Page 47 - The story of the Art of Learning

4.3 Policy recommendations
In this section, we present our recommendations, generated through an open dialogue involving partners, participants and stakeholders from the Art of Learning. Drawing from our expert insight, key literature and our experience in developing, implementing and assessing the Art of Learning project we are able to identify recommendations that we find to be of utmost relevance at policy level.
We believe that well planned policies at local, regional, national and European level are indispensable for supporting further development in the field of Art in Education. We have made 11 recommendations, grouped into three sections: Research policy, Educational policy and Arts and Cultural policy.
Research policy
» Initiate research programmes that develop a transdisciplinary approach to understanding arts and cultural education (neurological, pedagogical, psychological, sociological, etc.) with special focus on synergies between health and art, science and art, learning and art, resilience and art etc. Use evidence from Art of Learning and similar projects as support.
» Replicate the Art of Learning intervention in different countries and in different socio- cultural settings, using the same measurements, in order to further strengthen the evidence. Replications measuring additional connections such as resilience, creativity, socio-economic benefits, self-efficacy etc. is also valuable.
Educational policy
» Improve the knowledge base for policy making in the field of Art in Education through investigating the effect of a systematic, evidence-based art-based education on learning, well-being, creativity, cultural awareness and expression, inclusion and resilience.
» Develop Initial Teacher Education in order to improve skills and understanding necessary for teaching cross-curricular art-based learning in primary and secondary schools. Identify good practice examples and measures to stimulate development of new ways of training. Art of Learning performative learning theory can be used as support.
» Integrate cross-curricula art-based learning into mainstream primary education in a way that is of high quality, evidence based and appropriately monitored. Actions providing teachers with models connecting art-based learning with their subject(s) and the development of their students should be prioritised. Art of Learning and similar projects can be part of this action.
» Incorporate experiential programmes such as the Art of Learning which develop links between art-based approaches and social, economic and cultural challenges in order to
address significant issues around equity and inclusion.
» Local governments or authorities working with university and cultural partners should devise a system of recognition and endorsement for schools, teachers and artists who
have mastered the approaches from the Art of Learning.
» Increase employability of teachers with arts subjects as their main subject(s), through acknowledging and valuing this competence highly in hiring processes in schools and
school authorities.
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