainstorming techniques sparked a wealth of ideas, while group activities and practical and experiential learning supported the ideation process. The workshops led to numerous fluent and flexible responses and ideas, many of which evolved into unique and innovative designs. Participants developed visual literacy skills and textile cultural empathy while achieving sustainability in material usage. Keywords traditional costumes, intangible cultural heritage, textile education, design learning process, creative thinking Introduction Creativity is culturally defined (Sawyer & Henriksen, 2023), and because culture is continuously re-created by people (Van zanten, 2004), various conceptions of creativity exist. Many creative products are “collaborative, group creations”(Sawyer & Henriksen, 2023, p. 245) and traditional craft outcomes provide valuable information about cultural practices. This study was underpinned by the need to build awareness, especially among younger generations, of the importance of our textile cultural heritage and the need to safeguard it (UNESCO, 2003) . We wanted to bring to light tacit knowledge and skills relating to traditional textile costume artefacts in three contexts. To that end, textile costume artefacts from the 19th and 20th centuries were selected for analysis by the Creative Europe TRACtion project research team (Portelli et al., 2024) in the Republic of Ireland (RoI), Finland and Malta (Figure 1) . Embroidery and lace designs used in Irish costumes constructed during the early 1900s were analysed for the TRACtion study. Four costumes were selected (Figure 1, Row 1) and included: 1) a wedding gown with Irish crochet lace and whitework embroidery (Images 1 and 5); 2) awhitework child’s dress and cape (Images 2 and 6); 3) a skirt with Irish crochet and Mountmellick whitework embroidery (Images 3 and 7); and 4) a Carrickmacross appliqué lace skirt (Images 4 and 8) . Irish crochet was commonly used as a trim or insert feature in clothing. Mountmellick embroidery, originating in County Laois, is a distinctive Irish whitework embroidery due to its implementation on a larger scale, floral designs and the contrast between matt background fabric and shiny mercerised cotton stitching (Stanton & Scott,

FAQs

What workshops were conducted and what inspired them?

The study describes international workshops on traditional costume construction and surface embellishment techniques. They were inspired by the Creative Europe TRACtion project focused on traditional costume innovation.

Which pedagogical model guided the workshops?

The Finnish Association of Design Learning (SuoMu) Design Learning Model was applied to support development of creative thinking. It was complemented by teaching strategies from textile educators and craftspeople in each context.

How was creative thinking evaluated in the study?

Participant feedback was analyzed through thematic data analysis, and visual outcomes were examined for indicators of creative thinking. These indicators included fluidity, flexibility, elaboration, and uniqueness.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by OmBimo