Learning in the Arts

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

125 hours. Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the HDisability Liaison Unit websiteH: Hhttp://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/H

This subject investigates the distinctive forms of knowledge and understanding characteristics of learning in the arts, together with their outcomes and how they are evidenced, and explores strategies for implementation and advocacy.

Through critical observation and close analysis of their own or another arts-based educational context, the students identify the integral connections between arts, play and creativity; the role of the arts in shaping the development of understanding of the external world and cultural, interpersonal and individual identities; and arts-specific forms of cognitive, critical, sensory, emotional and kinaesthetic understanding

This leads to exploration of the manifestations and outcomes of art-based learning – and how these outcomes are evidenced in research, literature and practice.

This in turn leads into addressing the strategic imperatives for arts-based learning in terms of implementation, policy change and advocacy in micro- and macro-social contexts

The students will:

• Understand the relationship of the arts to play and creativity, and their impact on cognitive, sensory, emotional, social and kinaesthetic learning;
• Identify the ways in which learning in and through the arts can produce clearly evidenced outcomes, and explore ways of evaluating the effects of learning in and through the arts;
• Investigate the strategies needed to create an arts-conscious education policy, and implement an effective arts-based learning environment.

Essay: Part 2 Identification and critical analysis of how arts learning can be evaluated and its outcomes evidenced. (Objective 2) 2000 words (40 per cent Due at the end of semester.)
Either: Make an oral presentation (5/10 minutes) articulating an arts advocacy position for a specific and given context and audience; or Create a D/L advocacy brochure for the same specific and given context and audience. (relating to Objective 3).

NB the criteria for these two tasks will be the same, apart from one comparable criterion relating to the chosen presentation form (30% due during semester)

Sinclair, C., Jeanneret, N., & O’Toole, J. (eds) (2008). Education in the arts – teaching and learning in the contemporary curriculum. Melbourne: OUP.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Creative and critical observational and thinking skills
• Presentational, dialogic and written communication skills
• Organisation and management of diverse information and data into analytical, synthetical and strategic configurations.