School in Europe
Denmark
Arts and Cultural Education at School in Europe
Denmark
(Reference year 2007/08)
1. Responsibility and purpose
The Danish compulsory general education – the Folkeskole – is the responsibility of the municipalities. On the national level, the Folkeskole is under the Ministry of Education and is regulated by the
Folkeskole Act, which provides the overall framework for the schools’ activities.
By means of this Act and the Executive Orders it contains, all municipal primary and lower secondary schools share a common aim, standard requirements concerning the subjects that are to be taught at the specific form levels (this also includes arts subjects), standard regulations concerning the so-called Common Objectives for the teaching in the individual subjects, as well as standard regulations concerning the leadership and organisation of the school system. However, it is the responsibility of the individual local municipal boards to determine how the municipality’s schools are to be organised in practice, within the framework established by law. The municipal boards themselves determine the municipal level of service for the Folkeskole within this overriding framework and can set their own additional objectives for the schools.
Thus, the Danish Folkeskole is subject to a range of common regulations, and a child who changes
schools will, on the whole, find a school routine in the new school familiar to the one he or she has previously attended. On the other hand, there is the freedom to allow for each school to incorporate their own local characteristics. Also, the individual school has some degree of freedom in deciding e.g.
working methods and choice of education materials.
The Folkeskole Act gives the Minister of Education the authority to establish the regulations and aims
regarding education and regarding the central knowledge and skill areas (end objectives) in subjects and compulsory topics. Moreover, the Minister of Education determines the regulations and objectives for specific form levels (form level objectives) for the specific subjects/topics. The end and form level objectives establish a national objective for the direction and goals of the teaching, ensuring that students acquire the knowledge and skills in the subject/topic at, respectively, the end of their programme of education and at the conclusion of specific form levels. A description of each subject is provided under the title 'Common Objectives'.
Common Objectives cover the two most important sets of academic texts regarding the school’s subjects and topics.
The binding national objectives in the form of the subject aims, central knowledge and skill areas (end objectives) and form level objectives.
Guidelines for curricula and descriptions of the educational development designed for reaching the form level and end objectives. Once the local curricula and descriptions receive final approval
The overall aims of Folkeskole are:
(1) The Folkeskole is, in cooperation with the parents, to provide students with the knowledge and skills that will prepare them for further education and training and instil in them the desire to learn more; familiarise them with Danish culture and history; give them an understanding of other countries and cultures; contribute to their understanding of the interrelationship between human beings and the environment; and promote the well-rounded development of the individual student.
(2) The Folkeskole is to endeavour to develop the working methods and create a framework that provides opportunities for experience, in-depth study and allows for initiative so that students develop awareness and imagination and a confidence in their own possibilities and backgrounds such that they are able to commit themselves and are willing to take action.
The Folkeskole is to prepare the students to be able to participate, demonstrate mutual responsibility and understand their rights and duties in a free and democratic society. The daily activities of the school must, therefore, be conducted in a spirit of intellectual freedom, equality and democracy.
2. Organisation and aims of arts education
The arts curriculum in Denmark is a combination of the two types: an integrated curriculum and separate subjects.
Starting from the school year 2003/04, teaching time was reformed. The number of hours taught in cultural and arts subjects did not change, but the goal of the reform was to improve the flexibility and autonomy of the schools in structuring the hours of the different form levels. A more flexible timetable was introduced with a required minimum hours of teaching for 3 separate stages (classes 1-3, 4-6 and 7-9). Additionally, the minimum hours of teaching is divided into 3 general subject categories:
Humanities Natural sciences Practical/art subjects:
o classes 1-3: minimum 430 teaching hours o classes 4-6: minimum 690 teaching hours o classes 7-9: minimum 325 teaching hours.
In addition to the required minimum teaching hours based on the flexible timetable, the Ministry of Education also publishes curriculum guidelines for the number of teaching hours in each form level for the individual subjects. These guidelines are seen as recommendations and as such are not mandatory for local school administrators. Schools are permitted to draw up their own curricula as long as they are in accordance with the required minimum teaching hours and aims laid down by the Minister of Education. However, nearly all schools choose to confirm the centrally prepared guidelines as their binding curricula.
Arts subjects belong to the 'Practical/art subjects' category (praktiske/musiske fag). In the curriculum
this category covers the compulsory subjects: Music
Visual arts
Needlework/design or wood/metalwork (= crafts).
Music
The aim of the music education is to make the pupils develop their ability to experience music and express themselves through music. The teaching should give the pupils the basis for a lifelong and active participation in music life and give them the opportunity to relate to the varied music styles of society.
Through active work with music, the teaching should contribute to the emotional and intellectual development of the pupil, the development of their power of concentration and motorics as well as increase their understanding of themselves as part of a community.
The teaching must enhance the pupils' understanding of Danish and foreign musical traditions as part of cultural life, both in contemporary society and in a historical perspective.
Music is compulsory in form level 1-6 and the required minimum hours of teaching are 270 hours. The curriculum guidelines for the number of teaching hours in each form level are:
1st form level: 30 hours
2nd, 3rd, 4th form level: 60 hours 5th form level: 30 hours
6th form level: 30 hours.
Visual arts
The aim of the visual arts education is that pupils – by creating, experiencing and analysing paintings and drawings – should be able to view and sense the world in a more rich and balanced way. They should also learn how to use and understand visual art as a personal medium of communication and expression.
The pupils must through the work with paintings, drawings and electronic pictures acquire knowledge of and get an interest in expressing themselves with visual arts.
As part of their aesthetic development and as fellow creators of culture, the pupils will develop familiarity with visual art and understand the meaning hereof in their own as well as in foreign cultures. Visual arts is a compulsory subject in form level 1-5 and the required minimum hours of teaching are 240 hours. The curriculum guidelines for the number of teaching hours in each form level are:
1st form level: 30 hours 2nd, 3rd form level: 60 hours 4th form level: 60 hours 5th form level: 30 hours
Needlework/Design
The aim of the needlework education is that the pupils – by doing crafts work – will acquire practical experiences and develop their ability to design and produce things with aesthetic and functional value. Through the challenges of the textile design process the pupils will get the opportunity to experience pleasure taken in their work, solidarity and emotional commitment. Thereby, the pupils will develop their confidence in their own achievement and recognize the value of aesthetic practical work.
Wood and metal work
The aim of the wood and metal work education is to make the pupils acquire knowledge and skills which relates to crafts production. They must develop their ability to design and produce things with aesthetic and functional value as well as becoming capable of understanding the interplay in the process from idea to planning to execution.
The pupils' imagination, creation and assessment skills must be developed through absorption in the practical production and thus strengthen the pupils' confidence in their own possibilities.
The pupils should be familiarized with historical and contemporary technologies as well as areas such as working environment, environment and resource awareness. Thereby, the subject contributes to the understanding of the interplay between our physical surroundings and nature. The pupils are trained in cooperation, codetermination and joint responsibility through working methods where dialogue and collaboration is part of the educational environment.
Needlework/design and wood/metal work is compulsory in form level 4-7 (students must choose one of them) and the required minimum hours of teaching are 390 hours. The curriculum guidelines for the number of teaching hours in each form level are:
4th form level: 60 hours 5th form level: 120 hours 6th form level: 120 hours 7th form level: 90 hours
NB! The subject 'home economics' (which is compulsory for all and deals primarily with nutrition, cooking and hygiene) is also included in these hours, but the exact number is not specified.
Furthermore, aims for the following art subjects described below have also been laid down. These subjects can be chosen as a core curriculum option in the 8th and 9th form level where the required minimum hours of teaching are 120 hours. The curriculum guidelines for the number of teaching hours in each form level are 60 hours. Schools are however not obliged to offer all the subjects and students are not obliged to choose arts subjects as their core curriculum option. Schools can also choose to offer these subjects as extra options.
Drama
The aim of the education in drama is to develop the pupils' interest in and ability to use drama as a way of expression and familiarize them with the special style of the theatre. The teaching must develop the pupils' understanding of and use of dramatic expressions as an opportunity to identify themselves with people, situations and environments. Through practical training, pupils must enhance their understanding of especially bodily, aesthetic and social possibilities of the dramatic way of expression.
Cinematic art (= media arts)
The aim of the cinematic art education is to strengthen the pupils' identification with an ability to express themselves in the movie and television media as part of their personal development. By expressing themselves through movies, the pupils must acquire knowledge of the artistic effects and production processes of movies as well as enhancing their ability to analyse and assess movies. The pupils must become acquainted with Danish and foreign cinematic art as part of the development of their cultural identity and understanding of foreign cultures.
Photography (= media arts)
The aim of the photography education is that the pupils – in the work with looking at and choosing subjects – should develop their ability to use and understand photography as a personal medium of communication and expression. The pupils must develop their ability to analyse, assess and present their own and other's photographic work. The pupils must become familiar with the work with different photographic techniques and improve their understanding of their meaning in a social and historical perspective.
Media
The aim of the media education is that the pupils through experience, production and analysis must develop their ability to understand and use media. Through the work with different media the pupils must acquire knowledge in communication and presentation and get the opportunity to use media as a personal medium of expression. The pupils must also enhance their understanding of the importance of mass media both in their own and in foreign cultures.
No regulations on cross-curricular links between arts and other subjects have been laid down. One of the Danish government’s main goals regarding the educational area is to improve the use of
ICT in primary and lower secondary education. The Folkeskole Act states that the use of IT must be integrated in every course and study program where-ever relevant in order to encourage and support learning. For example, in visual arts teachers are encouraged to let pupils work with electronic pictures and computer animation, and in the music education teachers are also encouraged to include digital technologies.
Furthermore, teachers in primary and lower secondary education are encouraged to include excursions to museums and galleries in the teaching, but it is usually up to the individual school to decide the degree of this.
3. Special provision on art education
In Denmark private schools (also referred to as 'free elementary' schools) cater for approx. 12 % of the pupils. These types of schools are typically religious or congregational schools such as Catholic schools or schools with a particular pedagogical objective such as the Rudolf Steiner schools. Therefore, none of these can be classified as art schools.
However, for pupils between the age of 14 and 18 there are certain possibilities to attend schools with a less bookish orientation. To attend these schools, pupils must have finished at least 7 years in the basic Folkeskole.
Continuation schools with a special emphasis on special education and practical work represent a special opportunity for late developers, non-bookish children who have suffered defeat in the ordinary school system or simply children who wish to try a different kind of teaching method. Several of these schools use more practical work such as visual arts, music and drama to build up the self-confidence of the pupils and to motivate them to learn and understand the theory necessary to understand and solve the problems they may encounter in practical work.
Municipalities also have the possibility to establish youth schools (ungdomsskoler). Youth schools
often put more emphasis on practical subjects and are characterised by alternative ways of structuring the day-to-day work at school. Both full-time and part-time education is offered at youth schools.
4. Assessment of pupil's progress and monitoring of standards in
the arts
4.1 Pupil assessment
In Denmark, education at primary level (ISCED 1) and lower secondary level (ISCED 2) is integrated into a single structure education, namely the Folkeskole. The provided information in the following are thus valid for both ISCED 1 and 2 unless otherwise specified.
According to section 13 in the Act on the Folkeskole, LBKG 2007-1049, 'pupils and their parents (…)
shall be regularly informed of the opinion of the school concerning the pupils’ benefit from their school attendance.' It is further stipulated that 'as part of the teaching, there shall be a regular assessment of the pupils’ benefit from the teaching.' To this end, every pupil in every form must have a pupil plan. As specified in the Regulation on Pupil Plans in the Folkeskole, BKG 2006-703, the pupil plan must
contain the results of the continuous evaluation of the teaching in every subject and must contain information on follow-up strategies in relation to the results of the continuous assessment.
The assessment in arts activities is similar to that used in other subjects. However, in forms 8 and 9, the pupils receive general proficiency marks, but not for their arts activities.
According to the aforementioned Act on the Folkeskole, the continuous evaluation is used and should
be seen in relation to the grade and end targets of the subjects. Thus teacher assessment consists of a judgement in relation to curricular content.
The assessment is recorded in pupil plans, which can be physical or electronic documents which are given to pupils and parents. The pupil plans have a triple purpose:
a foundation on which to guide the individual pupil a planning of future teaching
a method to inform the parents of the pupils' benefits of the teaching (Act on the Folkeskole,
section 13, subsection 2).
If a pupil receives a low grade or fails to meet the expected standard in an arts subject or if a pupil receives a high grade or exceeds the expected standard in an arts subject, presumably this would appear in the pupil plan and a follow-up strategy would be made.
No external test/examination is used in the arts.
4.2 Monitoring of standards
In the Act on the Folkeskole it is stipulated that the Council of Evaluation and Quality Development of
the Folkeskole(Rådet for Evaluering og Kvalitetsudvikling af Folkeskolen) should follow, evaluate and
advise the Minister of Education on the academic and pedagogical developments in the Folkeskole. The chairmanship of the council should before 1st March publish an annual report, which proposes initiatives to develop the quality of the Folkeskole. However, the main findings of the 2008 report do
not concern arts subjects.
5. Teacher education in the arts
5.1 Initial teacher education
In the Act on the Bachelor of Education, L2006-579 (Act no. 579 of 09/06/2006), which regulates the education that would-be teachers to the Folkeskole has to complete, it is stated that the student
instance carry 72 ECTS points; the main subjects have to consist of 108 ECTS in total). Teachers in
the Folkeskole are thus semi-specialist according to the abovementioned definitions.
As teachers of the Folkeskole have a limited number of main subjects (2-3 if educated under the
current act, L2006-579, or 4 if educated under the previous act, L2000-981) all arts subjects are taught by semi-specialist teachers.
The aims of the education in visual arts are according to the current act on the education of teachers: To communicate in, differentiate between and reflect on the use of different visual forms, genres
and medias.
To select, justify and evaluate goals of the teaching in visual arts in accordance with central regulations and taking into consideration different age groups of pupils and their respective starting points.
To plan, execute and evaluate visual production processes taking into consideration the special conditions of aesthetic production processes and with an understanding of the potential development of knowledge and innovative skills of the pupils.
To analyse, reflect, discuss, develop and competently express in writing or orally about the teaching in visual arts in different contexts and in relation to different year groups.
To use visual forms of representation and different visual media and information technology as tools in the profession of teaching in general and as tools to communication, presentation and teaching in visual arts and other subjects.
The central knowledge and skill areas of visual arts are:
Knowledge and skills to justify, plan, complete, document and evaluate teaching with progression and targets in relation to pupils in different year groups and with different starting points.
Knowledge and understanding of potential learning from and development of representative, receptive and analytical work with different forms of visual expression.
Concepts about visual qualifications related to the globalised society, working life, leisure, culture and teaching.
It is further stipulated that visual qualifications rest on visual knowledge, understanding and ability of expression and is developed through the interaction with practical visual production and studies. The education of a teacher in music involves:
The aim is that the prospective teacher obtains professional qualifications as a music teacher and is able to work methodologically, individually and reflectively with music teaching and the development thereof.
That the teacher is able to contribute to the development of the pupils' independent, many-sided and lively relationship to music.
Persons with special qualifications can be employed in the Folkeskole to teach subjects within their
area of competence (the Act on the Folkeskole, LBKG2007-1049, chapter 4, section 28, subsection 2). The Ministry of Education can specify requirements of qualification for persons with special teaching tasks (the Act on the Folkeskole, section 30a).
In the memorandum by the Ministry of Education on the structure of positions at institutions of medium-cycle higher education it is specified that teachers are employed either as lecturer or
presupposed that the applicant has qualifications which are documented within the subject area and that these qualifications are of higher level than the final level of the students. Lecturers can be employed part-time (although less than half time is not permitted) on the same requirements as mentioned above. In sum, professional artists can contribute to the education of prospective arts teachers if they fulfil the above requirements.
5.2 Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
From the 1st of January 2008, all teacher training and CPD has been moved from the Education Colleges to University Colleges (which also administrate various different professional bachelor educations).
There is no CPD for art teachers.
6. Initiatives
Danish Cultural Canon
One initiative to develop cultural and creative education is the development of the Danish Cultural Canon. The overall general aim of the project was to give all citizens an easy introduction to Danish art and culture and contribute to a lively cultural debate by acting as a yardstick for quality.
It was put together in 2006 by 7 committees within the artistic fields of architecture, visual arts, design and handicrafts, films, dramatic art, music and literature. The members of the committees and their chairmen were all appointed by the Danish Minister of Culture.
The task of each of the committees was to select 12 Danish works within the agreed categories which they felt had given successive new generations an artistic experience of the highest carat. During the course of the work, the canon project evolved constantly, meaning that the music committee felt obliged to extend its work to embrace two lists: 12 works within the popular music genre and 12 within 'classical' or serious music. It also became apparent that it was only natural to add an extra canon to the list – one specially directed at children.
Today the Cultural Canon consists of 108 works spread over nine different categories of art forms. Teachers in all educational levels are encouraged – but not obliged – to implement the Cultural Canon in their teaching, and the Ministry of Education has set up some guidelines which teachers can use as inspiration in working with the Cultural Canon. The Cultural Canon was also published as a book with a DVD or CD ROM. The aim of publishing a canon book was to present the works in a lively, inspiring way. The book was ready on 15 August 2006, when the schools resumed after the summer holiday. It was handed out as free class sets for all primary and lower secondary schools (Folkeskole), upper
secondary schools (Gymnasium), business colleges (Handelsskole), etc., in Denmark. It was also given out free to adult learning centres (VUC), folk high schools (Højskole) and some higher education
establishments. At the same time, the book is on sale in retailers.
The Ministry has also developed a special canon website. The primary purpose of the canon website is to present the canon works in the very best way through sound and picture and to make use of the digital medium's interactive possibilities.
Network for Children and Culture
At central level, in 2003 the Danish Minister for Culture appointed a new agency, Network for Children
and Culture which is to coordinate the tasks within the area of children, culture and the arts and act as
the advisory board to the Ministry of Culture. The network consists of representatives from four of the ministry's institutions together with three ministries: the Danish Agency for Libraries and Media, the
National Cultural Heritage Agency, The Arts Council, the Danish Film Institute, The Ministry of Culture, The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Social Welfare.
The network is to ensure that all government grants for children, culture and the arts are spent in the most effective and comprehensive way. The network will encourage cultural institutions to join forces in the great variety of projects on children and culture and help to develop new methods. The network is also responsible for the development of the Ministry of Culture's webportal on children, culture and the arts. Here, the network features current examples of actual activities within children, culture and the arts in day-care institutions, schools and cultural institutions which could inspire others. The Network also promotes best practice examples via its publications and conferences.
The network's future activities are described in the network's action plan. Children, culture and the arts nationwideis the title of the action plan. This is to underline the fact that culture for and with children is
not confined to certain children in certain parts of the country. Art and culture must be given equal conditions in all parts of the country and the offers must be equally distributed. They have therefore chosen three main themes for the new action plan, which is to produce response in the new greater municipalities:
Culture in the day-care institutions Culture in the primary school Culture in the family
The three themes are all important action lines in which seasoned as well as new networking partners can see themselves reflected. Each theme will generate close collaboration with relevant organisations and institutions within the specific areas. The aim is to broaden children’s cultural world and improve the quality. This will happen in an interplay between the productive and creative forces on the one side, the many cultural educators, teachers and pedagogues on the other and finally through initiatives that will also benefit families with young children.
Examples of initiatives of the network:
The campaign on children and literature guarantees that a broad section of children from 0-16
everywhere in the country are having their interest in picture books and fiction stimulated, both in their spare time, in day-care institutions and at school. The Network’s three ministries have since 2003 cooperated in the campaign, which i.a. provides funding for local activities up and down the country. Via the In-house artist scheme the Danish Arts Agency gives children the chance to meet the arts
and the artist by providing financial support to primary and lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools and day-care institutions to employ artists for longer or shorter periods.
With the introduction of History day the Ministry of Culture has provided new frames for the meeting
with the cultural heritage of all children in every region of the country. The meeting is arranged in collaboration with cultural institutions, association and schools.
7. Ongoing reforms and proposals
Action plan for the strengthening of the practical/musical subjects in the Folkeskole
Of the Danish government's globalisation strategy from 2006, it is clear that school has to help pupils to be creative, dependent and responsible citizens. In this connection, the teaching in the Folkeskole
Folkeskole. The group submitted a report in 2007 which among other things built on the report 'The
ildsjæl in the Classroom' (please see below in 'National Surveys'). The Danish Parliament has later on decided that:
'The practical and creative subjects in the Folkeskole are important – not only because the subjects can equip the pupils with significant competences but also because the subjects contribute to pupils' development. The Danish Parliament is very positive towards the idea of an extension of the education in the practical and creative subjects as well as the idea of evaluation and final tests in order to put more focus on the subjects.
The government has therefore presented an action plan in order to strengthen children and young people's practical, musical and arts skills. Tests with final exams in music, art and a new subject, 'craft and design' are important parts of the plan.
The Danish Minister of Education has announced that the government has already strengthened the academic subjects, now the time has come for the practical, musical and arts subjects, which are just as important. These are formation subjects, which develop pupils' cultural understanding, muscular activity and their eye for detail.
The action plan contains the following:
Tests with final examinations in optional subjects such as music, visual arts and craft and design similar to existing possibility of examinations in the optional subjects such as wood and metal work are being established.
Furthermore, tests with evaluations of the pupils' level at the end of the compulsory teaching in visual arts, craft work, wood and metal work, needlework/Design and craft and design are being established. The tests will run from 2009-2011.
Tests with stretching the course of teaching so that pupils receive teaching in the subjects music and visual arts through the whole of the Folkeskole are being established. The tests will run from 2009-2011.
Tests with the new subject 'craft and design' between the 4th and 7th grade and an optional subject in the 8th and 9th grade are being established. The tests will run from 2009-2011.
Tests with a new health profile for the sport subjects in cooperation with 'home economics/domestic science' in the older classes are being established. The tests will run from 2009-2011.
The government has issued a net based inspiration leaflet on common singing in the school. A three year singing campaign will run from 2009-2011.
A new agreement is to put more focus on pupils' exhibitions, concerts and other forms of expression of the pupils' work with the practical and musical subjects in the Folkeskole teaching.
The government strengthens the teaching through new teaching plans (common goals) for the practical/musical subjects starting from the school year 2009/10.
With regards to teacher training, the following new changes are being looked into:
The possibility of reestablishing the master education in visual arts, needlework/design, wood and metal work and home economics/domestic Science. The government will start the investigation in 2009.
If the education and CPD of musical teachers in the Folkeskole can be carried out in cooperation
with the music academy and if the music academy's educated teachers can teach in the
if teachers from craft-like educations as well as teachers which are connected to other educational institutions can teach in the Folkeskole.
The government is working towards strengthening pupils' attitude and relations to the professional art in school. Interested schools can hire artists for a shorter or longer period of time through music schools which offer concerts to the schools as well as hire them to a number of other initiatives which present different forms of art to the pupils.
The government will take initiative to look into the need and the possibility of establishing a knowledge centre for the practical/musical subjects. The study will start in 2009.
The government will take initiative to a survey of the practical/musical subjects and terms in the
Folkeskole as well as an assessment of young people's use and need for culture. Both initiatives are
to start in 2009.
On the background of an evaluation of the relevant tests and surveys, the government will submit a report to the Danish Parliament of the need for further initiatives for a strengthening of the practical/musical subjects. This will happen in 2011.
Also, one of the tasks of the Network for Children and Culture (see point 6) is also to prepare suggestions and improvements for art courses in schools, to develop teaching material based on the museums’ existing cultural education, and on the digitisation of access to the museums’ collections, making it easier for the schools to incorporate these in their teaching in the future.
Common Objectives for all subjects are also planned to be continuously updated.
8. Existing national surveys and reports on practice
'The Ildsjæl in the Classroom' – A Review of Danish Arts Education in the Folkeskole’ by Professor
Anne Bamford Wimbledon School of Art and Professor Matt Qvortrup The Robert Gordon University. The report (1) examines if there is a link between the number of hours in arts subjects in the
Folkeskole and Denmark's low score in Pisa in literacy and numeracy.
Unrevised English
Author: Anders Vrangbaek Riis (avr@ciriusmail.dk)
For detailed information on the educational system and teacher education, please see Eurybase on www.eurydice.org
