About the National pilot project

The Arts Education in Practice Professional Development Award is brand new SQA (SCQF Level 7) accredited training especially designed for arts practitioners of all art forms. If you are engaged in the delivery of workshops and projects with groups of children, young people or adults in formal or informal education and community contexts, then this is the course for you.

Who is the award for?
The award is for arts practitioners who are delivering workshops and projects with groups of children, young people or adults.

Art form development:
You can be a professional artist* of any art form: dance, theatre, drama, music, visual arts, creative writing, storytelling, crafts, film, digital arts – any and all art forms are relevant.

You are likely to have a formal qualification in your art form (e.g. an undergraduate degree). However, in acknowledgement of the diverse career pathways in this sector, other equivalent professional experience will be considered. You must demonstrate that you are actively developing your artistic practice; examples of this include exhibitions, performances, commissions, published work, critical reviews, portfolios and showcases.
* Please note that the Arts Education in Practice Professional Development Award has been specifically designed as accredited professional development training for arts practitioners and is not training for teachers/educators, youth workers, or those interested in integrating the arts into their work. Rather, delivering your art form should be the main focus of your professional work.

Practice development:
Alongside commitment to your art form, you will need to demonstrate your experience of working with groups, running art form development sessions in formal or informal education or community contexts. This could be working on an arts project in a school or running workshops in a community centre; working with the under fives or over fifty-fives; working independently or for an arts organisation – it is likely that you will have developed your practice in a variety of contexts, no two ever quite the same.

You must be able to demonstrate your understanding of the settings in which you either have previously, or are currently working and the specific needs and requirements of these groups and contexts.

Work-based learning:
Much of the learning on the course will be based around an analysis of the specific context where your practice takes place. Each individual candidate must ensure that they have a specific work opportunity in place, in order to fulfil the requirements of the course. This must take place between January-April 2009 and can either be paid or voluntary. If this is on-going work, candidates will be required to focus on a six-week timeframe within their work commitments, to meet the learning and assessment criteria of the course.

Candidates’ work-based learning is subject to the appropriate Disclosure Scotland checks.

Permission must be established from employers/host organisations in order for your work-based learning to be assessed as part of the course. On successful enrolment to the course, further guidance will be given regarding this. However, candidates are strongly recommended to have permission agreed at the point of application to the course, where possible.

How will candidates be selected?
All potential candidates for the Arts Education in Practice Professional Development Award will be asked to show evidence of the following as part of their application:

• Your art form development experience
• Your practice development experience
• Your intended work-based learning context between January-April 2009.

There are 16 places available at the Glasgow based course and 8 at the Inverness based course. This is a national action research project, supported by the Scottish Arts Council, which will not only pilot a model of this specific course, but will also examine broader issues surrounding future training needs for arts practitioners in Scotland. In the interests of the research base of the project, the following criteria will also be considered when selecting candidates:

• The number of candidates in each pilot location e.g. Glasgow or Inverness
• The range of the proposed work based learning contexts represented on the pilot project
• The range of art forms represented on the pilot project
• The range of practitioner experience represented on the pilot project.

What is the course content and how will it be assessed?
The Award consists of three units:

• Prepare to deliver art form development sessions
• Assist individuals to experience art form practices
• Monitor, evaluate and develop practice

These units will include the following curriculum:

• An introduction to reflective practice
• Development of pedagogy
• Contextual analysis of work-based learning
• Project design, programme planning and implementation
• Communication and workshop management skills
• Evaluation and monitoring techniques
• Child protection, health and safety, equal opportunities legislation and how it relates to your practice
• National policy developments relating to arts practice

The teaching and assessment of the course will support candidates in taking responsibility for their own learning, bringing their experience and knowledge to the course, with opportunities for peer learning. This is supported with tutorials and seminars.

Candidates will develop a portfolio of work and a reflective journal during the course, which will contribute to their assessment. These will also support their future learning and practice.

Who is the course tutor?
The course tutor for the national pilot of the Arts Education in Practice Professional Development Award is Stephanie Knight.

Stephanie is a writer and researcher in applied theatre and participatory arts, specialising in social justice. She has worked in schools, further education and higher education. Stephanie has been the director of a university research centre dedicated to participatory arts and international development. She has designed and delivered a number of courses for formal and informal education and for schools, as well as participatory work and international development. She has also been a local authority arts officer and the director of an arts organisation. Stephanie is extensively published in international journals and is the assistant editor to the new international journal of Arts and Communities. She is visiting lecturer and external examiner at a variety of universities and colleges. Stephanie is currently developing new work with the Companions of Dynamic Ingenuity and she has a passionate commitment to the work and learning of artists in education and community contexts.

In addition, there will be other invited national policy-makers contributing to the course.