Abstract
The position of dyeing as part of Japan's post-World War II senior high school curriculum is discussed. From 1947, dyeing was covered in an elective course, and was taught as "koseizome" in part of clothing storage and care. Because of its importance as a practical skill, it was moved into the junior high school curriculum in 1951. After 1960, due to the changes in course of study, dyeing began to be taught as a handicraft "shugei senshoku-kogei senshoku." In the current curriculum, dyeing is included in "seikatsubunka no densho to sozo" (transmission and continuation of culture), and as such it is viewed from a cultural, instead of practical, perspective. To modernize the teaching materials used for dyeing as part of the senior high school home economics curriculum, recent trends in Central Council for Education policy as well as literature on clothing education in home economics were studied in this paper. It is difficult to point out significance of clothes-making for current high school students and to set aside time for practical learning. Thus, new teaching materials are required. Since dyeing is an effective scientific approach for the clothing management, it can be used to motivate students to learn about this topic and, as a result, may trigger students' confidence. On the other hand, it is also important to develop life skills of self-understanding when focused on the career education model in home economics. For that, teaching materials with a practical training aspect are required, and dyeing was considered the best way of doing this. Finally, an innovative perspective on making teaching materials for dyeing education is proposed.
