Promoting student well‐being: Exploring participatory arts in a higher education institution

The proportion of students studying in higher education institutions who are experiencing mental health needs and social isolation is increasing. Innovative ways to improve wellbeing and social inclusion are urgently required, as the growing demands on student counselling services exceed capacity. Previous research in a variety of different populations has shown that participatory arts projects may have beneficial effects on general wellbeing. Therefore the aim of this pilot study was to ascertain whether such a course could be feasibly developed within a university setting, and whether there was any preliminary indication that this could be useful for students who wish to benefit from increased wellbeing and/or social inclusion. In collaboration with student services, a twelve-week participatory arts course was advertised across the university. A total of 14 students attended the pilot participatory arts course, Open Arts, and students attended a mean number of six visual art sessions. Students providing both baseline and post-intervention questionnaires (50%) reported gains in confidence (71.4%), motivation (85.7%) and in their social relationships (71.5%). Non-significant encouraging trends for improvements on validated measures of wellbeing and social inclusion were found, and all students feeding back reported that they intended to continue making art, had enjoyed Open Arts and would recommend the course to a friend. Those attempting to gain accreditation with the course attended more sessions than those not attempting accreditation. Recommendations based on the results from the pilot project can be used to develop future participatory arts courses for students within higher education.

Background/Objectives: Art-based community projects positively impact mental health recovery by fostering creativity, self-expression, and social engagement. Despite growing evidence on participatory art interventions, limited studies have used a mixed-methods approach to examine their effects. The present study examines how participation in the Artistic Couples project influences individuals' subjective perceptions of recovery, psychological well-being, and self-stigma. Methods: This exploratory multi-center study employed an embedded mixed-methods design, integrating qualitative Photovoice methodology with a quantitative pre-post survey. Participants (N = 30) from five mental health institutions across Catalonia engaged in collaborative art creation with local artists. Qualitative data from Photovoice discussions and semi-structured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, while quantitative data from standardized measures were examined using paired t-tests and correlation analysis. Results: Qualitative findings revealed the following three key themes: (1) artmaking as an artistic couple, emphasizing the collaborative process and art as a means of self-expression; (2) social connections, highlighting increased belonging, emotional support, and reduced loneliness; and (3) understanding mental health recovery, showcasing art's role in identity reconstruction and personal growth. Quantitative results indicated a significant improvement in the "Connecting and Belonging" subscale of the RAS-DS (t = -2.51; p = 0.023), particularly among women (t = -2.85; p = 0.019), suggesting enhanced social integration. However, no statistically significant changes were observed in overall recovery, well-being, or self-stigma scores. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that participatory community art projects enhance social connections and self-expression, which are key elements of mental health recovery. The findings suggest that creative collaborations facilitate emotional processing and challenge stigma. The improvement in social belonging supports integrating arts-based interventions in recovery-oriented care. Future research should examine long-term effects and gender-sensitive approaches.

This article centres on the exchange of necessities, projections, ways of behaving and of establishing relations, of people involved in participatory art projects and collective artistic practices. For that, we explore how these exchanges happen, thinking about the transactions (from the point of view of the Transactional Analysis), the transferences and counter transferences (from Freudian Psychoanalysis), the concept of “habitus” (of Pierre Bourdieu’s sociology) and the transitional phenomena (from Donald W. Winnicott’s theory). We cross these concepts with the artistic fact andspecifically with ways of doing art usually appointed under labels such as Participatory Art, Collaborative Art, Relational Art, Dialogical Art, Community Art, Social Engaged Art, Artivism, New Genre Public Art and Useful Art. We pay attention to artistic practices that specifically put the focusof interest on exploring different possibilities of sociability that let people and collectives make transitions (ideological, practical, emotional, material, relational ones…) from one situation or position to another. We call “Transart” to this kind of artistic practice that works under the idea that art isa human creation that experiment with ways of exchange, that facilitate transits and that can contribute to processes of transformation.

The article examines the scientific problem of designing the aesthetic experience formation in 4th-grade students during art lessons. The concepts of experience, aesthetic experience, and aesthetic experience of a fourth grader are clarified. The main focus is on students’ mini-project activities. The article highlights the design-based formation of aesthetic experience as the foundation for artistic and creative activity, the basis of which is artistic creativity. It is determined that aesthetic experience is the result of previous artistic and creative activity during art lessons in grades 1 to 3. Adapted and original creative mini-projects are outlined. The appropriate tools are identified, as well as their use in teachers’ practical work. Practical recommendations and cases are provided. Future research prospects are defined in enriching the line of mini-projects that can be integrated into art projects according to the content of the integrated course “Art” and the thematic planning for grade 4. Aesthetic experience is not only knowledge about art but primarily an internal process of spiritual perception of beauty that shapes the student's personal stance. In turn, the aesthetic experience of fourth graders is a combination of artistic knowledge (in line with the content of the "Art" course) and skills that ensure emotional perception and intellectual understanding of artistic images and phenomena. These are formed within the motivational-creative, emotional-sensory, and axiological-orientational spheres of student activity. It is important to consider that by the 4th grade, the emotional sphere of students becomes more stable. However, the need for play, vivid impressions, and artistic experimentation remains a leading one. It is essential to support students' cognitive interest in art through interactivity, the opportunity to choose, self-evaluate creative results, and experiment. Therefore, the project-based formation of aesthetic experience must take into account both the age-specific characteristics of fourth graders and the components of aesthetic experience (drive, need, incentive, interest, feelings, emotions, experiences, evaluations, tastes, ideals, views) as well as the factors influencing its formation (availability of an emotionally safe environment; interactive interaction; motivational significance; individualization). As an example, we developed a series of mini-projects (Impression Art Diary, Music in Motion, The Color of Music – Painting the Sound, What Emotion Lives in Music?, Two Sides of the Artistic Palette: Good and Evil in Colors and Sounds, My Art – My Choice) to help shape the aesthetic experience of fourth-grade students. The prospects for further research lie in designing the aesthetic experience formation of primary school students through the use of short- and long-term art projects.

Las propuestas artísticas participativas comportan un tipo de conducta social. Considerar esta como un intercambio nos puede ayudar a pensar qué tipo de comportamientos estamos construyendo los artistas con los participantes en los dispositivos artísticos que planteamos. Para preguntarnos sobre “¿a qué estamos jugamos en los proyectos de arte participativo?” recurrimos a la teoría del análisis transaccional para encontrar mecánicas que a modo de patrones de conducta, nos hablen de eso que buscamos en estos proyectos, lo que satisfacemos y cómo lo hacemos.

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<p class="first" id="d1033310e75">This paper explores the historical discourse around migrant voices within British art history, why now is the time to address these subjects and how through the use of participatory digital art it is possible to educate for social change. The paper will focus in particular on <i>shemza.digital</i>, a digital and interactive participatory art project created by Aphra Shemza and Stuart Batchelor. The project was funded by Arts Council England and based on the work of the British/Pakistani painter Anwar Jalal Shemza.

The paper summarizes the experience in higher education institutions financing, substantiates the trends in their financial support models diversification. The study systematizes approaches to the organization of higher education institutions financing under market conditions and reveals their advantages and disadvantages in terms of the effects at the level of an individual and society as a whole. It defines tools and models of the financing under orientation on demand, supply and strategic purposes of the national development. The study proves the need to substantiate the rational balance of individual and social effects in higher education institutions financing, which can be achieved through a combination of market self-regulation and state regulation of the higher education services market. The system of methods was used in the study, namely: monographic – to define the research aim and conclusions, the method of theoretical generalization of foreign and domestic scientists was used to critically analyze the existing approaches to the organization of financing the work of agricultural education higher institutions. General scientific methods of cognition, such as analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, systemic integrated approach, were used to systematize the models of financial support for higher agricultural education institutions and to generalize the conclusions. The paper substantiated that the state should take leading positions in higher education institutions financing. The role of state funding in ensuring sustainable development of agricultural education higher institutions has been identified considering the specificity of educational services and their role in ensuring sustainable development of the agricultural sector of the economy and rural areas. It is argued that the current conditions of free economic development and challenges the institutions face requires focusing on consumer demand and adjusting their educational services through prompt updating the changing educational programs based on modern research, attracting a larger number of stakeholders in the financing model formation. The modern tendencies typical of the market of educational services determining the expansion of the participants of the organization of financing the higher education institutions activity, are considered. The importance of financing elements focused on the innovations development, the role of which will grow in the future, especially in the form of competitive and targeted financing is revealed. It is proved that the results-based approach to the organization of financing also reduces the risks of macroeconomic inefficiency and contributes to reducing the information asymmetry. The obligatory presence of the state in the organization of research funding in higher education institutions is justified due to the positive impact of research on educational services quality and increases their value for an individual and society. The paper considers options for market-oriented higher education financing and the state's demands in terms of the concept of management, public and private funding methods, the education fee. It is established that the changing conditions of the market of educational services require a revision of targets for state funding due to the following factors: increased number of foreign students, use of information and communication technologies, increase in the integration of higher education institutions nationally and internationally. Key words: higher education institution, higher agricultural education, concepts of higher education institution management, methods of free economic education financing, sources of higher education institutions financing.

"An old melody in a new song: aesthetics and the art of psychology" provides comprehensive analysis of the history of 'psychological aesthetics' and considers ways of its future growth. Jovanovic (2018) and Allesch (2018) trace the process of the conception of Aesthetics by Baumgartner, who related aesthetic experiences with sensual and cognitive processes. Subsequently, studies on aesthetic experiences developed predominantly either in objectivist or subjectivist directions, rejecting systematic approaches. Reductionist views prevailed till the appearance of the theory of imagination in cultural psychology. Imagination is considered as a higher mental process. It is the process of exploration through and by means of systematically organized thinking-feeling-acting processes, beyond what is already known, available, achieved or typical. Imagination is activated occasionally, when existing conditions aren't satisfactory in some way or new challenges arise. Imagination is the synthesis of top-down and bottom up processes (Tateo 2018b) and has a transformative power for individuals and sociocultural systems. Particular case studies of the role of music (Klempe 2018), participatory art and the exploration of the meaning of pilgrimage to Ikea (Kristensen 2018) illustrate the work of imagination in terms of systematic interrelatedness of sociocultural factors with individual meaning-making and affective processes. This paper provides the review of inspirational theoretical and empirical material which could serve as a foundation for further advancement of culturally and psychologically informed theory of aesthetics and imaginative processes. It aims to contribute in building ground for moving beyond the reductionist limits and in the construction of systematic approach to human mind.

As a mainstream art form of public art, socially-engaged participatory art takes art as an intervention means to stimulate the public's thinking on relevant social issues. With the expansion of the influence of participatory art in society, relevant problems are gradually emerging. The form of public participation is still limited, the sense of participation is not strong enough, and the acceptance of content is not high enough. The problem behind it mainly comes from the disconnection between social participatory art and regional culture, and the poor interaction with local residents. To solve these problems, improving the way of interactive experience plays an important role in enhancing the public's artistic participation and conveying the core ideas of artistic works. The Art Brut has the characteristics that the creator completes the works with the impulse of personal inspiration and the release of emotions in the creator’s heart. It does not limit the form of artistic expression, and calls on participants without artistic training to express their feelings about things in a direct way. At the spiritual level, it pursues independence and freedom, so it is more easily accepted by the public. By analyzing the examples of Art Brut involved in participatory art, comparing relevant information, analyzing the interactive mode, public participation and implementation of social participatory art projects, this project aims to seek the coincidence points between Art Brut and social participatory art.

In South Africa widening participation in higher education is located within a transformation discourse that sought to change the demographics of the student population in public higher education institutions. Current literature on public higher education participation demographics suggests that the transformation agenda of increasing the participation of previously disadvantaged population groups have been met in terms of headcount. There are, however, concerns raised about equality of opportunity to access public higher education institutions, especially with regard to potential students from deep rural contexts and who have attended school education in impoverished communities. In attempting to address these concerns, higher education institutional marketing became one of the communication tools through which higher education studies were promoted across the country. Although, higher education institutional marketing at Universities of Technology has been well established within South Africa, the marketing recruitment strategy employed was largely intended for the urban and sub-urban contexts. This study focuses on this challenge within a social justice and equality discourse. The study, therefore, engages with the literature on higher education transformation, marketing, social justice, equity and equality to show the complexity of higher education institutional marketing and highlights the inequalities in current marketing strategies and practices that continues to disadvantage marginalised communities from accessing higher education studies. The primary aim of this study is to explore the inequalities in current higher education institutions’ marketing processes to recruit potential students from geographically marginalised communities, with a view to reducing these inequalities. The study explored the marketing strategies employed by a University of Technology to understand the experiences and concerns identified by learners and teachers of deep rural schools in accessing higher education. The case study approach to methodology required a mixed method for the data collection from stakeholders (grade 12 learners and educators) of three secondary schools in three different deep rural contexts. A survey was conducted using a questionnaire to obtain information from grade 12 learners. In addition, the Life Orientation educators of these three schools were interviewed. In order to obtain a holistic perspective of the institutional marketing efforts, current first year university students from deep rural contexts were interviewed to explore their experiences into higher education. The analysis of the data revealed that learners in deep rural contexts were aware of higher education studies, but the information received about accessing and studying at a higher education institution was inadequate to make informed decisions. The study also found that there was a mismatch between what was marketed by higher education institutions and the needs of the learners and the community. Furthermore, the needs and resources for the potential students from disadvantaged communities were identified. Therefore, a customised recruitment strategy is proposed with regard to the promotional materials and processes to encourage and support aspiring higher education students. The findings proposes a marketing strategy that is located within a social justice, equity and equality framework that aligns institutional marketing with the needs of the communities located in deep rural and impoverished contexts. In other words, a strategic community engagement action plan between the university and the department of education is suggested. The study, therefore, makes recommendations to higher education institutions about marketing strategies that would be relevant to a diverse target market, particularly to marginalised or rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal. In addition, the study makes recommendations to address inequalities in institutional marketing that could lead to views about substantive equality needed for higher education transformation within the current South African context.

This chapter introduces the participatory art museum and discusses some of the challenges it raises for philosophical aesthetics. Although participatory art is now an essential part of museological programming, an aesthetic account of participatory art is still missing. The chapter argues that much could be gained from exploring participatory art, as it raises fundamental challenges to our understanding of issues in aesthetics, such as the nature of aesthetic experience, the value of art, and the role of the spectator. Moreover, participatory art fundamentally questions the status of the museum as an exhibition space for contemporary art practices.

In order to manage the demands of university studies, research suggests that university students should possess efficient self-regulated learning (SRL) skills. The use of mobile learning is believed to enhance SRL skills. Yet, despite the potential benefits of mobile learning, many first-year students encounter challenges in using mobile devices to foster self-regulated learning skills. It is against this backdrop that this study aimed to examine how first-year medical students utilisee mobile learning to foster self-regulated learning. This study employed a Explanatory Sequential Study Design , combining both quantitative and qualitative data. It used the interpretativist and pragmatic paradigms to understand how students perceive and use mobile devices for self-regulated learning. The interpretivist paradigm focused on understanding students’ perspectives, while the pragmatic paradigm aimed to identify effective ways of using mobile devices to promote self-regulated learning. Participants to this study were first-year medical students. The mixed-methods approach aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research problem by collecting data through various methods. Questionnaires gathered quantitative data, while participatory observation, reflective workshops, and focus group discussions provided qualitative data. The theoretical frameworks that guide the study include the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model (UTAUT) (Venkatesh et al., 2003) and Vygotsky's (1978) socio-cultural theory (SCT). The study findings revealed that mobile devices were used by first year medical students to manage and control their learning, both inside and outside the classroom. Notably, significant improvements were observed in cognitive learning strategies, metacognitive self-regulation strategies and resource management learning strategies, including time management. Additionally, the study found that first-year medical students had a positive perception of mobile learning. Furthermore, mobile devices were generally perceived as enablers of self-regulated learning (SRL), providing flexibility, convenience, and access to diverse learning resources. However, distractions and interruptions posed challenges to focus and attention. To mitigate these challenges, strategies such as device management and setting boundaries were suggested. Moreover, first-year medical students expressed the need for support in developing SRL through mobile learning. Guidance in selecting effective mobile applications, opportunities for collaborative learning, and technological skill training were identified as essential forms of support. The study thus recommends integrating mobile learning into curricula to enhance self-regulated learning skills in higher education students, especially among first-year students. Higher education institutions should establish deliberate policies and initiatives for mobile learning programs, especially for first-year students. Educators should offer guidance and training on using mobile learning tools effectively, including information searching skill. However, students should be cautious about distractions from the use of mobile devices.

Cultivation of professionalism and dispositional values of junior faculty members/early career academic in higher education institutions is a global challenge. This paper explores how Graduate Assistants are mentored at work in the higher education institutions in Eritrea. The paper assesses the institutional significance and challenges of mentoring the Graduate Assistants in the context of Eritrean higher education institutions. The research involved the leadership of the colleges, the senior faculty members and the Graduate Assistants. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through a Likert scale questionnaire and in-depth interviews. The findings show that Graduate Assistants receive poor professional mentoring at the higher education institutions. A large number of early career academic revealed a need of serious professional molding to effectively shoulder more responsibilities at the colleges. The early career academic are looking for genuine advisement for career aspiration and professional development opportunities. The colleges’ efforts to ensure recognition, delegation, accountability and encouragement of Graduate Assistants are not yet systematic and hardly materialized in practice. The higher education institutions are required of a firm institutional commitment to sharpen the junior staff’s professional competence in teaching and research through mentoring. Based on the findings, alternative mentoring strategies to mentor early career academic at the higher education institutions are forwarded. Keywords : early career academics, graduate assistantship, mentoring, stimulation, inspiration DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-15-01 Publication date: May 31 st 2020

It is worth noting that the utilisation of marketing strategies by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) operates within a complex and unclear environment. This study, therefore, explored the predominant marketing strategies used for branding HEIs in Tanzania. The study adopted an embedded mixed methods research design. Semi-structured interviews with 12 staff members from 6 HEIs, including 6 public relations officers (PROs) and 6 registrars were utilised. An online questionnaire was also administered to 100 students through Google Forms. PROs and registrars were purposively selected, while a convenience sampling technique was applied for student participants. Qualitative data were thematically analysed, while quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 27. The findings indicated no statistically significant differences in the marketing strategies employed by public and private HEIs. This suggests that both private and public-owned HEIs employ a diverse range of marketing strategies, encompassing both traditional and digital approaches to enhance their brand image. The study also identified that word-of-mouth recommendations from current students, alumni, and other influential individuals emerged as a particularly influential marketing channel for HEIs. University websites and various digital platforms were also identified as key branding tools. Traditional approaches such as print media, school visits, and radio/TV advertisements still hold relevance to some extent. The study recommends that HEIs continue to invest in and optimise their digital marketing capabilities while also calling for the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) to provide comprehensive guidance and support for the effective utilisation of both traditional and digital branding approaches.