The Routledge International Handbook of the Arts and Education

The embodied social studies classroom – Repositioning the body in the social sciences in school

“…At a first glance, the three comprehensive themes do not seem to be surprising. They fit quite nicely with research on embodied learning in teaching and in teacher education if we look at research from fields other than social studies where aspects of knowledge as embodied and what bodies become in educational situations have been prominent (Fleming et al, 2015;Pramling-Samuelsson & Asplund-Carlsson, 2008). They are also probably recognisable by many teachers in their daily practices.…”

“…Within physical education, research on embodied aspects of learning has been obvious exploring aspects from motor learning to socio-cultural and situated aspects on learning (Quennerstedt & Maivorsdotter, 2016 for an overview see Ennis, 2016). In arts education, aesthetic and multimodal aspects of embodied learning have often been foregrounded (Fleming, Bresler, & O'Toole, 2015). Anttila (2015) in an overview on embodied learning in the arts also highlight how arts can touch people on an embodied level and the potential for transformative meaningful experiences in arts education is promoted when embodiment and active practice is foregrounded.…”

“…Anttila (2015) in an overview on embodied learning in the arts also highlight how arts can touch people on an embodied level and the potential for transformative meaningful experiences in arts education is promoted when embodiment and active practice is foregrounded. In a recent handbook on arts and education (Fleming et al, 2015) embodiment is further emphasised using concepts like embodied knowing, emotion, performance, expression and meaning.…”

Challenges, implications and the future of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts

“…Robyn described how through Drama students learn to walk in someone else’s shoes and see the world from a different perspective which provides students with authentic opportunities to continue to develop curiosity, empathy and compassion, creative and critical thinking and a deep understanding of equity and social justice . The researchers have also experienced how the Arts action creative skills (Harris & Carter, 2021 ), engage children and young people more deeply in learning in other curriculum areas (Gibson & Ewing, 2020 ) and ensure that a learner’s optimal achievement in non-Arts subjects can be realised (Fleming, et al, 2015a , 2015b ).…”

“…The Arts enable students to engage in a range of sensory experiences and the opportunity to experiment, to imagine, to play, and explore as they discover how to communicate, share and create with others. The Arts promote understanding of diversity by engaging students with different cultural experiences which are often integrated through the storytelling worlds of Drama and Media Arts, the physical imagination of Dance, the visual escape from the body and self-enablement through Visual Arts, or the aural sanctuary that is created when making or listening to Music (Barrett, 2019 ; Barton & Baguley, 2017 ; Bresler, 2007 ; Burridge & Dyson, 2020 ; Dezuanni, 2017 ; Eisner, 2009 ; Ewing, 2010 ; Ewing, 2019 a; Ewing, 2019 b; Fleming et al, 2015 a; Fleming et al, 2015b ; Grierson, 2011 ; Meiners, 2014 ; O’Toole, 2009 ).…”