Immersion, Freedom and Low Stress Experience Aesthetic Expressions in Academic Subjects in Lower Secondary School

Abstract

A general principle in the Norwegian curriculum is that students are to learn and develop through aesthetic expressions, such as role playing, drawing or music, in all subjects. However, aesthetic elements; both aesthetic subjects and aesthetic expressions in other subjects, seem marginalized in today´s outcome-based education policy, and the number of teachers with aesthetic competence is gradually being reduced. Based on this, the research question of this study is: How may aesthetic expressions be beneficial when teaching academic subjects in lower secondary school?

In this investigation, teachers´ and students´ experiences are highlighted through three strategically selected cases in the subjects Social Science, Mathematics and Norwegian respectively. The data material consists of observation notes, films, and qualitative interviews with three teachers and 28 pupils. By using an inductive thematic analysis, low stress experience stress was identified as an overarching theme, constituted by two sub-themes that were identified as transcendence and self-determination, which each add different qualities to the overarching theme.

The results align with existing research on aesthetic elements in education and contribute to nuanced understandings within the field by showing how aesthetic activity may relate to low stress experiences in academic subjects, something that could have an impact on the pupils´ holistic development in a result-oriented school.