An Integrated Art Workshop Curriculum Innovation: Art in a Professional Course of Teacher Education

Abstract

In this paper the writer describes a curriculum innovation that he directed at St Mary's College - a constituent college of education of the University of Bristol - in the 1971-1972 academic session, with a group of first year students who were training to teach in first schools. * The assumption underlying the experiment was that empirical innovation in the teaching/ learning situation is absolutely crucial to the initiation of new ideas and ideals; the development of these factors; and the promotion of educational change. Indeed, it was and still is the writer's belief that the most vital issues involved in this process are acknowledged to be: practise in practice and not simply a study of unrelated theory; rational and lateral thinking in the creative process; self-determination; personal responsibility; direct involvement and active decision-making. In view of this, therefore, it appeared important that free-activity -- defined by the writer as activity which is selected and carefully controlled by the person or persons involved, not simply unstructured involvement or what is often termed lightly as free expression, experimentation and individual expression should be balanced carefully with instruction in order to maximize growth potential in a flexiblyconceived, integrated learning workshop where diagnostic and practical skills would be juxtaposed with social interaction in stimulating personal understanding and development. In other words, that the more traditional form of teaching situation in which the teacher is mentor, leader and activator of pre-conceived programmes would be replaced by an 'open classroom' situation in which the participants, both staff and students, would create a rather  special, integrated learning ethos. This would allow for flexibility of involvement in teaching/learning situations, group discussions, visits and practical work.

* A first school is one for children between the ages of five and nine years. It is concerned with primary education and is gradually superseding infant and junior schools