Volume 17 Number 26 July 31, 2016

Generalist Pre-Service Teacher Education, Self-Efficacy and Arts Education: An Impossible Expectation?

Anita Collins
University of Canberra, Australia

Citation: Collins, A. (2016). Generalist pre-service teacher education, self-efficacy and arts education: An impossible expectation? International Journal of Education & the Arts, 17(26). Retrieved from http://www.ijea.org/v17n26/.

Abstract

Generalist teacher educators in Australia are struggling with an impossible expectation in the area of arts education. This is due to a cascading trio of systemic issues. Firstly generalist teachers are entering their teacher education courses with variable and often minimal personal arts training. Secondly they are ill supported to improve their arts discipline knowledge through a lack of time given to each arts discipline during their courses. Finally they are expected to deliver the arts curriculum, often without extensive professional support, to their classes at the same quality and level as a specialist arts educator. At present, the research has focused on individual arts disciplines, not the effect of these cascading systemic issues on the confidence and competency of pre-service teachers across multiple arts disciplines. This paper reports on the findings of a study that tracked the levels of self-efficacy across four arts disciplines and suggests new approaches to this impossible expectation.

Visual Abstract

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Mission

The International Journal of Education & the Arts currently serves as an open access platform for scholarly dialogue. Our commitment is to the highest forms of scholarship invested in the significances of the arts in education and the education within the arts. Read more about our mission…

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IJEA holds strong commitment to research in interdisciplinary arts education. Our editors are respected scholars from different arts fields working together to achieve our high standard. Read more about editors…