ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 provides foundational knowledge for why innovation, literacy, and the arts are important in K-8 learning environments. Research supports that the arts can transform learning through creative and innovative practices. Chapter 1 introduces essential concepts and paints a landscape of theoretical perspectives on education to assist designers of learning environments in developing a common language that underscores innovation and literacy-arts integration. Educational theories and frameworks foreground perspectives and pedagogical approaches and explain instructional decisions and practices. Chapter 1 discusses seven theoretical perspectives on education: sociocultural theory, constructivism, new literacies, multimodal theory, constructionism, new materialism, culturally responsive pedagogy, and social emotional learning as an integral component in the design of learning environments and literacy-arts integrated lesson development. Drawing upon historical and current educational theories helps to uncover and describe innovative practices directly related to literacy-arts integration in multicultural contexts.
