Art and Science in Education: The Common Ground

Recent work aimed at establishing a rational, objective basis for aesthetics and the arts repudiates the division between the ‘two cultures’ which is used politically to justify marginalization of the arts in education and society. Far from weakening this cultural division, however, such writing and research has reinforced it. With the aim of reversing this trend, it is argued that ‘scientism’ is a myth, that objectivity of knowledge in science is comparable but not superior to that in aesthetics and the arts, and that polarization of the ‘two cultures’ and marginalization of the arts is based on ideology, not reason. There is and always has been significant common ground between art and science, encompassing not only issues of mutual concern but also modes of enquiry, many of which are far more similar than seems commonly to be supposed. A consideration of some of the similarities and differences between art and science shows that there is no fundamental division between them: both are part of one culture, not paradigms of two. This observation leads to ideas on the possible re-integration of art and science in education, particularly through development of observation and common curriculum content.     

Commonwealth Media

THE MILITARY AND THE MEDIA by Alan Hooper (Brookfield, Vt.: Gower Publishing, 1982---$38.00)

GOTCHA! THE MEDIA, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE FALKLANDS CRISIS by Robert Harris (London: Faber & Faber/New York: Harper & Row, 1983---$5.95, paper)

THE THIRD AGE OF BROADCASTING edited by Brian Wenham (London: Faber & Faber/New York: Harper & Row, 1982---$5.95, paper)

CHOICE BY CABLE: THE ECONOMICS OF A NEW ERA IN TELEVISION by C.G. Veljanovski and W.D. Bishop (London: The Institute of Economic Affairs, 1983---£2.50, paper)

From the London-based Centre for the Study of Communication and Culture, Robert A. White reports to us on the following recent British studies:

MEDIA LAW IN AUSTRALIA: A MANUAL by Mark Armstrong, et al. (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1983---price not given, paper)

MAKING A TV SERIES: THE BELLAMY PROJECT by Albert Moran (Paddington, New South Wales: Currency 'ress, 1983---A$14.95, paper)

TELEVISION IN THE EIGHTIES: THE TOTAL EQUATION by Rex Moorfoot (London: BBC Publications/Elmsford, N.Y.: Pergamon Press, 1983---$19.95/9.50)

CANADA'S VIDEO REVOLUTION: PAY-TV, HOME VIDEO AND BEYOND by Peter Lyman (Toronto: Lorimer and Co., 1983---$16.95/7.95)

INFORMATION SOCIETY PROGRAM PAPERS (Gamma, Faculty of Management, McGill University, 1001 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, Que. H3A 1G5---priced as noted, paper)

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF CULTURAL STUDIES (School of English, Western Australian Institute of Technology, Bentley, W.A. 6102---A$15.00 per year/twice yearly)     

Make or break: the role and support needs of academic advisors in work-integrated learning courses

ABSTRACT

The role of academic advisors in work-integrated learning courses is crucial to student success, yet poorly understood. This research aimed to understand the role and support needs of academic advisors by conducting interviews, a survey, and a focus group within a service learning program in Queensland, Australia. Participants identified rewards in observing student transformation and supporting students to contribute to social justice causes. However, the role had high demands in terms of pastoral support. Although academic advisors reported strong support mechanisms, they identified gaps in supporting them to meet the needs of international students and students with mental health issues. Academic advisors need strong mentoring or supervisory support to deal with diverse student issues, clear processes for tracking and managing students, training and resources to deal with special needs students, and opportunities for team building and bonding. Supporting academic advisors could help to better support students to successfully complete internships.     

Transactions between class teachers and student teachers

Interactions are explored between three pairs of class teachers and B.Ed student teachers on school experience in a traditional context. The main issues raised are the benefits of having students — expected and real — for the teacher, the features inherent in a successful class teacher/student teacher relationship and the implications of the research findings for the new partnership models of school experience. It is suggested that class teachers are prepared to invest expertise and time to support the students with the expectation of deriving benefits for their classes.