Reimagining Civics Through the Arts: Place, Pedagogy, and Participatory Curriculum Design

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 9:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Envisioning Arts Curriculum Futures

Abstract

This study explores how interdisciplinary, locally contextualized arts curriculum writing supports social justice-oriented civics education in K-12 public schools. Through a participatory research project, six interdisciplinary teacher teams co-designed arts-integrated curricula grounded in local history, civic inquiry, and student experience. Drawing on Pinar’s concept of currere and a critical pedagogy of place, the project positioned curriculum writing as a reflective civic practice. Data from workshops, interviews, and teacher-generated materials were thematically analyzed to examine how collaborative design fostered teacher learning, student agency, and community engagement. Findings highlight the transformative potential of arts-integrated civic learning and advocate for institutional support for interdisciplinary collaboration. This research reimagines curriculum as a vehicle for democratic education and artistic activism rooted in lived experience.

Author

• Minki Jeon, Florida State University