ARTiT project

1. ARTiT project Research findings on attitudes and practicesconcerning the use of art in adulteducation

2. Surveys(presented by Leif Emil Hansen, Roskilde University, Denmark) • Whatquestionsdid we ask? • In 4 national surveys, presented in 4 national reports (to befound on www.artit.eu - in national languages as well as English) • There is also a synthesisreport (also on www.artit.eu)

3. Methodology and questions/themes • Deskstudy, questionnaires and interviews (flexible approach in the 4 partner teams) • Whatarecriteria for goodpractise in thisarea? • Weidentified an overview of research findings on creativity and criticalthinking and how it is developed • Welooked for findings on: What kind of art basedteachingmethodologies have beendeveloped in the partner country in question?

4. (continued) • An empirical research on: trainers’ and learners’ experiences, trainingneeds and attitudes towards the topic of use of art in adulteducation • Whatare the mainconcepts and practises of adulttrainers in thisrespect? • (the research was done with widespreadmethodologies and a variety of informants regarding age, gender, subject, learners, level, sector (formal, non-formal, NGO etc.) and geography/location – minimum 30 trainers and 30 learnersin each partner country wereresearched)

5. Questions for trainers • Do theyuse observation of art as part of theirteaching? If yes: howoften? Whatsubjects? Learning outcomes/results? Etc. • Theirmotives and obstacles to work with this? • How theyassesstheirowncompetencies to do it? • If they find it realistic/relevant to usethismethod for the promotion of creativity and criticalthinkingamonglearners?

6. Questions for learners • Have youevermetthismethod in adulteducation? • If yes: How? What? Etc. • What do youthink/feelabout it? (how do youassess/evaluate it?) • To whatextent do you find the trainerscompetent to work in accordance with thismethod?

7. Sketches of findings • GREECE: it wasfoundthat in Greecethere has been an increasedinterest in the pastyears on the subject of elaboratingworks of art during an educational procedure, in order to developcreativity and criticalthinking • DENMARK: it is indicatedthat art is mainlyintegrated as part of the teaching programs of primaryeducation – for the sector of adulteducationthough, art is mainlybeingused in the perspective of creation of art – but alsowellintegrated in formal adulteducation at upper secondarylevel as part of for instancehistory and literature curricula

8. (continued) • In 3 areas the art method is used in Denmark: in the contextof museums; by the contribution of aesthetics (i.e. attempts in learning processes to confrontlinearity – to invite for ‘conflicts’, ‘contradictions’ and ‘resistance’ – to disturbstereotypical interpretations and viewpoints, for instance); in creativity and innovation processes (examples: The Creative Platform and New Pedagogy for Creative Learning – see more in Synthesis Report, p. 16 on www.artit.eu)

9. (continued) • ROMANIA - the followingcharacterises the Romanian situation: • Studies on the artists’ psychological and skills profile • Researches regardingadults’ creativityblockages; regarding the relationshipbetweenindividual and groupcreativity; regarding the increase of adults’ creative potential • Recentlythereareconcerns at an academiclevelregardingadults’ educationthrough art (seealso Ezechil, L. et al: Innovative Methods in Adult Education. Art as a Pedagogical Tool, EdituraParalela, 2011)

10. (continued) • SWEDEN: • Use of art basedmethods and aestheticalmeans of expressionsareunderestimated in studycircles(i.e. non formal, populareducation) • But almost 40% of the studycircleleaders do use art basedmethods • Most of the others not using art feel a lack of competence (as a reason for this)

11. (continued) • Participants feelthat art is usedquiteoften; studycircleleadersfeel the opposite (!?) • All respondents have a very positive (experiencebased) attitude towardslearning processes in which art is involved • It is concludedthatthere is a need for training of trainers – and thatthis has alreadybeeninitiated in Sweden

12. The epistemological and theoretical palet of ARTiT • Scholars in this field arepointing to the issue of modern (post structuralist) theory of science positions competing with understandings from criticaltheory (the Frankfurt School) • For instance feminist and post colonial positions arebrought forward; also ‘multiple realities’ from for instanceliteraturewritten by Africanwomenarediscussed • In theseapproacheswecansee a(n implicite) critique of a focus on ”Great Western (white) Art” in the dominatingtheoretical positions in this field

13. Conclusions • In general there is a positive attitude amongtrainerstowardsart basedmethods • Results on learners’ attitudes provides a more mixed picture • There is a lack of concrete innovative art basedmethodologies • Courses for training the trainersareneeded in this field

14. (Conclusionscontinued) • There is nocomprehensive list of literaturewithinadulteducation in specific • There is a need for developing a comprehensivemethodology and an experimenting approach • Thereseems to be an epistemologicalturntowards a post structuralistperspective on thisissue (for the development of criticalthinking)