KDM2010 Idea, process, product and identity Course description

Climate change and the environment are closing in on society in both space and time, becoming a relevant dimension of ever more areas of life. Significant transformations need to take place over the next decade and here journalism will have a key role to play. This course will help students pursue both the theoretical and practical development of climate journalism, including the understanding of its own role in society, in a time of declared and perceived crisis.

Language of instruction is English.

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner.

At least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers

Language: English (and Norwegian, dependent on the language of participants).

Approved by the Academic Affairs Committee 27.04.2020.

This PhD-course is open for candidates at the PhD Programme in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education, PhD candidates from other relevant programmes, and academic employees.

The course presents arts-based research (ABR) and processes related to ABR that are relevant in traditional qualitative research as well. Accepting knowledge as also being tacit, and the arts as important fields of understanding, today’s educational research often include aesthetical and arts-based processes. ABR is an umbrella term covering different research methodologies that draw their inspiration, concepts, processes or representational forms from the arts. To satisfy the expected transparency in research, processes involving arts-based media also need to be discussed and made explicit, whether one considers oneself to be an artist or not.

In this basic course, methodologies such as aesthetically based research, a/r/tography, practice-led research and artistic research will be presented and discussed, as will onto-epistemological issues related to ABR in general and the different methodologies. Furthermore, the students will participate in a limited number of mandatory workshops investigating core elements of ABR, (e.g. embodiment, empathy and material, formal and relational sensitivity). There will also be optional workshops exploring writing processes in ABR, related to narrative, poetical, fictional and essayistic genres. A seminar presenting and discussing the participants’ projects constitutes the course exam.

Project work is an important part of the programme. Teaching is progress-based, from common basic tasks to independent topics chosen by the students themselves.

Students on the course are required to attend workshops and to actively participate in tuition. The teaching methods used in the course are lectures, seminars, supervision and debates. The purpose of this is to develop the students’ knowledge, ideas, practical skills, professional understanding and ability to express themselves. Students are expected to find relevant reading material in addition to the syllabus, and are encouraged to use the learning centres and the resources available there. Joint presentations and exhibitions will form the basis for discussion and assessment of the students’ work.

On completion of the course, the candidate will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The candidate:

• has in-dept knowledge concerning core elements of ABR
• can evaluate the expediency and application of certain methodological and analytical approaches within the umbrella term ABR
• has knowledge of certain ontological, epistemological and ethical issues related to ABR

Skills

The candidate:

• can critically analyse relationships between theories of knowledge and ABR and challenge established research practices
• can use relevant techniques to enhance and elicit their own embodiment, empathy and/or sensitivity in research
• can formulate problems, plan, carry out and critically discuss relevant ABR processes in their own research

General competence

The candidate:

• can identify and discuss some relationships and conflicts between other scientific theories and certain theories in ABR, related to his/her field of research
• can give well-structured presentations and participate in debates assessing ABR processes and projects

The first part of the course is a seminar given over two subsequent days. The working methods include lectures, discussions, as well as practical workshops. Candidates are expected to actively participate in all the teaching activities.

The second part of the course is primarily related to the student presentations, which constitute the exam in this course.

Preparations for the course

Students are encouraged to enter OsloMet’s learning platform and attain knowledge of parts of the reading list prior to the course to be able to participate actively in discussions.

Course Requirements

Coursework requirement are:

• Mandatory attendance on the two days of lectures, discussions, and practical workshops. Up to 50 % absence from other students’ oral presentations can be accepted in certain cases, after application.

A list of reference aids allowed will be published on our website.

Grade scale A-F

Target Group

The target groups are PhD candidates / students and scientific staff (also from other fields than the fine arts) who want to learn about arts-based research processes and thereby expand their research tool kit. The course aims at PhD candidates admitted to the PhD Program in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education and other relevant programmes. It is also open to staff members at OsloMet and other universities / college. The course is also open for candidates from other universities in Norway and abroad.

Admission Requirements

The admission requirement is a five-year master’s degree (three years + two years) or equivalent qualifications in teacher education, other pedagogical education, educational science, development studies, or other education on equivalent level in subjects relevant for teacher education.

In case of a large number of applicants, PhD-students enrolled in the PhD programme in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education will be prioritized, then students in other PhD-programmes, then academic employees at the Faculty of Teacher Education and International Studies.

Applicants that are not enrolled on the PhD-programme at the Faculty of Education and International Studies at OsloMet must send a summary in English of maximum one A4 sheet with relevant information about their own project / area of interest, containing topic, methodology, theoretical approach, and why this course might be relevant for their project.