The Nature of Transformative Experience in the Arts in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

This research identifies the nature of transformative experience through the arts in early childhood education (ECE). The concept of experience is a term widely used in the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996/2017), however no clear definition of this term has been provided. This thesis examines the conditions that promote or inhibit the transformative possibilities of children's experiences in the arts. Both philosophical and educational theories and methods underpin this research, in particular the works of John Dewey (1934/2005) and Elliot Eisner (2002), who both support the notion of educational work as artistry. The perspectives of influential philosophers and theorists who value the role of aesthetic engagement and imagination in experience, play and art are also examined. This philosophical research involves observations of children engaging in the arts at five early childhood centres in Auckland, New Zealand; focus groups with teachers from these centres; and focus groups with student teachers from two tertiary early childhood education providers. A phenomenological approach was adopted to examine the participants' lived experiences, using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore emergent themes. The research demonstrates how transformative learning opportunities, which emerge through play and arts experiences, expand children's perceptions and ways of knowing. The focus groups with student teachers and teachers emphasised children's potential to form new insights through their imaginative ventures in the arts. The data reveals that optimal learning environments and materials which encourage sensory and aesthetic experiences can enable transformative experiences through the arts. The research suggests that transformative experiences can easily be blocked, either intentionally or unintentionally. The teachers in this study demonstrate their developing understanding of what a transformative art experience looks like and what it might mean for children's learning, development and identity. This research highlights how the artistic and affective dimensions within the arts form a crucial part of children's learning, allowing them to explore and discover new opportunities and ideas. The theorising of experience in the arts has potential to contribute to a clearer understanding of the body of knowledge required for pedagogical insight in early childhood education.