Martina Smetanová Teaching for elementary school Dissertation Abstract The dissertation is regarding the use of art education in the education of children in elementary schools. In the theoretical part of the dissertation, there are described various psychological aspects, which have an influence on the development on the children's personality, e.g. creativity, intelligence, cooperation, sample schemes, mental mapping, attention, … The practical part consists of ten art themes within one common project "City does not have to be a labyrinth". (City from a bird's eye-view, Plastic city, City paving, Modern building, Traffic intersections, City plan, We are building a city, Travelling using a bus or tram, House sign, Mystical city). I realized this project on elementary school called ZŠ Fryčovická in Prague 9 - Letňany, in third, fourth and fifth grade. During the work with children, I tried to use the knowledge I got from the theoretical part. The aim was to give the children an idea about city, in which they are living and also to focus on the experiences, cooperation with other pupil, experiences with new art techniques, connection with other subjects, evaluation, development of fantasy, etc. The dissertation shows how we, within an art education, can develop skills and abilities, which can be then used in...

This dissertation focuses on utopian versus dystopian perceptions of rural indigenous African societies with regard to the modern metropolis. Since the evolution of the modern metropolis, rural African societies have undergone significant and complex cultural changes that have dislodged rural cultures from being perceived in terms of the traditional notion of fixity. This has lead to the modern city being seen as either utopian or dystopian by rural African societies. The dissertation questions the “utopianess” of the modern metropolis with a special focus on its central idea of “progress”. Special attention is given to artists who explore this cultural phenomenon in the utopian–dystopian paradigm. The dissertation goes further to address the cultural impact of recent technological developments on rural and urban societies, the researcher’s perceptions of this impact and how this has contributed to the dynamics that characterise the cultures of contemporary rural and urban migrants / Art History, Visual Arts & Musicology / M.A. (Visual Arts)

This dissertation focuses on utopian versus dystopian perceptions of rural indigenous African societies with regard to the modern metropolis. Since the evolution of the modern metropolis, rural African societies have undergone significant and complex cultural changes that have dislodged rural cultures from being perceived in terms of the traditional notion of fixity. This has lead to the modern city being seen as either utopian or dystopian by rural African societies. The dissertation questions the “utopianess” of the modern metropolis with a special focus on its central idea of “progress”. Special attention is given to artists who explore this cultural phenomenon in the utopian–dystopian paradigm. The dissertation goes further to address the cultural impact of recent technological developments on rural and urban societies, the researcher’s perceptions of this impact and how this has contributed to the dynamics that characterise the cultures of contemporary rural and urban migrants / Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / M.A. (Visual Arts)