Research subjects, participants or co-researchers? Extending the involvement of students in art and design research

A new article from Dr Liam Maloy and Professor Pat Thomson has been published in The International Journal of Art & Design Education.

Abstract

Art education has a range of purposes. Art is said to support students to explore, interpret, ask critical questions, communicate and realise ideas, experiment, take risks, collaborate, tell stories and/or engage in social and political actions. In this paper, we consider whether educational researchers have the same capacious view of students’ potential and capacities for involvement. We bring the results of a Rapid Evidence Review (RER) of the benefits of arts education into conversation with the literatures on student voice and participation. We outline the ways in which student voice and participation are discussed, then move to the results of the RER. We conclude with a discussion of the opportunities for art education researchers to develop research practices that are inclusive of students.

Please visit the publisher's website to read the full article.

Dr Maloy and Professor Thomson are both member of the Centre for Research in Arts, Creativity and Literacy.