The Creative Art Teacher as an Agile Facilitator

Abstract

This paper examined instructional strategies for teaching visual arts in a Basic School in Ghana to ascertain the readiness of teachers for the implementation of the new curriculum. In doing so, the paper examines and discusses some best pedagogical practices in developed countries in a contextual analysis through which suggestions were made to help breed agile arts teachers in Ghanaian basic schools. It situates in a case study inquiry through unobtrusive observation by examining instructional pedagogies of visual arts lessons in a selected basic school. Results indicate that pedagogy was mostly teacher-centred than enacting competencies in learners. Blended learning strategies were scarce whereas a focus-group interview with learners revealed their obsession with smartphones but cannot harmonize it with their learning. It is feared that Ghana will be unable to bridge the gap between visual art education and the industry given the ineffective instructional strategies used by creative art teachers. The paper recommends that creative art teachers join professional associations to indulge in personal continuous professional development. A school-based professional development training for creative art teachers is suggested. Whereas policymakers are entreated to develop regulatory policies that would enable both learners and teachers to explore the use of smartphones to expedite learning. Keywords: Agile facilitator, Art education, Blended strategies, Curriculum, Visual art teacher DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-20-07 Publication date: July 31 st 2022