Art-based environmental education inspires people to look at familiar landscapes in a new way
14.08.2013
In our digital culture, many people lack a direct experience with the ‘real’ natural world and do not feel connected to it in any way.
According to Jan van Boeckel, M.A.(Art and Design), who is defending his dissertation at the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, an art-based environmental education can play a crucial role in remedying this shortcoming. It can also promote new learning and an understanding of complex scientific phenomena.
The material van Boeckel used in his dissertation comes from three different arts-based environmental education (AEE) activities, which the author planned and realised in several countries on several different occasions. AEE participants were encouraged to step outside familiar territory. For example, participants painted a familiar landscape in intensive, complimentary colours or made a self-portrait in clay with their eyes closed.
By examining his own observations, notes, memories and audio-visual recordings as well as interviews conducted with participants, teachers and involved outsiders, van Boeckel interpreted his own experiences and those of the participants. He used interpretive phenomenological analysis and autoethnography as interpretation methods.
As he found in his dissertation research, it remained uncertain whether AEE activities, in and of themselves, caused the participants to experience the natural environment in new and meaningful ways. Instead, most of their awareness was focused on the level of their own embodied presence, while any connection to the activity's place seemed less important.
According to van Boeckel, AEE activities do indeed help to, above all, inspire and enhance the interest and curiosity of participants. This, in turn, increased the awareness of one's own body and its interaction with the natural world. The teacher plays an active and crucial role in this. The co-ordinator's job is to create a situation in which the making of art encourages participants to experience familiar things in a whole new way.
‘Science education sometimes does its best to eliminate the enchantment, mystery and poetry of the world. In learning new things and understanding complex scientific phenomena, the ability to imagine and look at things differently is, however, an absolute necessity’, explains author and documentary filmmaker van Boeckel.
The study is part of a research tradition, in which innovative forms of sustainable education are sought.
Dissertation
Jan van Boeckel, M.A.(Art and Design), will defend his dissertation At the Heart of Art and Earth. An Exploration of Practices in Arts-Based Environmental Education at the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture on Friday 16 August 2013 at 12:00 p.m. Location: Media Center Lume, Sampo Hall, Hämeentie 135 C. Dr. Sacha Kagan (Fach Kulturvermittlung und Kulturorganisation der Universität Lüneburg) will act as the opponent. Copies of the dissertation may be ordered on the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture online bookshop at: books.aalto.fi Enquiries: artsbooks [at] aalto [dot] fiTel. +358 (0)50 313 7086.
Further information:
Jan van Boeckel, M.A.(Art and Design)
jan.van.boeckel [at] aalto [dot] fi