The MCAST Institute of Art and Design and Malta Government School of Art : a comparative study

Abstract

The research is based on a comparative study between the BTEC Higher National Diploma in Fine Arts course at the MCAST Institute of Art and Design, and the Diploma in Fine Art course at the Malta Government School of Art. The comparative study based on the interviews focuses on four factors: 1) The Fine Art course including the aims, curricula, certification and career opportunities, 2) The students, 3) The school and facilities, 4) The Art world. The researcher interviewed the MGSOA's Head of school and the MCAST Institute of Art and Design's Deputy Director, three MCAST Fine Art teachers, and five teachers from the MGSOA. Besides the interviews, the research includes data gathered from the students by the use of a questionnaire. This was administered to 55 students in all. It tackled the following four areas: 1) The Fine Art course, 2) The school and facilities, 3) The lessons, and 4) The Art world including the relevance of the course and the career opportunities. A comparative study was carried out between the responses of the Head of school and the Deputy Director and of the teachers. The analysis of the questionnaire was related to the responses gathered from the interviews in order to point out the different viewpoints of the students, the teachers, the Head of school and the Deputy Director on the issues presented. At the end of this study, the main criteria identified from the analysis were presented. The findings indicated similarities regarding issues about the aims of the course, the school and facilities, and the career opportunities. It also indicated differences as regards to issues such as: the course curriculum, the lessons and the opportunity to work with new media, the course recognition and certification, the students' commonest age range, and the workshops.