Theory 2: Theory Development

Brief course description

In this course, students develop theory from practice as well as an independent, critical attitude to their own learning. They develop conversations using their own practice as their starting point, in combination with material from, e.g., books, journals, catalogues, films, exhibitions, plays, events, materials, on-site inspections and collaboration.

The students combine breadth in research with specialization in their chosen field. They learn to constitute their own field of specialization as a theoretical basis for their Master Project in the 2nd year. They practice an attitude to developing research skills that is rooted in the discipline. Theory development is based on a comparative method: the students learn to gather and combine knowledge from different sources, using as their starting point their proximity to the field, which they gain from doing practical work.

The course’s learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the students will:

• have advanced insight into their own process, discussing it comparatively (breadth), based on knowledge in a limited area in their own chosen specialization (depth).
• be able to use learning from their own process when reflecting critically on their work.
• be able to contextualize and communicate with others as part of their design practice.

Teaching and learning methods

The course is practice-based and develops practical skills for collecting, documenting and sharing experiencebased knowledge from the students’ own area of specialization. The course emphasizes work routines, the use of time, also synergy with the students’ chosen specialization.

In the process, students should learn to:

• become familiar with the value of practical experimentation.
• learn to use learning outcomes from experiments and develop a subject-area narrative.
• communicate the narrative to others through a suitable use of formats.
• develop a design for activating the formats in a spatial scenario.

Coursework requirements

• completion and submission of all assignments by the scheduled deadlines
• participation in instruction and activities that are defined as mandatory in the course description

Assessment

Coursework requirements must be met in order for the student to receive a final assessment in the course. The student’s work is assessed in relation to the learning outcomes and assessment criteria set for the course. The assessment is made by the teacher with course responsibility and may also be done in collaboration with internal subject teachers and / or external guest teachers.