Personal construct theory is based on the philosophical view of ‘constructive alternativism’, which means that there is no absolute truth or objective re-ality, only different ways of interpreting events in order to make them mean-ingful (Kelly 1963, 13). Individuals observe and classify perceptions and try to formulate hypotheses that are used as the basis for future action.
The predominant focus of the repertory grid technique remains on the study of individuals (also social groups) with particular emphasis on how people organise and change their views of self and the world in the counsel-ling context. This implies that people engage in continuous extension, re-finement, and revision of their systems of meaning as they meet with events that challenge, or invalidate their assumptions, developing their personal theories toward greater adequacy (Kelly 1955, 1963). Frequently a process of making art or craft is an action which evokes emotions. Making art or craft might remind an individual of earlier memories and experiences at school regardless of whether they were good or bad. Do particularly negative experi-ences arouse the desire to discontinue craft work? Is it possible to handle emotions along the way so that a student teacher can overcome the reluc-tance? Yes and no. However, I presume the more a student can be open to feelings and emotions, the more he or she can learn from experiences and also handle them adequately in new situations. In this process the repertory grid technique may offer a structural conversational tool to managing these matters more deeply.
Personal construct theory and repertory grid are mostly used in psychia-try, therapy, marketing, consulting, and human resources in order to elicit individuals’ personal constructs, meaning individualised ways of perceiving and responding to experience. Recently the method has also been produc-tively used in studies of education and arts education (e.g., Taylor, A. &
Hallam, S. 2008; Zuber-Skerritt, O. & Roche, V. 2004; Lundahl & Öquist 2001, 1996a; Hopper, T. F. 2000; Rayment 2000; Hargreaves, Galton &
Robinson 1996). Repertory grid methods embody a widely used set of tech-niques for studying personal and interpersonal systems of meaning on topics ranging from children’s understanding of physical science principles to for-mal structures of self-reflection within cognitive science and the shared vali-dation of belief systems. Repertory grids can be used for personal explor-ations or as a tool to help others explore and reveal their experience. Hopper (2000) presents an example of the first: he has integrated the use of a reper-tory grid into the course of physical education in teacher training. The tech-nique has been utilised engaging students in semi-autobiographical reflection on the roots of their personal beliefs and knowledge about teaching physical education (Hopper 2000). As an example of the latter, Trevor Rayment (2000) has analysed the attitudes of art teachers toward the National Curricu-lum for Art in Great Britain.
The repgrid material can be entirely objective or highly subjective. The data material could be oral (interviews, conversations) or written (letters, biographies), or a combination of both. For example, Lundahl and Öquist (2001) have used written correspondence. They have invited school students to discuss how they perceive life in school in Sweden by using letters as a basis for repertory grid interviews.
There are some limitations on the use of the technique with different age groups because the technique requires certain capabilities in expression and verbalisation. Smaller children are more challenged in the use of the tech-nique. I had a pilot project with 5-year olds by studying how they construe their world through drawing pictures in order to reveal some features of small children’s deep thinking (Karppinen 2001). According to the findings, chil-dren are able to conceptualise and give meaning to their works and the world around them by thinking and expressing their thoughts through drawings.
However, when using the technique with small children the role of linguistic ability is crucial. Also the time to be given for intensive conversation is less than for adults. Usage of the method with small children is challenging, but possible with careful planning.
Later on I used the technique again with the intention of testing the tech-nique with other age groups. My ongoing study concerns student teachers’
attitudes, emotional experiences, and conception of the meaningfulness of
making art and craft. Attitude is connected with emotions and willingness to learn. Frequently negative emotions like frustration, anger or earlier humili-ation might in the worse case prevent a continuum of work, while positive feelings might help learning and increase motivation to face new challenges.
However, it does not necessarily always work this way, and this is particu-larly what I am interested in in my study. Emotions are understood in the study as feelings like joy and enthusiasm in experimenting and making art;
there may also be a “flow” feeling. But negative feelings, like frustration, humiliation, disinterest or discouragement may also arise.
Emotion is a basic concept in psychology, but also in education even though its effect on learning is usually underestimated. Emotion is our ex-perience of, or resistance to change as Dan Bannister and Fay Fransella (1986) claim. I assume that a repgrid practice might help student teachers to handle their emotions and later on also understand children with their emo-tional expressions in educaemo-tional situations. I presume that through guided introspection using the repgrid tool it might be possible for individuals to have power over their emotions and learn to handle them in a more construc-tive way.
The repertory grid technique can help students become introspective, and draw attention to their own differing individual constructs of emotions and attitudes, so they also can deconstruct them. I found that during the repgrid interviews some students’ recognised new aspects in themselves. This is particularly essential in a trial to benefit from one’s own action in order to make learning and action meaningful. I consider the repertory grid a func-tional tool to apply in arts education as a method, but also as a learning tool in order to search for individual ways to think and affect one’s own behav-iour. Meaningful and reasonable experiences are important in developing the self and personality as well as one’s professional life.
Some studies where the repgrid technique has been used confirm the use-fulness of the method in art and craft education research. For example, David Hargreaves, Maurice Galton and Susan Robinson (1996) examined teachers’
assessments of primary children’s classroom work in the creative arts by using repertory grid based techniques. They created a taxonomy of the con-structs which teachers use in assessing work in visual art, writing and music.
Lars Lindström and Leif Ulriksson (2001) have identified craft experts’
and student teachers’ competences in craft education by the use of portfolio interviews and the repertory grid technique in order to reveal tacit know-ledge. They argue that the method is an excellent tool to uncover dimensions of professional knowledge that are often taken for granted. The method facili-tates the interviewees to reflect on complex issues, but it does not automati-cally explain what they mean by what they are saying (Lindström &
Ulriks-son 2001). Lindström and UlriksUlriks-son add that further qualitative analysis is needed to fulfil the findings.