Late last year I was accepted into the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership’s Teaching Excellence Program (TEP) for 2025. This is a year-long program that brings together educators from across Victoria to investigate evidence-based practice and to share professional expertise.
As part of this program, I have undertaken two unique inquiries focusing on:
- Embedding First Nations perspectives meaningfully within my subjects of Visual Communication Design and Art
- Increasing student engagement and enrolment in our senior Art and Design subjects.
During the program, I looked at ways of incorporating First Nations knowledge into art and design learning experiences. The objective was to embed this as an integral part of curriculum design, rather than as a separate topic. Positive outcomes included the development of classroom activities and resources that encourage cultural awareness, diverse influences and deeper creativity.
As part of my second inquiry, I investigated how clear language and course promotion can influence participation and engagement in Arts-based subjects. I undertook three main initiatives here including reviewing subject descriptions, highlighting career pathways to students and also sharing student work publicly. The objective here was to make our Art and Design subjects more visible and more appealing to students.
The TEP has been an inspiring professional journey that has strengthened my teaching practice. It has also connected me with a network of experienced educators and has reminded me about the importance of innovation and inclusion in education. I thank Clonard College for supporting my participation in this program.
Chris Scanlan
Mission and Identity Team: First Nations Reconciliation Leader
