Blending Artistic, Research and Teaching Practices in the Context of Teacher Education. An a/r/tographical Approach of an Arts-Based Educational Project

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to explore an art education project within the theoretical and methodological context of a/r/tography. An arts-based educational project carried out by the Primary Education Department of University of Aegean, is examined through an artistic and inquiry process where the roles of artists, researchers and teachers are deeply interrelated. In order to explore how artful research and the co-creative process can help teachers access and reframe understandings of teaching and learning, the teacher trainees were interviewed and expressed ideas and beliefs on education, art, inquiry, teaching and knowledge construction. Findings of the research support the potential of art-based educational projects to evoke strong senses of artist/researcher/teacher self in relation to the community, empower cognitive, communicative and artistic skills, promote holistic learning and thus to play a significant role in the field of teacher education.