A challenge to self-education: The purpose and potential of a database annotating works of art for adults who are existential exemplars for children

ABSTRACT

How can an open access database annotating pictures, films, music and texts support adults as existential exemplars? This article explores the opportunities of a Norwegian database called the OE-database. Its target group is all adults who want to become better exemplars for children through encounters with art and conversations in small groups. Educational sources contain many annotations of art and literature for the education of children and youth, but material for adults’ self-education, published in databases and thus easily accessible for all, are lacking. The article invites readers to a critical conversation on the purpose and potential of the OE-database and to create similar databases in other languages. The narratives that provide the foundation of the OE-database are influenced by Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas and Søren Kierkegaard. The article highlights Kierkegaard’s concept ‘upbuilding’ (edification) and three stages in a process that encourage adults to let themselves be ‘built up’ as exemplars.

KEYWORDS:

• Educational humanities
• existential exemplarity
• upbuilding (edification)
• Kierkegaard
• databases

Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge that this study has been supported by the research group Education and existence at NLA University College. I have got encouragement and corrections from Paweł Sikora, Lars Gaute Jøssang, Jostein Sæther, Sissel Gerritsen, Anna Bokedal, Eivind Larsen, Jane Kershaw, Roe Fremstedal, Brian Gates and the anonymous JME referees. Thank you very much!

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. The database can be accessed by typing oppbyggeligeeksempler.no into any browser. It is referred to here as the OE-database. The left menu has links to Annotations (Beskrivelser) of pictures, films, music, and texts plus a search function (Søk). The top menu has information about Editors (REDAKSJON), Authors/contributors (MEDARBEIDERE) and News (NYHETER). For Google Chrome users with non-Norwegian languages the web page can be automatically translated in some form, probably with misunderstandings.

2. ‘Pedagogic,’ a short form of paidagogike techne, combines three elements: practical abilities in, normative principles for and theoretical studies of paideia, i.e., upbringing and Bildung. ‘Pädagogik ist und bleibt … bis heute Kollektivsingular für das ganze Spektrum der praktischen und theoretischen Beschäftigung mit Erziehung’ (Hügli, 1989, p. 4), whereas the concept of ‘pedagogy’ tends to skip the theoretical element.

3. A better translation of ‘åndsfrihet’ is ‘spiritual freedom’ (ånd = spirit).

4. ‘Kjerlighed, vil … om muligt forene de meest Forskjellige i den væsentlige Sandhed.’

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Stein M. Wivestad

Stein M. Wivestad is professor at NLA University College in Norway. His research interests are general pedagogic (Allgemeine Pädagogik), history of educational ideas and education through the arts. He has published articles on education as e-duction and pro-duction, on becoming better human beings, on conditions for upbuilding according to Kierkegaard and on Thomas Aquinas and education. He has also co-authored an article on transhumanist values in light of education.