The environment for good practice in art education in Malaysia

This investigation of the environment for good practice in Art Education in Malaysia looked at how far the implementation of the new Art Education curriculum in secondary schools had succeeded in broadening students' and professionals' perception of the importance of art in . education and the factors which enable good practice to exist in Art Education. A minority of schools were found to be examples of good practice and they were looked at in detail as case studies.

Secondary school students, teachers, principals, curriculum planners, lecturers, artists, designers and policy makers were involved in interviews and questionnaires. Five schools with different approaches were involved as case studies. Direct and indirect questions, observation and asking a third party were used in order to find out what students, teachers and principals say they do in relationship to what they actually do.

This research found that a change in the art curriculum in schools was not successful in broadening students', teachers', principals' and decision makers' understanding of the value of art in education. Only a few schools succeeded in implementing art displaying good practice. These schools succeeded in showing that learning art increased students' perception of aesthetic values, sensitivity to the environment and enabled them to use the benefits and creativity of art in their everyday life. Learning art opened up an opportunity in their future careers and future education in art and design. The combination of good implementers (art teachers and principals) and a good infrastructure were found to be major factors in implementing good practice in Art Education. The interest, enthusiasm and success in integrating learning art in the classroom and the world of art outside contribute to the factors which enable good practice to exist in Art Education. The outcomes of this research will contribute to the policies of art planners and art implementers and to a model for the future development of Art Education in Malaysia.