Art Education Commons^™

Art And Symbolism: The Technique Of Applying Hidden Meaning And Communicating Specific Ideas Through Art, Andrea C. Macbean

Senior Honors Papers

Symbolism is an artistic style frequently used in the arts. Through the course of art history, it was its own artistic movement as well. The incorporation of specific symbols, shapes, colors, or identifiable images communicates to the viewer an intended message or statement. Frequently, symbolism appears to be hidden or initially unperceived by the intended audience. In some works, symbolism is so abstract that it needs explanation or clarification to be understood completely by the viewer. This thesis will analyze a few techniques of symbolism that can be incorporated in a work of art to communicate truth, entice thought, point ...

Alterations: The Work Of The Altered Book Artist Miriam Schaer, Laura Rachel Fattal

Journal of Art for Life

Book artist Miriam Schaer (b. 1956, Buffalo, New York) sees life experience as fodder for humor and heartbreak. As a mid-career artist, her work enhances an understanding of the human condition, in general, but more particularly that of feminism and childless women. Her altered books are fertile examples of social inquiry. As a book artist, her aesthetic perspectives explore unique aspects of scale, media and construction while responding to misogynic attitudes in contemporary society. Miriam Schaer’s books originate from a profound introspection of the inseparability of the heart, mind and body. Her work has become more complex over time ...

Improving Problem-Based Learning In Creative Communities Through Effective Group Evaluation, Richard E. West, Greg S. Williams, David D. Williams

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning

In this case study, we researched one cohort from the Center for Animation, a higher education teaching environment that has successfully fostered group creativity and learning outcomes through problem-based learning. Through live and videotaped observations of the interactions of this community over 18 months, in addition to focused interviews with nine key community leaders, we considered the evaluative culture and actions of this community, and how these evaluative practices improved their creative problem solving. We describe their evaluation practices in the context of principles derived from the Joint Committees’ Evaluation Standards (Yarbrough, Shulha, Hopson, & Caruthers, 2011), which are well-respected standards used by professional evaluators. Specifically, we found that problem-based learning strategies were successful in part because the community members (1) established a context and culture of high expectations, collaboration, and evaluation; (2) united the students, teachers, and ...

Visual Literacy (Grade 9-12): Art Today -- Course Description And Outline, Kelli P. Dornbos

Theses, Student Research, and Creative Activity: Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education

Process is hugely contrasting among all artists around the world. Each artist has their own way of developing a way of thinking, seeing and making to reach their need to get something out (or in simpler terms, create art). In this middle school art class, students will explore the different mediums of art with strict guidelines of craft and technique but freedom in the subject of what they can create on their own. It is important for 6th grade students to cooperate with each other to solve problems and create an identity through their own art making process. Dewey explains ...

Listening To Voices Of Exceptional Students To Inform Art Pedagogy, Christina Yarmol

University of Western Ontario - Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study explored the pedagogical practices that fostered engagement for seven participants with physical disabilities and in some cases multiple exceptionalities who successfully earned a credit in a high school Visual Arts course. It answered the key question: What can art educators learn from students' stories of art education that would better enable art educators to enact a pedagogy that engages students with disabilities in the Visual Arts classroom? A narrative inquiry methodology was employed to gather stories and art work from these key informants acting as active agents in their own storied responses that were triangulated with field notes ...

The Art Of Thinking: Using Collage To Stimulate Scholarly Work, Nicola Simmons, Shauna Daley

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Integrating the arts into higher education pedagogy provides an opportunity for cultivating rich ideas and high-level thinking, capitalizing on the creativity that every person already possesses and uses (Livingston, 2010). As Newton and Plummer (2009) note “the use of the creative arts as pedagogical strategy enables individuals to better understand themselves, [and] to stimulate thinking” (p. 75).

We extend that premise to examine the impact of an arts activity on scholarly thinking. Our exploratory study examines academics’ (graduate students and educators) identity and role constructs (Kelly, 1955) to understand to what extent engaging in arts-based activities supports meaning-making and conceptualizing ...

Creative Arts: An Essential Element In The Teacher’S Toolkit When Developing Critical Thinking In Children, Caroline Nilson, Catherine M. Fetherston, Anne Mcmurray, Tony Fetherston

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper is a position paper, which argues the position that critical thinking is a crucial skill, which needs to be developed in the school curriculum and that the creative arts can do this. The paper explores the states of the Arts in the present curriculum and goes on to argue that knowing how to develop critical thinking is an important pedagogical skill that needs to be developed in our pre-service teachers. This position is supported through data gathered from an innovative project that explored teachers’ and mothers’ perceptions of children’s critical thinking.

A Digital Learning Experience In Tertiary Design Education, Kerry Meakin, Neville Knott

Conference Papers

This paper documents the results of a study of trialing an innovative teaching method to first year students while studying for a BA in Visual Merchandising and Display in an Institute of Technology in Dublin. Due to lower staff levels it was perceived this student cohort were not attaining the practical skills necessary in their future careers therefore it was hoped that an innovative method of delivering practical tuition would be beneficial to students and lecturers from both learning and teaching perspectives. An Action Research approach was taken, which took the form of trialing a digital artefact, compiled by one ...

Former Students' Perceptions Of How Theatre Impacted Life Skills And Psychological Needs, Tia Cowart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate former high school theatre students' perceptions of how theatre education addressed their psychological needs and impacted life skills. Participants were graduates of a large metropolitan high school, located near Atlanta, GA. A focus group, individual semi-structured interviews and collection of artifacts were the data collection procedures utilized to discover students' perceptions. Pseudonyms were used to protect the identities of the participants. The data analysis process included initial coding, axial coding and memo writing. Based on the information from the interviews, this case study showed the benefits of offering youth opportunities ...

Seeing The Bigger Picture: Investigating The State Of The Arts In Teacher Education Programs In Australia, Georgina M. Barton, Margaret Baguley, Abbey Macdonald

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

There is extensive research that shows how the arts provide many benefits for all students yet there is evidence that arts education offerings and experiences are decreasing across both university and school sectors. It is important that we recognize the essential role of teacher educators in preparing pre-service teachers to be aware of the ‘bigger picture’ of arts education before beginning their work with students. Drawing on interview data from eight tertiary arts educators, this paper will provide a timely national snapshot view of their perceptions. It explores their experiences as arts educators in higher education contexts in regards to ...

Sustainability Of Community Arts: A Case Study On Locust Street Art, Buffalo, Ny, Darlene García Torres

Master's Level Graduate Research Conference

This presentation includes a brief history of community arts and their economic and public health benefits since the early 20th century. More specifically, it uses complexity theory to examine a case study of Locust Street Art (formerly named MollyOlga) located in Buffalo,NY. Locust Street Art is one of the longest running community arts organizations in the United States, and has been providing arts education to the surrounding community for 54 years. This case study investigates the factors contributing to the longevity of the organization. It aims to answer the question: How does a community arts organization sustain itself over ...

Painting In The Park, Juan Antonio Castillo

Engaged Learning Projects Journal

Painting in the Park took nine Irving ISD public school students and presented them with their own 2x8 feet board on which to paint a part of a mural. In doing so, I will explain how I was able to motivate these students through art and reinforce my own understanding of painting by teaching.

A Reflection: Art And Science In A Museum Gallery, Kaileena Flores-Emnace

The STEAM Journal

Art education in a public space can be a venue for the blending of art and science. As a Contemporary Art Start educator for the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles, I have experienced the many ways in which transdisciplinary education creates deeper student understanding and engagement. At MOCA we use Visual Thinking Strategies for student tours, a research-based teaching method that invites students to direct gallery discussions. We visit a few artworks for ten to fifteen minutes each to foster critical thinking and encourage students to bring personal knowledge and experience to the conversation.

Full Steam Ahead – A Collaborative Colloquium, Hilary Dito

The STEAM Journal

On February 2, 2012, Contra Costa County Office of Education organized its 2^nd Annual STEAM Colloquium: Full STEAM Ahead. This forum brought together over 150 educators, business leaders and community members to discuss and share best practices in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education

Steam With A Capital A: Learning Frenzy, David Rufo

The STEAM Journal

A student dipped a brush into a bowl of viscous tempera paint and in a few quick strokes formed thick magenta letters on a large display board. Nearby a handful of students were working together to attach string to paper cups and balloons. Across the room a small group of girls were lying on the floor carefully adding multi-colored text to a poster. Two others created characters out of Popsicle sticks for a puppet show...This is how the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math (S.T.E.A.M.) happened with the fourth and fifth graders during the ...

Keeping Abreast With Liberal Arts And Science Through Steam, Tanya Rivas, Gregory Knotts

The STEAM Journal

The integrated unit on breast cancer described here includes biological science and visual art standards and was targeted at high school juniors and seniors. The goal was to make a potentially controversial and taboo subject relatable through an art-science approach

Broad Vision: The Art & Science Of Looking, Heather Barnett, John R. A. Smith

The STEAM Journal

Undergraduate students and academic staff from diverse disciplines in the arts and sciences investigated questions of mediated vision through a year-long interdisciplinary research project at the University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. The Broad Vision project explored the perception and interpretation of microscopic worlds, and investigated the benefits and challenges of working across disciplinary divides in a university setting. This article describes the three-phase model for interdisciplinary learning and research developed through the project, providing a valuable case study for inquiry based art/science education.

Reflections ~ How Stem Becomes Steam, Ruth Catchen

The STEAM Journal

Reflections from designing a STEAM class for high-risk students.

Merging Science And Art: The Bigger Picture, Natasha Hall

The STEAM Journal

It has been stated that artists comprehend and chronicle the completeness of the visible world (Wallach & Bret, 1987), defining Art as the creative expression of knowledge about the visual world. But to what extent does that awareness extend into a scientific appreciation of the world? The acronym STEAM is an abbreviation of Science, Technology, Electronics, Arts and Mathematics. Weaving interactions between Science and Art, have been shown by Clarke and Button (Clarke & Button, 2011), to intensify interconnections between nature, with Landscape, and ultimately with sustainability.

Getting Real About The E In Steam, James Catterall

The STEAM Journal

STEM and STEAM are in the news. Researchers and educators in my field (cognition, art, and creativity) argue reasons for adding the A to STEM. While I visit this below, my focus is elsewhere. In this brief essay, I want to explore the meaning and importance of the E appearing in both STEM and STEAM. What’s engineering doing in this mix? And what are some reasons for affirming the arts when the role of engineering is clarified?