| CODE | EPE2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Creativity and Arts-based Pedagogies in Early Childhood | ||||||||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Early Childhood and Primary Education | ||||||||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will encourage students to examine their own personal perspectives regarding the definition of creativity and the role of arts-based pedagogies for exploring and understanding the world in an early childhood education programme. Students will further consider and reflect on theoretical foundations relating to creative processes and examine the importance of creativity and imagination and its relationship to the learning process. The unit consists of highly interactive lectures to equip students with information about basic art materials, both bought and found, and methods for using them in activities with young children to foster their development. Students will be introduced to different contemporary artists’ techniques and paintings which can be of inspiration to young children’s art and creative expression. During interactive workshops, students will discuss theories and approaches as they also get a chance to work hands-on with a variety of art media which children can use for experimenting in art. Students will develop skills in reflecting upon ways of teaching to develop an arts environment in combination with other creative aspects in the classroom to capitalize on the child’s active imagination and creative strengths. The study-unit will also tackle Drama Education and Creative Movement. Students will learn about basic techniques such as the effective use of the voice and body language. The training engages students in an experience of Creative Drama strategies to develop both a practical and theoretical understanding of the subject. Students will develop skills in reflecting upon the form and meanings created during Creative Drama processes integrating storytelling/making, drama, creative movement and music. The study-unit is geared to be a self-developmental experience of self expression and self exploration through Drama, Creative Movement and Art levelled at the participants. The creative processes experienced and the exploration of the role of the arts in knowledge production and embodied experience will give participants the confidence to use arts -based pedagogies for holistic education. Study-unit Aims: This unit aims at developing students’ knowledge of art and drama strategies. They will learn about children’s stages of artistic development (ages 18 months to 7 years). The interactive sessions help participants develop basic drama/communication techniques (breathing techniques, voice and physical work) crucual to any teacher’s training. Besides giving students ideas for art, drama and creative movement in the early years classroom, the interactive lectures present an opportunity for a self developmental process helping participants gain the confidence to experiment with drama, storymaking and storytelling, art and creative movement in the classroom. The study-unit also helps students learn how to use the skills developed to organise activities which allow young children to express themselves through different modes, promoting development in self-expression and creativity. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - describe the role of the professional in the development of children’s creative experiences; - use a number of creative arts-based processes ( storytelling, drama, art, creative movement); - explain the stages of artistic development ( 0-7yrs); - acquire a basic understanding of the different artistic approaches and materials to use safely for art and creativity in the early childhood classroom; - discuss the works and the style of various modern artists. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - use voice and body language more expressively; - create individual and collective artworks/ creations/stories using various techniques/ conventions/ materials; - devise and use various creative processes in the early childhood classroom; - use different techniques, approaches and materials /props to promote creativity in the classroom; - use modern artists’ works as a source for children’s creative artworks; - organize informal and play activities for young children through which they can express themselves creatively in different ways; - reflect upon ways of teaching to develop an arts environment in the classroom and to capitalize on children’s active imaginations and creative strengths. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main texts: - Chalmers, D. (2014). Drama 3-5: A practical guide to teaching drama to children in the foundation stage. Routledge. - Jalongo, M. R. & Stamp, L. N. (1997) The arts in children's Lives. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. - Scher, A & Verral, C. (1992). 100+ Ideas for Drama. (2nd Ed.) Portsmouth. Supplementary texts: N.B. Students are reminded that the useful sources list below is not definitive and that they are expected to extend their reading and to avail of both internal (university library, internet, journals) and external (voluntary organisation lending libraries, international web pages) facilities also. - Arnheim, R. (2004). Art and visual perception. A Psychology of the Creative Eye. Berkeley: University of California Press. - Arnold, A. (2010) Stimulating Creativity and Enquiry, London: A C Black. - Arts Council England (ACE) (2007) More than Potato Prints, making the most of the arts in early years settings, Birmingham: ACE. - Arts Council England (ACE) (2005) Reflect and Review: the arts and creativity in the early years, London: ACE. - Craft, A. (2002) Creativity and Early Years Education, London: Continuum. - Eisner, E.W. (2004). The arts and the creation of mind. Yale Univ Press. - Gombrich, E. H., Hochberg, J. & Black, M. (1973). Art, perception and reality. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press. - Isenberg, J. & M.R. Jalongo. (2005). Creative thinking and arts-based learning. Pearson/ Allyn & Bacon. Rogers, S. & Evans, J. (2008) Inside Role-Play in Early Childhood Education. - Smidt, S. (2010) Key Issues in Early Years Education, Oxon: Hodder. - Vecchi, V. (2010) Art and Creativity in Reggio Emilia, Oxon: Routledge. - Winston, J. & Tandy, M. (2009) Beginning Drama 4-11, London: Routledge Wright, S. (2010) Understanding Creativity in Early Childhood, London: Sage. Some supplementary e-journal reading available: - Craft. A(2006) Fostering creativity with wisdom. Cambridge Journal of Education, Volume 36, Number 3 (September 2006), pp. 337-350. - Mindham, C (2005) Creativity and the young child. Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development, Volume 25, Number 1, pp. 81-84. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||||||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Bernice Buhagiar Bernice Buttigieg Isabelle Gatt (Co-ord.) David Micallef Sarah Marie Vella |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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