ABSTRACT
A push towards more time being devoted to so-called core subjects such as mathematics, science, and English has resulted in a diminished amount of arts education initiatives in both elementary and secondary Canadian classrooms over the last two decades.1 To make matters more challenging, a number of Canadian universities who offer teacher education programmes have reduced or phased out their arts course offerings (drama, visual art, dance, and music methods), and they have instead created courses that integrate the arts in other subject areas. Therefore, it has become imperative for arts education researchers in Canada to clearly illustrate how and why arts education fosters academic motivation, engagement, and achievement in student learning. Rather than developing a comparative analysis with the AEMEA study, this chapter sheds light on trends, directions and practices of successful pedagogical practices within a Canadian context. Chapter 14 provides insights where themes and perspectives on Australian pedagogical arts practices are discussed in relation to other countries, including Canada.
