Degrees Held
- Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) University of Natal 1992
- Higher Diploma in Education University of Natal 1993
- Postgraduate Diploma in Adult Education University of Natal 1997
- PhD University of KwaZulu-Natal 2014
Research Interests
- Visual communication
- Visual arts curricula in higher education
- Multimodal literacies
- Illustration
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
Teaching Interests
- Drawing, painting and printmaking
- Visual communication
- Research methodology
Research Record /Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Chapters In Books
Journal Articles
- Morgan, T.V. & Arbuckle, K.2022. Headloading: Exploring Creative Transmediation as a Methodological Direction in Visual Art Research, de arte, 1-26 https://doi.org/10.1080/00043389.2022.2067710
- Arbuckle, K. 2021. Between a Formalist Rock and a Contextually Hard Place: The Gaps and Tensions Challenging Visual Arts Curricula in South African Higher Education. Critical Arts 34 (5), 139-152 https://doi.org/10.1080/02560046.2020.1840084
- Arbuckle K. and Nqelenga P. 2019. Unsettling Space: Reinterpreting the Institution Using Site-Responsive Art. De Arte. Vol. 54 (3) 23-40
https://doi.org/10.1080/00043389.2019.1623471 - Ngumba, L.J., Mutula, S. & Arbuckle, K. 2019. ‘Learning of Catholic theology in the digital age’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 75(4), a5418. https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v75i4.5418
- Arbuckle, K. (2016). “I see a drawing. I think it is. . .” Investigating visual ‘literacy’ among adult learners in KwaZulu-Natal. Journal of Education, No. 64. 205-228.
- Arbuckle, K. (2004). The language of pictures: Visual literacy and print materials for Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET). Language Matters. Vol. 35(2), 445-458.
Chapters In Books
- Arbuckle, K. (2011). “This looks like a hat. I don’t know what it is.” Investigating pictorial literacy in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In Drinkwater, M. (Ed). Beyond Textual Literacy: Visual literacy for creative and critical enquiry. Interdisciplinary Press: Oxford. 111-120. http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/publishing/id-press/ebooks/beyond-textual-literacy
Community Involvement
(1995 – 2013) Learn with Echo A project of the Centre for Adult Education on the Pietermaritzburg campus of UKZN, which produced the Learn with Echo bilingual newspaper for adult new readers. It was distributed free every week on Thursdays through the Witness newspaper, promoting family literacy practices in homes, and the habit of reading for pleasure, especially in isiZulu. It was used in adult education centres as learning material. 55 000 copies were printed each week and research showed that each copy was shared and read by up to seven people. The famous cartoon character Mkhize was the star of Learn with Echo. In addition to this material, the team developed several other learning resources – an adult literacy course in isiZulu called Asifunde!, The Women’s Handbook, and numerous collections of easy to read stories for adults.
Teaching Expertise
- Drawing, painting, and mixed media art making
- Printmaking (Relief techniques, monotype, etching, silkscreen etc.)
- Art theory and history
- Qualitative research methods for postgraduate students in the humanities
- Postgraduate supervision
Student Supervision
Honours
Masters
PhD
Honours
- Lilonke Anathi Mfithi (2024) Line in Motion: Exploring how lines may be used to convey everyday movement, with reference to the works of Leonard Matsoso, Dumile Feni, and David Hockney.
- Naledi Nyakallo Maboeë (2023) The vessel: Exploring the concept of self and identity through the metaphor of being a book with multiple
- Ndlovukazi Ngilande (2022) African Hair: An exploration of African hair issues, with reference to the work of Nikiwe Dlova and Nonkululeko Sibande.
- Kate Sherry (2021) “What happens instead”: Finding art in the everyday through disruption and change.
- Yasteel Ramcheron (2021) The role of framing and perspective in visual narratives with reference to The Park Bench by Christopher Chaboute.
- Sinazo Gamedala (2020) Black girls taking up space: A comparison between two art pieces by two black women artists using African hairstyle braiding as an art medium.
- Grace Kanyisa Mahogo (2019) Representations of the inner and outer struggle of Coloured identity
- Jacob Casper Jacobs (2018) Exploring time-based, process art with reference to the artwork ‘Tyd is Stof’.
- Siyabonga Ngubane (2017) The work of printmaker Phillemon Hlungwani and how he depicts the community life in Giyani.
- Eloff Casparus Pretorius (2016) An Imprinted Landscape: The development of Intaglio Printmaking in South Africa as seen in a selection of prints from the Tatham Art Gallery’s collection.
- Anita Dlamini (2016) Sustainable Art Development: A reflection on the process of community participatory action research as an approach to sustainability.
- Denise Ingrid Adams (2016) The teaching of sumi-e at the Buddhist Retreat Centre in relation to Japanese tradition and contemporary teaching practices internationally.
- Khethokwakhe Chonco (2015) Factors influencing the success and failure of learners in the Public Administration course at Umfolozi TVET College in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal.
- Pierre Horn (2014) Investigating efficacy in adult learning centres: a pilot of data collection instruments.
- Ntombenhle Ndlela (2013) An investigation into the teaching and learning resources in an urban adult literacy centre.
- Prem Bachan (2013) The extent to which the content of Learn with Echo newspaper addresses the information needs of adult learners at Genesis Foundation.
- Charlene Kay Clough (2013) An investigation into how the level of English in Learn with Echo compares with the English literacy abilities of a group of rural women in Inanda.
- Vimla Naidoo (2011) Evaluating the uses of the Learn with Echo newspaper supplement for low literate adults.
- Physwell Siyavuma Hlatshwayo (2011) Evaluating the uses of the Learn With Echo newspaper supplement as a non-formal educational material for low literate adults.
Masters
- Mahogo, Grace Kanyisa (2024) Weaving together art and craft: A practice-based investigation into the techniques of blending art and craft, with reference to the works of Corina Lemmer and Ngoneni Khumalo-Kubheka
- Pepu, Lindelwa (2023) Just drawing: A case study of Visual Arts as a subject in an urban northern KwaZulu-Natal state high school
- Reid, Irene Rose (2022) “Catching Reading”: An investigation into the use of an online social book networking platform and its influence on Grade Eight students’ reading habits
- Adams, Denise Ingrid (2020) Beyond Sumi-e: A practice-led investigation into the influences of an ancient art form on contemporary artists, with reference to the artworks of Hiroshi Senju and Yoshio Ikezaki.
- Pretorius, Casparus Eloff (2019) Introducing Advances in Non-Toxic Intaglio Printmaking at the Centre For Visual Arts UKZN through Practice Based Research
- Van der Merwe, Prandevi (2019) English Skills and Academic Performance of National Certificate (Vocational) Programme Students
- Zwane, Eunice Sibongile ‘Thembi’ (2017) An investigation into male participation in adult education classes at Endleleni Public Adult Learning Centre
- Mutula, Dorah Lyaka (2016) A case study of Endleleni adult education centre and how it relates to the community in Madadeni, KwaZulu-Natal
PhD
- Denise Ingrid Adams (2026) Un-cloaking the Estuary: the current state of the uMngeni Beachwood Mangroves unveiled through Creative Practice-Led Research.
- Vincent Philani Dlamini (2026) ‘Historical discontent’: Nostalgic discontent in mediating history and memory as seen in the documentaries of Rehad Desai, Miners Shot Down (2014), The Giant is Falling (2016), and Everything Must Fall (2018)
- Morgan, Trevor Vermont (2023) An investigation into the representation of Nigerian headloading narratives using semiotic analysis and creative transmediation
- Ngumba, Lelo Joseph (2018) Undergraduate theology students’ use of electronic resources in their learning: A case study of St Joseph’s Theological Institute
- Mahloane Tau, Sophie Makonita (2017) Responses of tertiary institution learners towards information, education and communication materials used to prevent HIV in Lesotho