The role of context in the efficacy of professional development in the Creative Arts

ABSTRACT Educational reform that introduces a new curriculum for schools usually serves as the impetus for professional development for teachers. In this essay the researcher provides a literature review in narrative format. She simultaneously draws on her own experiences in arts education in the context of a developing country. She identifies and discusses factors that can impinge on the efficacy of professional development for generalist teachers who teach the Creative Arts (Arts and Culture). The researcher specifically highlights redeployment and the reassignment of teachers to different subjects in the context of schools in low socio-economic areas. A number of recommendations are proposed to improve the efficacy of professional development in the arts.