Conclusion

‘Educating in the Arts — the Asian Experience’ presents essays on the benefits of the arts across a range of educational scenarios. Increasingly, people affirm the benefit of educating in the arts when integrated into the school curriculum or other informal educational situations. Subsequent benefits for young people are recognized, such as the acquisition of life skills, increased understanding of social issues and overall, a broader, holistic impact. Education of this nature has added value to the local economy and social well-being of students through the appropriate use of the arts. Some effective assessment has been based on the development of arts projects through multidisciplinary learning modalities, their particular circumstances and the setting up of specific indicators for evaluation. This practice is currently underway in some Asian countries but needs to be established across the region as it is crucial for educators in the arts to research and analyse outcomes of their work, especially in the light of other relevant best practices research projects.