MDE 551 | Theory 3—Synthesis
Abstract
MDE 551 | Theory 3—Synthesis
The course materials posted here features a track record of pilot-course in theory, based on two principles: 1) Theory 3 is a logical concluding step from two previous theory courses [Theory 1 and Theory 2]; 2) it differs from the two preceding courses in that it involves the specialised staff, who have participated in establishing the framework, and contributed with tutorials in due course.
It also differs from the two previous theory-courses in that it is a final course, and that a resource (Prof. Bojana Cvejic, Dance) is brought in to insure 3rd party readability of the theory-assignments, submitted by the students at the end of the course, and to assess the assignments based on criteria that are established and submitted in the students’ final oral presentations.
The oral sessions thereby have the specific function, which is for the students to appropriate the learning-outcomes from having submitted their theory assignments, in the framework of their professional practice (with, at the horizon, their final practical projects for the MA in the spring). Though the theory-assignments are consistent in themselves, they are dovetailed to the MA.
This arrangement is catering to the different needs of our 3 specialisations—interior architecture & furniture design (IM), fashion & costume design (KK), graphic design & illustration (GI)—as well as to the needs of the students that have been working in trans disciplinary studios (groups of 3-4) to distill their needs before tutorials in the 5 weeks they have been working on their theory-assignments.
The course has been subdivided into 4 phases: a) a 2-week phase of looking into logged documentary materials that the students have gathered during 3 terms at school; b) a 1-week phase for experimental writing and composition ending up with a plan for the assignment; c) a 2-week phase for completing the assignments; d) one for preparing and giving oral presentations.
During the 5 first weeks the students have been having tutorials by zoom, on walks and in rooms at a Corona-safe distance. In the general tutorials, the students have been enjoined to prompt their theory topics with specific narratives, then draw up the cluster to topics constituting materials for a pro/con discussion, entering the core topic thus defined, claiming ownership.
The latter topic—ownership—has been central to this course for several reasons. Firstly, because to hand on a delivery is meaningful only if ownership has been claimed. Secondly, because using the theory assignment seeking to develop precision in ownership, is a key both the practical fruitfulness of the theory-assignment, and to hatching the ‘professional person’ at an MA-level.
The course has also sought tentatively to define a bridge between theory development (developing theory from practice, a well-timed conversation with researched references) and artistic research, by adding the element of criticality introduced by Maria Puig de la Bella Casa in Matters of Care (2017): thinking WITH, dissenting WITHIN and thinking FOR a field of research.
Essentially, the development of a form for the assignment is to reflect the theoretical substance that the students have been working on, which means that the visual and interactive formats used by the students to develop and make their points, is for each student to define. The tutorials offered to the students have been planned to support this process, and is reflected in the orals.
The students have been asked to deliver: 0) an oral presentation; 1) a letter of presentation in English [1A4 page]; 2) a theory-piece with references in APA7th [kildekompasset.no] Google translation was provided whenever the original piece was written in Norwegian; 3) a synthesis written by the course leader; 4) a sheet with assessment criteria, based on their preparations for the oral presentations [1A4 page]. The oral presentations are organised by specialisation, and the specialisation partake of the oral discussions.
The assessment of the theory assignment is done by Profs. Bojana Cvejic and Theodor Barth, based on criteria set in the context of oral presentations. The student also present a sheet with assessment criteria. The students receive each a written comment based on the theory assignment and the oral presentations. The assignments will be uploaded here on KHiODA.
The students’ files are zipped into their respektive studios, to avoid internet-trolling and to vouchsafe a real interest for the materials, to go in an read. Thereby creating access conditions similar to a physical library. By virtue of being presented in a public setting of a final course, the contributions are considered as de facto published.
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