History and practice : moving towards a holistic view of art education in Maltese secondary schools

Abstract

In our current Art syllabus, not much emphasis is put on the history of art. This dissertation aims to understand whether this contributes to Art Option students finishing their secondary school education yet still knowing very little about the historical aspect of art. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyse the local situation through the literature review and interviews. Moreover, this research will serve to answer the following questions: a) What is the current place of the history of art in today’s Maltese secondary classroom? b) How will a syllabus (SEC) that combines art history and art practice change the dynamics of art education in Malta? c) What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a syllabus that focuses on history and practice? d) What do teachers think about the idea of having a syllabus that combines art history and practice? The results of this research will then help to explore the viability of including combined elements of art history with art practice in Maltese art education.