arbeidskunde

Arbeidskunde is a historical educational concept used in Norwegian and, to a lesser extent, Danish contexts to denote knowledge about work and the organization of labor. The term derives from words meaning work and knowledge and was used to describe a subject that prepared students for participation in the workforce.

Traditionally, arbeidskunde covered practical skills and understanding of how work is carried out, including basic tool use, safety, and the management of simple production tasks. It often accompanied other hands-on subjects such as crafts or home economics and aimed to give pupils a basic literacy about workplaces, productivity, and teamwork.

Over time, the subject declined as separate courses and was absorbed into broader technology and vocational education tracks. In contemporary curricula, the content of arbeidskunde tends to be distributed among technology and design subjects, occupational safety education, and specific vocational programs, or it may be taught under broader "work life" or "industry" modules in upper-secondary education. The term remains primarily historical, appearing in archival documents and older curricula.

See also: vocational education, technology education, occupational safety, industrial arts.