Enhancing Creative Arts Teaching in KZN: An Action Research Project with Senior Phase Teachers in the Zululand District

Enhancing Creative Arts Teaching in KZN: An Action Research Project with Senior Phase Teachers in the Zululand District

Lindelwa Pepu & Oreeditse Patrick Masuelele

Issue: Vol.6 No.15 Article 25 pp. 4562 – 4570
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561525| Published online 30th December, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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ABSTRACT

This study aimed to enhance the pedagogical competence and confidence of non-specialist Creative Arts teachers in the Zululand District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Many of these teachers, assigned to teach Music, Drama, Dance, and Visual Art without prior training, experience difficulties implementing the Annual Teaching Plan (ATP). Guided by an Action Research Design, the project was a collaborative initiative between the University of Zululand’s Faculty of Education and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. The Data was collected through participatory workshops, reflective discussions, observations, and teacher feedback sessions. Findings revealed that while teachers initially demonstrated limited understanding of the Creative Arts curriculum, sustained participation in hands-on, collaborative workshops significantly improved their content knowledge, confidence, and classroom practices. The workshops encouraged peer learning and the integration of local artistic expressions into teaching, making lessons more engaging and culturally relevant. However, persistent challenges such as limited resources and inadequate ongoing support remain. The study recommends continuous professional development initiatives, the establishment of regional Creative Arts teacher clusters, and stronger collaboration between universities and education departments to sustain teacher growth. This research contributes to scholarship by demonstrating how participatory, context-sensitive action research can empower non-specialist teachers and advance Creative Arts education in rural South African contexts.

Keywords: Teacher training, Creative Arts Education, Action Research, South African Curriculum.

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Ms. Lindelwa Pepu is a dedicated Visual Arts Lecturer at the University of Zululand, South Africa. Currently pursuing her PhD in Art History at the University of the Witwatersrand, her passion lies in advocating for artists and amplifying marginalized voices within the art world. She champions the recognition of artists as not only creative individuals but also as accomplished professionals. Her research primarily centres on curatorial practices and art history, reflecting her deep engagement with the field. Furthermore, she holds a keen interest in elevating the importance and impact of Visual Arts and Creative Arts within the high school education curriculum.

Dr. Oreeditse Patrick Masuelele lectures on Creative Arts at the University of Zululand in South Africa. His areas of interest are the application of AI in education, the function of music competitions in fostering social cohesion and the pedagogy of Creative Arts education within the South African context. His expertise extends beyond the classroom, as evidenced by his contributions to the academic discourse through published articles, papers and book chapters.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Pepu, Lindelwa, and Oreeditse Patrick Masuelele.“Enhancing Creative Arts Teaching in KZN: An Action Research Project with Senior Phase Teachers in the Zululand District,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 15 (2025): 4562 – 4570, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561525.