The national curriculum of Arts and Handicrafts 1 is structured into learning aims and organised under the sub-headings subject knowledge and subject didactics; teaching arts and handicrafts; and interactive teamwork and reflection. The learning aims put into concrete form and summarise the purpose and distinctive character of the subject, and form the point of departure for all teaching and learning activities in the subject.
Arts and handicrafts 2
The curriculum for Arts and Handicrafts 1 comprises the first 30 ECTS in the subject for the programme Subject Teacher: Practical & Arts Subjects, and for the subject in General Teacher Education. The curriculum of the programme builds on the national curriculum for Subject Teacher: Practical & Arts Subjects and the national curriculum for General Teacher Education as determined by the Ministry of Education, April 3rd 2003.
Arts and handicrafts 1 is a 30 ECTS one-year programme, and is a compulsory subject in the second year of the programme Subject Teacher: Practical & Arts Subjects, and an elective subject in the 3rd or 4th year of the General Teacher Education programme. The curriculum is a concretisation of the curriculum in Arts and Handicrafts, and functions as a working tool for students and teachers. By adding Arts and Handicrafts 2, 30 ECTS, in connection with the General Teacher Education, a student qualifies for admission to the Master’s programme in Art and Design Education at the Department of Art and Design, Telemark University College.
Arts and Handicrafts 1 may also be studied as an independent programme and as further education for current teachers.
The programme covers the breadth of the discipline of arts and handicrafts, and qualifies students to teach the discipline’s aims, contents and working methods in primary and lower secondary schools, and in cultural schools, for students taking the programme Subject Teacher: Practical & Arts Subjects. An important part of the programme is the students’ own creative and productive work. During the programme, students will acquire a basis of knowledge and skills which will enable them to teach arts and handicrafts, and will be given the opportunity to use arts and handicrafts in theme and project work in primary and lower secondary schools, as well as in cultural schools, in a way that maintains the distinctive character of the discipline. At the same time, working with arts and handicrafts will ensure that students see opportunities across the aesthetic disciplines in their own field of study, and for interdisciplinary co-operation with all subjects in primary and lower secondary education, and in cultural schools. Both in this programme as a whole, and in the study of the subject, particular emphasis is placed on the aesthetic dimension.
The subject requires active student participation. Students should participate in the organisation and planning of their studies, actively choose working methods and participate in evaluations connected to the specific course units and their own creative work.
The majority of the programme occurs in connection with work on practical assignments using a variety of materials/media. Assignments focus on art and design and subject-specific problems, and will be discussed or defended in connection with the student’s own creative work. Some assignments will directly relate to the student’s work in his/her teaching practice school or a similar topic, and reflection in cooperation with the student’s mentor at the school where teaching practice is undertaken is important. The primary/lower secondary school curriculum is of special importance in this context, and represents one of the most important tools of the programme.
Parts of the programme relates to the work on common professional topics, as it is described in section 3.1 of the curriculum for Subject Teacher: Practical & Arts Subjects. For the topic ‘Basic reading and writing training’, a strong connection to the practical field through a teaching practice placement period is important. For the areas ‘interdisciplinary work’ and ‘aesthetic theory and didactics for the aesthetic dimension’, theoretical and practical work are both central within each individual subject, across subjects and regarding work with assignments related to the programme’s teaching practice placement periods. Common to all the professionally oriented topics is the interdisciplinary and multi-subject co-operation that ensures an emphasis of the interdisciplinary aspect of the study.
Students must develop their subject-theoretical competence and familiarise themselves with the subjects’ theoretical content in an active and independent manner. It is expected that students will relate the theoretical content to their own creative and practical work, as well as to their pupils’ work at various class-levels and in various cultural contexts.
Teaching and learning methods
The programme is characterised by interaction between practical, creative work and theoretical orientation and reflection and development of didactic competence and reflection. Students will receive an introduction to the subject and through various assignments, lectures on theory, self-study and other activities acquire practical knowledge and skills. The learning methods will also include students working individually on assignments and exercises. Learning methods will alternate between problem-based learning (PBL) and teacher-directed teaching. It is the primary responsibility of the students to gain access to relevant materials within art and design, and subject didactics through textbooks, periodicals, Internet and exhibitions.
Theoretical topics are highlighted through lectures on theory, introductions to topics related to periods of study and students’ practical activities, and in the form of specific requirements regarding the various assignments and study activities. In addition, it is expected that some of the theory is acquired through self-study and during the teaching practice.
The dissemination of knowledge of the subject may take various forms, and the students will, during the course of the programme, gain experience and knowledge of various teaching and learning methods.
The programme is equivalent to a half-year’s study. Students must set aside 20 hours per week for teacher-directed teaching and individual study of the subject.
In co-operation with teachers, the students are responsible for ensuring that the workshops have an orderly and pleasant environment. This aspect will prepare them for their future work as teachers, whilst simultaneously increasing their awareness of qualities in the physical and visual environment. Students, therefore, have a common responsibility for organising, keeping things in order in workshops and maintaining tools.
The programme includes study trips and visits to exhibitions, where students will encounter original art and culture. It is important to use all opportunities the local community has to offer to gain experience within the subject area, and also those opportunities which the natural environment has to offer. It is probable that one of the study trips will last approximately one week. In order to maintain an international perspective, study trips may involve travelling abroad, and such study trips may also be related to other subjects which are offered during the academic year.
Students should be able to initiate and use arts and handicrafts as a main and supplementary subject in interdisciplinary topics and project work through interaction with other school-subjects. There may be one or more interdisciplinary topics per year, as set out in section 3.1 of the national curriculum for Subject Teacher: Practical & Arts Subjects. The schedule will be specified in year/semester plan, and information will be given concerning which subjects are included.
Requirements
During the process of working with assignments the individual student is required to present his/her work to the subject teacher. Assignments that have been completed without supervision may not be accepted for formal assessment.
Following final adjustments to the year/semester plan it may be the case that certain areas of the programme include obligatory attendance requirements.
Where attendance is obligatory guidelines for attendance at the Faculty of Arts, Folk Culture and Teacher Education apply. Students are responsible for documentation of their attendance in the obligatory areas of the programme, and for keeping themselves updated on whether they are approaching the minimum limit. For attendance levels which fall below 80% for obligatory programmes, the student’s right to continue and to sit the exam may be affected. This shall be considered in relation to the student’s rights and responsibilities in accordance with Telemark University College’s Examination Regulation and the University and University College’s Act § 40 and §46.3.
Assessment
All the work carried out by the student during the programme will be included in a portfolio. The student’s work will be informally assessed throughout the course of the programme and will consist of, advice, supervision, student and teacher assessment of work, and study and work methods. The individual supervision of each student forms an important part of the student’s development and progression towards final assessment.
In accordance with the supervision by the subject teacher, the subject teacher and the student will each select a number of assignments and exercises from the portfolio that the student will then present in a ‘presentation portfolio’ for final assessment at the end of spring semester. The student may only receive a final formal assessment if the portfolio is submitted within a given deadline.
The presentation portfolio should contain a selection of the student’s work with corresponding documentation of the working process towards the final product, including drafts, ideas, experiments and the like, plus the final product and the theoretical written work in theory and subject didactics.
The following criteria are relevant for the final assessment:
• Use of materials, knowledge of materials and technical solutions
• Use of aesthetic tools
• Connection and relation between material, form and function
• Ability to present thoughts, ideas and impressions in an individual and original way, and ability to test and find solutions
• Unity and quality of final product seen in light of the specific task
• Use of relevant subject material and own reflections
• Ability to apply subject-didactic relationships and reflection
• Defence of theoretical written work in subject theory and didactics
The final grade will be allocated on the basis of results from the assessment of the presentation portfolio in which the student’s own creative work counts for two-thirds and individual written work for one-third. Both components of assessment related to the final assessment must achieve a passing grade before a final grade is allocated.
Grades A-F will be awarded, where A is the highest and E is the lowest passing grade.
For further information refer to the Telemark University College’s Examination Regulation.
Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean
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