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Engagements, Environments, Ecologies

Helsinki Programme

Begin date: 18.01.2010
End date: 29.3.2010

Teacher and coordinator:

Andrew Paterson (& other invited presenters TBC)

Target:

MA/MSc students of Aalto University  

Max students:

15

Credits:

3 ECTs

8 sessions; Winter-Spring 2010, Monday 15:15-17:00, beginning 18.01.2010

Expression of interest to participate or questions via email:

Andrew Paterson: argyfp [at] gmail [dot] com

Focus:

This course focuses on environments, ecologies and systems in project/process design and management.

We take an expanded understanding of the term 'environmental awareness', to include social, cultural, urban, natural and media/technological and informatic influences; and understands 'platform ecosystems' as projects imagined by initiators to be sustainable, outgoing and ongoing developments, or to have a specific life-span, inter- and co-dependent with other developments. It could be called an 'environmental matrix' analysis.

Within this interpretative framework, case-study projects are introduced to a trans-disciplinary group of students, to conceptually expand, develop, unpack and adjust the influences, relationships and development of each given project. Invited producers will speak of their experience organising art, technology, community, and urban planning projects with an environmental theme.

This course relates to creative fieldwork, complex production in public space, socially-engaged & participatory arts and design, ecosystem theory, boundary object theory, sustainable economics, urban sustainability and project management discourses, storymaking/telling.

This advertised programme is hosted and supported by Media Lab, the School of Art and Design. Hence, the invited producers are accordingly selected with complement the field of interests in the MA New Media & Sound in New Media courses. 

A pilot version of the EEE course was hosted and conducted at School of Art and Media Pori, as part of the concept design module in September 2009: Pori Programme.
The programme is supported in teaching hours by Aalto University's Idea Competition, awarded 05.2009. 

Schedule:

Monday sessions 15:15-17:00 in Winter-Spring semester 2010
18.01; 25.01; 01.02; 15.02; 22.02; 01.03; 15.03; 29.03

Location:  Medialab 4th Floor Seminar Room, Aalto School of Art and Design (TaiK), Helsinki

• 18.01.10: Introduction to Environmental Awareness (Environments)
• 25.01.10: Introduction to Ecological Systems (Ecologies)
• 01.02.10: Introduction to Boundary Objectives (Engagements)
• 08.02.10: No Session (MLAB Workshop Week)
• 15.02.10: Invited Producer 1: Nathalie Aubert (Pixelache) This session will focus on production of Vihreä Pilvi Project
• 22.02.10: Invited Producer 2: Erich Berger (Terminalbeach) This session will focus on production of Heart Chamber Orchestra project
• 01.03.10: Invited Producer 3: Ann Morrison (HIIT) This session will focus on production of City Wall project
• 08.03.10: No Session (MLAB Workshop Week)
• 15.03.10: Student Reflection-to-action: What project/production/engagement to upack/design
• 16.03.-28.03.10: Unpacking/design/fieldwork done by students in own time
• 29.03.10: Student Presentations

NB: If class number is 6+ we will arrange additional mutually-agreed session for presentations.

Learning outcomes:

The pedagogical approach is orientated towards dialogue, exchange, learning from practical experience, fieldwork practices, and the role of artist, producer, designer, researcher, planner, etc. as a storymaker/teller within the context of social and environmental commitment.

Students will learn about and use the concept of the 'boundary object' as a tool for multidisciplinary discussion; sharing subjective and practical experience.

• They will critically analyse the expanded network relations in different projects; gaining an understanding of the various social, cultural, economical and participatory influences on community organisation and development in environmentally-conscious projects.
• The pedagogical structure is designed to encourage a reflective practice, engaging with another producer/initiator's context to develop one's own.
• Students will learn how they (and other professionals) can use storymaking/telling as a means to present their engagements with their environment.
• They can according to background/interest, develop their analysis method, creative fieldwork practices, and oral storymaking/ telling presentation skills.

Study mode:

The course consists of dialogical seminar discussions, reflective 'unpacking' sessions with invited producers, and self-directed research, investigation, and action in public space. 

Teaching and materials provided will be in English.

Assessment and Pass in this course is based on:

• 80% attendance
• Participation in the dialogical exercises
• Fieldwork/presentation/development diary
• 15 min spoken presentation to group