Back to Introduction

Structure of the key learning area

Strands

The strands are the major content and process elements of the Arts key learning area. There are two broad strands at levels 1-3, five strands at level 4 and six strands at levels 5-6. At each level the substrands are Arts practice and Responding to the arts (see table below).

Level	Strand	Disciplines	Substrand
1-3	Performing arts Visual arts	Dance Drama Music Art Media	Arts practice Responding to the arts
4-6	Art Dance Drama Media Music Visual Communication (5-6)		Arts practice Responding to the arts

All students at levels 1–3 should undertake programs in both Performing arts and Visual arts strands. At levels 4–6 students should engage in any two Arts strands at each level.

Levels 1 - 3

At levels 1–3 the two strands are:

• Performing arts
• Visual arts

In CSF II the terms ‘performing arts’ and ‘visual arts’ are identified as the strands. The Performing arts strand includes dance, drama and music while the Visual arts strand includes art and media. This is a flexible structure which provides opportunities for programs to focus on a number of arts disciplines in each strand and to offer them individually or in combination.

In educational settings and the community, the arts disciplines referred to in CSF II are undertaken in their own right and frequently combined in practice, particularly in theatre performances, film and television and multimedia arts presentations.

Levels 4 - 6

The strands at levels 4–6 relate to specific arts disciplines. They are:

• Art
• Dance
• Drama
• Media
• Music
• Visual communication (levels 5-6)

The introduction of specific arts disciplines as strands at level 4 facilitates greater skill development in and knowledge of the individual arts forms. Overall, the cognitive ability and developing aesthetic sense of students from level 4 allow them to investigate and explore more complex arts ideas and issues. Students are also more likely to have the physical ability to develop skills in the use of instruments and equipment in increasingly sophisticated ways to achieve technical competence and to explore ideas that interest them. Competence in many skill areas, leading to the successful completion of VCE and vocational arts studies, is best developed over an extended period of time. Students’ understanding of materials and processes and their ability to use them in the production of arts works is also more evident from level 4.