How can we better prepare future teachers to not only teach the Arts but to see themselves as artists, thinkers, and reflective educators? Our recent research explored this question across seven Australian universities, investigating whether praxis-based assessment — assessment that integrates doing, reflecting, and theorising — supports meaningful learning in primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Arts units.

What we found was both affirming and revealing: ITE students value practical engagement and reflection. They appreciate when theory isn’t treated as abstract content but as a lens through which their creative and pedagogical practice gains purpose and direction. But we also found that the enactment of praxis, while present in curriculum design, is sometimes uneven in delivery and perception.

Praxis as Process and Pedagogical Orientation

Informed by Freire’s conception of praxis as a cycle of action and reflection toward transformation, our study treated praxis-based assessment not just as a method, but as a pedagogical stance. It is grounded in a belief that teachers must engage with knowledge actively and critically, connecting lived experience with theoretical frameworks to inform ethical, responsive practice.

Survey results confirmed students’ appreciation of this approach. Among 134 respondents, 89% rated practical engagement as “important” or “extremely important” to their development. The same was true for critical reflection (87%) and the integration of theory and pedagogy (90%). Students described these processes as confidence-building, creative, and even transformative. As one participant noted, “Making connections is crucial… it’s another reflection process that creates better teachers.”

Thematic analysis of open-ended responses revealed four recurring themes: learning through doing, building confidence, the transformative power of reflection, and connecting theory with practice. Students consistently stated that participating in Arts-making deepened their understanding of pedagogy. They reflected on their initial nervousness, the value of feedback, and how reflection enabled deeper insight. “Without reflection,” one wrote, “there’s no room for growth or new discovery”.

Curriculum Intentions: What the Documents Say

To test whether this appreciation was mirrored in curriculum design, we conducted a thematic analysis of seven ITE Arts units. Using Herrington and Oliver’s (2000) framework for authentic learning environments and Dinham’s (2020) four interconnected Arts processes (Invent, Make, Reflect, Connect), we examined unit outlines and assessment tasks.

The analysis confirmed that most units included authentic, practice-based assessments. Students created visual or performative works, planned lessons, and responded to Arts experiences using both personal reflection and theoretical frameworks. Reflection was not just encouraged — it was assessed. And many units supported students in making explicit links between curriculum, pedagogy, and creative practice.

However, the analysis also revealed inconsistencies. While some units embedded expert modelling and coaching, others did not clearly articulate these supports. Similarly, the extent to which theory was woven into the reflective process varied. This helps explain why a small number of students described reflection as mechanical or disconnected, suggesting that even in strong course design, the enacted curriculum can fall short without sufficient scaffolding.

Shifting Perceptions of the Arts

One notable tension was the status of the Arts within the broader ITE program. Despite strong design and positive student responses at the unit level, some students expressed the belief that Arts education was undervalued. This is not a new finding, but it reinforces the importance of positioning the Arts not as enrichment but as central to effective, holistic teacher education.

Praxis-based assessment offers a powerful framework to do just that. It enables pre-service teachers to engage artistically and pedagogically; linking their own creativity with their capacity to teach creatively. It supports the development of reflective, ethically grounded teachers who are equipped to respond to complex classroom realities with empathy, adaptability, and imagination.

Implications Beyond the Arts

Although this study focused on the Arts, its implications reach beyond disciplinary boundaries. Praxis offers a compelling model for assessment in any field where professional judgement, creativity, and critical reflection are essential. For those of us working in higher education, it’s also a reminder: assessment is not just a measure of knowledge, but a catalyst for transformation.

As universities increasingly turn toward online delivery, large cohorts, and standardised assessments, praxis-based approaches remind us of what matters most. They create space for reflection. They humanise learning. And they prepare future teachers not only to teach but to think, feel, and act with purpose.

Blog Contributors/contributors to the research:

• Dr David Roy (University of Newcastle)
• Dr Katie Burke (University of Southern Queensland)
• Dr Sian Chapman (Murdoch University)
• Dr William Baker (University of Tasmania)
• Associate Professor Amy Hamilton (Flinders University)
• Dr Katie Hotko (Southern Cross University)

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