In Aesthetic Learning About, In, With and Through the Arts: A Curriculum Study, Lars Lindstrom explores the intersections between aesthetic learning and the arts in education. By categorizing aesthetic learning into four dimensions—learning about, learning in, learning with, and learning through the arts—Lindstrom offers a comprehensive framework for integrating the arts into education. This framework challenges the traditional view of art as an object of study and emphasizes the dynamic roles that art can play in shaping personal, social, and intellectual development.
The study highlights that aesthetic learning goes beyond intellectual knowledge and includes personal engagement with the artistic process. Learning about art pertains to studying its history and theory, while learning in refers to personal experiences with art, and learning with involves collaboration with others. Lastly, learning through stresses the transformative process of creation, where students use art to make sense of and navigate the world. This holistic approach could encourage students to engage with the arts in varied and meaningful ways, bridging critical reflection and creative practice.
Lindstrom’s model reminds me the discussion around developing research models for higher education students, particularly in visual communication. It is essential to provide students with a framework that encourages critical reflection on their motivations, practice, and societal relevance as they begin their research journeys. Christopher Frayling’s categorization of research in Research in Art and Design (1993)—Research into, Research through, and Research for—serves as a complementary model for guiding students in understanding the diverse aspects of their research. These categories, which mirror Lindstrom’s framework, create a model that includes intellectual inquiry, creative production, and practical application, offering a complete approach to research.
For students in higher education, particularly those in the visual communication context, it is necessary to understand the intersections of their Personal Interests, Visual Communication Relevance, and Societal Challenges. These three areas form the basis of any research journey, helping students critically reflect on their identities, the relevance of their work to the field, and the broader societal issues they are engaging with. A visual model can represent these areas as three overlapping circles, with analysis at the intersection, surrounded by context. The model encourages students to recognize the dynamic relationships between self-reflection, practice, theory, and the external factors that influence their research.
By incorporating such models, students are better prepared to understand their research processes and the significance of their work in relation to both personal and societal concerns. This diagram has been applied to the tutorial group session with my cohort in developing deeper engagement with the research journey and ensures that students are equipped to address complex challenges in the art and design fields.
References:
Lindström, L. (2012) ‘Aesthetic Learning About, In, With and Through the Arts: A Curriculum Study’.
Frayling, C. (1993) Research in Art and Design. Royal College of Art. Available at: https://researchonline.rca.ac.uk/384/9/frayling_research_in_art_and_design_1993_OCR.pdf (Accessed: 15 March 2025).
Nelson, R. (2022) Practice as Research in the Arts (and Beyond): Principles, Processes, Contexts, Achievements. 2nd ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan.