I will try to focus this lecture on the most important work I feel we did during my professorship at Konstfack, with regard to making tools, to develop and structure the education into the best possible we could give our students. This is a complicated and hectic world, there are many decisions to be made, and lots of problems to solve, all the time. I have not touched at all how to get the right people in the right position, how to organise this complexity without enlarging administration on behalf of the teaching.

Visual art education is the second most expencive higher education we have in Scandinavia. The cost per student pr year is 37.000 CHF (234.000 NOK). Compared to medicine, film and stage art education 48.000 CHF (308.000 NOK) per student pr year.

There are general challenges, as the increasing international competition for

• the best students
• the best staff
• good results
• visibility
• resources (money)

And: how to keep the creative qualities in the adjustment processes to new structures.

Teaching methods
Generally the education that students get at art universities is the most important single factor affecting developments within the arts today. The composition of the curriculum is the clearest expression of what constitutes ceramic art today, that the students are likely to meet. University-level education in the visual arts will thus necessarily be created and shaped by the professors, teachers, students and administration staff.

There has been great changes within ceramic art education the last couple of decades:

• the ceramic art institution has become an arena for dialogue and critical reflection
• a strong focus on the relationship between practice and theory - a strong focus on artistic research
• changes from being introverted to become open and visible, active relation to the community or society
• strong focus on transparency and how to secure and guarantee quality.

To act is to create meaning – the way in which students relate to their surroundings depends on what they learn. The students should be exposed to a huge amount of knowledge during their five years at art school. It is therefore crucial that we regard teaching as a means to assist learning.

The need for us to define more clearly the field of ceramic art and – by extension – also justify the grounds for our actions entails (nødvendiggjør) a shift from a blind faith in action per se towards faith in our formulations. However, finding the perfect balance between a verbal-intellectual focus and a visual-artistic focus is not always an easy task.

Materiality and process as language Structuring our experiences The idea behind my own professorship is an assessment of what I believe ceramics as a subject - and the students needs, in relation to my goals for the teaching. I look upon the teaching as a part of my own art project. Within our material-based forms of expression, we use concepts like art, arts and crafts, applied art and design. However, I find it easier to identify similarities and differences between these different categories, if we focus more on the various different artistic practices: the process-related and cultural differences in the ways we approach artistic expressions. Commercialism manifests itself in many guises and poses a threat to freedom of expression – and perhaps also the very necessities of life. It is important that the students realise that relevance is a cultural and sociological construction, and that faith in one`s ability to master something is far more important than simply mirroring oneself in one`s surroundings.

The visual arts have very different perceptions of knowledge and to how mediate it, and of what qualifications an artist requires. Meaning is a social construction: to act is to create meaning and is thus a process. Meanings that arise, are in motion, entailing that the student are no longer being trained in a single unambiguous role as an artist; rather, this role is constantly being reformulated.

Today, much more is required than mere knowledge of the techniques and materials in order to be able to decide what is original and innovative – in order to be able to distinguish, choose and justify the choice. Education is gradually changing from simply teaching the students by means of practical disciplining, in a whole range of subject areas, from transferring knowledge to them in practical contexts, to the students themselves to a greater extent creating their own knowledge, through their application of theory and their ability to formulate. To a greater extent than before, they are defining their own process towards becoming professional artists.

Contempt for the materials and the craft is old as philosophy itself. It is a class issue and fundamentally perhaps just another way of defining oneself as a group. Very few people switch over from other art forms to clay, but very many people switch from clay to other artistic practices. My goal is to use education to develop active and professional artists, who by merging ideas with the potentials and limitations inherent in clay, and challenging these limitations, can act artistically in relation to the challenges afforded by the developments in society.

Specific
Course syllabus (studyplan)
A course syllabus is a legally binding document.
(The contents of a course syllabus are now regulated by the Higher Education Ordinance, that is the National Education Minister)

A course syllabus performs several functions. It has a legal function, since the regulations contained in the syllabus covering, for example, required literature, examination procedures and grading, combined with the official status of the teaching staff, constitute the exercise of authority over the students. This applies especially to the right to examine. A course syllabus is also a formal requirement, in order for a course to be placed in the study documentation system. Approval of a course syllabus is carried out by a committee, representing the relevant institution or discipline, and the institution thereby assumes a degree of responsibility for the course, over and above that taken by the individual teacher or course leader. A course syllabus also provides information to teachers, students and future employers. It should act as a guide to teachers participating in the course, and to teachers of later courses. It gives future employers an opportunity to find out the course contents. Students can see what different courses entail. The information value of future course syllabuses, which include goals in the form of learning outcomes, will increase. Work on adapting the documentation which governs courses, is a long-term process which goes hand in hand with the pedagogical changes, brought about by the Higher Education Reform, that is again the National Education Minister. Revision of course syllabuses is always a work in progress.

The Bologna Treaty
The purpose of the Bologna Process (or Bologna Accords) is the creation of the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention. It is named after the place it was proposed, the University of Bologna, with the signing in 1999 of the Bologna declaration , by Education Ministers from 29 European countries. It was opened up to other countries signatory to the European Cultural Convention of the Council of Europe.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
Adaptation of course syllabuses to the Bologna Process, means replacing the heading ‘Aim’ with the heading ‘Intended Learning Outcomes’. Here it is to be stated what students should know (be able to do) after completing the course. Specifying an Intended Learning Outcome requires that somebody, preferably the course leader, has an overall view of what students are expected to learn during the course. In order to avoid any overlapping or gaps, Intended Learning Outcomes for a course should be drafted in relation to preceding and subsequent courses, and in agreement with aims at degree level.

Why?
One of the changes brought about by the Bologna Process which most affects individual teachers, is clarifying what students are expected to learn. In brief, this means that the syllabus is to state what students are expected to know after completing a course. It is well documented, that a student who knows what demands are being made, performs better.

The Bologna Process is thus in many ways a pedagogical reform. It is about the transition from a teacher-centred approach to a student-centrered and goal-focussed approach to higher education. Courses are to come out of what the student should be able to do upon completing the course. After this, examination forms and then finally teaching forms and literature can be decided. By making the goals clear, the student can keep them in sight during the whole course and not constantly wonder about what will be in the final exam.

Intended Learning Outcomes also have other uses in addition to the pedagogical planning of individual courses. When qualitative degree requirements are introduced, the Intended Learning Outcomes in the syllabus will be used to assess whether a student fulfils the degree requirements. For example, it says in the requirements for a Bachelor’s degree that students are to “display the ability to report and discuss, both orally and in writing, information, problems and solutions in a dialogue with different target groups”. In order to gain a Bachelor’s degree, at least one course in the programme must have an Intended Learning Outcome which relates to this.

Intended learning Outcomes are thus to be used for student assessment, quality assurance and course credit. Examinations should, of course, focus upon whether students have achieved the stated Intended Learning Outcomes. This means that forms of examination may need to be reviewed. Quality assurance and evaluation of courses and degrees will increasingly relate to how well Intended Learning Outcomes are achieved. When granting course credit for other Swedish or foreign educational courses, comparisons will be based upon the Intended Learning Outcomes the student has already achieved. In addition to all this, Intended Learning Outcomes are very informative for students who are considering applying for a certain programme.

How?
Intended Learning Outcomes are drafted for course components, individual courses, different kinds of degrees and for the various levels (cycles) within higher education. In the long term, Intended Learning Outcomes may become the instrument by which the planned accumulation and extent of a student’s education is monitored. In other words, progression between courses and levels will be expressed in the drafting of the Intended learning Outcomes, for example, by increasing requirements for independence and greater complexity. They will also communicate what the student knows, to other academic establishments in Sweden and other countries signed up to the Bologna Process.

Drafting course Intended Learning Outcomes is work of a pedagogical nature. In order to write ILOs, somebody, preferably the course leader, needs to have an overall grasp of what students are expected to learn during a course

Two further aspects of this change are
i) that it is the ILOs which are to be examined and
ii) that it is the achievement of the ILOs which is to form the basis of the quality programmes within each institution. Course leaders become key members of staff. It is important, however, that they do not just focus upon their own courses, but look at the overall course programme: In order to avoid overlapping or gaps, ILOs for a course should be drafted in relation to preceding and subsequent courses and be consistent with the degree level ILOs.

It is to be made clear that the student is the active part by use of such phrases as “After completing the course, the student is to…”.

I would like to point out that ILOs in a course syllabus are not carved in stone. Course syllabuses should continously be revised when more experience of writing ILOs has been gained and with increased knowledge of other courses.

Examples of Degree descriptions
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Ceramics and Glass, 180 credits

Intended Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding For a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree the student is to

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principle discipline of the programme, which includes knowledge of the practical and theoretical foundations of the subject as well as knowledge and experience of methods and processes and insight into more advanced areas of the subject.

Proficiency and ability
For Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree the student is to

• demonstrate the ability to describe, analyse and interpret forms, techniques and contents and to critically reflect upon his/her own and others’ artistic attitudes within the principle discipline of the programme,
• demonstrate the ability within the principle discipline of the programme, to independently create, realise and express his/her own ideas, identify, formulate and solve artistic and creative problems and carry out artistic tasks within a given time frame,
• demonstrate the ability to speak, write or use other forms of expression to express and discuss his/her activities and artistic issues with various groups, and
• demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to function independently in working life

Evaluation and attitude
For Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree the student is to

• demonstrate the ability within the principle discipline of the programme to carry out evaluations from relevant artistic, social and ethical perspectives,
• demonstrate an understanding of the role of the arts in society, and - demonstrate the ability to identify his/her needs for further knowledge and for developing his/her skills.

Master of Fine Arts Degree Ceramics and Glass, 120 credits
leads to a Master of Fine Arts

The Master's Group is aimed at the student who with a great deal of independence and creativity in an artistic crafts context wants to push developments within the area, and his/her own practical knowledge with a base in ceramics and glass, its theory and practice.

The unique position of crafts is characterised by its ability to move between different artistic fields and arenas. Crafts as a tradition is a position which makes questioning possible. Not only of one's own practical knowledge and experience, but also questions concerning material culture through its application in different areas of society.

The Master's Group “Ceramics and Glass” starts from the students’ projects and activities and has its base in the production of crafts from a practical and professional stance.

With a base in material tradition and our well-equipped workshops, we work across many different areas. We focus on developing knowledge and making it visible by connecting it to ceramics and glass, and further, within the cultural field of crafts and small-scale production. The education is built up of a few large blocks. Within these, the student is responsible for the development of his/hers individual Master's project. This they will do interactively with the education's learning objectives in mind, at the same time as they build a platform for their future professional activities.

The education aims to examine and question the role of crafts in society by applying design and the immaterial functions of crafts. We want to lead the development of knowledge in our sphere of competence, and thereby create a vital interactivity with other fields and target groups.

Intended Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
For the Master of Fine Arts degree the student is to

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principle discipline of the programme, which includes broad expertise in the subject, specialised knowledge of parts of the subject as well as advanced insight into current research and development
• demonstrate familiarity with methods and processes used to deal with complex phenomena, problems and situations within the subject.

Proficiency and ability
For the Master of Fine Arts degree the students is to

• demonstrate the ability to independently and creatively formulate new questions and contribute to knowledge development, to solve advanced problems, develop new and individual forms of expression and critically reflect upon their own and others’ artistic approaches to the main discipline of the programme
• demonstrate the ability to use enhanced personal means of expression to create and realise artistic ideas, to independently identify, formulate and solve artistic and creative problems and to use appropriate methods to plan and carry out advanced artistic tasks within a given time frame
• demonstrate, in both a national and international contexts, an ability to speak, write or use other forms of expression to explain clearly, or discuss their activities and artistic problems through dialogues with various groups
• demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to function independently in working life.

Evaluation and attitudes
For the Master of Fine Arts degree, the student is to

• demonstrate an ability to make evaluations within the main discipline of the programme with reference to relevant artistic, social and ethical factors
• demonstrate insight into the role of art in society
• demonstrate an ability to identify the need for additional knowledge and to take responsibility for their own learning.

Stakes
Ceramic art has changed radically over the last few decades. We can clearly see this in what is now being produced and in the choices of subjects and themes being focused on.

The field is quite differentiated.

There is not one kind of Ceramic Art, but many.

From being based in a traditional representation of material and processes, it is now become more of a reflective and communicative practice, questioning both its own relevance, as the structures of our society. Most significant in the field today is the priority of self reflection. Ceramic art has become a distinct art practice, a material culture in dialogue with other art practices, moving in between daily life, popart, art, theory, practice, inside and outside of the galleries, in a continueus relation to the material cultures of our society.

These changes during the last 30-40 years are very much due to the dialogue and discussions within the crafts people itself. These discussions and debates within the crafts have received international acknowledgement, where the questioning crafts is recognized as being very interesting: we can clearly see that the dominance of the modernism is changed to a contemporary inquiry craft practice.

The strength in this contemporary reflecting practice gives us a good opportunity to initiate a post graduate education within the crafts, in order to further develop this lively, bordercrossing and and borderbursting art practice.

Those who work with ceramics today move between art, craft and design. It is important for the Department of Ceramics and Glass to work across a wide field where neither the possibilities nor the limits are defined. This encompasses artistic interpretation, industrial and craft processes and techniques. To solve these different tasks successfully an artistic ability is needed with wide knowledge of materials, both craft and industrial working methods and old and new techniques. Form and function studies with technique, method, aesthetics and ethical studies about both concrete problem-solving, theoretic discussion and innovation are included in the courses.

The course programme covers a large number of topics. The students can choose to work artistically within the public environment, or architecturally, sculpturally or with product design as a craftsman or towards the ceramics/glass industry. The teaching is done in the form of projects with individual supervision, seminars lectures, and reports. One would also read art theory, art and design history and take part in seminars and discussions. Theory and the artistic practice must be integrated as much as possible and the teaching includes written, reflective work to give the artistic training that is paramount in all of the Ceramic and Glass Dep`s programmes.

The Ceramic and Glass Dep. has good contacts with organisations and industries in the field where parts of the training and practical work can take place. C&G is a vital part of a global network, and have a well-developed international contact network and have exchange agreements with several schools in all parts of the world, giving opportunities to do exchange for students and teachers.

Perspectives of evolution of tomorrow
A powerful driving force in the design of our department is the will to expand the area in which arts and crafts can be expressed, displayed and handled. The courses at C&G take as their starting point specialist workshop based knowledge, with a focus on materials and processes and featuring a strong contemporary orientation. At a time when art college courses are rapidly acquiring new knowledge systems and educational approaches, it is important to stress that the real meaning of art lies in creativity and diversity, and that what is characteristic of art is the fact that hybrid practises with a multitude of different interpretations can exist simultaneously side by side without any hierarchical positioning. You can have a big theoretical interest in society and convey this through material and craft based practical art production. It is also entirely possible to produce important and powerful knowledge forming art without relating to extensive theoretical superstructures. The link between theoretical issues and advanced knowledge of materials and techniques creates access to a development at a high artistic level. This gives contemporary ceramic art new and considerable possibilities.

Personal statement
I am not at all worried about the future of ceramic art: A deeper understanding has grown of diversity as the only guarantee for the freedom of speech, and for our future. This can happen through increasingly cooperation across disciplines and highly specialized competences; acknowledging that strong discipline categories and deep specialized knowledge are the keys to understanding and developing the potential of this cooperation to produce important and powerful knowledge.

The most important single factor establishing the premises of the ceramic field today is the ceramics departments of our universities. The key to our understanding and existence lies within education. The masters level students of today achieve a far higher standard and perspective than former generations have. The link between contemporary theoretical issues and advanced knowledge of materials, processes and techniques creates access to these developments.

The need to know and understand the time we live in and to understand our role and relevance as ceramic artists is much more important now than previously. This is why it is so important that we take part in this development ourselves. You are either passive and accept others deciding about your future, or you are active and make the premises for your own life.

The International Academy of Ceramics, the IAC General Assembly and all the activitity generated, this conference, are all the best examples of the last: how important it is to be visible today. In public you are either visible, and exist, or invisible, and don’t exist. Establishing your existence is essential to get public and political support. Establishing our existence is exactly what is happening here, and in many other places in the ceramic world.

Ceramic art is by far the largest and fastest growing visual art field over the last 50 years, and has become a global network of unbelievable proportions. We indeed live in an interesting and challenging age.

Since I am a practising woodfiring ceramic artist, I will finish with the following experiences:

Wood-firing as a teaching method
Social and professional interaction between people as an element in the learning process. Integration between theory and practice.
By way of working with the dynamic of groups, one discovers that learning happens easiest in an environment where there is a dialectic tension and conflict between immediate concrete experience and analysis. By bringing together immediate concrete experience with terminological models in a social and open atmosphere, where contributions from both perspectives can challenge and stimulate one another, a vital and dynamic learning environment is created.

Body, space and material
Bodily movements are not only anatomical, physiological functions, they are also a precondition for visual perception and visual operativ thought. The external framework factors are decisive for the degree of interaction between body and its surroundings (i.e. space) and the body and the materials. The most important factors for creation of forms are space and material. The body and space are basal, existential entities. The body`s encounter with space and material, presence, characterizes this process and is crucial for the learning that takes place. The aesthetic realization is developed by the sensitive perception of the concrete activity.

Responsibility and collaboration, sensing and experience
The wood-firing process is usually of such a nature that several people work together towards a common goal. Everyone wants it to work. Co-operation requires responsibility, vigilance and input from the idividual. The understanding and significance of responsibility and co-operation grow through the process. Knowledge of firing is acquired through active participation in the firing process, through academic exchanges and discussions. Personal relations are established that play an important role in the terms of the individual`s development as a ceramic artist and as a person. It breeds a close relationship to the actual process.

In addition to having to work hard physically simply to keep the firing process going, auditory and visual sensing are essential for ensuring the success of the firing.

This represents a learning process where the students participate in the physical treatment of the materials through sensitive presence and action in response to the processes occurring inside the kiln. It creates a sense of closeness to all the elements involved and faith in one`s sensory perceptions. This physical presence makes the aspect of experience decisive for the learning that occurs.

It creates a tight-knit, intense and living learning situation.

Torbjørn Kvasbø

References

Ulf Dalnäs: Guidelines for working with course syllabuses at the University College of Arts
Crafts and Design, Konstfack.

Dep. of Education and Information, Konstfack. Nina Bondeson: Den illojala konstens oändliga möjligheter. www.omkonst.com/07-tillstandet-bondeson-nina.shtml

Lars Geschwind & Karin Eduards,: Framåtblickande analys av Konstfacks forskning
Faugert & Co Utvärderingar