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Structure of the key learning area

Substrands

The Arts key learning area substrands for all levels are:

• Arts practice
• Responding to the arts.

The substrands are key organisers for program development and are integral to the study of the strands. They show the different ways in which people engage in the arts: as makers or producers, performers or presenters, audience members, critics or theorists. As the substrands are interrelated, students will often engage in arts practice and responding in the same learning activity. A balanced program for a specific strand will include activities associated with each substrand.

In the Arts practice substrand, students engage in the processes of making and presenting arts works. It involves both the generation of ideas, using a variety of starting points, and the development of skills in the use of elements, techniques and processes associated with particular arts forms. In Responding to the arts, students analyse and make judgments about the characteristics and qualities of their own works and the works of others. This substrand includes consideration of aesthetic questions and the role of the arts in society, as well as cultural and historical contexts. The following highlighted text provides an overview of the substrands. Characteristics of Arts practice are grouped under the subheadings Arts ideas and Skills, techniques and processes. Responding to the arts characteristics are grouped under Arts criticism and aesthetics and Arts contexts. These subheadings are important as they are used to distinguish between the two learning outcomes in each substrand at levels 4–6.

Arts practice Arts ideas developing arts ideas using a range of starting points exploring personal experiences, ideas, feelings and understandings through making arts works developing arts works by imagining, experimenting, planning, and applying arts elements, processes and techniques creating and presenting arts works individually and in groups Arts skills, techniques and processes Arts skills, techniques and processes developing knowledge of and using arts elements, principles, materials, and presentation spaces developing knowledge of arts skills, techniques and processes in creating and presenting arts works for a variety of purposes and audiences developing understanding of and using discipline-specific terminology and symbols.

Responding to the arts Arts criticism and aesthetics analysing and refining own arts works analysing and responding to the expressive qualities of arts works by referring to the use of elements, content and techniques developing and expressing understandings and making personal and informed judgments of arts works discussing the nature and aesthetic qualities of arts works Arts contexts developing an understanding of the social, cultural and historical contexts of arts works describing the various purposes, functions and audiences of arts works evaluating own works within cultural contexts analysing the ways in which the arts works reflect, construct, reinforce and challenge cultural values.