FINEARTS 770 : Research Methodologies

Creative Arts and Industries

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A guided exploration of key research methodologies relevant to contemporary art and art writing. Students draw upon these methodologies to inform and critically investigate their current and ongoing independent research in the discipline at an advanced level.

Course Overview

The course will enable students to apply key research concepts to art. Students will explore how artistic research might best proceed in an academic context. Working within a community of practice students will become conversant with approaches to understanding artistic research and will share this exploration in group seminar sessions. Students will learn to gather, order and critically discuss information relevant to their practice. They will learn to recognise the cultural position of these approaches and consider their practice within this time and place. By the course’s conclusion students will have critically assembled and reviewed art and literature particular to their field of inquiry and understand how processes of investigation might shape and support an artist’s practice.  

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Master of Fine Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand advanced key theoretical and specialised concepts relevant to contemporary art and its various historical lineages (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 8)
  2. Explore a range of specialised research methodologies relevant to the written and spoken discourses that accompany the production of contemporary art (Capability 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8)
  3. Engage in rigorous intellectual analysis and criticism regarding the motives, contexts and methods of one’s practice and communicate these in written and verbal forms (Capability 4, 7 and 8)
  4. Develop advanced skills related to framing ideas in a generative and open way and to apply these to an exegetical and critical discussion of the studio project (Capability 1, 3 and 7)
  5. Acknowledge the implications of Tikanga Maori values for creative practice within an academic context (Capability 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Seminar Presentation 30% Individual Coursework
Literature Review 35% Individual Coursework
Research Proposal 35% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Seminar Presentation
Literature Review
Research Proposal

Students must achieve 50% or more overall in order to pass the course.

Teaching & Learning Methods

The exploration of research concepts will be informed by lecture presentations, readings  and engagement in dialogue within the seminar series. Students will be introduced to key terms and provided with examples of writing that represent a range of approaches and practices.  In response they will be asked to describe their interests as a field of research in series of student-led seminars. They will then develop a research proposal relevant to their own practice. Lastly each student completes a literature review for a potential studio project.  Students will receive feedback in the form of summative assessment of the seminar and research proposal, as well as formative commentary on their literature review.

Each stage of the course produces an assessment outcome, taken together these aim to provide a basis for further academic practice while enabling forms of exploratory research useful to the student’s developing studio project
 
1. In their seminar presentation, students will articulate their initial understanding of the effect and purpose research has within their practice using a method of presentation appropriate to their sense of position as an artist.

2. The literature review provides a platform and resource for future study.

3.  The student’s consideration of the problems of artistic research will be refined in their written research proposal. The proposal will be assessed according to how it synthesizes and identifies relevant material and how it demonstrates an understanding of methodologies and their context.


 

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend a total of 150 hours on each 15 point course that they are enrolled in. Each of the 12 teaching weeks includes 1.5 hours of teaching contact and an average of 11 hours of independent study  (reading, researching, and reflecting on course content, and preparing assignments).

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including clinics to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including seminars will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Library Reading lists(Tallis ) Provided

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

The order of the Literature Review and Research Proposal has been changed so that now the Literature Review comes before the Research Proposal which is the final assessment event.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Requests for extensions of time must be submitted and approved using the online Extension of Time Application form available on Canvas. Students should notify the Course Director/Course Coordinator of their situation as soon as practicable, and preferably before any due date. Notifications received after an assessment due date will be accepted, where this is reasonable, within the context of the course. If possible, students are encouraged to seek medical, counselling or other support from the most appropriate sources.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 25/02/2024 03:54 p.m.