The purpose of this thesis has been to examine making in the arts and to use the concept of 'student as maker' as a tool for analysis of arts curricula and explore the relationship these have with vocational, academic and aesthetic development in education. Pragmatism in arts education is certainly not a new concept but the thesis has attempted to describe the benefits of re-examining progressive educational methodologies and theories and address the concerns conservative/traditional education has for these ideas, whilst also proposing some new insights into the need for such education in the light of the conditions of post- modernity. The ideology is related to the practice of teaching arts education and serves as a conclusion which calls upon the argument of the thesis and applies these to the classroom. Although in need of rigorous testing the assertions made relate to the author's personal experience as a music teacher and coordinator of a performing arts curriculum. This research has been confined to a conceptual study to keep the content within the bounds of a minor thesis. However some reference has been made to the author's own qualitative experience as an illustration and a way of checking that the assertions are able to be put to some real use in the classroom. This has tempered the theoretical assumptions and in itself delivered criticism and limitations of the implementation of the idea of 'student as maker' to arts curricula. The major problem with the idea lies simply in the totality of its focus, it involves the entire teaching/learning relationship and all the stakeholders in that as well as the place, the atmosphere/attitude of the place and a completely different focus in curriculum which is structured through process/conceptual learning whilst still utilising content in exemplary form. Nevertheless 'student as maker' holds an appeal for the author and many other pragmatists who believe in its power as a learning tool and indeed in its ability to address some newer issues of the formation of individuals which are becoming more relevant to today's education. By way of a summary conclusion the author simply lists and briefly outlines the central argument and insights which have emerged as a result of this research and describes how 'student as maker' can be of benefit to learning.