The land I walk with: Jegersberg.
(Tormod W. Anundsen, 2019)

Background Module 2:

The purpose of the readings and task for module 2 is to move further into ways of experiencing human involvement with – and interdependency of – the materiality of place, and to explore possibilities and pedagogical potentialities of the creation of encounters through the approach of propositions. The social purpose is also to create an encounter with a student-partner from another country while being ‘together-apart’. 

‘Proposition’ is a term that has been introduced by the American philosopher Alfred N. Whitehead in 1929, and which is currently in use as a methodology both in research and in pedagogical practices. The proposition ‘Walk on borders’ is an example of what a proposition could look like. You may also see the invitation for a workshop with this proposition that Helene and Tormod carried out in Athens November 2021 [link]. If you want to, please feel free to try out the proposition ‘Walk on borders’ on your own as a ‘warm up’ for the task!

Module 2 is presented by Helene Illeris & Tormod W. Anundsen

Task, Module 2:

Please carry out the following steps during the next two weeks. These are several smaller and larger steps, summed up in one post that you submit at the end of this task:

Week 1 (10-17 June)

1: Read the texts for module 2 with a special focus on

A) the relationship with the Land (see texts by Illeris)

B) the concept of “proposition” (see texts by Illeris and Truman & Springgay)

C) the notion of “the materiality of pedagogy” (see text by Ellsworth)

2: Create a draft for a new “walking proposition” related to the land that you inhabit and the notion of “the materiality of pedagogy”.

3: Carry out your new walking proposition (by yourself) and document the process. (Documentation could be through photo/video/sound, and/or notes or drawings, or other forms of artistic approaches.)

4: Based on your experience, make a final version of your walking proposition. It should be ready to be offered to your partner as a short text, possibly combined with an image or similar. Please send the proposition to your partner no later that 17 June (you can use e-mail, WhatsApp or another channel of your choice).

Please keep in mind that the proposition should not be presented as a task to be executed, but as an open proposal – a proposition.

Week 2 (18-24 June)

5: Carry out the proposition that was offered to you by your partner. Document the process (still; either through media such as photo/video/sound, or notes, drawings, or other forms of artistic approaches).

Be aware that the proposition is a gift from your partner that you can choose to engage with in many different ways, depending on your interest, place, personality and other factors.

6: If possible, set up a short meeting (Zoom or similar) with your partner in order to exchange how you experienced each other’s propositions, or find another way of exchanging experiences

7: Submit a post on Encountersproject.eu that documents and describes your work process (i.e. the steps above, including what you want to share from your generated material of images/sounds etc.) and which reflects on the experience.

Questions to reflect upon might be (but this up to you!);

• how this experience could be understood in the light of “the materiality of pedagogy” as described by Ellsworth
• how this kind of experience could be used in an (arts-) pedagogical practice, or any other practice that you have or do (such as artistic practice or ethnographic research)
• how your experiences shed light on human involvement with – and interdependency of – the materiality of place

Pairs:

(You may swap groups individually, but we ask you to work with someone you don’t know)

• Anja – Keyania
• Maggie – Evie
• Leslie – Anna
• Tomine – Gabby
• Phuong – Eleni
• Katrine – Sydney – Gefsi (group of 3, so you may rotate propositions)

Readings Module 2:

1: Ellsworth, E. (2005). The materiality of pedagogy: Sensations crucial to understandings. In Places of learning: Media, architecture, pedagogy (pp. 15-36). RoutledgeFalmer.

2: Illeris, H. (in press). Ecological awareness with and through human and more-than-human efforts of embracing a former gravel pit. In B. C. Fredriksen and C. Groth (Eds.) Expanding Environmental Awareness in Education through the Arts – Crafting-with the Environment. Springer Nature.

3: Illeris, H. (in press). Walk on borders. In R. Irwin, D. Barney, N. Lee & J. Ursino (Eds.). Pedagogical Propositions: Playful Walking with A/r/tography. InSEA

Support literature 

Truman, S. E. & Springgay, S. (2016). Propositions for walking research. In K. Powell, P. Bernard & L. Mackinley (Eds.), International handbook for intercultural arts (pp. 256-267). Routledge