Dance education in the K-12 curriculum: An NEP 2020 perspective with specific reference to Outcomes-based standards

Abstract–Creative and aesthetic expression has been one of the important attributes of dance
education in the curricular framework of NCERT. More recently, NEP 2020 has laid emphasis on
experiential learning and has given importance to competency-based learning as one of the standard
pedagogies within each subject. The learning outcomes-based frameworks have become an important
proponent that leads towards achieving the competency standards both in learning and in assessment. Since
arts have been made part of the multidisciplinary choice-based courses available for secondary school
students, never before has there been a greater need for standards in art education, a pedagogical concept
that has been a permanent feature in all other streams and subject areas. The paper has analysed various
frameworks of learning outcomes and standards in dance and art education and has developed a model
outcome standards with skill standards that can be applied to dance/art education. This is a primary move
towards developing sequential process oriented skill standards in arts for all age groups of K-12. This
research has utilized qualitative research with content analysis of empirical data and documents. It has
relied mostly on primary data that have been available in the form of reports or policy documents of
national bodies like NCERT or CBSE, talks and discussions by policymakers during the formal launch of
NEP 2020 and other significant arts standard frameworks that have been adopted by countries like the
USA. The outcome-based learning emphasised by various recent educational policies and the stress on
competency standards by the NEP 2020 has put a lot of emphasis on recognising and implementing
standards in learning especially in the case of arts education in India where it has been felt lacking. The
paper has addressed this gap by developing a outcome-based skills standards model after comparisons and
analysis of the available frameworks in arts education. This is the first step towards standardising process oriented
outcome-based learning in the context of Arts education in India.
Key Words: Arts education, K-12 arts curriculum, Dance education, learning outcomes, NEP 2020,
standards in arts learning, content standards, outcome-based learning, competency-based learning.