Samantha Broadhead

Inclusion, Democracy and the Pedagogised other in Art and Design Higher Education

Abstract This article draws on Bernsteins model of democratic education to explore the experiences of post-Access students who enter higher education within the subject area of art and design. It considers areas of difficulty in relation to enhancement, inclusion and participation among non-traditional students who perceive themselves as being in the minority on an art and design degree alongside ‘traditional students’ who have come through school/college rather than Access. It argues that post-Access students are constructed as the ‘pedagogised other’ through the signature pedagogies of art and design and the horizontal discourses of the studio. It can also be seen that their presence upsets the mythological solidarities based on age and creativity. The discussion focuses on an understanding of democracy with a stress on the importance of political action by marginalised ‘others’ in order to construct new educational orders that consider their needs. The narratives of post-Access students suggest that they do not always feel included on their course and they also do not have the confidence to call for change or participate in political action.

All I Want to do is Make Things: Class, Men and Art and Design Higher Education.

Working class men are under-represented in art and design higher education. This article explores the experiences of one such mature student who had fulfilled his dream to go to an art college later in life in order to study a degree in Interdisciplinary Art and Design. Using an approach based on narrative inquiry, the student’s learning journey over three years was captured through six verbal and transcribed accounts. Bernstein’s work on visible and invisible pedagogies as well as his comments on vocational education provided a lens through which to look at the student’s experiences. It argues that the strong framing and classification of his previous vocational education led the student to expect to be taught in a particular way. He found the fluid and integrated arts curriculum different to the kind of training a ‘master’ would transmit to an ‘apprentice’. He constructed himself as a doer rather than a thinker, which remained constant throughout his degree. The findings suggest that educators should discuss with students from all backgrounds the pedagogic approaches commonly used in art and design and how these may be different to previous ways of learning. Academic staff should also challenge the theory and practice dichotomy, so that students understand they are drawing on theory not only when they are writing but also when they are making. Finally, even though invisible pedagogies dominate art and design education, staff should reflect on the need for more visible, explicit modes of teaching when students are less confident in their abilities.

Phronesis and Democratic Education

This chapter offers a framework for understanding how practical wisdom can be enabled or disabled in an educational context. It provides a theoretical lens with which to bring the experiences of post-Access students into focus. Aristotle described practical wisdom as being gained through a long life of experience. Post-Access students often have rich life experiences which potentially can help them make good judgements about their education that contributes towards living a good life for themselves and their families. Narratives of their experiences can be understood as the art of representing and capturing decision-making, actions and consequences. It argues that students as well as educators can use practical wisdom to act well for others: their peers; their families and for the common good.

Basil Bernstein and Democratic Education

This chapter introduces the work and ideas of Basil Bernstein. It recognises his contribution to the discipline of Education as an important thinker who provides a theoretical framework or lens with which to analyse the experiences of post-Access students during their degrees in art and design. It begins by describing his early work in relation to pedagogic codes; framing and classification; and horizontal and vertical discourses. His ideas about progressive education are discussed in relation to visible and invisible pedagogy. The argument within this chapter is that Bernstein’s work describes the relationships between pedagogy, identity and social control, including his ideas about democratic education which offer insights into how social mobility and social justice might be better promoted.

Conclusion and Recommendations

This chapter draws the arguments of the book together, asking how the participants explored their experiences of education and to what extent did they consider them to be democratic. At the same time were they able to draw upon their practical wisdom in order to act well for themselves and others? And did receiving a democratic education mean that students as well the staff were able to deliberate wisely according to their previous experiences and practical wisdom?

Eliza’s Story of Exclusion

This chapter discusses Eliza’s experiences on her art and design degree. Eliza was the only black student in the group of participants and was in her early 50s when the study began. Even though she had a very successful professional career, she also wanted to develop her creativity in textiles (she was an accomplished dressmaker). Studying her degree part-time meant she needed to plan her schedule well in advance, so it was important she had accurate, timely, information about deadlines. Unfortunately, Eliza’s experiences seemed to revolve around her being treated in a dismissive manner by staff who did not understand her needs as a part-time student. Inclusion issues led to Eliza not receiving a democratic education and this impacted on her ability to fully utilise her practical wisdom.

Bob’s Story and Horizontal Discourse in the Studio

This chapter compares the narratives of post-Access student ‘Bob’ with those of ‘Chad’ in order to identify similar and different aspects of their recounted experiences. As well as drawing upon notions of phronesis, this chapter considers how the day-to-day discussions in the art and design studio were retold by Bob and how he internalised his own ‘otherness’. The importance of this kind of talk, what Bernstein called horizontal discourse, in the construction of horizontal solidarities, and vertical and horizontal knowledge is explored.

Chad’s Deliberations About Her Education in Art and Design

This chapter analyses a series of narratives constructed by and between ‘Chad’, a post-Access student, and one of the authors, an educational researcher. Chad’s narratives represent some of the experiences she had during her textiles degree. It is argued that how well students use their practical wisdom is partly dependent on the quality of the education they have received. A key question here is the extent to which mature adults sometimes continue to make poor decisions and to act in ways that perpetuate their sufferings because they do not exercise their potential to act with phronesis or practical wisdom? This discussion recounts some noticeable elements of Chad’s story that sometimes are linked to phronesis while at other times point to the absence of it.

Jane’s Story of Confidence, Inclusion and Participation Through Phronesis

This case study explores the experiences of Jane who offered an account of how she felt confident and included on her course. This led to her participating in order to make her educational experiences more positive for herself and others. At the same time she was able to practice practical wisdom at various points during her studies. This did not mean that Jane found higher education straightforward as she still had to work hard to overcome aspects of study she found challenging. Jane was in her early 50s. She was a mother to two grown-up children and lived with her husband. She came from a well-educated family; her father studied at Oxford University but she saw herself as the ‘non-academic’ member of the family.

Non-traditional Students in Art and Design Higher Education

The aim of this chapter is to establish the historical and current context of Access education in the United Kingdom. In the 1970s and 1980s working-class participation in higher education (HE) was encouraged and celebrated. Recently, there have been fewer attempts at promoting social mobility through educational policies. The chapter describes how post-Access to HE students are routinely referred to as ‘mature, non-traditional or non-standard’. The literature concerning the transition of students, and in particular mature students, to HE is then reviewed. It is argued that mature students’ previous experiences contribute towards their practical wisdom, and that this potentially helps them become adaptive in new situations and to be able to navigate around barriers they may experience during their periods of study.