UNDERSTANDING CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF ARTIFACTS THROUGH COLLABORATIVE KNOWLEDGE BUILDING

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UNDERSTANDING CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF ARTIFACTS
THROUGH COLLABORATIVE KNOWLEDGE BUILDING

HENNA LAHTI1,2, MARJUT IIVONEN1,3, PIRITA
SEITAMAA-HAKKARAINEN3, MARIANNE
BOLLSTRÖM-HUTTUNEN4 KAI HAKKARAINEN11Centre
for Research on Networked Learning and Knowledge
Building, Department of Psychology, University
of Helsinki 2Department of Home Economics and
Craft Science, University of Helsinki
3Savonlinna Department of Teacher Education,
University of Joensuu 4Laajasalo Elementary
School, Helsinki
The purpose of the present project is to examine
collaborative knowledge building in craft and
design education. A central aspect of knowledge
building is to create shared knowledge objects,
such as ideas or theories, to engage in an
intensive interaction among the participants for
developing knowledge objects, and to re-use the
emerging knowledge for solving new problems.
INTRODUCTION The different inquiry-based models
offer the promise of promoting better learning
results. Experiential learning, problem-based
learning, case-based learning, and studio
teaching have been widely adopted in craft and
design education. One of the starting points of
the present project is the knowledge-building
model developed by Professor Carl Bereiter and
Professor Marlene Scardamalia in the context of
computer-supported collaborative learning. In
our project, we are using a collaborative
learning environment called Knowledge Forum that
provides sophisticated tools especially for
visualizing and building knowledge. The project
is organized at the primary level (grade 4) and
focuses on the cultural diversity of artifacts.
Students (N29) were asked to study useful
artifacts within their cultural context.
Concurrently, we are breaking boundaries of
traditional schoolwork by creating connections
between students and diverse expert communities,
such as museum staffs and craftspeople. In
addition to real contacts, students are visiting
virtual museums. Technology may help individual
students in the development of their project by
providing spaces and tools for collaborative
construction of digital knowledge objects.
Collaborative technology allows thinking to be
more explicit and accessible to fellow
participants and, in consequence, enables
students to share their ideas and reach joint
understandings of the problem and its possible
solutions.