Ariadna Culpan No Images

Influences on preservice teachers’ attitudes to ICT integration in and through visual arts education: A search for a creative synthesis A thesis submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Ariadna (Arda) Culpan Cert. Art, Cert. Ed., Art and Craft Teaching, B.Ed., M.Ed. School of Education College of Design and Social Context Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University) August 2012 i Declaration I certify that except where due acknowledgement has been made, the work is that of the author alone; the work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in part, to qualify for any other academic award; the content of the thesis is the result of work which has been carried out since the official commencement date of the approved research program; any editorial work, paid or unpaid, carried out by a third party is acknowledged; and, ethics procedures and guidelines have been followed. Signed: Arda Culpan Date: March 27, 2013 DECLARATION ii Acknowledgments This thesis would not have begun without the support of my first, albeit short-term supervisor Professor Nicola Yelland whose belief in the worth of the study and insightful feedback during its formulation provided the much needed courage to commence the Doctoral journey. I am also deeply indebted to Associate Professor Heather Fehring for her overall support and assistance with the RMIT Human Research Ethics application, and for her wise and warm encouragement after Professor Yelland left the university. Gratitude beyond words is extended to my supervisor Professor David Forrest without whom this thesis would not be. He came to the rescue following a period of serious uncertainty after Professor Yelland resigned. Specifically, he steered me through turbulent times, and was the personification of tolerance as I went off on significant tangents until he reminded me of where I should be heading. His scholarship, expert guidance and trust has been my mainstay in working through this thesis whilst being a part-time student and fulltime teacher, and at times, a wife, daughter, mother, sister and friend. Also highly valued is the contribution of the preservice teachers involved in the research. Rather than being just the subjects of the study, they were deeply honoured participants who exemplified the power of the individual and collective voice, and above all, the ethos of goodwill and the creative spirit that is so vital to learning and teaching in the 21st century. While I cannot reveal their names, their voices have been integral to the creation of the thesis. There are too many other people to be thanked individually here. Yet, special thanks must be attributed to colleague Andrew Scarborough who transcribed all of my hard copy data into Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and graph formats. Also to Louise Prentice who so graciously kept me on track with the administrative intricacies of my candidature. This thesis would not have been completed without the support of my husband Peter who continued to believe in the importance of my work even when I was at the lowest ebb of the journey. Most importantly, I thank Peter for being an amazing and unwavering companion on this journey, especially for his enduring support, his close reading and his part of the other stories that paralleled the doctoral journey, but are told here. I dedicate this thesis to the memory of my adored mother, Svetlana, Borisovna Sinayskaya (1925-2010) whose gift to me was my education, my love of art, and above all, her belief in my human qualities. Also to my sons Julian and Tim, may they tell their own stories and continue to speak with their own vibrant and creative voices. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iii Table of Contents Page Title page i Declaration ii Acknowledgements iii List of figures viii List of tables x List of publications and presentations xi-xii Summary 1 Chapter 1: Introduction to the study 4 1.1 Preface 1.2 Background to the research 1.3 Professional background and philosophy 1.4 Defining the problem: Visual arts specific ICT limitations 1.4.1 Lack of ICT resources 1.4.2 Coursework limited to traditional practices 1.4.3 Lack of technological-pedagogical acumen 1.5 Context and aims of the study 1.6 Research questions 1.7 Groundwork for the study 1.8 Methodology 1.9 Significance of the study 1.10 Outline of the thesis chapters 1.11 Limitations of the study 1.12 Outline of the thesis chapters 1.13 Key features of the study 1.14 Final word 1.15 The journey begins Chapter 2: Methodology 29 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Purpose of the study 2.3 Establishing a research paradigm 2.4.1 Developing a multi-method construct 2.4.2 Infusing the basic tenets of action research 2.4.3 Incorporating an art-based research approach 2.4.4 Applying an a/r/tographical lens 2.5 Rationale for selecting the specific study context 2.6.1 Visual arts education context 2.6.2 Conceptual underpinnings 2.7 Research questions 2.8 Fundamental rationale for the study 2.9 Rational for choice of research context 2.10 Overview of the research context 2.11 The research participants 2.8 Data generation units 2.8.1 Questionnaire TABLE OF CONTENTS iv 2.8.2 Observations 2.8.3 One-one interviews 2.8 4 Visual journals 2.9 Data collation 2.10 Process of analysis 2.11 Ethical considerations 2.12 Summary Chapter 3: The impact of computer technology advancements on education. 67 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Influence of early computer technology developments 3.3 Early computer related government initiatives in Australia 3.4 The genesis of the computer literacy concept 3.5 Influence of the Internet boom 3.6 The lifelong leaning concept 3.7 Visions of reconceptualising education 3.8 Evoking the notion of constructivist pedagogy 3.9 ICT advocacy in early childhood education 3.10 ICT-orientated funding priories and media reinforcement 3.11 Changing landscape of higher education 3.12 Extending the concept of computer literacy 3.13 Retaining teachers’ professional credibility 3.14 Implications for teachers and education faculties 3.15 ICT Influences on national and state curriculum perspectives 3.16 Recent curriculum developments 3.17 Rise of the digital native concept 3.18 Summary Chapter 4: Cautionary perspectives on the ICT agenda in education 98 4.1 Introduction 4.3 Countering the euphoria: Questioning the rhetoric 4.4 Conflicting priorities in education 4.5 Inequitable access to ICT 4.6 Consideration of teachers’ attitudes to ICT integration 4.7 Concerns in the higher education sector and presevice teacher education 4.8 Mismatch between university and practicum experiences 4.9 Overall disappointment 4.10 ICT implications for visual arts education: Contextual constraints 4.11 Ideological qualms 4.11 Paradox within higher education 4.12 Techno fatigue 4.13 Market force of technologising education 4.14 Aesthetic obsolescence 4.15 Dilemmas of a globalised Internet driven culture 4.16 Digital ethics: Appropriation of artists’ work 4.17 Challenges to traditional notions of creativity 4.18 Legal implications for schools and teachers: Breaching software agreements 4.19 Moving art education beyond the ICT rhetoric 4.20 Summary TABLE OF CONTENTS v Chapter 5: Constructive perspectives on technology in visual arts education 129 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Reducing concerns around ICT in art education 5.3.1 Embracing ICT to retain professional credibility 5.3.2 Raising the status of art education 5.4 Exciting aspects of ICT for visual arts education 5.5.1 Preparing students for the future 5.5.2 Promoting problem solving skills 5.6 ICT as an alternative art practice medium 5.7 Artistic relevance of ICT 5.8. Promotion of risk taking 5.9.1 ICT to promote universal pedagogical concepts 5.9.2 as a stimulus for the social aspects of learning 5.9.3 Visual literacy 5.10 ICT as an aide to creative activity 5.11 ICT in early childhood visual arts education 5.12 ICT as an aide to managing teaching resources 5.13 Appropriate ICT use 5.14 Visual arts educators’ technological acumen 5.15 Implications for preservice teacher education 5.16 Summary Chapter 6: Computer art: An overview of historical perspectives 162 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Relevance of Computer art history to visual arts educators 6.3 Current sources of computer art literature and images 6.4 Defining computer art 6.5 Origins of computer art 6.6 Key computer art phases 6.7 Early computer art practitioners 6.8 Value of technology developments for artists 6.9 Differences in artists’ approaches to computer implementation 6.10 Artist-engineer nexus 6.11 Precarious collaborations 6.12 Early computer art competitions 6.13 Early computer art exhibitions 6.14 Growing international interest 6.15 Critical reflections 6.16 Enduring worth of the early explorations 6.17 The controversy 6.18 Factors contributing to negative perceptions 6.19 Summary Chapter 7: Findings of the study 207 7.1 Introduction. 7.2 Research questions. 7.3 The study purpose 7.4 Brief reflections on the groundwork of the study TABLE OF CONTENTS vi 7.5 Outline of the research context: The visual arts course work 7.6 Pedagogical framework for creativity 7.7 Fundamental elements of ICT in visual arts courses 7.8 Discussion of the findings 7.9 Perceptions of ICT in visual arts education 7.10 Constructive explorations of ICT 7.11 How ICT was used 7.12 Examples of ICT use 7.13 Disappointments along the way 7.14 Negotiating challenges 7.15 Assuming more responsibility for learning 7.16 The most powerful message emerging from the data 7.17 Summary of factors that shape visual arts education preservice teachers’ attitudes to ICT 7.17.1 Beliefs

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