As part of a new ABC docuseries Don't Stop The Music, Dr Anita Collins, alongside singer Guy Sebastian, wanted to help design a music program that would have positive impacts beyond the students' abilities to sing or play an instrument. The changes she witnessed speak to the impact learning an instrument can have on a young child, something research in neuroscience has only begun to clarify in the past few years.
By music and pop culture reporter Paul Donoughue
Associate professor Sandra Gattenhof (QUT) looks at education funding and some of the different arts experiences it provides to Australia’s private and public school students. Without investment in a creative education for all, low socio-economic communities will miss out on the creative skills and innovation mindsets to see them become successful and productive citizens both now and in the future.
Read MoreResearcher Andreas Schleicher, who leads the Programme for International Student Assessment at the intergovernmental economic organisation OECD, told a House of Commons inquiry that he believed young people could benefit more from the skills gained through creativity than test-based learning.
Read More‘Across a series of experiments, researchers found drawing information to be a powerful way to boost memory, increasing recall by nearly double.’ Youki Terada, George Lucas Educational Foundation
Read MoreThe importance to children of activities such as being read to and reading, listening to and learning music, going to the cinema, theatre, libraries and museums, has been mostly taken as a given. The Talent25 project aims to provide the first rigorous academic evidence of this.
The arts play a critical role in assisting young children to not only understand their world, but express this knowing, as they make sense of their experiences. By David Roy & Karen Watson. Teacher magazine (30 October 2018).
Read More‘The international evidence is crystal clear on the value of the arts in education. Children in arts rich schools do better academically across all areas of the curriculum.’ Prof. Peter O'Connor, The Big Idea.
Read MoreSchools have reported higher NAPLAN results and better social and emotional wellbeing among students since becoming involved in the WA Symphony Orchestra’s Crescendo program. Ebony Garlett, ABC News (21 Sep 2018)
Read MoreThese opportunities enable young people to understand the world around them and thrive despite adversity.
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