JOHDATUS KOTITALOUDEN ... - Helda - Helsinki.fi

University of Helsinki
Departement of Home Economics and Craft Science
Liisa Haverinen
INTRODUCTION TO THE SKILL PEDAGOGY OF HOME ECONOMICS
– stories as an interpreter of tacit knowledge
113 pages + six pages of attachments
ABSTRACT
The starting point for this research project is to diversify the conception and practice of
the learning and teaching of skills. In recent decades the prevailing method of teaching
has been premised on different conceptions of learning. The traditional human practice
of learning skills through the stories of experienced men and women has been forgotten.
In different cultures storytelling has been a natural means of acquiring skills in everyday
life. As a home economics teacher and a mentor of home economics teacher education, I
have realized that children and the young have insufficient experience of home economics
skills. That is why the teaching of home economics skills has nowadays become
much more challenging.
The aim of the study is to formulate an introduction to the skill pedagogy of home
economics by using the possibilities of the narrative approach, complementary to the
paradigmatic mode of knowing (Bruner, 1986, 1996). Through narratives, the understanding
of tacit knowledge in the teaching and learning of home economics skills will
be facilitated. I use the concept of skill pedagogy in this study. This concept will refer to
the whole situation of the teaching-studying-learning of home economics skills. Thus,
the meaning of skilfulness ought to be understood on the basis of the development of
the personality. From the viewpoint of society the teaching of skills will develop the
culture of the skills as a whole. I investigated the curriculum of home economics on one
hand through my own teaching experiences and on the other hand by the concepts of the
mastery of everyday life (Haverinen, 1996; POP, 2004). The theoretical frame of reference
was formulated by joining the concepts of the mastery of everyday life and the
concepts of the didactic triangle (Kansanen & Meri 1999).
The main research problems are how the core concepts of skill pedagogy and tacit
knowledge will manifest itself in situations in which home economics skills are taught.
The empirical data consists of home economics teachers’, students’ and pupils’ stories.
The analysis and the reporting of the results are divided into two different parts. First, I
analysed stories using qualitative content analysis (the analysis of narratives) which is
premised on the theoretical frame of reference. Secondly, I constructed the synthesis of
stories (narrative analysis), which focuses on tacit knowing in teaching home economics
skills. The findings show that dialogic interaction is manifested for example in the
attention paid to students’ needs and in sincere discussions. The intentionality of the
teachers manifested in teachers’ stories of motivation and demonstration and the pupils’
own skill practice. The narrative approach gives a channel to illuminate the implicit,
tacit points of skills. By adding narrative elements to teaching situations the teachingstudying-learning
of home economics skills can be confirmed. When the teachers notice
that the stories have pedagogical power they can gain more confidence in their own tacit
knowing.
Keywords: skill education, skill pedagogy of home economics, narrative approach,
tacit knowledge