Integrating Practice in Visual Art Studies.

There are a number of important issues of concern for the future of all post-secondary Australian art teaching institutions.  Those significant to the proposed research are: 1.     The provision of teaching and learning reflective of actual conditions in the profession.  At present this appears to be significantly lacking. 2.     Academic curriculum research and development.  Currently this is extremely limited and poorly documented[1]. 3.     Resourcing.  For many years, funding to these institutions has effectively been cut, while technological advancement across all aspects of equipment, tools, communications and their associated uses in marketing and promotion have expanded and become readily available globally.   Growth in contemporary professional visual arts exhibition of electronic arts, photo media and performance is obvious in its presence, outstripping the “traditional” art forms of painting, print media and sculpture.  The central thrust of the proposed research will seek to determine the accuracy and implications of point 1 above, and substantiate need for reform.  An informed perspective on the curricular relationship between relevant practical, theoretical, historical and contextual studies, and their resourcing is necessarily involved in this determination to address points 2 and 3.   The complexity of seeking to integrate technological areas within core curriculum invariably impacts across specialisms, general teaching, theory and practical areas as well as teacher training and high school delivery. [1] There has been little active curriculum research in Australian visual art establishments in recent years.  Evidence to this effect was gathered by Professor Noel Frankham at the 2006 Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools (ACUADS) conference. See an expansion of this issue under Background below.