Abstract :
Visual Art educators are keenly aware of the
significant contribution art can make to the
growth and development of young children as it
provides unique opportunities for personal
expression and creativity. However, while it is
acknowledged that art contributes to the development
of the whole child, the link between
thought and practice is often tenuous. Hence the
question needs to be asked, what do student
teachers really think about art and art education.
This longitudinal study aimed at an exploration of
student teachers prior experiences, existing
knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, perceptions and
interest in the visual arts. One hundred and ten
B.Ed. (Primary) students enrolled in two compulsory
Visual Arts Education units of study were
surveyed in March 1999 and then in October
2001 to ascertain how they interpreted the term
visual arts; how this related to visual arts education
(if, in fact it did); where they would position
visual arts amongst the other five key learning
areas of the primary curriculum; and ultimately
how they felt about the prospect of teaching
visual arts in a primary school context. The findings
of the research revealed a number of
significant differences between the initial data
(March 1999) and the final data (October 2001).
