Rethinking the roles of the art educator as participatory artist, researcher and teacher (P)ART: A South African perspective

As an art teacher educator in South Africa, I am concerned about three issues: (1) the low status of art as school subject, (2) the restriction of art as a subject for the talented few, and (3) the isolation of art from the lives and social realities of learners. These concerns prompted me to embark on a critical study of my own art didactical practices in teaching professional development to pre-service art teachers. I draw on qualitative data in the form of observations, visuals and reflective notes to present my living theory and positional stance about how such concerns can be addressed to enable students to become transformative, interdisciplinary leaders within schools through embodying the roles of participatory artists, researchers and teachers. The knowledge generated by my self-reflective practitioner inquiry contributes to framing professional development in art education and the vital role that art teachers could play to improve the status of art education as art becomes more recognized as a catalyst for transforming how people think and act in the world.