ED3BSA: The Arts and Society

Module code: ED3BSA

Module provider: Institute of Education

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Mr Simon Floodgate, email: s.floodgate@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module will examine the relationship of the Arts to the concept of an ‘Open’ Society. The module will explore questions such as: What is the role of Art and Culture? What is the role/function of the Artist? Beyond entertainment, how do the Arts lead to healthy and thoughtful cultural conversations? During the module, students will engage with a range of Arts projects from film, theatre, visual art, etc. and appraise their potential impact. Concepts such as social justice and inclusion will be addressed through direct analysis of how these projects and artefacts comment upon or help society and/or how they facilitate learning about society. The role of the Artist will be discussed and debated through questions such as: Should the artist be oppositional? Should the artist have complete freedom? Should the artist aspire to a reality that does not yet exist? What is the relationship between the role of the artist and that of the teacher? In addition, Arts projects/artefacts discussed will be appraised as tools for use within educational settings. The module will also address the creation and employment of resource materials to support the educational employment of films, theatre, art, comic books, etc.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Develop skills in examining and analysing a range of different Arts projects/artefacts
2. Articulate and justify an informed point of view on the role of the Arts and the Artist to an ‘Open’ Society
3. Design and deliver a presentation upon a specific Arts project/artefact
4. Create and justify resource materials to incorporate and discuss within the presentation

Module content

This optional module is part of the creative strand within the BA in Education Studies, with links to sociology. The module will address the role of the Arts and Artists in relation to Society and debate the concept of an ‘Open’ Society. The module will explicitly focus upon the work of a range of artists from different Arts disciplines. These may include, as examples, the Belarus Free Theatre, the work of Graeae Theatre and other professional companies and artists working within the field of disability arts, comic books such as ‘Persepolis’ and ‘Almaz’ commenting upon the treatment of women in different societies, films such as ‘Kes’ and ‘Sanctuary’ which address attitudes to class, (dis)ability and the education system itself. It is hoped that there will be one field trip/visit to a contemporary Arts performance/screening/exhibition for analysis.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Delivered primarily through lectures and seminars, there will also be screenings and other asynchronous materials to access and discuss within sessions. Screenings will include full length films and potentially shorter films/documentaries in preparation for contact sessions. It is likely that a live visit will be organised to view an exhibition or see a performance/screening to facilitate discussion of a contemporary artist(s)’ perspective on and relationship to society.

Study hours

At least 18 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

A presentation plan including ideas for resource materials for structured peer feedback. Submitted for brief, structured written tutor feedback. In addition, tutorials for tutor verbal feedback.

Reassessment

Additional costs