Art education scholars have redefined multicultural teaching practices to include a need for addressing social inequities. To understand art educators’ multicultural teaching practices, it is important to measure the extent to which they present cultural diversity in the classroom and present a racially diverse pool of artists. The purpose of this this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to measure the extent to which practicing K–12 art educators who are members of the National Art Education Association (NAEA) engage students with racially diverse artists and cultures within their curricula. The study aimed to measure the extent that educators address racial and cultural diversity in their classrooms. The study also gathered data on which resources participants indicated would help create and implement curricula that addresses racially diverse artists and cultures. Finally, the study explored the relationships between seven different teachers’ self-reported attributes and the extent that they taught about and valued racial/cultural diversity. The findings show that educators taught about racial and cultural diversity to regularly in their classroom practices and they also voiced a need for more resources to teach more about racially diverse artists and cultures, specifically visual resources and education/training regarding racially/culturally diverse content. Findings also indicated that educators who taught 21+ years, taught predominantly students of color, and those who were more comfortable with conversations pertaining to racial/cultural diversity were more likely to value the importance of racial/cultural diversity in their curricula. The results suggest that resources, such as education, training, or professional development, should be offered to educators in the field so that they may continue learning new language concerning diversity as perceptions and understandings continue to shift.

In an age of increased environmental awareness, environmental education in schools has become progressively valued and supported. With this in mind, the purpose of this study was to investigate the significance of art education within the context of environmental schools and other sites of environmental education. Specifically, this research aimed to identify ways art education is being used as a means to strengthen outdoor learning. Through qualitative research involving multiple case studies of the art programs of three environmental charter schools and one nature center in Pennsylvania, data was gathered by means of on-site observations and interviews with staff and students of the aforementioned sites. Although the findings of this study indicated that each of the sites incorporated some degree of art in their environmental curricula, the results demonstrated a significant deficiency in the presence and support of art education in the environmental education programs within each site. Based on the findings of this study, suggestions were made concerning ways art may be used as a means through which students might more closely examine and experience the natural environment. / text

The following paper is an opportunity for me to introduce Pavel Petrovich Chistyakov and his pedagogical ideas to English-speaking educators. His life's accomplishments seem even more remarkable when considering the fact that he was born into a family of serfs and later became a professor at the Russian Academy of Fine Arts. Among his students were well-known Russian artists such as Valentin Serov, Mikhail Vrubel, Vasily Surikov, Victor Vasnetcov, and Vasily Polenov. In this paper, I present you with a brief analytical summary of his methodology on teaching drawing and painting, his pedagogical approaches, as well as his ideas on the development of art education in the public school setting. Chistyakov's pedagogical system still seems relevant today and, with slight adjustments, can be adapted to various teaching situations depending on the educational environment and students' abilities.

No description available.

No description available.

This study consisted of an online survey of members of the National Art Education Association Elementary Division in which 29 participants answered questions related to their instruction of English language learners in the elementary art classroom. Four participants participated in follow-up interviews as the researcher sought to answer the research questions: What pedagogical and curricular adaptations in the art classroom may be effective strategies for teaching English language learners? What are the perceived challenges of having a linguistically diverse art classroom? Participants offered a variety of pedagogical adaptations but suggested few curricular adaptations. Participants revealed challenges related to their teacher preparation and efforts to communicate clearly with students. The findings of the study also raise concerns that the needs of English language learners may not be recognized or met due to some educators’ lack of awareness of cultural differences and the assumption that art is a universal language.

<p> This thesis reviews literature researching creative thinking and applies the findings in a curriculum designed to develop creativity in elementary age students in the U.S. Educators and business leaders recognize creativity as a key need for 21^st century success, but creativity scores have been going down. Since current research shows correlations between creative thinking, questioning strategies, and contextual connections, teachers need to weave these processes into instruction. The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards recognized the importance of creativity and proposed new national standards which include 4 key components: creating, responding, presenting and connecting. This six-unit curriculum synthesizes the new National Visual Arts Standards (NVAS), questioning strategies, and contextual connections to increase creativity in elementary school students in the United States. </p>

This thesis addresses the methods and models of current arts integrated education curricula and their basic frameworks. The review of the literature surveys information currently available on the subject of arts integration, focusing on applicable models, theories, and the results of specific educational applications. This study compares details from non-traditional models, allowing other educators a glimpse of various arts integrated strategies that might be incorporated into their own schools. A basic and modified arts integrated art education curriculum model is suggested in order to encourage educators to create the most appropriate model for their instruction, ultimately allowing students to achieve higher level thinking and learning through the arts, as well as cross-curriculum integration.

The purpose of this study was to investigate English as a second language (ESL) strategies and modify them for use in the art classroom. The goal of this research was to help improve writing skills for English language learners (ELLs). This study utilized collaborative action research to understand teaching practices and develop curriculum for 4th grade students at Texas Elementary School in the Lejana Independent School District. During this study I collaborated with Ana Rivera, the art teacher at Texas Elementary School. Through a semi-structured interview and informal discussions, we developed an art lesson, Creating a Comic Book, which combined writing and drawing activities. Several lesson resources were also created as a result of our collaboration. Data was collected from the semi-structured interview, teacher and student reflections, field notes, and photos of students’ writing and artwork. By identifying academic areas that need support, I was able to draw conclusions and provide suggestions for ESL strategies. The findings of this study indicate that art educators can help improve writing skills for ELLs by utilizing vocabulary development, physical gestures, body language, visuals, and demonstrations. After reviewing a final lesson evaluation and analyzing data, I was able to provide recommendations for other art educators. These recommendations include support for native languages, create connections between home and school, encourage rigorous thinking, and edit student writing. It is my purpose that my research be shared with educators and administrators in the Lejana Independent School District and other professional venues of research dissemination. / text

ABSTRACT CULTURE, CONTEXT AND CURRICULUM: AN EXPLORATION OF THE ATTITUDES OF BLACK MIDDLE SCHOOL MALES TOWARDS ART EDUCATION by Rita Baker The level of participation and interest in visual arts education demonstrated by Black male students falls consistently lower than that of their White counterparts which manifests itself in under performance and disruptive behaviors. Previous research has explored how views within the Black community towards art education and art related careers have impacted high school and college students. However, those explanations may not be pertinent to middle school, and the scarcity of literature dedicated to how the valuation of art within this racial group influences middle school males suggests the need for inquiry in this area. Based on a constructivist and constructionist epistemological framework grounded in social learning theories, this case study was conducted at a predominantly Black middle school outside of a major southern city. The participants in the study were six eighth grade Black male students between the ages of 13-16 enrolled in a nine-week art class. Initial data collection procedures involved observations in the neighborhood, school, and classroom, a focus group session, individual interviews, member checking, art analyses and a follow up discussion with the teacher. The data analysis was conducted utilizing content analysis, open coding, and axial coding. The findings revealed that opinions were equally divided between students who enjoyed art class throughout the term, and those who expressed boredom. The findings suggest that students’ opinions were shaped by a myriad of factors within the culture, learning context and curriculum. Further, the data implies that goal setting and student interest were connected to students’ participation in art class, while interest in art making diminished between the elementary and middle school years. Perceptions of art class, parental preferences, and the curricular focus of the class proved to be factors which influenced student attitudes towards art instruction. The data advances areas for future scholarship, and recommendations for art educators.