Share this event Professor Pat Drake, Dean, College of Education, invites you to attend the seventh seminar in the 2015 Diamond Series, Artist-teachers, teacher-artists and the fluid field of arts education: Drawing on the ways these educators engage and work in learning sites
There are a range of challenges and tensions for those who work in the broad and ever changing field of arts education. While most arts educators would argue that the arts are at the core of being human and integral in how we make sense of, or know the world, the boundaries between arts education and other fields is becoming porous. The existing as well as emergent arts forms, arts disciplines, arts practices and arts approaches that make up the arts education field are not as easily defined or neatly located as they may have been in previous times.
While evidence mounts about the impact and benefits of the arts and arts-rich learning environments for both communities and individuals across all of our life stages, constant advocacy is required as the arts are expected to be sustained through dedication, commitment and passion rather than being resourced adequately, both inside and outside of school contexts. In this fluid environment discussions have also surfaced about effective, authentic and quality arts education, as is the emerging issues of ‘outsourcing’ arts education and questions about who is best placed to teach the arts, generalist teachers, specialist teachers, artist –teachers or teaching-artists.
In this conversation we’ll explore some of these tensions and the ways in which various arts educators (inside and outside of schools) grapple with the challenges in the changing arts education landscape while going about their work and striving to provide quality art education experiences.
Dr Mark Selkrig is a Senior Lecturer (Art and Creativity Education) in the College of Education at VU where he also coordinates the Master of Education program. As well as working in the higher education sector, Mark’s professional experiences include working in primary and secondary schools as an art and technology teacher, as an Artist in Residence, as well as a Leading Teacher in Middle Years Schooling.
He has also worked in the health arena as a HIV sexual health educator and health promotion officer. Along with his work in various fields of education Mark continues to work as a practising artist, having held over 10 solo exhibitions both in Australia and in Europe and Asia. He has also participated in over 40 group exhibitions and several community-based arts projects. Mark received awards at La Trobe University for both his teaching and research. He is also a Churchill Fellow. Mark is always keen to work and talk with people who are interested in undertaking inquiries and discussion that focus on the intersecting areas of: arts, education, change making and learning in systems, communities and cultures.
Register Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.
