The Arts Educator: Pathways to Professional Practice unit (EMT551)

Online

Introduction

As the introductory unit of the secondary Arts education specialisation, this unit focuses on exploring the role of the Arts educator, developing skills in reflective practice in Arts education, and creating an individualised pathway towards your professional practice. The unit will involve interactive online learning activities with peers, and engagement with the work of Arts education specialists in schools. You will investigate the role of the Arts educator through the lens of critically reflective practice. Commencing with your entry level skills and knowledge, and with reference to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and the Australian Curriculum: The Arts, you will highlight areas for focus and articulate a plan to develop these, expanding your skills and knowledge across two disciplines. By the end of this unit, you will have developed: an introductory understanding of the role of the Arts educator, an understanding of critically reflective practice in Arts education, explicit understanding of your own skills and knowledge in two discipline areas, and a clear pathway for your ongoing professional learning.

Summary

Unit name	The Arts Educator: Pathways to Professional Practice
Unit code	EMT551
Credit points	12.5
College/School	Arts and Society Faculty of Education
Discipline	Education
Coordinator	Associate Professor Abbey MacDonald
Delivered By	University of Tasmania
Level	Postgraduate

Availability

Location	Study period	Attendance options		Available to
Online	Semester 2

Note

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Key Dates

Study Period	Start date	Census date	WW date	End date
Semester 2	5/7/2026	27/7/2026	30/8/2026	24/10/2026

* The Final WW Date is the final date from which you can withdraw from the unit without academic penalty, however you will still incur a financial liability (refer to How do I withdraw from a unit? for more information).

Unit census dates currently displaying for 2026 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2026 will be available from the 1st October 2025. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).

About Census Dates

Learning Outcomes

• collect, analyse and evaluate information about the role of the arts educator using lenses of critical reflection.
• synthesise your skills and understandings, and key components of the Australian curriculum: the arts, and the Australian professional standards for teachers, with your evolving understanding of the role of the arts educator.
• apply research to your evolving understanding of the role of the arts educator.
• communicate your knowledge of arts education in writing.

Fee Information

Field of Education	Commencing Student Contribution 1,3	Grandfathered Student Contribution 1,3	Approved Pathway Course Student Contribution 2,3	Domestic Full Fee 4
070105	$592.00	$592.00	not applicable	$2,562.00

• Available as a Commonwealth Supported Place
• HECS-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility³
• FEE-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility⁴

¹ Please refer to more information on student contribution amounts.
² Please refer to more information on eligibility and Approved Pathway courses.
³ Please refer to more information on eligibility for HECS-HELP.
⁴ Please refer to more information on eligibility for FEE-HELP.

If you have any questions in relation to the fees, please contact UniConnect or more information is available on StudyAssist.

Please note: international students should refer to What is an indicative Fee? to get an indicative course cost.

Requisites

Concurrent Prerequisites

EMT502

Teaching

Assessment	Critical Reflections in Arts Education (50%)|Pathway Planning in Arts Education (50%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required

Brookfield, S. (2017). Becoming a critically reflective teacher (2nd Edition). Jossey Bass.  Please note this text is available as a UTAS eBook in the Reading List. Reading Lists provide direct access to all material on unit reading lists in one place. This includes eReadings and items in Reserve. You can access the Reading List for this unit from the link in MyLO, or by going to the Reading Lists page on the University Library website.

Recommended

Abbs, P. (2003). Against the flow: Education, the Arts and postmodern culture. London, UK: Routledge Falmer.   Freire, P. (1993). Pedagogy of the oppressed (3rd Edition.). London, UK: Pearson.  Gardner, H. (2008). Five minds for the future. Boston, MAS: Harvard Business Press.   Schon, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. US: Basic Books.   University of Tasmania (2024). APA 7th edition. Retrieved from https://utas.libguides.com/referencing/APA7th

The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.