Analytical Survey on the Challenges of Teaching and Learning the Arts in the 21st Century and the Way Out

• Main Author: Soyoye Akinyode Solomon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The International Academic Forum 2015-10-01
• Series: IAFOR Journal of Arts & Humanities
• Subjects: the Arts; teaching and learning
• Online Access: https://iafor.org/journal/iafor-journal-of-arts-and-humanities/volume-3-issue-1/article-3/

The concept of “Arts” in the context of this study refers to the disciplines of Creative Arts and Humanities, which are generally what Art disciplines entail. Despite the prominent and indispensable role the Arts could play in the process of nation building in the 21st century, it is quite unfortunate that it seems governments, curriculum planners, and other stake holders in the education sector all over the world, do not consider the prominent role that the Arts could play in raising awareness of the fundamental problems that militates against the development of a nation, the solution to these problems and preparing them on how to tackle future challenges that concerns their immediate community at large. This will encourage the process of building a nation. Research findings have revealed that this rationale is responsible for many of the problems associated with the teaching and learning of the Arts. This situation has resulted in the Arts as subjects to be deemed as unimportant and unnecessary, especially in the secondary school curriculum. Therefore, the problems facing the process of teaching and learning of the Arts in the 21st century are multi-dimensional, ranging from the non-professionalism of History teachers or facilitators, government policies, the lack of appropriate teaching aids to mention a few.