Lars Lindström (2012): Aesthetic Learning About, In, With and Through the Arts: A Curriculum Study, The International Journal of Art and Design Education
Given this article to assess, Lindström‘s radical ‘method of art’ challenged me to look at using different ways of teaching in the same session, noticing their ambiguity and appropriate use. Lindstrom contrasts this with ‘The modest aesthetics’, which uses art as a method to illustrate or embellish a given body of knowledge. In two reports Anders Marner and Hans Örtegren analysed issues in the Swedish discourse on aesthetic education (Marner & Örtegren 2003; Marner 2005). They claim, like James Wertsch (1991), that human action typically employs ‘mediational means’ such as physical tools and language, and that the mediation shapes the action in essential ways. This links to my adoption of an Analogue Drawing activity at the start of Digital Technical Skill sessions; Understanding through Doing or Thinking through Drawing – I don’t teach effects or techniques, I teach enquiry through differrent media.
This prompted me to look for others who are involved with Understanding through Doing and led me to the Thinking through Drawing network which I joined online, and has been very inspirational. They run the Big Draw annual series of events; www.thinkingthroughdrawing.org
These are the four methods he suggests one can use concurrently to teach:
the Instructor, the Facilitator, the Advisor and the Educator. Instead of searching for the One Best Method, or labelling approaches as a priori good or bad, the professional teacher should master a wide variety of strategies.
The article introduces a conceptual framework for understanding aesthetic learning, based on two dimensions: Goal and Means.
Goal:
• Convergent learning: Goal-directed, focused, and rational.
• Divergent learning: Explorative, open-ended, and intuitive.
Means:
• Medium-specific learning: Emphasizes forms of representation (e.g., words, pictures, algebra, dance).
• Medium-neutral learning: Focuses on instrumental aspects (e.g., academic achievement, personal development).
It compares these four modes of learning to equivalent teaching modes: instructor, facilitator, advisor, and educator.
Furthermore, Lindström draws on the pedagogical methods of instructors, facilitators, advisors, and educators, stressing the importance of adopting a range of strategies to cater to diverse learning needs. He reflects on the historical roots of these methods, particularly in the apprenticeship system, while also embracing contemporary approaches that prioritise reflection and dialogue. I reflected that I enjoy being a flexible tutor, and I hope it keeps my sessions lively and engaging!