MPRE315
The Arts and Self-Expression in Primary Education

ECTS Value: 2 ECTS

Contact Hours: 10

Self Study Hours: 24

Assessment Hours: 16

 

Overall Objectives and Outcomes

This module emphasises the importance of art education and the promotion self-expression in the primary school classroom. Through a combination of lectures and practical activities, course participants will examine how creative subjects such as visual arts, music, drama and movement contribute to personal and social development.

The importance of creative activities is at the core of this module, encouraging prospective primary educators to continuously reflect on what artistic self-expression means to them and how it affects their teaching and learning experiences. The module also provides approaches to embed the arts into the mainstream primary school lessons, in particular to promote self-confidence, communication and experience of emotions in young children.

Through the adoption of creative expression as a principle of teaching, this module promotes primary teaching as a possibility to cultivate self-expression in young learners to become resilient, discover their identity and deepen their involvement in learning experience.

By the end of this module, the learner will be able to:

Competences

  • a)Design and substantiate research-informed creative activities that cultivate critical thinking, divergent problem-solving and self-awareness in primary education contexts;
  • b)Lead and synthesise collaborative dialogue and peer reviews to generate advanced understanding of creative processes and self-expression within diverse learning communities;
  • c)Construct and evaluate a diversified portfolio of authentic assessment frameworks that capture and validate the complexity of creative arts-based education practices;
  • d)Curate and present a professional portfolio demonstrating sustained creative inquiry, pedagogical innovation and leadership in the organisation and implementation of arts-based educational processes;
  • e)Cultivate a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that fosters a culture of creative risk-taking, critical self-reflection and ethical engagement with diverse forms of artistic expression;
  • f)Produce and disseminate original, research-based insights on the impact of arts-based education on primary learners’ self-expression, identity, and wellbeing.

Knowledge

  • a)Critically analyse the relationship between developmental theories and sociocultural contexts in relation to the evolution of children’s creative skills and self-expression;
  • b)Appraise pedagogical frameworks that underpin creative arts teaching in primary education, including their effectiveness in supporting diverse learners;
  • c)Evaluate interdisciplinary approaches that integrate creative arts practices to foster conceptual understanding, imagination, and critical thinking across subject areas;
  • d)Assess the pedagogical value of resources including digital and multimodal tools, to support creative arts teaching and learning.

Skills

  • a)Critically evaluate and apply diverse methodologies for engaging students in creative and multidisciplinary experiences, incorporating research-informed approaches to improve learning outcomes;
  • b)Display a critical understanding of the role of self-expression in the creative arts and its impact on young learners’ development;
  • c)Appraise and integrate the Learning Outcomes Framework within curriculum design and assessment, aligning creative pedagogies to national and international standards;
  • d)Design and innovate differentiated, interdisciplinary learning experiences that synthesise subject expertise with advanced pedagogical principles in creative arts education;
  • e)Facilitate and adapt opportunities for children to explore and express creativity with an awareness and understanding of their varied needs and learning processes.

Assessment Methods

This module will be assessed through: Group Discussion and Written Assignment

Suggested Readings

Core Reading List

  1. Burnard, P., & Loughrey, M. (Eds.). (2021). Sculpting new creativities in primary education: Charting the voices and experiences of children and educators.
  2. Kenyon, G. (2019). The arts in primary education: Breathing life, colour and culture into the curriculum. Bloomsbury Publishing.
  3. Ogier, S. (2021). Teaching the arts in the primary curriculum. Learning Matters.
  4. Wilson, A. (2015). Creativity in primary education (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
  5. Wright, S. (2023). Children, meaning-making and the arts (4th ed.). Pearson Education

Supplementary Reading List

  1. Engelbright Fox J., Schirrmacher R. (2015). Art and Creative Development for Young Children. Cencage Learning.
  2. Hall, C., & Thomson, P. (2017). Inspiring School Change: Transforming Education through the Creative Arts. Routledge.
  3. Jesson J., 2021. Developing Creativity in the Primary School. Open University Press.
Skip to content