Inspiring creativity: creating edge effects through partnerships with museums, galleries and arts practitioners

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyThis thesis reports on findings from research designed to explore ways in which creativity can be fostered through interactions between schools, museums, art galleries and arts practitioners. The outcome of the research is the 'Inspiring Creativity' pack consisting of a book with accompanying CD Rom and a related CO website. The purpose of the study has been to examine the teaching of knowledge and understanding of art to Key Stage I-3 pupils (aged 5 to 14 years) in the West L Midlands. It was hypothesised that since the introduction of the National Curriculum, MO pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) would find more difficulties with the teaching and learning of art because of the additional expectations of teachers to teach and assess visual literacy in addition to practical art skills. It was envisaged that SEN pupils would benefit from the development of learning materials that would support the teaching of the National Curriculum Attainment Target 2 'Knowledge and Understanding' of art. A brief personal overview of the decline of history of art teaching and the growth of critical studies which led to the inclusion of a knowledge and understanding element in C: the National Curriculum is provided. The hypothesis was tested by questionnaires completed by art co-ordinators at 39 schools in 7 West Midlands Authorities within primary, secondary and special sectors. Their responses were assessed and the results indicated varying levels of confidence and competence reported by teachers in the teaching of appreciation of art and that they would welcome learning materials to support this aimed at classroom use. It was therefore decided to widen the scope of the project and produce a book that would support teaching of the National Curriculum to Key Stage I-3 pupils and delivery of art in mainstream primary and secondary schools in addition to special schools. The book was to be targeted at all local Walsall schools and it was therefore decided to use the Garman Ryan collection at the New Art Gallery, Walsall as a C: focus for the project. The revised National Curriculum (2000) joined the two attainment targets into a single attainment target which suggested 3 units of work for each year of the 9 years that pupils spend in the first three key stages. It was decided that the book should combine these 27 units with the study of the art and artefacts in the Garman Ryan collection. Discussion of development and production of the book, which was launched in November 2004, is made and the use of galleries, museums and arts practitioners is considered in the light of'recent government initiatives. A theoretical framework is offered using concepts available from other fields based on edge effects which provides a metaphor aimed at re-conceptualisation of partnership working through the creation of an edge