Art, Play, and Ownership of Learning: From the infant classroom to higher education

Author : Dr. Marta Cabral

Abstract :In schools, art is often about being told what to do: “This is the project, this is how you will make it.” Yet, I know from my own time in the studio and my own struggles and joys with materials and ideas, that meaningful learning requires ownership. As a fellow artist and a teacher, my job is to help my students figure out what their “quizzical itch” (Sullivan, 1989) is and how they can go about exploring it. The same is true for higher-education, namely preparation of future teachers. How can artmaking be a way to develop ownership of learning in early childhood and higher education? How can the materials and experiences we teachers offer help our students create stories of ownership of their role as makers and agents of change in the world? How can play help structure the learning experience in early childhood and in teacher education, centering practices of upgrading?

Keywords :Play, artmaking, ownership.

Conference Name :International Symposium on Teaching, Education, and Learning (STEL-24)

Conference Place Sydney, Australia

Conference Date 12th Sep 2024