Selections in Practice 1

This course is part of the programme
Master's programme in Media Arts and Practices

Objectives and competences

The objectives of this module are to give student autonomous choice and stimulate her/him to develop competence of autonomously steering acquisition of complementary competence, such as logically required by his master project or individual academic interest, in interaction with a wider professional context.

Prerequisites

The choice of competency to be accredited under SIP only partly depends on the process of competence negotiation within the Progress Track module, and is free from mentoring decisions or fixed obligations within the student's Carrier Module selection. The selections are thus left to free student's choice, as long as argued for within the Progress Track module, and assessed through a consistent report (see below). As such, the selections do not have any prerequisites (if not specified within their own curricular structures, such as e.g. prerequisite courselets in TIP or DIP supportive modules).

NOTE: For a detailed explanation of in-module (courselet-level) relationships and progress mechanism consult the »GENERAL NOTE ON TIP, DIP and SIP supportive modules implementation” at the bottom of this document.

Content

The Selections in Practice (SIP) module represents the so called “open part” of the curriculum, offering the students in the first year (4 ECTS per semester) to freely choose any of the smaller units offered under TIP or DIP, or even attend an additional Studio module run of 4 ECTS, or (upon prior agreement with SIP module leader) accredit any of the externally attained level- and area-relevant credits. Thus the programme offers the student to autonomously choose, but also negotiate along the Progress Track, an individual stress within the competency clusters of techniques, discourses and/or production management (as contained in the DIP module), or programme-external provisions.

Similar as in TIP and DIP supportive modules (see note at the bottom of this document), the choices that make up the credit value and the micro-competencies of this module are negotiated with peers and mentors in the Progress Track module, with the important difference that here the student can ultimately choose whichever provision s/he deems (and argues for as) consistent with his personal pathways, selecting either from TIP, DIP or Studio provisions, or from other study programmes, and not least extra-curricularly, gathering non-formal and informal learning experience. The choice is valid as long as the students can argue for the choice (in advance) and later on consistently report and reflect upon the experience. In case of non-formal and informal learning experience, the student needs to provide ample evidence.

GENERAL NOTE ON TIP; DIP and SIP supportive modules implementation:

Throughout the entire course of study, from semester 1 to semester 4, students enrol in a variety of smaller implementation units (such as “courselets”) which provide them with competencies required for their final master project, always taking into account the individual student’s entry skills and knowledge, are artially ruled by their selection of the Carrier Module and negotiated with the expert mentor within the Progress Track module.
These supportive courses are gathered within three supportive modules named:
Techniques in Practice (TIP)
Discourses in Practice (DIP)
Selections in Practice (SIP)

These modules are compulsory, meaning that students have to earn ECTS from each, but students elect which courselets within the supportive module they will enrol based on their Carrier Module (area of production) needs.
For example, certain Techniques in Practice (TIP) courselets are automatically assigned to specific Carrier Modules, based on production-specific relevance. The selection of TIP, DIP and SIP courselets is always negotiated and confirmed on individual basis by the Carrier Module “expert” mentor(s), for each student, within the Progress Track module.

The Selections in Practice (SIP) module represents the so called “open part” of the curriculum, offering the students in the first year (4 ECTS per semester) to freely choose any of the smaller units offered under TIP or DIP, or even attend an additional Studio module run of 4 ECTS, or (upon prior agreement with SIP module leader) accredit any of the externally attained level- and area-relevant credits. Thus the programme offers the student to autonomously choose, but also negotiate along the Progress Track, an individual stress within the competency clusters of techniques, discourses and/or production management (as contained in the DIP module).

Some of the courses and/or courselets are mobility-oriented and/or concentrated in shorter workshops or structured around blended use of online-supported and classroom-type of teaching. Some are closely connected to Carrier Modules in terms of providing relevant skills and/or knowledge, and are therefore offered as a priority in the sequence of implementation (module-internal prerequisite system of courselets).

There are two clusters of TIP and DIP courses being offered: the WINTER and the SUMMER CLUSTER (reflecting winter and summer semester cycles). This allows for mixing of students from different semesters (1 and 3, 2 and 4), and enables a more sustainable manner of course delivery.

Some courses and/or courselets require specific prerequisites. Timely prerequisite acquisition is one of students’ main concerns, which they will continuously consult with their Carrier Module leader as (expert) mentors and Progress Track Review Committees; in order to acquire all required competencies for successful master project completion (according to the module-internal prerequisite system of courselets).

Techniques in Practice (TIP) supportive module includes a series of courselets that are practice-oriented and offer straightforward techniques and skill-based workshops. They are structured in 2, 3 or 4 ECTS each.
Discourses in Practice (DIP) supportive module includes a series of courselets that are theory, history and criticism-oriented and are structured as lectures or seminars with in 2, 3 or 4 ECTS each. This supportive module also includes, in semesters 1, 3 and 4, courselets with 2 ECTS that are practice and seminar-oriented and supply students with essential skills for fundraising and pitching (in semester 1), presenting, project design and management, distribution and dissemination...

Selections in Practice (SIP) is a separate, cumulative module, where student accredits a total of 8 ECTS (4 ECTS in semester 1 and 4 ECTS in semester 2) within the “open curriculum” principle as described above, in the first year of study.

Student’s number of earned ECTS from three supportive modules can vary within the semesters, but there is a minimum ECTS credits in TIP, DIP and SIP prescribed for the completion of study programme, according to semesters:

Intended learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding:
(At the end of this module the Student...)
× K1 ..understands the importance of autonomous and proactive complementary competency acquisition in the context of own academic and professional pathway.

Skills:
(The Student...)
× S1 ..is capable of autonomously planning, monitoring and reflecting upon own decisions in competency acquisition.

Readings

As specified within selections.

Assessment

Selections in Practice (SIP) is the “open” part of the curriculum, where students can collect ECTS points in extra TIP and DIP courses provided by other universities or in an additional course of the Studio Module. Student’s choice of coursework, either from TIP and DIP supportive modules or other national or international course provision, has to be consulted and confirmed by the progress mentor prior to the selected course enrolment. Student has to gather 8 ECTS in the “open curriculum” selection, ideally 4 ECTS in semester 1 and 4 ECTS in semester 2. • If SIP selection includes TIP and DIP courses, they are graded as prescribed therein. • If SIP selection includes any other outside-of-study provision, the progress mentor confirms the credit value and/or gives (translates) the final grade based on the student’s completion of the coursework, assignments and formal documentation. Grading is thus constituted as follows: - experience report (extended essay) - in case of accrediting "non-formal and informal learning experience" the report must include structured appendices with relevant evidence

Lecturer's references

BOŠTJAN POTOKAR is the dean of the School of Arts of University of Nova Gorica. He was the co-founder of Famul Stuart School of Applied Arts. He was its head since 1994 and so the person responsible for managing and operational functioning of the school and all its projects. He also supervised the school's numerous collaborations in Slovenian and international partnerships. He received a diploma from the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana. Boštjan Potokar is a visual artist, exhibiting in diverse simposia and workshops, set designer (together with Rene Rusjan) and an awarded writer-author.

SELECTED PROJECTS AND EXHIBITIONS 2012 – 2007
2012 Chiang Mai Art Centre, Thailand (residency and exhibition)
2011 - Slovenski kulturni praznik - Prešernova proslava 2011 scenografija (skupaj z Rene Rusjan) režija Neda R. Bric, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana 7. 2. 2011
2010 - Dan upora proti okupatorju - državna proslava, scenografija (skupaj z Rene Rusjan) režija Neda R. Bric, SNG Nova Gorica 26. 4. 2010
2010 - HOMMAGE SEDMA VRSTA - drama treh dejanj v sedmih prizorih (nominacija za izvirno dramsko besedilo, ki naj bi se navdihovalo v ustvarjalnosti in življenju Danila Kiša natečaj je razpisalo Kraljevsko gledališče Zetski dom iz Cetinja za pisce v jezikih držav nekdanje Jugoslavije)
2009 - EDA - Zgodba bratov Rusjan, scenografija (skupaj z Rene Rusjan) gledališka predstava Nede R. Bric, produkcija Slovensko Mladinsko gledališče