VADEA Pre-Service Visual Arts Teacher Forum

As we count down the days until consultation on ACARA’s The Arts Shape Paper
closes on 17 December 2010, VADEA held the Inaugural Pre-Service Visual Arts
Teachers Forum on Monday 1 November, Australian Catholic University.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the pre-service programs College
of Arts UNSW, Australian Catholic University and University of Sydney and University
of Technology who discussed ACARA’s proposals for Visual Arts in the document
Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts.

Pre-service teachers shared their concerns about the proposed changes to the
Visual Arts curriculum. In particular, the potential impact of these changes to the
quality of Visual Arts Education and their futures as prospective specialist Visual Arts
teachers were discussed. Central to these discussions was agreement of the Draft
Shape Paper’s undeniable lowering of the quality of Visual Arts curriculum. The
generic approach to “The Arts” taken by the Draft paper was deemed unsuccessful
as it does not provide theoretical constructs to organise content. The strands are
obviously connected with process, not content, and do not provide a view of what
would be taught and learned in the different artforms that have discrete and unique
content.

A motion was drafted and unanimously passed by 37 pre-service Visual Arts

teachers and 8 teachers and academics in attendance:

This meeting urges ACARA to extend the consultation period on the Draft Shape
Paper for the Arts in order that the proposals and the complexity of these are given
sufficient consideration by all stakeholders.
The proposal for the Visual Arts Curriculum in the Draft Shape Paper for the Arts is
rejected as it represents a significant depletion of the quality of what is currently in
place for Visual Arts education within NSW. This proposal compromises the
intellectual integrity of our current curriculum. We reject the Draft Shape Paper's
generic organisers of the strands and ACARA's new definitions of "Visual Arts" and
"The Arts". We reject the proposal of 150 hours for the Visual Arts education from K-
8, as it is inadequate and will diminish the quality learning already in place within the
Visual Arts.
We would urge ACARA and the writers of the Arts Curriculum to work with NSW
educators to develop an authentic and rigorous Curriculum for Visual Arts students
and teachers, both present and future.

VADEA Co-Presidents extend appreciation to all who spoke at this occasion;

-  Sally Marks (ACU), for welcoming everyone and Chairing the meeting,
-  Professor Ian Howard, Dean COFA UNSW, for his opening remarks,
- Karen Profilio, Head of Visual Arts, North Sydney Girls High School, for her clear
summary of how our current curriculum has been developed and refined and
questioning if the proposed  National Curriculum meet these benchmarks,
- Karen King, Head of Creative Arts, Caroline Chisholm College, for her concise
outline of the structure of the Draft Shape Paper and its weaknesses,
- John Phillips (ACU), compared the proposed Curriculum stands against current
research,
-  Kart Saunders (VADEA Events and Programs Officer) and Emma Barry (COFA)
outlined what we all can do to ensure our voices are heard, and
-  Dr Karen Maras, VADEA Co-President, closed the meeting.

Special thanks are also extended to Bec Schofield and Ciaran Betcher from ACU
who also supported the event as part of the organising committee.

The forum was an encouraging demonstration of future Visual Arts educators’

enthusiasm and commitment to ensuring we have the best curriculum possible. The
meeting evolved out of pre-service teachers’ desire to have a complete
understanding of the proposed changes and their consequences prior to responding
to ACARA. After the wealth of experienced and knowledgeable information given at
this forum, we are all armed to give a well-informed opinion.