Arts of Asia
Introduction
This unit is delivered by Flinders University, South Australia.
The Arts Units will provide teachers with knowledge of the arts of Asia and
skills to include them in curriculum. They recognise the different ways the
arts can be defined and understood by adopting different conceptual orientations,
and demonstrate why the arts of Asia are particularly relevant to curriculum
in Australian schools. The content in the module is informed by the definition
of Asia and the learning emphases outlined in Studies of Asia; A Statement
for Australian Schools (Curriculum Corporation, Carlton, Victoria).
Arts of Asia - Sources and Cultural Contexts aims to improve participant understanding
of the contributions made by the peoples of Asia to the world by
increasing their knowledge and understanding of the arts of Asia through:
- developing an understanding of the spiritual impetus for the arts
of Asia;
- analysing and recognising the diversity of the arts of Asia;
- considering
the diversity of definitions, perceptions, and understandings of the arts
of Asia;
- analysing a range of arts forms of Asia, with reference to their sources
and cultural contexts;
- examining cross-cultural perspectives, and
- applying their knowledge and
understanding of the studies of Asia to the arts learning area through such
strategies as:
- developing and examining a rationale and curriculum content for including
the arts of Asia into the arts curriculum;
- establishing and using criteria
for making judgements about the arts of Asia;
- researching a specific
art form of Asia and exploring applications in the classroom.
Unit structure
Both Arts units are primarily designed for teachers from the arts learning
area, and aim to increase:
- participant knowledge and understanding
of the arts of Asia; and
- their capacity to apply
this knowledge and understanding to the arts
learning area in schools.
Each of the units takes full account of relevant state and territory curriculum
documents, and the key arts concepts of: Creating, Making and Presenting;
Arts Criticism and Aesthetics; and Past and Present Contexts. At the same time,
it is recognised that interpretation and implementation of these units will
vary between states and territories, and between education sectors to ensure
they are appropriate to local curriculum requirements.
The units have also been constructed flexibly to
meet the needs of the full range of potential participants.
In particular, they are designed to:
- build on experience and extend participant
understanding of Asia gained through other units;
- provide concepts and ideas that are challenging,
and that stimulate participants to think and reflect,
and then respond to the need to include the arts
of Asia in their current practice;
- use a mix of aesthetic, cognitive, physical,
sensory and social learning processes that are
also appropriate to the classroom; and
- present
learning experiences that emphasise that all students
should experience all of the arts forms during
their time at school.
In addition, the units will provide insights to
the theory underpinning studies of Asia and their
application in the classroom.
Both Arts units will provide teachers with knowledge of the arts of
Asia and skills to implement them in curriculum. The content and learning
materials
outlined are:
- rigorous and challenging;
- appropriate for primary
and secondary teachers;
- predicated on the need
to adopt a variety of teaching and learning approaches
in the classroom; and
- inclusive of both Asian Studies discipline
content knowledge, and material that focuses on
school curriculum needs and pedagogy in the arts
learning area.
The content guidelines in both units are informed by the definition of
Asia and the learning emphasis outlined in Studies of Asia: A Statement
for
Australia's Schools. They also are designed for national applicability,
and hence are
not tied to any one state/territory or jurisdiction's curriculum
requirements.
Aims and outcomes
This unit aims to improve understanding of the contributions
made by peoples of Asia to the world by:
increasing knowledge and understanding of the arts of Asia through:
- considering the diversity of definitions,
perceptions, and understandings of the arts of
Asia;
- analysing and recognising the diversity of
the arts of Asia;
- analysing a range of arts forms
of Asia, with reference to their sources and cultural
contexts;
- developing an understanding of the spiritual
impetus for the arts of Asia;
- establishing and
using criteria for making judgments about the arts
of Asia and
applying knowledge and understanding of the studies
of Asia to the arts learning area through such
strategies as:
- developing and examining a rationale and
curriculum content for including the arts of
Asia into the arts curriculum;
- establishing
and using criteria for making judgments about
the arts of Asia;
- researching aspects of the
arts of Asia and exploring applications in
the classroom.
Assessment
A range of assessment strategies are appropriate
for both Arts units including:
- assignments
on
specific
topics
- case
studies
- reports,
both
written
and
oral
- investigations
- reviews
of
exhibitions,
performances
and
literature
on
the
arts
of
Asia
- comparative
analyses
- oral
and
written
presentations
- development
and
writing
of
strategies
for
including
the
arts
of
Asia
in the curriculum
- writing
units
of
work
for
classroom
application.
In
undertaking
such
activities,
participants
are required to demonstrate:
- satisfactory
completion
of
the
task;
and
- meeting
of
accreditation
requirements
where
these
apply.
Carefully
constructed
assessment
activities
can
constitute
a
stimulus
to
learning
and hence, should also be viewed as
useful
teaching and learning strategies in their own right.