Conditions for learning: partnerships for engaging secondary pupils with contemporary art.

Motivation

Interest

Interest is a primary motivational factor and is particularly important for school age
pupils. As Kyriacou’s research findings indicate although young people are highly
motivated and many elements of the environment pose challenges for them, after a
number of years in education this intrinsic motivation is undermined and dampened
[22]. The most ubiquitous reason given by pupils to account for disaffection with
schooling is boredom and the way that the curriculum appears to have little relevance
to their lives and possible futures. This disjunction suggests a need to explain the
educational rationale for specific types of knowledge and to make connections
explicit.

4/resistant: I think it was very fun, very good... It was very interesting as well, it
engaged you in what they [the artists] were doing and you know, lots of
communication, it made you come across the kind of people that you don’t normally
speak to.

This pupil was aware that he does not usually have the opportunity to work with
artists and that this is potentially a lack. Additionally, by identifying an increase in
communication he suggests that the give and take of conversation, discussion or
debate does not characterise normal interactions in his lessons.

Disrupting expected patterns

Critical Minds activities were located in both schools and galleries but also in in-
between spaces: journeys to and from the official locations, field-work in parks and

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