This panel reports on findings from the Y-Connect project, a three-year collaboration between researchers from Griffith University, the staff and students of a culturally diverse Brisbane state high school, several arts organisations and a group of independent artists. The project, which involves six extended and exploratory case studies, examines the impact on young people when artists, arts-based pedagogies and partnerships with arts organisations are employed. In this presentation we will focus on just two of the cases: 1) the overarching impact on belonging and connectedness, and 2) the impact on teaching and learning in Arts classrooms. Emerging themes suggest that the tyranny of distance (between students and students, students and teachers, students and the community, and students and the Arts industry) is lessening as students begin to feel a stronger sense of belonging and connectedness. In addition, horizons of expectation are also being expanded as the young people’s pathway perceptions begin to broaden and they identify new “possible selves”.
Julie Dunn, Penny Bundy, Linda Hassall and Natalie Lazaroo:
Researchers and educators in the Griffith Institute for Educational Research, Griffith University. Between them they have published extensively in the fields of drama education, applied and contemporary theatre, and are nationally and internationally recognized for their innovative research.
Adrianne Jones and Sanaz Hamoonpou:
Teachers at Yeronga SHS, and are also co-researchers on the Y-Connect Project. Adrianne is the Project Manager. This team has come together to collaborate on this exciting longitudinal study funded by the Queensland Government through its Collaborative Innovation Fund.
