Title: Play for Humanities, the More-than-Human, and Shared Futures- Cultures of Play and Festivity (Play and Celebration Cultures – Aesthetic, Performative and Social Spaces in the Classroom)

in cooperation with Univ.-Prof. Mag.a Dr.a Ruth Mateus-Berr and Univ.-Lekt. Petra Weixelbraun MEd. (Research Theories and Methods in Subject Didactics KKP & DEX)

The aim of this course is to develop an individual teaching concept for the respective subject (Art and Design or Technology and Design), starting from one's own artistic exploration, which has a clear reference to and alignment with the curriculum. This concept is to be trialled and tested in practice within the framework of the teaching practicum, and subsequently reflected upon, evaluated and adapted. The adapted concept will be prepared as an Open Source Toolbook at the end of the course, which will be made available to other teachers as a resource for their own teaching practice. 

Play and celebration cultures offer a wide range of approaches for art and design education as well as for technology and design. They can foster social competencies, enrich learning objectives playfully through informal learning structures, or create a sense of security through associated rituals, encouraging students to take risks in experimental design processes. Students are invited to choose their own approach, depending on their interests, personality and subject-specific orientation. They can draw on a variety of perspectives: performative approaches to staging and performance, ritual-theoretical perspectives on repetition, social-anthropological approaches to community and cultural practices, philosophical foundations of play, or material- and process-oriented approaches.

Prior attendance of the course "Translation I" (Übersetzen I) in the chosen subject is strongly recommended, as this course can build upon the knowledge and experience gained there.

Research Question: How can play and celebration cultures be utilised as aesthetic, performative and social spaces for the development of individual, curriculum-compliant teaching concepts in the subjects of Art and Design as well as Technology and Design, and how can these concepts be trialled in practice, reflected upon, and transferred into a transferable Open Source Toolbook?

30% classroom presentation (2-minute concept presentation, 10-minute interactive peer teaching sequence) and active participation.

40% written assignment involving artistic experimentation, consisting of the following sections (all related to the course topic), total length 15,000–18,000 characters

○ Cover page (See template on the Subject Didactics homepage)

○ Introduction & description of the lesson unit & connection to the course topic

○ Description of the artistic work, pilot project, and initial situation

○ Lesson plan (toolbook with self-taken photos of the artistic pilot project, inastructions for teachers)

○ Subject-specific didactic contextualization

○ Reflection on the practicum

○ Formulation of the learning objective and critical reflection on how students achieved this objective through their work

○ Conclusion (overall experience from the school-based pilot)

○ Bibliography (at least 10 sources, at least 5 of which are from subject didactics)

○ Formulation of an exam question related to one’s own presentation.

30% written exam component: The exam covers all presentations given during the course, the instructor’s input, and the students’ own contributions. Procedure: One exam question (a subject-specific and school-practical problem based on a student’s toolbook) will be posed, which must be answered by hand. Exam duration: 20 minutes. To receive a passing overall grade, all three components must be completed successfully.

Final submission deadline: November 20, 2026, for the toolbook
February 28, 2027, for all other written components

1. Prior attendance of the course "Translation I" (Übersetzen I) is strongly recommended. A maximum of 15 students can be admitted to this course. We ask for your understanding and kindly refer you to alternative course offerings.

2. This course must be taken in parallel with the subject-related school practicum (FASP – Fachbezogene Schulpraxis).

3. This course must be taken in parallel with the supervision sessions accompanying the subject-related school practicum (FASP).

4. Regular and continuous attendance is required (a maximum of three excused absences, equivalent to 6 teaching units, is permitted). In the event of more than three absences, the course must be repeated.

5. If the submission deadline cannot be met due to health reasons or other personal circumstances, an email must be sent to the course instructor no later than the final day of the deadline. Only in this case can an extension of 14 days be granted.

6. In the event of a severe illness or an inclusive need, we kindly ask students to contact Ms. Veronika Merklein [Disability Officer for Students] (veronika.merklein@uni-ak.ac.at).

7. Submission of the seminar paper and the Toolbook: The seminar paper is to be sent by email to the course instructor. The Toolbook is to be uploaded as a packaged InDesign file to the Base platform of the respective course (please observe the submission deadlines).

8. Access to InDesign: The software (as well as training sessions) is available to every student of the Angewandte throughout their studies at the Computer Studio (OKP 5th floor, room 510). This requires a one-time independent request via email to computerstudio@uni-ak.ac.at, including your full name, student ID number (Matrikelnummer), and degree programme. You may then collect the key from the porter's desk upon presentation of your ID. For any problems or questions regarding the software (PS, AI, InDesign, After Effects, Animate, WordPress, general project consulting, etc.), Ms. Birgit Hertel is available on site to assist you; office hours can be found here: https://computerstudio.uni-ak.ac.at/#sprech. The Computer Studio can be used 24/7, provided no course is currently taking place: https://computerstudio.uni-ak.ac.at/#kalender. Further information is available at: https://computerstudio.uni-ak.ac.at/