Background

Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Cultural Placements

Since the publication in 2003 of the National Primary Strategy Excellence and Enjoyment (DfES, 2003), which recommended the dissemination of 'good practice' between the museums and galleries sector and schools by establishing 'effective relationships' (p.33), Oxford Brookes has been at the forefront of brokering such partnerships with local cultural venues. This online exhibition celebrates the longevity and importance of these partnerships.

From 2003 BA (Hons) Primary Education students have undertaken cultural placements as part of their teacher training experience. The cultural placements started when Oxford Brookes and the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, were invited to be part of a programme, developed by Karen Hosack Janes, then Head of Schools at the National Gallery, London. The programme (evaluated by the University of Cambridge) was Government-funded in response to the forward thinking All Our Futures report (NACCCE, 1999), chaired by Sir Ken Robinson.

One of the objectives of the partnership with the National Gallery was to build sustainable links between teacher training providers and regional museums and galleries. This online exhibition demonstrates that, after 17 years, regional partnerships with Oxford Brookes University are strong; indeed the number of cultural venue partners has substantially increased from one to 16 (see list on the side navigation).

As part of an evaluation of the cultural placements, Jane Fletcher, the module lead and Senior lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, and Dr Karen Hosack Janes, now an education consultant specialising in creative pedagogy, are undertaking the first phase of a study. This involves digitally archiving the students’ learning resources from the 2019-2020 cohort, as well as analysing student experiences of the cultural placements. It is hoped that this research will be expanded to consider further the experiences of the cultural venue staff in providing and supporting the cultural placements, and the impact of a placement outside the classroom on the professional practice of former trainee teachers. This research would augment understanding of how and to what extent cultural venues can shape creative pedagogy.

To hear more about the teacher training cultural places watch Karen Hosack Janes presentation below. This was originally created for the Oxford Brookes School of Education conference in May 2020.