The HEARTS Project
The HEARTS project was funded by Gulbenkian, Esmee Fairburn, Paul Hamlyn, the TDA and the National Foundation for Science, Technology and the Arts. The member of staff in the Goldsmiths Education Department involved was Steve Herne. Former members of staff also involved in the project were: Celia Burgess-Macey (Project Manager), John Potter, Maggie Rogers and Jenny Griffiths. Our project was part of the National HEARTS project .
The research focussed on the question of the place of the arts in education. We investigated several aspects including:
- ways to extend and refine the carnival arts and performing arts elements of the Primary PGCE Programme through the development of a cross curricular approach in collaboration with carnival artists.
- ways to make stronger links between students experience of the performing arts and carnival on the course and in partnership schools.
- how to involve students in documenting and reflecting on their own creativity particularly through the new media technologies of digital video, and photographic, sound recording and powerpoint presentations to their student group.
There were three distinct phases. The first (Autumn 2005) involved a series of five seminars with our partners, an exploration of the legacy of debate about the arts in education, an identification the ideas informing the current in-depth review of our provision, and action planning for future curriculum development.
The second (Autumn and Spring) involved researching some of our recent and developing approaches to curriculum development including:
- integration of the carnival experience into existing courses in collaboration with carnival artists
- creation of visual resources exploring the contribution of Art, Design and Technology, Carnival and the Performing Arts to students’ and children’s learning
- introduction of a new course unit on sound production and recording
- new approaches to students’ use of Digital Video, including using video as a tool for reflective practice
- intranet resources for college-based courses and schools partnership
The third (Summer) involved action research work in partnership schools and dissemination of findings.
The funding was won on behalf of the department and the funding bodies were keen that its implementation should take a high profile in the department and partnership schools.
Steve Herne & Celia Burgess-Macey, Project Manager
Official Report published 9 May 2007
| Our official report detailing our process, outcomes and findings: Performing Arts’ Carnival in Initial Teacher Education and Schools: HEARTS project at Goldsmiths, University of London 2005-2006 [pdf] was published to co-inside with our well attended dissemination conference held on 9 May 2007 | 
|
Links
Executive summary of the Evaluation of the (National) HEARTS project 2004 - 2006 is available on the NFER website