Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit provides pre–service teachers with an introduction to Arts education. The Arts make a unique contribution to children’s education, enhancing their social–emotional well–being and promoting creativity, cultural understanding and social harmony. Teachers must be equipped with knowledge and skills in The Arts disciplines and pedagogy to provide learning experiences for children.
Through research and exploration pre–service teachers will develop foundational knowledge and understandings of Arts practice, pedagogical principles and curriculum structures within Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music and Visual Arts. Through engagement in practical activities, analysis and discussion they will develop skills in making and responding across five distinct Arts disciplines, with an emphasis on practical application in the classroom/learning environment. Pre–service teachers will apply and demonstrate their conceptual, pedagogical and curriculum knowledge through developing learning experiences that are responsive to the needs of diverse learners in school settings.
This unit aims to develop skills and confidence in providing active, developmental and differentiated learning experiences in the Arts for diverse contexts.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Interpret the concepts, substance and structure of...
Learning Outcome 01
Explain relationships between children and their l...
Learning Outcome 02
Employ a range of teaching strategies suitable for...
Learning Outcome 03
Evaluate a range of resources for engaging childre...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Overview of ‘The Arts’ and related national and state-based curriculum, including connections to General Capabilities and Cross-curricular priorities
- Arts in society, including relationships between artists, audience and artworks
- First Nations’ art forms and works
- Approaches to teaching and learning in The Arts, including child development and diversity
- Concepts, elements, and practices of distinct art forms/disciplines
- Curriculum structure and practices of making and responding in art forms/disciplines
- Assessment practices in The Arts, including formative and summative approaches to professional judgement-making of performance across art forms
- Strategies for facilitating children’s learning in the Arts, including play-based pedagogies, creative and collaborative exploration, and acknowledging Aboriginal Ways of Knowing
- Strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the strengths and needs of diverse learners
- Planning, implementing and evaluating learning experiences in art forms/disciplines
- Appropriate selection and use of resources, including artworks from diverse cultures and ICTs
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy in this unit is grounded in formative learning and assessment experiences developed through shared practical tasks that mimic the ‘real-world’ of schools. Arts skills will be developed through preparing special interest tasks and sharing these with peers in tutorial experiences. Reflective practice is encouraged through critical reflection on these learning activities. These experiences build towards the summative assessment.
Task 1 facilitates formative learning and assessment experiences through the development of an Arts practice journal that evidences and reflects on tutorial and other Arts experiences, considering the role and benefits of The Arts within primary education. Task 2 asks pre-service teachers to build practical and professional arts kits to support engaging primary learners with The Arts. Preservice teachers will need to demonstrate engagement with at least four different Arts disciplines across these two tasks.
The two assessment tasks are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development of content knowledge and skills in the curriculum pedagogy and assessment of Arts teaching.
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate the achievement of each learning outcome. To pass this unit, pre-service teachers are required to complete all assessment tasks and achieve an overall Pass grade.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Practice Journal: Professional...
Assessment Task 1: Practice Journal: Professional Learning in The Arts
Maintain an Arts practice journal based on your learning in tutorial workshops and other self-initiated activities. Your journal should include evidence of engagement in making and responding to various Arts forms. You should include at least two arts experiences that you have engaged with across the first half of the semester. Entries should critically reflect on pedagogical implications and curriculum connections relevant to the engaging primary students with the selected experiences. Write a summary reflection that considers (1) what you have learnt as a participant, (2) how this will inform your future teaching practice, and (3) ongoing personal and professional learning needs for effective teaching of The Arts in primary contexts.
40%
Assessment Task 2: Arts Teacher Resource Kit Des...
Assessment Task 2: Arts Teacher Resource Kit
Design two educational resource kits to support teachers to engage primary learners in The Arts within a specific concept, topic or theme. The kits should focus on two arts disciplines not covered in the first assessment task. You should include curriculum links, lesson and assessment ideas, relevant Arts pedagogies and resources. Issues of cultural sensitivity, student safety and inclusion should be considered. Prepare an infographic that provides a visual summary of each kit and its relevance to supporting primary students learning in The Arts.
60%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The learning and teaching strategy for this unit is based on a constructivist approach that recognises that learning builds on pre-existing understandings shaped by learner’s sociocultural context. The unit includes strategies that encourage active learning and engagement to consolidate and apply knowledge to problem-solving tasks and develop analytical skills. The learning and teaching strategy is achieved through a range of learning activities such as active participation in arts activities, reading, reflection and discussion.
In this unit, pre-service teachers will experience Arts education in action. They will build their knowledge and skills through engagement in authentic arts-making and responding activities. They will build their knowledge of the Arts curriculum and Arts-specific pedagogy, and develop their ability to work autonomously in locating, organising, and synthesising information for effective planning and teaching. The ability to work collaboratively will be developed through designing teaching and learning activities, culminating in presentations to the class and/or an audience. Consideration will be given to the diverse prior experiences of pre-service teachers across the range of art forms and disciplines that are explored to effectively cater to diverse strengths and needs. Reflective practice will be promoted through critical reflection on these learning experiences.
ACECQA Curriculum Specifications
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) standards:
Relating to
Alternative pedagogies and curriculum approaches
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3
Relating to
Play based pedagogies
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating to
Teaching methods and strategies
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating to
Children with diverse needs and backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating to
The Australian curriculum
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating to
Creative arts and music
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating to
Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3
Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toKnow and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3
Relating toImplement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3
Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Core Content
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the AITSL Core Content:
Relating toThe key features of coherent and deliberate planning and sequencing of tasks and lessons including curriculum-aligned learning objectives, clear descriptions of how students will show evidence of mastery, the common progression of learning in a subject area and the critical curriculum knowledge needed for students to progress.
Relevant learningLO1, LO2
Relating toHow to plan a sequence of lessons that incorporate spacing and retrieval practice, build upon each other, meet students where they are in their learning and help students retrieve past learning and consolidate it in long-term memory.
Relevant learningLO1, LO2, LO3
Relating toHow to explicitly model new skills and content through ‘worked examples’ that clearly demonstrate how to complete the task, followed by a progressive removal of scaffolding as students become more proficient.
Relevant learningLO2, LO3
Relating toThe content covered in the Australian Curriculum Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority across stages and subjects.
Relevant learningLO1, LO4
Relating toExplicitly teach the concept of cultural safety and explore practical examples of what it can look like in a classroom context.
Relevant learningLO2, LO3, LO4
Representative texts and references
Recommended texts and references
Dinham, J. (2022). Delivering Authentic Arts Education, Cengage Learning Australia.
Russell-Bowie, D. (2014). MMADD about the arts! An introduction to primary arts education (4th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). Australian Curriculum: The Arts, Version 9.0. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/
New South Wales Education Standards Authority. (2024). Creative Arts K–6 Syllabus (2024). NSW Curriculum. https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/learning-areas/creative-arts/creative-arts-k-6-2024/overview
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (n.d.). Victorian Curriculum: The Arts, Version 2.0. Victorian Curriculum F–10. https://f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au/overview/aboutVictorian Curriculum F–10+1Victorian Curriculum+1
Recommended references
Abbs, P. (1987). Living powers: the arts in education. The Falmer Press.
Bloomfield, A., & Childs, J., (2013). Teaching integrated arts in the primary school: Dance, drama, music and the visual arts. Routledge.
Buckingham, D., & Willett, R. (2013). Digital generations: Children, young people, and new media. Laurence Erlbaum Associates.
Caldwell, B., & Vaughan, T. (2012). Transforming education through the arts. Routledge.
Dinham, J. (2020). Delivering authentic arts education (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning Australia.
Daubney, A. (2017). Teaching primary music. Sage Publications.
Dyson, J. (2019). More than words can say. (3rd ed.). Canberra, Australia: National Advocates for Arts Education. Retrieved from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c7763c2778897204743a4c4/t/5ce4e34ad77bf50001a63f5c/1558504312124/MTWCS_2019.pdf
Ewing, R.A, & Saunders, J.N. (2016). The school drama book: Drama, literature and literacy in the creative classroom. Sydney, NSW: Currency Press.
Gibson, R., & Ewing R. (2020). Transforming the curriculum through the arts (2nd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
Haseman, B. & O’Toole, J. (2017). Dramawise Reimagined: Learning to manage the elements of drama. Sydney, NSW: Currency Press.
Koster, J. B. (2015). Growing artists: Teaching art to young children (6th ed.). Wadsworth Cengage Learning
McCarthy-Brown, N. (2017). Dance pedagogy for a diverse world: Culturally relevant teaching in theory, research and practice. Jefferson North Carolina: McFarland & Company.
Miller, C., & Saxton, J. (2016). Into the story 2. More stories! More drama! Chicago, IL: Intellect Ltd.
Neelands, J., & Goode, T. (2000). Structuring drama work: A handbook of available forms in theatre and drama. (2nd ed.). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
O’Toole, J., & Dunn, J. (2022). Pretending to learn: Teaching Drama in the Primary and Middle Years.
Poston-Anderson, B. (2012). Drama: Learning connections in primary schools (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Rank, K. (2014). Teaching primary dance : A primer for generalist primary teachers. Education Services Australia.
Roy, D., Baker, W., & Hamilton, A. (2019). Teaching and the arts: Early childhood and primary education (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Sinclair, C., Jeanneret, N., & O’Toole, J. (2017). Education in the arts (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press Australia.
Saunders, J.N., Dunn, J., & Chapman, E. (2021). A continuum of drama learning: a resource to support professional conversations and planning from Foundation to Year 10. Australian Drama Education Magazine (17) 49-65, Brisbane, Queensland: Drama Australia.