Working title: ‘Does active experimentation with processes and materials give a developing artist a firmer understanding of their professional practice? How can this concept be developed to enhance the teaching of the subject?’
Introduction:
This inquiry plans to examine the teaching of art at key stage 4 and 5 focusing on the progression of art students from GCSE and A-level. I predict that the encouragement of active experimentation will improve both the quality of the students work and their understanding of the subject. This theory will be investigated by exploring the following key issues: How do students cope with the transition between GCSE and A-level? What constraints are put on art departments by both the school and outside influences and how do these constraints influence the work made by the students? How can this idea be effectively translated into a teaching and learning environment? How do art teachers help to foster the different learning styles within the class room? Finally where do the creative arts sit within the curriculum and what is the possible future for the subject?
To complete the inquiry an in depth investigation will be conducted upon three contrasting art departments. The three schools differ in location pupil demographics and departmental budgets one of the schools is the secondary school which I currently work in thus this department will act as the base from which my comparisons are drawn. By looking into the children’s experiences and comparing and contrasting the different teaching styles both within the department and between the schools I believe I will have a strong overview of how the subject should be successfully taught.
The information will be gathered during the first half of the autumn which is a relatively short period of time and a number of the students will be at the start of their course so many of them will not have had much time to reflect on the course which will have both it’s advantages and disadvantages in that their experiences from their previous course, be it GCSE or AS-level will be fresh in their mind, but on the other hand they might not fully understand what the course entails. Thus I will also be relying on some of my prior knowledge which I have gained through the last two years of working in my current department. For the purpose of this inquiry I will be investigating the study of Art and design with the endorsement of fine art only Edexcel defines fine art as ‘work which is produced as a outcome of students’ personal experiences, rather than that which is created exclusively for a practical function or that which is the outcome of a tightly prescribed brief’ Edexcel GCSE specification 2008
From reading through a number of exam boards specifications for both GCSE and A-level it has become apparent that they do stress the importance of experimentation both as a way to improve their knowledge of different techniques and to learn trough their mistakes thus helping to form their individual artistic identity, a concept which is important if the students choose to study A-level. This inquiry plans to highlight how such experimentation is encouraged and where further encouragement can be introduced.
Upon completion of this course I plan to go on to do initial teacher training, I believe that this inquiry will give me a better understanding of how the subject is taught, how the different course specifications can be interpreted and what is makes a competent art teacher. The completion of this inquiry will result in a guide for people such as myself who are looking to enter the teaching profession or newly qualified teachers to demonstrate how experimentation can be encouraged in the classroom and how this benefits the students.
