Melbourne Graduate School of Education - Theses

Permanent URI for this collection

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    How Can We Teach/Learn Emotion Words and Complex Abstract Meanings? – A Relational A/r/tographic Conversation In-between Images and Words
    SAJADI, NEDASADAT ( 2022)
    This a/r/tographic doctoral research is a pedagogical, cultural, methodological, and theoretical dialogue between a written exegesis and an a/r/t exhibition. Together, this 50/50 dynamic responds to this research, serving as a contiguous outcome. As an Iranian a/r/tographer I invite the viewer/reader to follow and engage with multimodal discussions by moving in-between the two inter-connected spaces of words and visuals. In this rhizomatic research, I explore the dynamics in-between images and words in communicating the complexities of meaning that are affected by our experiences and, in turn, continuously affect our understandings. I ask, How and to what extent can a/r/tography as a living inquiry contribute to the learning of complex abstract concepts such as emotion words and inter-personal/cultural meanings? Through entangled artmaking/writing, this a/r/tographic inquiry calls attention to uncertainty, process, and knowledge in the making. It introduces Persian miniatures as culturally specific artworks to stimulate learning with the unfamiliar. The entanglement within this arts-based educational research, addresses the overlooked or less discussed gaps which often result from commonly practiced, linear, established, or result-focused systems. Therefore, it offers a chance to interrupt the expected and negotiate meanings through affect. The thesis forms two parts: a written exegesis and creative component. The creative component comprises narrative colour-pencil/B&W illustrations on paper, acrylic painted/collaged paper mache sculptures, prints, and images on foam boards and acetate sheets. The creative outcomes of the research were presented and captured through a physical exhibition held at The University of Melbourne’s Graduate School of Education, prior to completion, on 1 April 2022. This completion exhibition provided a space of reflection which led to the curation of a final virtual a/r/t exhibition. To create a living and accessible collection/exhibition, all creative works have been photographed, scanned (JPG files), or processed as 3D models and assigned an individual digital object identifier (DOI). These artworks are stored in an online open access repository, called Figshare, and within the Pedestal 3D digital data management platform. As a collective, these digitised artworks were housed and then recorded to an immersive virtual space inside Mozilla Hubs which constitutes the a/r/t exhibition contributing to 50 percent of this doctoral research.
  • Item
    No Preview Available
    Polyphonic voices in the storied rhizome: An opera of 'becoming' music educators
    Robinson, Phillipa ( 2021)
    Music teachers are pivotal to the future of music education and the value of the arts in society. Centrally important is the professional identity of the music teacher, expressed through what they believe and enact in their educational practice. As a non-core subject, music is vulnerable and often seen as less valuable than other subjects in the current fluid and commodified world. Therefore, music teacher identity impacts pedagogical and curricular decisions, and co-curricular music programs. This inquiry investigated the professional identity development of ten early career music teachers through an exploration of their beliefs, knowledges and experiences in and about music and music education. Using an a/r/tographic conceptual approach informed by Deleuzoguattarian rhizomic philosophies, the participants’ individual journeys of ‘becoming music teacher’ were storied and re-storied, curated into seven research plateaus. As researcher, the work evolved to be partially autobiographical and as musician, music teacher and teacher educator, the ‘I’ is fully present within this storied rhizome. The thesis is presented as opera (opus, plural), mapped to guide the reader in wayfinding through the work. Musical and gardening metaphors are pervasive throughout the work. Arts works, both visual and musical, are embedded, not ‘as’ the research but to explain the research. What emerged was multifaceted. Unanimously, the participants felt their identity as a musician was important to their sense of self and that being a practising musician/composer was central to becoming an authentic music educator. Early epistemic beliefs are central to teacher practices and in-school experiences either reinforced or challenged the development of professional identity and impacted longevity in the profession. The contribution of the work is twofold. Practically, it can inform initial music teacher education, support professional development for early career music teachers and guide in the development of formalized mentoring early career music teachers. Conceptually the a/r/tographic nature of the research has the potential to inform research directions for future musician-teachers.