Development Of Interactive Multimedia Courseware (E-Craft) For Craft Education

Abstract

The way of teaching and learning traditional crafts have always used traditional apprenticeship learning methods where the expert facilitates transfer of practice skill sets to novices. As a craft has been taught in conventional approach, the students and experts have been facing several problems especially when expert needs to teach a group of students. An appropriate mapping of craft education and Information and Communication Technologies using Multimedia technology for instance, has the potential in transforming traditional craft learning into more flexible environment. This paper reports on a research project on development of an interactive multimedia courseware package for teaching and learning traditional craft called e-CRAFT. The e-CRAFT is specially designed for songket weaving course taught to certificate and diploma students from Fakulti Seni Kraf Tenunan in their first year study at Institut Kraf Negara, Malaysia (National Craft Institute). The courseware was developed in a web-based environment and overall development process was based on the Dick and Carey's process model and conceptual Instructional Design framework. It is made up of eight learning modules: Introduction, Materials & Tools, Knowing Motifs, Learn How to Weave, Quizzes & Test, Online Discussion, Glossary and Help module. In order to test whether the courseware is suitable in terms of usability, pilot testing was done to a sample of 10 students. The results from pilot test received positive feedback which signifies the courseware is considered acceptable for effectiveness study and help for further improve of the e-CRAFT courseware.