A Documentation and Analysis of Surdna Arts Teachers Fellowship Program (SATF): The First Decade 2000-2010

Based on documents, interviews, and site visits, reviews the design and impact of a program to boost teaching and learning quality at public arts high schools by supporting teachers' artistic and professional development. Lists issues for consideration

Captured voices in primary school art education.

Eisner (1972) articulated a long-standing orientation in art education as he described the triadic relationship between socio-centric, child-centred and discipline-centred approaches in art education praxis. Hickman (2005) observed that teachers and students are now positioned to embrace a wider range of discourses as to what art might be. This impacts on why students make art and how it is taught. Wider arts discourse has resulted in influential paradigms and historically preferred arts pedagogies (Efland, 2002, 2004; Eisner, 1972; Kerlavage, 1992; Price, 2005). These discourses influence policy, curriculum, teacher beliefs about art and ultimately the ways in which these influences are played out in classrooms. Eisner (2002) argued the need for "empirically grounded examples of artistic thinking related to the nature of the tasks students engage in, the materials they work with, the context's norms and the cues the teacher provides to advance their students thinking" (p. 217). This paper draws on such theory and a two year action-research project, The Art of the Matter (Fraser et al., 2006) involving case studies and analysis. This paper focuses on a Year 4 to Year 6 'drawing into painting' context taught by experienced generalist teachers in New Zealand primary schools. The influence of school culture and programme structures is explored. I raise questions as to which socio-cultural and discipline-centred voices generalist teachers have been captured by, and consider to what extent it possible to still discern a student whisper under the clamour and control of adult proscribed activity

Flickr: A case study of Web2.0

The “photosharing” site Flickr is one of the most commonly cited examples used to define Web2.0. This paper explores where Flickr’s real novelty lies, examining its functionality and its place in the world of amateur photography. The paper draws on a wide range of sources including published interviews with its developers, user opinions expressed in forums, telephone interviews and content analysis of user profiles and activity. Flickr’s development path passes from an innovative social game to a relatively familiar model of a website, itself developed through intense user participation but later stabilising with the reassertion of a commercial relationship to the membership. The broader context of the impact of Flickr is examined by looking at the institutions of amateur photography and particularly the code of pictorialism promoted by the clubs and industry during the C20th. The nature of Flickr as a benign space is premised on the way the democratic potential of photography is controlled by such institutions. Several optimistic views of the impact of Flickr such as its facilitation of citizen journalism, “vernacular creativity” and in learning as an “affinity space” are evaluated. The limits of these claims are identified in the way that the system is designed to satisfy commercial purposes, continuing digital divides in access and the low interactivity and criticality on Flickr. Flickr is an interesting source of change, but can only to be understood in the perspective of long term development of the hobby and wider social processes

Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) System for Ancient Documentary Artefacts

This tutorial summarises our uses of reflectance transformation imaging in archaeological contexts. It introduces the UK AHRC funded project reflectance Transformation Imaging for Anciant Documentary Artefacts and demonstrates imaging methodologies

Super connected jobs: understanding Australia’s future workforce

Connectivity, entrepreneurialism and a rising population will shape three million new jobs by 2030, argues a new study by Bernard Salt which has uncovered the distinct skill sets which represent Australia’s future jobs in the digital age. Developed by KPMG Demographics and commissioned by nbn, the Super connected jobs report explores how the potential for universal access to fast broadband can shape the future Aussie workforce and liberate employees from the confines of set working hours or places. It predicts significant growth and transformation in existing jobs such as beauty therapists and personal trainers as well as a changing perception for stereotypically ‘geek’ jobs such as computer programmers and high tech start-ups which will become less niche and more mainstream. Key findings include: Three million more jobs by 2030 – With three million new jobs since 2000, it is likely the Australian workforce will increase by another three million more workers in the next 15 years to 2030. There will be a growing emphasis on part-time working women work as well as longer careers for older workers. A culture of entrepreneurialism – The rise of new technology and digital disruption will facilitate a level of entrepreneurialism unlike ever before. This will influence the economy with the rise of ‘Silicon Cities and Beaches’ outside of metro areas, as more small and agile businesses pop-up with new ways to disrupt, improve and create value. It’s not only about ‘robot polishers’ – While the invention of the motorcar created jobs in car cleaning, future jobs won’t mean everyone suddenly enters the robot cleaning business. Jobs of the future will stem from what is in most demand due to changing skill sets, population increase and the potential for ubiquitous access to fast broadband via the nbn network. Connectivity the common thread – While digital disruption will create new business models, the majority of Australian job growth will come from ‘the jobs of today’. Connectivity will impact all types of jobs, even those not strictly in the technology space. New tools and new ways of communicating will influence all jobs of the future, no matter if you are a teacher, plumber, doctor or photographer. Author of the Super connected jobs report, demographer Bernard Salt said: “Australians are on the dawn of a disruptive ‘Uber-work’ era. Super connectivity made available via the nbn network will deliver a greater balance between work and lifestyle pursuits as we redefine how, when and where we will work. “We could also see the rise of new Silicon cities or beaches in regional hubs around the country as universal access to fast broadband drives a culture of entrepreneurialism and innovation outside our capital cities.” Who are the workers of the future? The Care Givers – includes support services such as social worker and personal services like beauty therapists, nannies and fitness instructors. A future Care Giver fitness instructor will pitch for work using an uber-like app and conduct group workouts via HD video-conferencing. The Technocrats – knowledge-workers who are highly skilled, highly trained and well-remunerated. The spectrum of jobs includes electrical engineers, medical researchers and business entrepreneurs. A future Technocrat could conduct an international collaboration via high speed broadband, to collaborate, develop and commercialise a research project. The Specialist Professions – knowledge-workers that maintain systems and deliver outcomes including accountants, dentists, urban planners and teachers. A future Specialist Professional such as a doctor will conduct more of their work remotely and use technology to diagnose and treat patients. The Doers – skilled jobs for those who ‘do’, such as plumbers, carpenters and electricians. No matter how much we automate, there will still be a requirement for waiters in the future. A future Doer will use technology to create new ways of communicating with clients, ordering materials, allocating work and processing payment. The Creatives – this group of workers is driven by what pleases as opposed to what delivers the best return on effort. Stylist, social media engineer, photographer and yoga instructor are all Creative jobs that in the future will draw on access to high speed broadband for inspiration, instant connections with peers and clients and hassle-free large data transfers