New arts curriculum research published

Two prominent arts education researchers, Dr John Nicholas Saunders and Dr Linda Lorenza, have recently published papers highlighting the power of arts learning and the importance of principals’ own view of the arts.

Dr Saunders, Chair of the National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE), has reviewed the research literature in his paper, The power of the arts in learning and the curriculum: a review of research literature, published in Curriculum Perspectives 41, pages 93–100 (2021).

Dr Lorenza noted in her paper, Arts curriculum are better resourced and supported when the principal is focussed on the student experience, published online in Curriculum Perspectives on 21 April 2021, that:

‘The principal’s own view of the arts, combined with their leadership focus, determines the place and profile of the arts curriculum within the school. Yet, Mathematics, English and Science are mandated in school curriculum. Qualitative case study research used semi-structured interviews to explore eight arts specialist teachers’ responses to the Australian curriculum: The Arts and their in-school experiences. The teachers worked in Australian schools in the state of New South Wales. …

The Australian Curriculum: The Arts recognises that arts teachers are the key to providing students rich, rigorous and sustained learning in the arts; yet, arts teachers must continue to be innovative to ensure the arts curriculum is implemented in schools.’