The Future of Education

Amid COVID-19 pandemic, schools are being forced to accelerate their digitalization process and implement e-learning practices at the best of their possibilities. A United Nations report explains this crisis has exacerbated pre-existing educational disparities by reducing the opportunities for many of the most vulnerable children, youth and adults to continue their learning [1]. The World Bank concludes that, worldwide, 25% more students may not achieve sufficient levels of proficiency needed to actively participate in society [2]. Moreover, the distance learning and lockdowns imposed in many countries have been causing mental health issues in several students, disadvantaged and not. Different studies show how switching to online education have caused behavioural problems in children and adolescents [3,4]. In response to these severe issues, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) calls for the adoption of inclusive education strategies addressing both learning and emotional issues [5]. In line with this proposition, recent researches suggest that the teaching of arts, when referring to theoretically-based strategies addressing a wide range of students, can promote well-being, inclusive practices, cooperative learning, critical thinking and many more relevant skills [6,7]. In order to better illustrate the benefits of arts for inclusive education, this paper will provide a literature review on the topic and briefly present INclusive CREAtivity through Educational Art Making (InCrea+), a European project aiming to provide an innovative method of inclusive education and promotion of wellbeing through the implementation of arts educational content and practices.

Keywords: Education, arts, inclusion, inclusive education, creativity through educational art, creative education.

References:

1. United Nations, 2020, Policy Brief: Education during COVID-19 and beyond, viewed on the 9th of March 2021 sg_policy_brief_covid-19_and_education_august_2020.pdf (un.org)
2. World Bank, “Simulating the Potential Impacts of the COVID-19 School Closures on Schooling and Learning Outcomes: A set of Global Estimates”, 18 June 2020, available at https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/education/publication/ simulating-potential-impacts-of-covid-19-school-closures-learning-outcomes-a-set-of-global-estimates.
3. Orgilés, M., Morales, A., Delvecchio, E., Mazzeschi, C., & Espada, J. P. (2020, April 21). Immediate psychological effects of the COVID-19 quarantine in youth from Italy and Spain. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/5bpfz
4. Magson, N.R., Freeman, J.Y.A., Rapee, R.M. et al. (2021). Risk and Protective Factors for Prospective Changes in Adolescent Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Youth Adolescence 50, 44–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01332-9
5. OECD. (2020) The impact of COVID-19 on student equity and inclusion: Supporting vulnerable students during school closures and school re-openings, available at: http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-student-equity-and-inclusion-supporting-vulnerable-students-during-school-closures-and-school-re-openings-d593b5c8/
6. Hannigan, S.; Grima-Farrell, C.; Wardman, N. (2019). Drawing on creative arts therapy approaches to enhance inclusive school cultures and student wellbeing. Issues in Educational Research. 29. 756-773.
7. Favella C.D. (2017) Creative Art-Based Projects in Inclusive Education. In: Dovigo F. (eds) Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Practices. Studies in Inclusive Education. SensePublishers, Rotterdam. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6300-857-0_8