Multiculturalism and Diversity in Art and Design Teaching and Learning

This study investigated Art and Design teachers’ conceptualization of the constructs of multiculturalism and diversity in art teaching. It also explored how the constructs impacted on students’ studio practice. The study was carried out at two purposively sampled secondary schools in Bulawayo using an ethnographic design. Two art classes that were typically multicultural in attributes such as gender, disability, ability, ethnicity and social status of students were purposively sampled, one from each school. Two volunteer teachers who taught these classes constituted the purposive sample of participating teachers. Data were collected using interviews, document analysis and observations. The two teachers were interviewed as well as observed as they interacted with learners during art lessons. Their curricula documents yielded multicultural issues that augmented the interviews and observations. The study revealed that teachers were conscious of the multicultural nature of the student body and made deliberate efforts to be sensitive and responsive to this diversity. The study also revealed that the mentally challenged students are pontentially creative.