Informal Learning through Expressive Crafting: A Phenomenological Study of Cancer Carers and Facilitators

Informal Learning through Expressive Crafting: A Phenomenological Study of Cancer Carers and Facilitators | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Informal Learning through Expressive Crafting: A Phenomenological Study of Cancer Carers and Facilitators Joshua C. Agpaoa This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872269/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background: Informal and experiential learning are widely acknowledged as significant aspects of education, especially in community and care-oriented settings. Cancer carers frequently endure prolonged emotional stress, social seclusion, and restricted chances for introspective interaction. Expressive arts-based workshops can function as informal learning settings that facilitate emotional awareness, symbolic interpretation, and relationship learning. Nevertheless, scant study has investigated these activities as educational experiences, especially from the viewpoints of both participants and facilitators. Participants and Procedure: This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of cancer carers and facilitators who engaged in an expressive arts-based craft session at a faith- based respite facility in Baguio City, Philippines. Eleven participants, comprising seven caretakers and four facilitators, were intentionally recruited. Data were acquired through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and reflective art narratives. Colaizzi’s seven-step phenomenological technique led the analysis. Results: Seven themes emerged: (1) crafting as emotional solace, (2) the crafting process as transient therapy, (3) flowers as emblems of hope and supplication, (4) communityand collective strength, (5) instances of normalcy among caregiving strain, (6) observing resilience, and (7) service as a spiritual vocation. The workshop functioned as an informal learning place that facilitated contemplation, emotional control, and relational interaction. Conclusions: The research identifies expressive arts-based craft workshops as informal experiential learning environments within community care contexts, influencing outreach curricula, service-learning programs, and informal educational efforts. Psychology Educational Psychology informal learning experiential learning expressive arts cancer carers phenomenology community education service learning Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Statement of Ethics Approval This study was reviewed and approved by the Canvas of Hope Ethics Committee in coordination with Kabsat Respite House. All procedures involving human participants were conducted in accordance with accepted ethical standards and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, who were assured of confidentiality and their right to withdraw at any time. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8872269","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":590909894,"identity":"81fff793-216c-4518-8053-6e9413a57962","order_by":0,"name":"Joshua C. 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All procedures involving human participants were conducted in accordance with accepted ethical standards and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, who were assured of confidentiality and their right to withdraw at any time.\u003c/p\u003e","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformal Learning through Expressive Crafting:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Phenomenological Study of Cancer Carers and Facilitators\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":" informal learning, experiential learning, expressive arts, cancer carers, phenomenology, community education, service learning","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872269/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872269/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInformal and experiential learning are widely acknowledged as significant aspects of\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eeducation, especially in community and care-oriented settings. Cancer carers\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003efrequently endure prolonged emotional stress, social seclusion, and restricted chances\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003efor introspective interaction. Expressive arts-based workshops can function as\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003einformal learning settings that facilitate emotional awareness, symbolic interpretation,\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eand relationship learning. Nevertheless, scant study has investigated these activities as\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eeducational experiences, especially from the viewpoints of both participants and\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003efacilitators.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParticipants and Procedure:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of cancer\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ecarers and facilitators who engaged in an expressive arts-based craft session at a faith-\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ebased respite facility in Baguio City, Philippines. Eleven participants, comprising\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eseven caretakers and four facilitators, were intentionally recruited. Data were acquired\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ethrough semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and reflective art\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003enarratives. Colaizzi’s seven-step phenomenological technique led the analysis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeven themes emerged: (1) crafting as emotional solace, (2) the crafting process as\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003etransient therapy, (3) flowers as emblems of hope and supplication, (4) communityand collective strength, (5) instances of normalcy among caregiving strain, (6)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eobserving resilience, and (7) service as a spiritual vocation. The workshop functioned\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eas an informal learning place that facilitated contemplation, emotional control, and\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003erelational interaction.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusions:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research identifies expressive arts-based craft workshops as informal experiential\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003elearning environments within community care contexts, influencing outreach\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ecurricula, service-learning programs, and informal educational efforts.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Informal Learning through Expressive Crafting:\nA Phenomenological Study of Cancer Carers and Facilitators","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-24 14:13:19","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872269/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"06b747aa-0952-4993-9c4e-f1b77e26fce4","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 24th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":62885829,"name":"Psychology"},{"id":62885830,"name":"Educational Psychology"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-24T14:13:19+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-24 14:13:19","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8872269","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8872269","identity":"rs-8872269","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}