Education and the Arts

 

Education and the Arts

The rationale of the Arts learning area within the Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2024) identifies the arts in human culture as a means of sharing stories, ideas, and knowledge across diverse communities. Through artistic expression, individuals engage their senses, imagination, and critical thinking skills, developing social and emotional well-being and enabling the exploration of new possibilities. The arts are integral to education, providing opportunities for learners to develop cross-curricular understandings and cultural awareness while building their creative and communicative abilities. The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Declaration (Department of Education, 2019) outlines the goals to an inclusive approach to education, promoting equity, cultural responsiveness, and the development skills to ensure students can participate in modern society. While not specific to arts education, its principles support the role of the arts in supporting creativity, cultural understanding, and global citizenship. By aligning arts education with the goals set out in the declaration, educators can create engaging learning environments that encourage students to grow personally, academically, and as active members of society.

 

It is also important to note that despite the benefits of arts education, challenges continue to persist in achieving its full potential within the curriculum (Ewing, 2020). The ongoing marginalisation of arts education, coupled with a lack of teacher professional learning and resources, poses significant barriers to providing all students with a comprehensive arts education (Ewing, 2020). To address these challenges, Ewing (2020) recognised that there is a need to invest in training for pre-service teachers, provide ongoing professional development, and ensure access to arts experiences and resources is equitable.

References

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting [ACARA. (2024). Learning areas. ACARA. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/downloads/learning-areas#accordion-b71b085f07-item-823ed8cb93

Department of Education. (2019). The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) education declaration. Department of Education. https://www.education.gov.au/alice-springs-mparntwe-education-declaration/resources/alice-springs-mparntwe-education-declaration

Ewing, R. (2020). The Australian Curriculum: The Arts. A critical opportunity. Curriculum Perspectives, 40(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41297-019-00098-w