Upskilling Creators and Creatives: A Closer Look at the GatewayCrafts Project

In the current digital era, social media platforms have become powerful tools for learning, participation, and community creation. 

Recognising the importance of social networks in modern education and skill development, GatewayCrafts aims to leverage these platforms to enhance its audience's learning experience. 

The GatewayCrafts project was born from reflections on the future of learning — especially the shift from more traditional methodologies to more dynamic processes and a genuine interest in new technologies and their impact on society. 

Why not use social media algorithms to amplify a learning process? Why not use social networks' aggregating power? 

With this project, we plan to build a 'gateway' to discover new interests that could lead to the emergence of new jobs and careers in the arts, crafts, and small-scale manufacturing sector.

GatewayCrafts was born at the hands of Barbot Bernardo (Saber Fazer) who are passionate about small-scale manufacturing, specifically fibre production processes, and are highly committed to education as certified VET providers in Portugal. They, too, have recognised the vital role of this sector in creativity and added value to the European economy.

What is our purpose?

Using flax production and spinning as an example, the project aims to develop and test methodologies for disseminating technical knowledge in the area of textile fibre production, namely social media learning.

GatewayCrafts aims not only to be a source of information and knowledge through the traditional approach of an online course but also to stand out as one of the pioneers in using social media as a learning platform for professionals and enthusiasts in the sector. By strategically implementing learning initiatives through social media, the project aims to reach a wider audience, promote active participation, facilitate knowledge sharing, and create a dynamic and inclusive learning environment.

We aim to test various concepts and techniques to enhance our understanding of Social Media Learning processes and applications. In doing so, we seek to pave the way for other professionals and organisations to adopt this process and further drive their respective sectors, especially those facing similar challenges.

How are we doing this?

After extensive research on the concept of social media learning, we have developed a comprehensive and integrated action plan. This plan includes implementing two pilot courses on our e-learning platform, along with a series of content tailored specifically for social networks. By considering the target audience and the most suitable format for each platform, we aim to meet the needs of a diverse and broad audience.

In addition to conventional "lessons," the project focuses on consolidating information and knowledge on social media and the e-learning platform. This approach provides a solid foundation for applying the techniques and processes taught and for future research on the use of social media in professional learning.

In response to the challenge of attracting new generations and expanding job opportunities in this sector, we are building a diverse and engaging content strategy, blending active discussion with bite-sized informational videos and posts to cater to various learning preferences and embracing a multi-platform approach. This content has been built with high technical quality and special attention to the aesthetic details, as this is fundamental to catching young learners’ and social media users’ attention and engagement, boosting content visibility and fostering curation and recommendation.

We recognise that simply offering an online course or providing a source of knowledge is not enough to revitalise this sector. Therefore, we rely on the active participation of our audience to extend the reach of this knowledge and approach, aiming to significantly impact the sector.

“We hope this will lead to the discovery of interests that can later represent new careers in craft – hence the name, GatewayCrafts” – Alice Bernardo.