Case Study 4 The continuing partnership between
the Art Department at the University of Reading
Institute of Education and Reading International
Solidarity Centre (RISC)
Gill Hopper, University of Reading
Barbara Lowe, RISC1
Overview
This case study demonstrates how art education can play an important role in challenging
stereotypes and Euro-centrism and developing criticality in student teachers. It also exemplifies
the effectiveness of a university/non-governmental organisation (NGO) partnership based on
shared values, a commitment to social justice and mutual respect.
Introduction
The starting point for this partnership grew out of our concerns, independently arrived at, from
our observations of how ‘African Art’ is taught in schools. These concerns were reflected in
research that indicates the contribution school practices could make to reinforcing children’s
negative ideas about people and places in the majority world (Scoffham, 1999), and the danger of
the ‘single story’ (Adichie, 2009).
Both partners were experiencing dissatisfaction with the status quo: for example, when Barbara
Lowe was invited to introduce RISC’s traditional craft-based artefacts collection to student
teachers, she warned the students of the dangers of reinforcing stereotypes, but was aware that
Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC) had few contemporary alternatives to offer. RISC
was aware that the use of its artefacts by some teachers was more likely to reinforce than
challenge narrow preconceptions of people and places. Equally, Gill Hopper was aware of the
marginal place of majority world artists in the BAEd Art course, and of the tendency towards
Euro-centrism. Both had witnessed students planning ‘African art weeks’ when on teaching
placements in schools, and felt the need to equip students to challenge rather than reinforce
stereotypes and address global citizenship (GC) issues in a non-tokenistic way.
This led us to resolve to develop, with student teachers, ways that GC – and particularly
challenging stereotypes – might be addressed through the art curriculum. We began with projects
to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the work of contemporary artists from
Africa, and were aided significantly in this by the Africa Remix exhibition at the Hayward Gallery in
2005 and the publication of the exhibition catalogue.
Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC) is a Development Education Centre serving schools and teacher
training institutions in Berkshire and Oxfordshire since 1984.
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Image 1: Year four artwork inspired by the work of South African artists Esther Mahlangu and Moshekwa Langa.
The collaboration
After the success with our earlier initiatives, we have developed the collaboration so that first
year BAEd Art students and secondary Art PGCE students are now jointly introduced to:
 the key concepts of GC;
 RISC’s research findings from local primary and secondary schools on changes in pupils’
knowledge and attitudes about GC issues (RISC 2008);
 the work of some contemporary majority world artists, who have featured in our Art and GC
focused workshops with both students and children;
 a selection of work produced by the children and students during the (above) workshops.
The Art and GC workshops with primary school children are led by the BAEd Art students, who
research into a selection of artists and the context of their contemporary work as defined by a
particular continent/country and/or genre of art-making. For example, the students have looked at
the contemporary art practice of a range of artists from various African countries, or the
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contemporary practice of a range of artists (both minority world and majority world) using
textiles as their medium. Such research tends to be internet-based, as there is limited published
material available on such contemporary majority world art practice – unless, as with the Africa
Remix exhibition at the Hayward, there are exhibition catalogues and other associated literature.
They then plan, prepare, deliver and evaluate a day of art-making activities for a class of visiting
primary school children in the art studios at the university. These discussion-led activities
challenge society’s stereotypical views of art, artists and majority world countries; they raise the
status of art that may traditionally be marginalised due to outdated (and gendered) beliefs about
who are or can be makers of culture. This work has been seen to have a significant impact on
pupils, their teachers and the student teachers, such that it is now embedded within the BAEd Art
specialism, within other departments on the BAEd course, and within primary and secondary
PGCEs, GTPs, EYPs and Theatre Arts, Education and Deaf Studies (TAEDS). The learning has been
shared with other teacher training institutions, such as Oxford Brookes, and with dozens of
primary and secondary schools in the locality.
Furthermore, it is our intention that, when possible, artists should participate directly in the
students’ training. For example, the Ghanaian artist, Atta Kwami, was invited to give a lecture and
art-making workshop at the university, which was open to students, tutors and local teachers.
Image 2: A year 6 pupil inspired by the work of British–Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare
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A key focus of RISC’s work in the last decade has been to attempt to measure the impact of our
work on students’ and pupils’ attitudes and values, and this is being integrated into the partnership.
In support of this, and as a development of the work with students and primary children on the
work of contemporary majority world artists, a small scale university-funded project was carried
out at Reading University to establish the extent to which the BAEd Art’s work with children
influenced the students’ thinking, both in terms of their future classroom practice and their
development as artists or makers of culture.
Image 3: Year 6 artwork inspired by the work of British artist Lucy Brown
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The strengths of partnership
Both partners are committed to social justice and each recognize the role that embedding GC in
Art Education can play in effecting change. The work of both partners benefits from the
partnership, which is practice-based, research driven, ongoing and constantly under revision. We
share the concern that the school art curriculum privileges a Euro-centric, fine art focus. This is
also evident in higher education. In line with our shared values and goals, each partner recognises,
respects and draws upon the expertise of the other. RISC has a degree of flexibility, and the
university – particularly BAEd Art, because of its broader remit - relies greatly on RISC’s annual
induction into GC. Both partners are prepared to be creative about the direction of the work;
both learn from the partnership and continually review and reflect, not having unrealistic
expectations of the time and resources at each other’s disposal.
This collaborative approach has proved excellent for raising the issues that GC addresses, and has
helped equip students with many of the skills needed to integrate a global dimension into their
primary teaching, across all subjects, but particularly through Art. In doing this, the student teachers
whilst on placements – and later as qualified teachers – will assist the closing of the gap between
current Art practice in schools and a more desirable practice that is balanced and inclusive. It
encourages tutor and peer, peer and peer, and undergraduate and post-graduate dialogue about
issues that might commonly be seen as sensitive and thus best avoided. This provides a safe forum
for reflection and questioning. It provides an opportunity for the students in particular, but also
tutors, to critically examine their own stereotypical views, how these might have been arrived at,
and their possible role in (unknowingly) perpetuating such views.
Through the ‘trialing’ of GC-focused art activities with children within the purpose built art studios
– which encourages art-making on a scale that is not normally seen or practiced in primary school
– and within the pedagogic framework of student learners as art teachers, the activities help clarify
what is good practice, and make visible the complex and sophisticated levels of thinking and making
that children can achieve.
From observations and discussions, there is also evidence to suggest that, as students who have
chosen to pursue a career in teaching because they want ‘to make a difference’, the GC focus
through Art provides and encourages positive motivational beliefs and practices that will be used
to help shape their teaching.
Assessment
In year one, RISC introduces GC to the BAEd Art students. The university-based Art Education
module initiates and facilitates research into the work of contemporary artists from the majority
world, and the ensuing discussion and practical work with visiting primary school children. This is
not formally assessed, but provides the opportunity for group and class discussion, planning and
preparation, evaluation, and the development of collaborative lesson plans to be used on future
teaching placements.
In year two, the Art Education module requires students to engage in small group research
featuring art-related topics, which will inform their classroom practice. Alongside topics such as
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‘museum and gallery education’, and ‘artists in residence’, global citizenship and cultural diversity in
Art is now a research topic. This focus provides an opportunity for the BAEd Art students to
revisit and build upon their GC-related work in year one. Findings are presented by each group to
the rest of the group in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. These must contain the following,
and are assessed according to the guidelines below:
INTRODUCTION
Define the subject area/topic.
Summarise the background information and introduce key terminology and related
issues.
State why this subject area is important in Art Education.
DEVELOPMENT
Discuss the way the subject is or might be approached/introduced in school and how
research and Government guidelines etc., have influenced and informed this. Reflect
upon and describe personal experiences in school.
Discuss how the subject area/topic might be introduced into the school curriculum
in the light of your research and experience.
Relate to the National Curriculum for Art and Design.
Consider the relevance of your subject/topic and art to the wider curriculum, using
examples.
CONCLUSION
Summarise your findings.
If appropriate, provide recommendations for change based upon your research for
the seminar. Discuss actions needed.
DISCUSSION
Invite questions, comments and views from the group.
Funding the work
Initially (from 2005), the partnership was funded by the Department for International
Development (DfID) through its Enabling Effective Support strategy. This funding ceased in 2010
and the partnership is currently unfunded. RISC’s continued participation has depended on
reserves generated by its trading activities, and is not therefore sustainable beyond the short term.
In August 2012, RISC discovered it had been successful in securing European Commission funding
to develop, with student teachers, activities to measure the impact of their teaching on pupils’
attitudes. In addition, the partnership intends to apply for research funding to measure the impact
on students’ practice long term – a development of research Gill Hopper has already piloted with
her students. The established nature of the partnership is at the heart of the funding bids and
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makes their success more likely. School-based continuing professional development (CPD)
sessions, based on the outcomes of the research and activities, also generate income.
Commitment of partners
One member of staff from each of the partner organisations allocates time for research and
preparation of materials. At this stage much of the work is embedded, so additional time is not
extensive. However, time is needed to sustain its development and monitor the continuing
appropriateness of our model. In addition, effective dissemination is very time consuming and is
therefore also a drain on the partnership’s resources. Both partners are committed to effective
dissemination through the development of web-based artist profiles (see ‘schemes of work and
inspirational ideas’2).
Conclusions
The development of our own expertise has been both a requirement and a positive outcome of
this partnership. Through review and reflection we have been able to move beyond tokenism. This
is reflected in the way the GC concerns are embedded in the BAEd Art course programme. The
course starts by introducing students to the work of some contemporary artists from Africa, then
moves on to ensure students investigate the shared concerns of minority world and majority
world artists, and to the situation where it is expected that the study of every genre of art
routinely features majority world artists alongside those from the minority world, as naturally as
women artists are featured alongside men. We recognise the importance of disseminating this
work, and acknowledge it has had some of the most significant impacts of any work RISC has
undertaken. Its success has not only enabled work in other subject specialisms and in other
courses at Reading’s Institute of Education to take place, which has in turn stimulated further
work at other teacher training institutions. The research and activities also form a core element
within RISC’s GC training offer to schools and have been widely disseminated through:
 CPD for teachers and whole staff in Berkshire and Oxfordshire schools;
 training for artist educators organised through creative partnerships and local authorities;
 training for museum and gallery educators in London and Chichester;
 training for development education centres around the country;
 production of downloadable teaching resources – student research uploaded onto the RISC
resource bank;
 six teaching packs3, one of which is translated by a Czech NGO;
 community arts activities: Whiteknights Studio Trail event 2011;
 three-page article in StArt magazine for primary teachers, distributed nationally;
 conference presentation at British Educational Research Association (BERA);
 conference presentations and papers at TEESnet conferences.
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http://www.risc.org.uk/resourcebank/
http://www.octobergallery.co.uk/participate/
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References
Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. (2009) The danger of a single story [online]. Available from:
http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html [Accessed 25
June 2013].
Reading International Solidarity Centre (2008) How Do We Know It’s Working? A toolkit for
measuring attitudinal change in global citizenship, Reading International Solidarity Centre, (RISC),
Reading.
Scoffham, S. (1999) Young Children's Perceptions of the World (chapter 9). In David, T. (ed)
Teaching Young Children. London: Sage Publications.
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