Artistic Actions for Sustainability in a University Setting

This chapter introduces a case entitled Walk the Space. Webster University in Geneva took the opportunity to invite an artist to work with their studentsto rethink their ideas of what we can do to meet sustainability global challenges. The artistic activities aimed to promote greater ecological consciousness through different forms of participation and awareness activities, helping the participants to discover the connection to the nature that surrounds them. Walk the Space created a platform for sharing ideas about sustainability, both individual and collective. Participants, both staff and students alike, exchanged ideas through dialogues, exercises including walking, memory work, and through developing slogans that were subsequently embroidered and exhibited in the woods surrounding the university. This collaboration provided a space for transformative learning and active engagement, giving the potential for social change. This article gives insights into how artistic actions can strengthen community building and ecological consciousness

Art Teachers’ Education for Environmental Awareness. What is Hidden in Nature that we have never Seen or Heard?

It is argued here that teacher education needs to make a fundamental shift in the types of knowledge and experience that count as valuable for future teachers. The article reflects on some aspects of a weeklong project involving student teachers and 5th grade students that has taken place in the Reykjavik Botanical Garden for the past four years called What is hidden in nature that we have never seen or heard? The project has been a part of the Children’s Cultural Festival. This is a collective project where more than seventy pupils from a neighbourhood school work under the direction of a group of student teachers from the Iceland Academy of the Arts (IAA). The project focuses on the transformative power of education for sustainability (EfS), and participatory pedagogy including critical place-based learning and tacit knowledge. The settings at the Botanical Garden were developed as a part of a pedagogical course taught by the author of this article, aiming to develop the student teachers’ self-efficacy and action competence.In the Botanical Garden the student teachers plan learning settings for the pupils and carry the responsibility for that week in collaboration with the local school. The work is based on their earlier learning in the pedagogical foundation course. The way of working of the student teachers in the Botanic Garden can lead to a mutual fostering of these two concepts in ways that may be expected to promote professional development and tacit knowledge. Acquiring and being able to use the concepts augments the voice of the student teachers and I discuss why such pedagogies are valuable in teacher education

Art and place-based education for the understanding of sustainability

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Artistic actions for sustainability : potential of art in education for sustainability

This review focuses on the potential of art in education for sustainability in the context of teacher education and art creation. Both action research and art-based research are used to explore the role that art and art education might play in Education for Sustainability (EfS). These two approaches created a space where I was able to gain a better understanding and awareness of EfS. Two courses conducted annually within the Iceland Academy of the Arts teacher education programme formed the foundation of the research which spanned six years. Findings were presented in 7 articles, three exhibitions and this review, in addition to being discussed at conferences and regional courses. Sustainability is a contested concept and EfS takes several forms depending on the definition of the concept. In this research I used the definition of finding a balance between well-being and the integrity of nature. Concepts from critical, place-based, and visual culture art education are fundamental to this research. In the early stages I focused on my own work practices and context to explore the core of the pedagogy I wished to understand. I saw two important issues emerging in the discourse found in the practice and education of art teachers for sustainability. One issue led me to design interventions addressing virtues and values, in particular the spring workshop in the Botanical Garden of Reykjavík. The other issue was the significance of participation in developing the kind of conduct, character and manner needed for action competence, a core concept in planning sustainability education. By developing different settings for learning with student teachers, several forms of pedagogy could be investigated. Sustainability issues were identified by participants and extended through an art-based approach. Collaborative work practices aimed at making an impact on students’ and museum visitors’ understanding and sharpening their awareness of environmental, cultural, economic and social issues. To this end I used contemporary art, artistic examination, experiments, installations and purposeful curatorial practices in the art exhibitions. When working with project-based learning that incorporates participatory pedagogy both the student teachers and I have learnt to understand the role that art might play in our development and understanding of EfS. Nurturing supportive learning conditions allowed us to develop our efficacy and working with others with shared motivation has led to collective efficacy. The artistic actions are dynamic and are dependent on time as people move and grow. Towards the end of the research I was ready to construct a four-stage heuristic device to guide my future work in EfS, based on two concepts, values and culture, and in line with the range of experiences and observations emerging in the work with students. In each of the four stages the user is required to question both values and culture, while taking note of the presence or absence of EfS principles. My view of learning incorporates transdisciplinary approaches that allow for different perspectives and types of knowledge. This research study has shown how collaboration in community-based practices and participatory pedagogy are central in developing an understanding of EfS. It also highlights the importance in EfS of student driven initiatives with a strong connection to lived experience. For student teachers to develop action competence and collective efficacy they should experience learning environments where young learners are expected to find their own ideas and voices, and express themselves meaningfully. Creating work settings for choice based learning empowers educators and students as they discover conditions and settings in which they become empowered. This research supports the conclusion that through combining artistic approaches and by connecting practice to theory, art has great potential in education for sustainability.Möguleikar samtímalistar til menntunar til sjálfbærni eru rannsakaðir og metnir út frá sjónarhorni kennslufræða og listsköpunar. Verkefnið byggir á starfendarannsókn og listrannsókn. Rannsóknin fór fram í listkennsludeild Listaháskóla Íslands þar sem ég starfa sem lektor og fagstjóri. Tveir lykiláfangar voru lagðir til grundvallar starfendarannsókninni, Listir og sjálfbærni og Kennslufræði sjónlista, þ.á m. verkefni sem unnið var með kennaranemum og grunnskólanemendum í Grasagarði Reykjavíkur. Í áföngunum þróaði ég mismunandi aðferðir til að læra með kennaranemum. Lögð var áhersla á þátttöku og tilraunir sem tengjast áherslum gagnrýnnar kennslufræði (e. critical education). Ég kannaði hvernig hægt er að skynja, túlka og skilja hugtakið sjálfbærni með því að skoða, skapa og túlka samtímalist. Hugtakið sjálfbærni er umdeilt og í stöðugri þróun og til eru margar skilgreiningar á því. Hér er stuðst við þann skilning að kjarninn sé jafnvægi á milli ‘hins góða lífs’ og virðingar fyrir þeim takmörkunum sem náttúran setur. Skilgreiningar á hugtakinu sjálfbærni ræður því hvaða kennslu- og námsaðferðir verða fyrir valnu. Gagnrýnið listrænt grenndarnám (e. critical place-based education) er sú aðferð sem ég aðhyllist. Ég þróaði eigin starfshætti með því að ígrunda starf mitt. Ég athugaði hvernig náms og kennsluaðferðir hafa hentað best í þágu menntunar til sjálfbærni og hvernig ég gæti þróað þær áfram. Ég greindi gögnin mín og fann kennslufræðilegan kjarna sem einkenndi starf mitt. Í upphafi rannsóknarinnar lagði ég mesta áherslu á eigið starf og samhegi menntunar við líf og reynslu kennaranema. Með því að þróa ólík verkefni sem kröfðust þátttöku á vettvangi fengu kennaranemar tækifæri til að gera tilraunir og prófa sig áfram við að tengja saman fræði og framkvæmd. Það fólst meðal annars í því að skynja, túlka og nýta reynslu úr mismunandi umhverfi. Með vinnu á vettvangi gafst nemum tækifæri til að tengja eigin reynslu við fræði og finna nýjar leiðir til miðla sjálfbærni í gegnum listir. Á þeim sex árum sem rannsóknin stóð yfir þróuðust áfangarnir og áherslurnar. Það leiddi til þess að rannsóknarspurningarnar tóku breytingum. Með greiningu á gögnum fann ég lykilatriði áfanganna. Undir lok rannsóknarinnar þróaði ég greiningatækni sem tók mið af eigin reynslu, hvort í senn því sem heppnaðist vel og því sem betur mátti fara. Tækninni er skipt í fjögur stig þar sem notendur spyrja spurninga sem tengjast eigin gildismati, menningu og sjálfbærni. Fræðilegt framlag rannsóknarinnar á sviði menntunar til sjálfbærni var í formi sjö ritrýndra greina/bókakafla og listrænnar túlkunar á viðfangsefninu sem fólst í þremur myndlistarsýningum, auk þessarar ritgerðar. Það var þýðingarmikið að vinna með báðar rannsóknaraðferðirnar samhliða. Með því móti var varpað ljósi á niðurstöðurnar bæði með hefðbundinni skriflegri greiningu og með myndlistarsýningum og eigin listsköpun. Þessar ólíku rannsóknaraðferðir gerðu mér kleift að þróa eigin starfskenningu og fagmennsku sem kennari á sviði kennaramenntunar og listkennslu. Á hverju ári hefja nýir kennaranemar nám við Listaháskóla Íslands, sem hafa í farteskinu fjölbreytta reynslu og þekkingu frá fyrri störfum. Mannauðurinn í kennaranáminu felst m.a. í því að virkja þá þekkingu. Niðurstöður mínar gefa til kynna að menntun til sjálfbærni krefjist þverfaglegrar nálgunar sem gerir ráð fyrir fjölbreyttum sjónarmiðum og breiðri þekkingu á fyrirbærinu sjálfbærni. Samvinna í samfélagsmiðuðum verkefnum hefur einnig reynst mikilvæg. Virk þátttaka í að tengja kennslufræði og framkvæmd getur hjálpað til við að auka skilning á sjálfbærni.Tämän väitöskirjan aiheena on arvioida taiteen mahdollisuuksia kestävää kehitystä edistävässä kasvatuksessa opettajankoulutuksen ja taiteen tekemisen kontekstissa. Tarkastelin sekä toimintatutkimuksen että taidepohjaisen tutkimuksen avulla, millainen rooli taiteella ja taidekasvatuksella voi olla kestävän kehityksen kasvatuksessa (Education for Sustainability). Kahden eri lähestymistavan käyttäminen loi tilan, jossa kykenin saavuttamaan paremman ymmärryksen ja tietoisuuden kestävän kehityksen kasvatuksesta. Perustana tälle kuusivuotiselle tutkimukselle ovat olleet kaksi Islannin Taideakatemian opettajankoulutusohjelman puitteissa vuosittain järjestettävää kurssia. Tutkimuksen tulokset on esitetty kuudessa artikkelissa, kolmessa näyttelyssä sekä tässä kirjoitelmassa. Tuloksia on lisäksi käsitelty konferensseissa ja alueellisilla kursseilla. Kestävä kehitys on kiistanalainen käsite, ja kestävän kehityksen kasvatus saa useita muotoja riippuen käsitteen määritelmästä. Tässä tutkimuksessa käytin kestävän kehityksen määritelmänä tasapainon löytämistä hyvinvoinnin ja luonnon koskemattomuuden välillä. Kriittisen, paikkaperustaisen ja visuaalisen kulttuurin taidekasvatuksen käsitteistö on olennainen osa tätä tutkimusta. Tutkimuksen alkuvaiheessa keskityin omiin työskentelykäytäntöihini ja kontekstiin tarkastellakseni sen pedagogiikan ydintä, jota pyrin ymmärtämään. Käytännöistä ja taideopettajien kouluttamisesta kestävään kehitykseen löytyi diskurssi, josta nousi esiin kaksi avainkysymystä. Ensimmäinen kysymyksistä johti minut suunnittelemaan arvoja ja hyveitä käsitteleviä interventioita, joista tärkein oli Reykjavíkin kasvitieteellisessä puutarhassa keväisin järjestetty työpaja. Toinen kysymys oli osallistumisen merkitys kehitettäessä yhteisöllisten toimintataitojen kannalta olennaisia menettelytapoja ja käytänteitä. Yhteisölliset toimintataidot ovat yksi keskeisimmistä käsitteistä kestävän kehityksen kasvatuksen suunnittelussa. Kehittämällä erilaisia oppimisympäristöjä yhdessä opettajaoppilaiden kanssa pystyin tutkimaan useita pedagogiikan muotoja. Osallistujat tunnistivat kestävän kehityksen kysymyksiä, joita laajennettiin taidepohjaisen lähestymistavan kautta. Yhteistoiminnallisuutta korostamalla pyrin vaikuttamaan opiskelijoiden ja museovieraiden käsityksiin ja terävöittämään heidän tietoisuuttaan ympäristöllisistä, kulttuurisista, taloudellisista ja yhteiskunnallisista kysymyksistä. Tämän päämäärän saavuttamisen keinoina käytin taiteellista tutkimusta, kokeita, installaatioita ja tarkoituksellisia kuratorisia käytäntöjä. Työskennellessämme osallistavaa pedagogiikkaa sisältävän projektilähtöisen oppimisen parissa sekä opettajaopiskelijat että minä opimme ymmärtämään, millainen vaikutus taiteella voi olla meidän kehityksellemme ja kestävän kehityksen kasvatusta koskeville käsityksillemme. Kannustavan oppimisympäristön vaaliminen salli meidän kehittää tehokkuuttamme, ja yhteistyössä muiden kanssa toimiminen sekä jaettu motivaatio johtivat kollektiiviseen tehokkuuteen. Taiteellinen toiminta on dynaamista, sillä ihmiset liikkuvat ja kasvavat ja ovat riippuvaisia ajasta. Tutkimuksen loppupuolella olin valmis rakentamaan nelivaiheisen heuristisen työkalun, joka ohjaisi tulevaa työtäni kestävän kasvatuksen parissa sekä arvojen ja kulttuurin että niiden havaintojen ja kokemusten pohjalta, joita opiskelijoiden kanssa tehty työ tuotti. Käyttäjän on jokaisessa neljästä vaiheesta kyseenalaistettava sekä arvot että kulttuuri huomioidessaan samanaikaisesti kestävän kehityksen kasvatuksen periaatteiden läsnäolo tai puuttuminen. Näkemykseni oppimisesta edellyttää monialaisia lähestymistapoja, jotka jättävät sijaa erilaisille näkökulmille ja tiedon lajeille. Tämä tutkimus on osoittanut, kuinka keskeisiä osallistava pedagogiikka ja yhteistoiminnallisuus yhteisöllisissä käytännöissä ovat kestävän kehityksen kasvatuksen ymmärtämiselle. Tutkimus korostaa myös, että opiskelijalähtöiset aloitteet, joilla on vahva yhteys elettyihin kokemuksiin, ovat tärkeitä kestävän kehityksen kasvatuksessa. Jotta opettajaopiskelijat voisivat kehittää yhteisöllistä toimintakykyään ja kollektiivista tehokkuutta, heidän tulisi kokea oppimisympäristöjä, joissa nuorten oppijoiden oletetaan löytävän omat ideansa ja äänensä ja ilmaisevan itseään mielekkäästi. Työskentelyolojen luominen valintaperusteiselle oppimiselle sallii kasvattajien ja opiskelijoiden löytää omat voimavaransa samalla kun he keksivät olosuhteet ja puitteet, jotka mahdollistavat voimaantumisen. Yhdistämällä teorian ja käytännön ja käyttämällä taiteellista lähestymistapaa olen tehnyt johtopäätökseen, jonka mukaan taiteella on merkittäviä mahdollisuuksia kestävää kehitystä edistävässä kasvatuksessa

Listir og sjálfbærni : áhrifamáttur sjónlista í menntun til sjálfbærni

Menntun til sjálfbærni er skilgreind út frá gagnrýnni og skapandi hugsun. Í þessari grein er fjallað um hvernig myndmenntakennarar og listamenn geta með störfum sínum stuðlað að menntun til sjálfbærni. Í því ljósi er fjallað um myndmennt og vinnuferli listamanna sem tengja má viðfangsefninu. Nokkur listaverk eru rædd í tengslum við sjálfbærni og hverju þau geta skilað þegar unnið er markvisst með nemendum að því að skynja, greina og meta myndlist. Rætt er um hvernig slík vinna getur lagt grunn að persónulegu gildismati sem byggir á sjálfbærri og skapandi hugsun. Umfjöllunin er útskýrð með dæmum úr námskeiðinu Listir og sjálfbærni sem höfundur kennir í Listaháskólanum. Markmið námskeiðsins er að veita nemendum staðgóða menntun í málefnum sem tengjast sjálfbærri þróun svo þeim verði eðlislægt að laga efnið að inntaki kennslunnar

Artistic actions for sustainability in a contemporary art exhibition

In the coming era, museums have the potential to play a key role in education for sustainability as they have unique capabilities to build bridges between culture and the environment, which have been predominantly studied separately. To help students perceive these linkages it is useful to examine these aspects under the same unifying lens. The cases presented in the chapter take full advantage of these strengths, giving examples of Icelandic practices. The cases are discussed with theoretical links between museum education and education for sustainability. They provide effective examples of the benefits of education for sustainability in museums and can be replicated at other museums, in other regions