Art Education Victoria - Art Education Victoria

Arts programs can have a significant impact on improving school attendance, academic achievement and student wellbeing in Australian schools

'Groundbreaking new Australian research released today reveals that arts programs can have a significant impact on improving school attendance, academic achievement and student wellbeing in Australian schools'.

THE HON PETER GARRETT MP Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth Press Release 22 March 2011

Bridging the gap in school achievement through the Arts  (Summary report)
Dr Tanya Vaughan
Dr Jessica Harris
Professor Brian J Caldwell

The findings of the study are consistent in demonstrating that schools participating in The Song Room (TSR) programs outperform those not participating on most indicators. Moreover, longer-term TSR schools tend to outperform initial TSR schools'. (Caldwell B.J, et al, p.15)

Reference: Caldwell B J., Harris, J., Vaughan, T., Bridging the gap in school achievement through the Arts  (Summary report) The Song Room, Abbotsford, Victoria 2011.

Learning in a Visual Age: The critical importance of Visual Arts Education.

www.arteducators.org/olc/pub/NAEA/learning/learning_page_5.html - published by the US professional association of art educators, NAEA.

The Case For The Arts

By cutting back on arts to strengthen their basic core curricula, schools may be taking a giant leap backward, by Eric Oddleifson

If by now you haven't concluded that the arts are a crucial part of any effort to reinvigorate learning, Eric Oddleifson will convince you. Eric is President of The Center for Arts in the Basic Curriculum, an association whose agenda is clear. Not only do they believe art education will enhance the traditional curriculum; they believe "the arts should be the basis of education" because "the deepest and most lasting learning is participatory and whole-brained. This is precisely what the arts offer." Their publications offer some impressive data to back up their case. Contact the center at 58 Fearing Road, Hingham, MA 02043 for more information on their publications and services.

VCE Art and Studio Arts Grade distribution valid for 2012

For further information refer to Grade distribution statistics for 2011 to support 2012 identification of grade allocation

• For VCE Art: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/statistics/vce_art_ga11.pdf

• For VCE Studio Arts: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/statistics/section2/vce_studio_arts_ga11.pdf

NOTE: It is important that students are advised  that the allocation of grades are subject to change after the application of  statistical moderation. Qualitative feedback regarding performance in the task is also advisable.

Key To Grade Allocation is the same across VCE Art and STUDIO ARTS

VCE SAT Moderation Changes

The VCAA Board approved the statistical moderation of School-Assessed Tasks (SATs)  from 2012 because it was clearly shown to be a more equitable process of determining the final marks for the SAT across the entire cohort for each relevant study. The previous approach of review by visitation was narrow in that it could only cover a limited number of schools in each study each year. In essence the majority of students SAT marks in each study were not subject to a review process. All School-assessed Coursework is subject to review by Statistical Moderation to ensure that  all results are comparable across the state and fair to all students – SATs will now be subject to the same Quality Assurance process.

The VCAA ran a number of simulations of this program to ensure that no study or student would be disadvantaged by the new process. We also ran a number of targeted focus groups in 2011 with study teachers and subject associations.

Statistical Moderation works by aligning the scores given by the school in the school-assessed task to the scores obtained by the group in the exam.  It is important to remember that a student’s individual exam result does not affect their school-assessed task result.  If a student is ranked number one by their teacher by their SAT score, that student will still receive the highest SAT score after moderation; even if that particular student did not score highly in the exam.

There should be no difference in the way teachers deliver and assess the school-assessed tasks.  The VCAA still publishes the assessment criteria and descriptors for each task.

The VCAA is also looking at running further professional learning activities for teachers in these studies.  The first professional learning activity for Studio Arts will be the Information Session detailed in Notice 3 http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/correspondence/notices/2012/03.html.

Call for a National Action Plan for Asia Literacy in Schools

Download this release from the Asia Education Foundation

Art Education Victoria's Response to the draft Australian Curriculum: The Arts: Foundation to Year 10.

Read the AEV response here.

Shape of the Australian Curriculum - The Arts

The Shape of the Australian Curriculum: the Arts sets the broad direction for the writing of the Australian Curriculum for the Arts has now been published. It is intended to guide the writing of the Australian Arts Curriculum from Foundation to Year 12.

The Consultation Feedback Report on the draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: the Arts

Consultation on the draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: the Arts was held between October 2010 and January 2011. ACARA received over 1600 responses nationally to the online questionnaire and 166 written submissions. The final report is now available.

Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum - The Arts. The Victorian response

Prepared by:
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD)
Catholic Education Commission Victoria (CEC)
Independent School Victoria

Download a PDF of the response.

Arts group hits out at curriculum

Miki Perkins, The Age, January 6, 2009

A new coalition of arts organisations is calling on the Federal Government to include visual art, dance, drama and music on the national curriculum or risk depriving students of their cultural heritage. Read the full article here.

PLEASE LET THE FEDERAL AND STATE MINISTERS FOR EDUCATION KNOW THAT:
The Arts MUST be included in the FIRST PHASES of the National Curriculum, or risk depriving students of their cultural heritage.

EMAIL YOUR STATE & FEDERAL MINISTERS

The National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) media release.

We invite you to work with us on this campaign.

Education Revolution? The Arts Have It!

We will look forward to your comments and support.

The National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) are represented by:

Marian Strong, Art Education Australia
Julie Dyson, Ausdance
Jeff Meiners, Ausdance
Sandra Gattenhof, Drama Australia
Dick Letts, Music Council of Australia
Tamara Winikoff, National Association for the Visual Arts