Please note! Course description is confirmed for two academic years, which means that in general, e.g. Learning outcomes, assessment methods and key content stays unchanged. However, via course syllabus, it is possible to specify or change the course execution in each realization of the course, such as how the contact sessions are organized, assessment methods weighted or materials used.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completing the course, the student is able to:

  • Identify suitable ways to document their ideas, processes and outcomes;
  • Understand how creative processes proceed and coordinate their own creative process;
  • Translate their ideas into an artefact by using a variety of skills, tools, and materials;
  • Describe the process and reflect on its outcomes and meaningfulness in written format.

Credits: 9

Schedule: 07.01.2025 - 21.02.2025

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Maarit Mäkelä

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    The aim of the course is to provide a challenging environment for action, where the student is encouraged to explore his/her ideas related to a given theme with a brave and open-minded attitude. The main objectives of the course are 1) to nourish the creative process with material exploration and experiments with different techniques and 2) to support the self-managing of the creative process with documentation, reflection and discussions. Each year, the course has a special theme and starts with an excursion in Finland. The starting point of the course is an idea of a researching artist/designer with a capability to conceptualise the perceived phenomena and experience. To support the process, the students keep a working diary throughout the course. In the diary, the students reflect on the working process by sketching and writing. In addition, the students document the entire process by photographing, videotaping or with other recording media.   The students can utilise different studios when elaborating their individual tasks and producing their final artefact. This work is supported by tutoring sessions, shared discussions, lectures, excursions and literature assignments. The course consists pf three phases: (I) collecting information (excursions, lectures, literature); (II) processing and interpreting the collected data (working in studios, sharing the process in group sessions); and (III) presenting the interpretation (final artefact).

Assessment Methods and Criteria
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    To pass the course, the student has to participate in the excursion, lectures and group activity (80%), and present the final artefact. After the course, the student has to deliver a learning diary. Evaluation criteria: activity during the course, the creative process, quality of the final artefact and learning diary.

Workload
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Course workload 9 ECTS = 243 h 

    • Contact teaching: 70 h
    • Independent studying: 132 h
    • Time to think: 40 h
    • Course evaluation: 1 h 

DETAILS

Study Material
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Kosonen, Krista & Mäkelä, Maarit (2012). Designing platform for exploring and reflecting on creative process. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 45, 227 238.

    Other literature sources will be given during the course.

Substitutes for Courses
Prerequisites
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

    3 Good Health and Well-being

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Teaching Language: English

    Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Spring III
    2025-2026 Spring III

    Registration:

    Registration in SISU. Minimum number of students 5, maximum 16. Enrolment ends 2 weeks before the course starts.

    First priority to CoDe 1st year, then other CoDe Major students. After this, Design students, ARTS students and other Aalto students.

    Otherwise, priority order to courses is according to the order of priority decided by the Academic committee for School of Arts, Design and Architecture, https//www.aalto.fi/en/services/registering-to-courses-and-the-order-of-priority-at-aalto-arts