A collaborative self-study exploring the experiences of Creative Arts teacher educators to inform professional practice

Abstract

This thesis represents a living assemblage of my personal development as a Creative Arts teacher educator and the collective experiences of other educators in this field. By intertwining my educational journey with a broader focus on Creative Arts teacher education, the study reflects how my background in Art Education informs and shapes my current practices. Using self-study and Arts-Based Research (ABR) methods, I explore the interplay between personal memories, past experiences, and the evolving identity of Creative Arts teacher educators. Central to this inquiry is the concept of rhizomatic pockets, which are repositories of knowledge and memories that shape individual pedagogical practices, and the collective understanding of how past experiences influence present and future teaching.

Drawing on the narrative of the Avengers' journey in 𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦 this study illustrates the process of revisiting and reinterpreting significant moments in teaching and learning, allowing educators to shed biases and inform future practice. It emphasises the importance of reflexive and collaborative learning, highlighting the transformative potential of engaging with colleagues, mentors, and students to create a richer, more nuanced understanding of teaching and learning within Creative Arts Teacher Education.

The study advocates for positioning Creative Arts classrooms as dynamic research sites where teacher educators engage in inquiry to understand how collective experiences and contextual factors shape pedagogy. Recognising classrooms as spaces where social and physical environments intersect, I argue for acknowledging the lived experiences of both students and educators as rhizomatic pockets that inform practice. Educators can foster meaningful student engagement, cultivate confidence, and promote artistic expression by creating safe and supportive environments.

Further, this research highlights the value of collaboration and communities of practice. It suggests that through collaborative self-study and reflexive practices, Creative Arts teacher educators can co-construct knowledge, mentor each other, and engage in continuous professional growth. Collaborative research in this context enhances individual pedagogical practices and the collective development of evidence-based best practices for Creative Arts Teacher Education.

Ultimately, this study highlights the importance of lifelong learning and adaptability for Creative Arts teacher educators. By embracing a research-oriented, reflexive approach, teacher educators can innovate within their classrooms, contribute to the advancement of Creative Arts Teacher Education, and better prepare future educators. The concept of rhizomatic pockets emerges as a guiding framework for understanding how personal and collective experiences can transform teaching and learning within this field.

Hierdie proefskrif verteenwoordig ’n lewende samestelling van my persoonlike ontwikkeling as ’n onderwysopleier in die skeppende-kunste onderwys, asook die gesamentlike ervarings van ander opvoeders in hierdie veld. Deur my eie opvoedkundige reis te verweef met ’n breër fokus op skeppende-kunste onderwyseropleiding, reflekteer die studie hoe my agtergrond in kunsopvoeding my huidige praktyke vorm en beïnvloed. Met behulp van selfstudie en kunsgebaseerde navorsingsmetodes (Arts-Based Research, ABR) ondersoek ek die wisselwerking tussen persoonlike herinneringe, ervarings uit die verlede en die ontwikkelende identiteit van skeppende-kunste onderwyseropleiers. Die konsep van risomatiese sakke (rhizomatic pockets) is sentraal tot hierdie ondersoek: dit is ruimtes van kennis en herinneringe wat individuele pedagogiese praktyke vorm en bydra tot die gesamentlike begrip van hoe verlede-ervarings die hede en toekoms van onderrig beïnvloed. Deur gebruik te maak van die narratief van die “Avengers” se reis in Endgame, illustreer die studie die proses van herbesoek en herinterpretasie van betekenisvolle oomblikke in onderrig en leer. Dit stel opvoeders in staat om vooroordele af te lê en toekomstige praktyke te belig. Die navorsing beklemtoon die belang van reflektiewe en samewerkende leer en wys op die transformerende potensiaal van betrokkenheid by kollegas, mentors en studente om ’n ryker en meer genuanseerde begrip van onderrig en leer binne die skeppende-kunste onderwyseropleiding te ontwikkel. Die studie bepleit die posisionering van skeppende-kunste klaskamers as dinamiese navorsingsruimtes waar onderwyseropleiers leer verstaan hoe kollektiewe ervarings en kontekstuele faktore pedagogie vorm. Deur klaskamers te erken as ruimtes waar sosiale en fisiese omgewings kruis, voer ek aan dat die geleefde ervarings van studente en opvoeders beskou moet word as risomatiese sakke wat die praktyk inlig. Wanneer opvoeders veilige en ondersteunende omgewings skep, kan hulle betekenisvolle studente-betrokkenheid bevorder, selfvertroue kweek en artistieke uitdrukking aanmoedig. Verder beklemtoon hierdie navorsing die waarde van samewerking en gemeenskappe in die praktyk. Dit dui daarop dat onderwyseropleiers in skeppende kunste deur samewerkende selfstudie en reflektiewe praktyke gesamentlik kennis kan saamstel, mekaar kan mentor en betrokke kan raak in professionele groei. Samewerkende navorsing in hierdie konteks verbeter nie net individuele pedagogiese praktyke nie, maar dra ook by tot die gesamentlike ontwikkeling van die beste, bewysgebaseerde praktyke in skeppende-kunste onderwyseropleiding. Uiteindelik beklemtoon hierdie studie die belangrikheid van lewenslange leer en aanpasbaarheid vir skeppende-kunste onderwyseropleiers. Deur ’n navorsingsgerigte, reflektiewe benadering te omhels, kan onderwyseropleiers innoverend binne hul klaskamers optree, bydra tot die vooruitgang van onderwyseropleiding in die skeppende kunste, en toekomstige onderwyseropleiers beter toerus. Die konsep van risomatiese sakke tree hier op as ’n rigtinggewende raamwerk om te verstaan hoe persoonlike en kollektiewe ervarings onderrig en leer binne hierdie veld kan transformeer.

Bopaki bona ba diphuputso ke kgobokanyo e phelang ya kgolo ya ka jwaloka mosuwe wa thuto ya bonono le diphihlello tse kopanetsweng tsa barupedi ba bang lefapheng lena. Ka ho kopanya tsela ya ka ya thuto le ho tsepamisa mohopolo haholwanyane thutong ya matitjhere a Bonono ba Bōpo, thuto ena e bontsha kamoo semelo sa ka sa Thuto ya Bonono se tsebisang le ho bopa mekgwa ya ka ya hona jwale. Ka ho sebedisa mekgwa ya ho ithuta le ho etsa dipatlisiso tse thehilweng ho bonono (ABR), ke batlisisa tshebedisano dipakeng tsa mehopolo ya botho, diphihlello tsa nakong e fetileng, le boitshwaro bo ntseng bo fetoha ba matitjhere a rutang bonono ba boqapi. Bohareng ba dipatlisiso tsena ke mohopolo wa mekotlana e ikgethileng ka hara tshebetso e leng polokelo ya tsebo le mehopolo e bopang ditlwaelo tsa thuto ya motho ka mong, le kutlwisiso e kopaneng ya hore na diphihlello tse fetileng di susumetsa thuto ya hona jwale le ya nako e tlang, jwang. Ho itshetlehile ka pale ya leeto la Avengersh ho Endgame thuto ena e bontsha mokgwa wa ho hlahloba le ho hlalosa hape dinako tsa bohlokwa ho rutwa le ho ithuta, ho dumella barupelli ho lahla leeme le ho tsebisa ditlwaelo tsa nakong e tlang. E totobatsa bohlokwa ba ho ithuta ka ho nahanisisa le ka tshebedisano, e totobatsa matla a phetoho a ho ikopanya le basebetsimmoho, baeletsi le baithuti ho theha kutlwisiso e ruileng le e nang le makgabane a mangata ya ho ruta le ho ithuta ka hara Thuto ya Matitjhere ya Bonono ba Boqapi. Diphuputso di buella ho beha ditlelase tsa Bonono ba Boqapi e le dibaka tsa dipatlisiso tse matla moo barupelli ba matitjhere ba kenang dipatlisisong ho utlwisisa hore na diphihlello tsa sehlopha le dintlha tsa maemo di bopa thuto jwang. Ha ke hlokomela hore ditlelase ke dibaka tseo ho tsona maemo a setjhaba le a mmele a kopanelang, ke buella ho hlokomela hore diphihlelo tsa baithuti le tsa matitjhere ke tsona tse etsang hore di sebediswe. Matitjhere a ka kgothaletsa baithuti hore ba be le seabo se nang le morero, ba be le kgodiseho, le ho kgothaletsa ho itlhalosa ka bokgabane ka ho ba fa sebaka se sireletsehileng le se ba tshehetsang. Ho feta moo, patlisiso ena e totobatsa bohlokwa ba tshebedisanommoho le setjhaba se sebetsang. E fana ka maikutlo a hore ka ho ithuta ka bonngwe le mekgoa ya ho nahanisisa, matitjhere a ditsebi tsa bonono a ka aha tsebo, a tataisana, mme a kopanela kgolong e tswellang ya setsebi. Phuputso e kopanetsweng moelelong ona e ntlafatsa mekgwa ya motho ka mong ya ho ruta le ntsetsopele e kopanetsweng ya mekgwa e metle e thehilweng bopaking bakeng sa Thuto ya Matitjhere a Bonono ba Boqapi. Qetellong, thuto ena e totobatsa bohlokwa ba ho ithuta bophelo bohle le ho ikamahanya le maemo bakeng sa barupelli ba ditsebi tsa bonono. Ka ho amohela thuto e thehilweng dipatlisisong, e nahanang, matitjhere a ka qapa dintho tse ntjha ka tlelaseng ya bona, a kenya letsoho ho ntshetsa pele thuto ya matitjhere a bonono le ho hlophisetsa matitjhere a kamoso. Kgopolo ya mekotlana e ikgethileng ka hara tshebetso e hlaha e le moralo wa tataiso bakeng sa ho utlwisisa hore na diphihlello tsa botho le tse kopanetsweng di ka fetola ho ruta le ho ithuta jwang thutong ena.

Lolu cwaningo luveza ukuhlangana okuphilayo kokuthuthuka koqobo lwami nengomfundisi wothisha weCreative Arts kanye nezimo eziqoqiwe zabanye abafundisi kulo mkhakha. Ngokuhlanganisa uhambo lwami lwemfundo kanye nokugxila okusabalele kwemfundo yothisha yeCreative Arts, ucwaningo luninga ukuthi ulwazi lwami lwemfundo eMfundweni Yobuciko lunomthelela onjani futhi lubumba kanjani ukusebenza kwami kwesikhathi samanje. Ngokusebenzisa ukuzicwaninga kanye nezindlela zoCwaningo Oluncike Ebucikweni, i-Arts-Based Research (ABR), ngiphenya ukusebenzisana phakathi kwezinkumbulo zami uqobo, izimo zezikhathi esedlule, kanye nobuluqobo obuthuthukayo babafundisi bothisha beCreative Arts. Okusemqoka kulolu phenyo ikhonsephthi yamaphakethe ezinto ezinyinhlakanhlaka, ayizigcini zolwazi kanye nezinkumbulo ezakha imikhuba yokufunda nokufundisa yomuntu ngamunye, kanye nokuqonda okuhlanganisiwe bokuthi izimo zempilo zesikhathi esedlule zinamthelela muni ekufundiseni kwamanje kanye nokwesikhathi esizayo. Ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo zohambo luka-Avengers kwi-𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦, lolu cwaningo luveza inqubo yokubuyekeza futhi ukuhumusha futhi izigigaba ezisemqoka ekufundiseni kanye nokufunda, okuvumela abafundisi ukuveza ukuchema futhi babe nomthelela emkhutsheni wesikhathi esizayo. Lugcizelela ukubaluleka bokuzininga kanye nokufunda okuhlanganisayo, ngokugqamisa uguquko olungaba khona lokubambisana nabalingani, abeluleki, kanye nabafundi ukukhanda ukuqonda okucebile, okucabangelayo, kokufundisa nokufunda emfundweni yoThisha yeCreative Arts. Ucwaningo luqhakambisa ukubeka amaklasi eCreative Arts njengezigcawu zocwaningo ezishukumisayo lapho abafundisi bothisha behlanganyela ekuphenyeni ukuqonda ukuthi izimo zempilo ezihlanganisiwe kanye nezimo zesimo kukuveza kanjani ukufunda nokufundisa. Ngokuveza amaklasi njengezindawo lapho izizinda zomphakathi nezabantu qobo kuhlangana khona, ngiqakulisa ukuveza izimpilo eziphilwa abafundi nabafundisi bobabili njengamaphakethe ezinto eziyinhlakanhlaka okunomthelela emkhubeni wokusebenza. Abafundisi bangagqugquzela ukuhlanganyela nabafundi okunomphumela, batshale ukuzethemba, futhi bagqugquzele ukuveza ubuciko ngokudala izimo eziphephile futhi ezesekelayo. Okunye futhi, lolu cwaningo lugqamisa ubumqoka bokusebenzisana nemiphakathi eyenza lo msebenzi. Luphakamisa ukuthi ukusebenza ngokuhlanganisa ukuzicwaninga kanye nokuzininga, abafundisi bothisha beCreative Arts bangaqamba ulwazi ndawonye, balekelelane ngokululekana, futhi bahlanganyele ekukhuleni komsebenzi okuqhubekayo. Ucwaningo oluhlanganisayo kulesi simo luqinisa imikhuba yokufunda nokufundisa komuntu ngamunye futhi nentuthuko eyencike ebufakazini obuhlanganisayo bemikhuba engcono yeMfundo Yothisha yeCreative Arts. Ekugcineni, lolu cwaningo lugqamisa ukubaluleka kokufunda kwesikhathi eside kanye nokuhambisana nesimo sabafundisi bothisha beCreative Arts. Ngokusebenzisa indlela eyencike ocwaningweni, yokuzininga, abafundisi bothisha bangaqamba izinto ezintsha emaklasini abo, banezezele ekuthuthukiseni iMfundo Yothisha beCreative Arts. Le khonsephthi yamaphakethe ezinto eziyinhlakanhlaka, iqhibuka njengohlaka okubhekelela ukuqonda ukuthi izimo zempilo zomuntu ngayedwa nezihlanganisiwe zingaguqula kanjani ukufundisa nokufunda phakathi kulo mkhakha.