Developing a research community of art and design education. Looking back at the early phase of the master’s programme in art and design education

Abstract

In 1976, a master’s programme in art and design education was established at two teacher-training institutions in Norway. This differed from other master’s programmes because it acknowledged the students’ creative work as part of their final thesis. Until 1973, only universities were able to offer master’s programmes. However, a new law related to teacher-training changed this: it demanded the same quality in pedagogical master’s programmes as in traditional programmes at universities. At this time, the community of art and design education had not yet developed an academic tradition of its own. This article explores the early phase of the master’s programme in art and design education with an emphasis on the challenges of including students’ creative work. It examines how creative work is described in the 1976 curriculum. Written sources and interviews form the basis for a discussion on actions taken during the early phase to develop a research community of art and design education. The concept of ‘Knowledge Building’ represents the point of departure for the discussion. The article sheds light upon the co-operation between universities and related art and design communities in the Nordic countries, arguing that the community strove to develop a fruitful academic milieu that challenged former ideas about ‘best practises’.