Learning statements: The Arts — Visual Art
Ways of working
Students are able to:
• explore, formulate ideas, express aesthetic understanding and solve problems using visual
language and expression by researching, developing, resolving and reflecting
• make and display images and objects to communicate intentions and demonstrate
techniques, processes, skills and understanding of materials and technologies
• analyse, interpret, evaluate and reflect on images and objects by artists, designers and
craftspeople within context, using visual language and expression to justify responses
• reflect on their own learning, apply new understandings and make connections to inform
future visual art experiences.
Knowledge and understanding
Students know and understand:
Visual Art involves using visual language and expression, techniques, processes, materials
and technologies to communicate meaning in a range of contexts to make and appraise
artwork.
• Visual language and expression are the vocabulary and tools used to communicate
aesthetic understanding of concepts, focus, context and media areas.
e.g. Researching, developing, resolving and reflecting on ideas to create a collaborative or
individual installation in response to the concept “altering reality”.
• Concepts are broad organisers that direct learning and integrate making and appraising.
e.g. Selecting a concept of “altering reality”.
• Focuses are individual student pathways that define the interpretations of a concept to
organise visual language and expression in context.
e.g. Exploring the concept “altering reality” through exploration of focuses that would include
opposites, inversions and distortions.
• Contexts are frames of reference that define the focus, allowing intended and suggested
meaning to evolve.
e.g. Using a historical or sociocultural context to investigate how artists throughout different eras
and diverse cultures challenge audiences through alternative representations of reality.
• Materials and technologies organise knowledge, skills, techniques and processes, and can
be used in isolation or in combination to make images and objects.
e.g. Layering and manipulating digital photographs and drawings to explore a range of techniques
and compositions to find visual solutions in response to the concept “altering reality”.
Assessment
Planning an assessment program
Schools should refer to Using the Year 10 learning areas: assessment advice on page 5 when
planning an assessment program. For The Arts, an effective assessment program includes
a range and balance of assessment techniques providing opportunities for students to
demonstrate their learning across:
• the Standards
• types of assessment
• a range of assessment conditions.
Assessment techniques and instruments
The following advice has been designed to help schools use the Year 10 The Arts learning
area to build student learning towards assessment techniques that are valued in senior arts
subjects.
Practical: The Arts — Visual Art
Format Conditions
• Visual literacy
• Application
• In response to a selected concept, a folio inclusive
of research, development and resolved artworks
• Individual/group response (using any material or
technology)
• Exhibition
• Community project, installation, environmental
artwork
• Collaboration with artists-in-residence
• Collaboration with galleries or museums
As per the guidelines in the Visual Art senior syllabus
Written or oral responses: The Arts — all disciplines
Format Conditions
• Critical reflection, comparative analysis,
argumentative essay, extended written essay,
extended examination answer, research
assignment, short written response, report, article
for online magazine, grant application, catalogue
• Interview, seminar, viva voce, debate, voice-over
on a production, director’s commentary, movingimage
media format, overhead transparencies
(OHTs) plus recordings
• PowerPoint presentation, webpage, blog, podcast
Written: 400–600 words
Oral: 3–4 minutes
Planning a Year 10 The Arts course of study
Students develop foundation knowledge and understanding
and ways of working from selected Visual Art learning
statements essential for further study in Visual Art.
Course advice
Planning a course of study
The development of a course of study is a school-based decision. A school may decide to use
all or part of the information contained in this learning area to construct a course of study. The
Guidelines may be used to plan:
• the final year of a Years 8–10 Arts course
• part of a specialised Years 9–10 or Year 10 course based on one of the discipline areas —
Dance, Drama, Media, Music or Visual Art
• an integrated multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary course of study that combines learning
statements from other learning areas
• term- or semester-length units of work
• the first year of a three-year senior course of study.
Considerations for planning courses of study in Year 10 The Arts
The time allocation for courses of study based on the Year 10 The Arts learning area is a
school-based decision.
Courses in The Arts should consider:
• the needs of students
• resources and staff
• the place and role of courses of study within the total school curriculum
• the possibilities for embedding VET learning.
