An Evaluation and Discussion of a Proposed Evidence-based
Pedagogical Model for Jewellery Design Education with
Traditional Handicrafts in China:
The Studio-based Design Knowledge Processes Toolkit

Zi, Mengnan

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An Evaluation and Discussion of a Proposed Evidence-based Pedagogical Model for Jewellery Design Education with Traditional Handicrafts in China: The Studio-based Design Knowledge Processes Toolkit

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Zi, Mengnan (2024) An Evaluation and Discussion of a Proposed Evidence-based Pedagogical Model for Jewellery Design Education with Traditional Handicrafts in China: The Studio-based Design Knowledge Processes Toolkit. Doctoral thesis, University of Gloucestershire. doi:10.46289/OKER3618

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.46289/OKER3618

Abstract

This research investigates how contemporary design education can contribute to the revitalisation and ongoing development of traditional handicrafts in China. In response to the challenges of cultural discontinuity, the research explores how design can function as a tool to preserve, reinterpret, and innovate traditional handicraft knowledge within educational settings. Grounded in theories from craft and design studies, the research develops the Ideation- Empathy-Making (IEM) model, a practice-based teaching framework designed to integrate traditional handicrafts into design education. The model was developed and iteratively refined through a series of teaching experiments, personal design, and curatorial practice. It guides learners through retrieving, integrating, and concretising knowledge, fostering reflective, empathetic, and hands-on engagement with traditional handicrafts. Jewellery serves as the primary medium in this research, offering a tangible platform to explore how traditional handicrafts can inform contemporary design outcomes. While the research focuses on the continuous development of handicrafts through educational practice, the IEM model also demonstrates broader applicability. As validated through teaching and exhibition practices, it has the potential to contribute to the sustainable development of traditional handicrafts in broader contexts, including cultural promotion, tourism, and public engagement. This research identifies: (1) a pedagogical model that embeds traditional handicraft practices within design education; (2) a knowledge generation process that supports innovation grounded in traditional handicrafts; (3) the evolving roles of students and educators in protecting intangible cultural heritage; and (4) the potential of the IEM model to serve as a strategic framework for sustaining traditional handicrafts across cultural, economic, and ecological dimensions, achieving sustainable development goal.

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Thesis (Doctoral)

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