Critical Inquiry in Art Education Critical Inquiry in Art Education | Page 3

IN ART EDUCATION
1
Preface
by Rebecca Chew
Academy Principal, STAR
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At the heart of every dedicated art
educator is a desire to constantly
renew and transform our teaching
practice in order to effect quality
art learning experiences for our
students. Local and international
thought leaders can inspire new
perspectives, and sharing by
colleagues and friends in the art
fraternity can spark new ideas
but it is through looking inwards,
critically inquiring into our own
teaching actions that will bring
about changed practice. At STAR,
we provide opportunities for art
teachers to embark on critical
inquiry journeys through Networked
Learning Communities, and nurture
their professional identity as
Teacher-researcher.
Through the lens of a Teacher-
researcher, the art teacher develops
a heightened sense of awareness of
teaching actions in the art classroom;
observations of students’ behaviours
and artistic endeavours become
vivid field notes, and their artworks
and artist statements turn into rich
sources of data. The art classroom is
both a creative studio space as well
as a rich micro-lab for inquiry into
teaching and learning.
Individually, the findings from the
critical inquiry projects might only
impact the Teacher-researcher and
his/her students. Collectively, they
expand the pedagogical knowledge
of the art fraternity, and raise the
quality of art education in Singapore.
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