Are the Arts important in schooling? Clear messages from the voices of pre-service generalist teachers in Australia - article summary

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine

The Arts are presented as an important component of the Australian curriculum, yet teachers hold differing views about their value. Beliefs about Arts education are described as developing during pre-service teacher education, shaping how future practice may appear in schools. A 2013 survey of 206 participants across two Australian universities investigated beliefs, perceptions, and current engagement levels among pre-service generalist teachers. Results indicate limited understanding and weak adult engagement with Arts activities.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

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Are the Arts important in schooling? Clear messages from the voices of pre-service generalist teachers in Australia Susanne Garvis Monash University Narelle Lemon LaTrobe University Abstract The Arts are an important part of curriculum in Australia. While it is an important area of the curriculum, teachers may not share the same views of importance. Views and perceptions about the Arts are formed during the beginning phase of teaching which includes pre-service teacher education. This important period of belief development can provide insight into what future Arts practice will look like in schools. In 2013, a survey was administered at two universities in Australia to explore the beliefs and perceptions of pre-service teacher generalist teachers about the importance of Arts and the role of Arts in schools. Pre-service teachers were also asked to share information on their current levels of Arts engagement. A total of 206 participants returned the survey. Findings highlight the lack of understanding about the Arts and poor engagement with Arts activities outside of university as an adult. These findings highlight a concern about the place of Arts education and are troubling for the future of Arts education in the Australian context. Key words: Arts education, pre-service teacher, beliefs Australian Journal of Music Education 2013:2,98-104 Introduction Beliefs about the teaching of Arts education inform a teacher’s capability to teach the Arts. If beliefs are positive, the teacher is more likely to engage with Arts experiences in their classroom (Garvis & Pendergast, 2010) . If beliefs are negative, they will either limit the exposure of Arts education in their classroom or ignore it all together (Garvis & Pendergast, 2010) . Many beliefs about Arts education are formed during teacher education and from personal and professional prior experience (Lemon & Garvis, 2013) . It is for this reason the exploration of teacher beliefs about Arts education is important. This paper explores the perceptions of preservice teachers currently studying to become primary school teachers in two Australian universities in two different states (Victoria and Queensland). A survey was completed by 206 participants and analysed using statistical analysis. Findings provide important insights into the current views and perceptions about the role of Arts in schools and current levels of personal engagement with the Arts. These beliefs will inform a teacher’s ability to implement Arts education in schools. By taking a snapshot of these beliefs, we are able to predict Arts engagement in a primary school classroom. Literature Over the past 35 years in Australia, several Inquireshave been made into the quality of Arts education occurring in schools (New South Wales Ministry of Education, 1974; Australian Senate Inquiry into Arts Education, 1995; National Review of School Music Education, 2005; National Review of Visual Education, 2008; National Audit of Music Discipline and Music Education Mandatory Content within Pre-service Generalist Primary Teacher Education Courses: A Report, 2009) . These reports have expressed concern at the quality and quantity of Arts education occurring in schools. As yet, limited assistance has been implemented to try and improve current problems within teacher education and the provision for Arts education within schools (Ewing, 2010). Oneof the established problems over the last 35 years has been the lack of confidence of generalist primary teachers. The confidence of generalist primary teachers is informed by beliefs about their own confidence. These beliefs are formed during preservice teacher education and once made, are resistant to change. If we want to explore ways to improve the provision of Arts education in Australian classrooms, it is important to explore theoretical understanding of beliefs, known as self-efficacy beliefs. Self-efficacy beliefs operate as a key factor in a generati

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What do the findings suggest about pre-service teachers’ understanding and engagement?

Findings highlight a lack of understanding about the Arts and poor engagement with Arts activities outside of university as adults, raising concerns about the future of Arts education in Australia.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine