Mellem fritid og faglighed – nye veje til dannelse

Potentialer og dilemmaer ved at anvende de studerendes fritid som ramme for dannelsesprocesser i professionsuddannelser

Abstract

This article explores the potential and dilemmas of incorporating students’ leisure experiences into teaching within professional education programs. Based on a design-based research approach and a three-week learning experiment involving 76 communication students at the Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX), the study investigates how leisure activities can contribute to both academic and personal development.  The analysis shows that when teaching draws attention to students’ leisure time, new perspectives on professional identity and knowledge emerge. Students develop a more nuanced understanding of the societal role of their field and how it connects to their personal identity, education, and future careers. We argue that the interplay between leisure and education holds particular potential for supporting the subjectifying dimension of students' formation processes.  The article also addresses the dilemmas that arise when leisure - commonly understood as free and self-directed time - is brought into the educational context. Moreover, the study demonstrates that pedagogical tools such as dialogue, mirroring, and the externalization of thoughts effectively support the qualifying, socializing, and subjectifying aims of education. Finally, the project prompted a reflective shift among us as educators and researchers - from an initially instrumental approach to a more existential perspective on education. We conclude that leisure thus represent an ideal theme for educational programs aiming to be more world oriented.