The purpose of this research was to develop and administer a series of treatments that resulted in evidence of Visual Problem Solving ability changes and increased levels of visual differentiation in children. Piaget has posited the possibility of a lag in the exhibition of new percepts in observable form due to psychomotor limitations. Gibson and Gagne have described various components of visual perceptual growth that emphasize first hand experiences in the environment and a problem solving orientation as possible perceptual affectors. A series of Visual Problem Solving tasks were constructed that employed the medium of photography and encouraged children to closely attend to stimuli in the visual array.The sample utilized in this investigation was comprised of 75 students equally divided between three intact second and third grade level combined classroom groups at the Burris Laboratory School, Muncie, Indiana. The three groups were assigned to experimental or control group status by use of a table of random numbers. One group received Visual Problem Solving training that stressed Perceptual Principles; a second group received Visual Problem Solving training that emphasized the traditionally taught Visual Elements of Design; and a third group served as a control which received no specific training or treatments. The subjects in all three groups were pre- and post-tested using the Children's Embedded Figures Test (CEFT) and the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT) as measures of visual perceptual functioning. In addition to these standardized instruments, a rating scale was developed expressly for this study. The Dunn Photographic Rating Scale (DPRS) was employed for measurement of possible visual information handling differences between Groups 1 and 2 with regard to photographic activities.The data collected during this research was subjected to multivariate analysis of variance and covariance. Correlation coefficients were computed to evaluate possible relationships between the measures and to obtain estimates of instrument reliability. An alpha level of .05 was employed to test the null hypotheses. Review of the data led to the following conclusions:Subjects receiving treatments that emphasized Visual Problem Solving in conjunction with Perceptual Principles achieved significantly higher results on the Children's Embedded Figures Test than subjects in the other two groups.Analysis of data obtained from subject performance on the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test was inconclusive.Photographic performance as measured by the Dunn Photographic Rating Scale uncovered significant differences between the Perceptual Principles Group and the Elements of Design Group. The Perceptual Principles Group achieved significantly higher levels throughout the five treatments.The most important general finding in this investigation concerned the facilitating effect between Visual Problem Solving methodologies and photographic activity by children. Increases in visual perceptual performance by Perceptual Principles Group 1 provided strong support for instructional strategies that seek to guide children in the formation of higher order visual rules, and contiguity in the application of these guidelines. The evidence tentatively suggested that the photographic medium may have provided a form of visual perceptual activity that increased the mobility of the perceiver, thereby increasing the perceiver's first hand experiences with the environment and ability to isolate visual data. In addition, the lack of emphasis on psychomotor development engendered by the photographic medium was considered to be of value in eliciting new percepts in visual form.

The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of specially designed instructional strategies utilizing an art criticism model upon the perceptual differentiation and compositional drawing skills of college students. The an elementary art education course.All subjects received instruction in the studio activities of drawing and painting during the ten week treatment period. The three experimental groups received additional instruction in art criticism.Instrumentation consisted of the Group Embedded Figures Test, a standardized measure of perceptual differentiation, and the Student Composition Rating Scale, a measure developed by the investigator to quantify judgments of five expert judges on compositional skills displayed in drawings. Each instrument was administered as a pre- and post-test for all groups.Three null hypotheses were tested which maintained no significant differences for perceptual differentiation or compositional drawing skills among the three experimental sample consisted of 86 students enrolled in four sections of groups or between the experimental and control groups. A fourth null hypothesis maintained no significant difference between field-dependent and field-independent subjects on compositional skills displayed in drawing. These hypotheses were tested using multivariate analysis of variance and covariance. The .05 level of confidence was established. Inter-rater reliability was computed and found to be high for pre- and post-test SCRS measures.Findings and Conclusions1. All groups experienced gains in skills of perceptual differentiation. This result suggests that involvement in concentrated art activities, whether limited to studio activities, or coupled with the more cognitive aspects of art criticism, has the potential for increasing the visual perceptual skills of college students.2. The experimental groups significantly outperformed the control group on compositional drawing skill.This result suggests that the art criticism model did assist in the development and utilization of compositional strategies.3. No significant difference was found in perceptual differentiation or compositional drawing skills among the three various approaches to the implementation of the art criticism model. It would appear that student involvement with the structured analysis matrix determining factor, rather than the focus of criticism, or the degree of student involvement.4. Students who display greater skills of perceptual differentiation also display greater utilization of compositional strategies in drawing. This finding supports earlier contentions regarding the relationship between perceptual differentiation and art production.

This study looks at art education as an essential component of education and the place of values education within it. My observations in a Grade 5/6 art class within an elementary school in a working class district of Montreal attempt to identify some of the factors that contribute to value awareness. I observed children at work over a period of seven weeks, and use the data to present a picture of the ways in which art activities influence value awareness in the classroom. General discussions on some theories on values and art education initiate my study. The finding is that art activities contribute to an awareness of personal, social, cultural, aesthetic, and moral values and validate my claim that art education can be used to develop value awareness.

The purpose of this study was to determine differences and similarities of judgment between art teachers and classroom teachers concerning the art curriculum in the elementary school and to bring these differences and similarities into focus.This study involved art teachers and classroom teachers at two elementary schools in Anderson, Indiana during the Fall quarter of the 1974-75 school year. Fifteen art teachers and twenty-four classroom teachers responded to the questionnaire used in the study.The questionnaire was designed to determine if there are differences between the perceptions of art and non-art teachers of the objectives of art in the elementary school curriculum and in their respective opinions concerning specific aspects of elementary art education.Identical questionnaires were distributed to classroom teachers in an inner city school and in an upper middle class school in Anderson, Indiana. The same questionnaire was given to all art teachers in the Anderson school system. The questionnaires were distributed on February 3, 1975 and were to be returned to the researcher by February 10, 1975.The questionnaire consisted of thirty-two items. Fifteen items related to the objectives of art education in the elementary school and seventeen items elicited the opinions of teachers concerning specified aspects of art education. Fifty-five questionnaires were distributed. Of these questionnaires, seventeen were given to art teachers and thirty-eight were given to classroom teachers. Of the classroom teachers, twenty-four responded while fifteen art teachers responded. There was a sixty-three percent response from the classroom teachers and an eighty percent response from the art teachers.Both the art and the non-art teachers were generally in accord with the objectives and opinions presented in the questionnaire. Both groups felt elementary art instruction should have the objectives of providing the students with an avenue of personal expression and provide an atmosphere which nurtures a child's self-confidence. The two groups also felt that the art teacher should have the same privileges and responsibilities as the classroom teachers. This attitude was reflected in the responses which indicated that both groups felt that art teachers should have time for advanced planning and preparation and should have a fully equipped art classroom to work in.The two groups differed somewhat on the objectives of elementary art education in teaching aesthetic qualities. A larger percentage of art teachers than of classroom teachersexpressed agreement with the objectives. The classroom teachers also indicated that they preferred to have some voice in the choice of materials selected for use in the elementary art class rather than permitting the art teacher to have complete control of this area.Although both groups of teachers agreed that there should be regularly scheduled art instruction geared to the degree of difficulty the child can master, they did not agree on the amount of structure the elementary art program should contain. The classroom teachers were in favor of a more rigidly structured art program while the art teachers preferred more freedom in the art program.Both the art and non-art teachers are going to find it necessary to communicate to each other their ideas of the role and the need for the professional art instructor in the elementary school as well as work together to develop an art curriculum acceptable to both groups.Further studies are needed to discover methods of opening the lines of communication between the art instructors and the classroom teachers. Both groups have many of the same basic objectives and opinions and must learn to cooperate with one another in order to develop an adequate elementary art curriculum acceptable to all.3

The purpose of this investigation was to develop instructional methods to affect the visual perceptual abilities of young children.Eleanor Gibson has described visual perception as the process by which we obtain firsthand information about the world around us. According to Gibson visual perception is a complex process of handling a multitude of visual bits of information or cues, so that a response to the information can be made. With these ideas in mind a series of language tasks were developed to encourage children to attend and respond to visual stimuli in order to investigate the extent to which language may modify or enhance visual perceptual ability.The sample for this study was comprised of ninety-four fourth grade students in four intact classes in the Eastbrook Community School Corporation, Marion, Indiana. Three groups were randomly assigned to the experimental treatments and one to the control condition. One group received in-process language training while viewing and discussing color slides of paintings; a second group received language training by exposure to semantic differential scales while viewing the same paintings; a third group received a condensed and integrated version of the treatment received by the other two experimental treatment groups;while a fourth group served as a control section and received traditional art instruction, primarily working with common art materials without specific language instruction and without viewing color slides of paintings. The subjects in all four groups were pre and post tested using the Children's Embedded Figures Test (CEFT), the MotorFree Visual Perception Test (IrwPT) and the vocabulary subtest of the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT).Data collected during this investigation was subjected to analysis of covariance techniques and, when significant ratios were obtained, follow-up t-tests were conducted. In addition, correlation coefficients were obtained to evaluate possible relationships between the three sets of measures. The confidence level for testing the null hypotheses was set at an alpha of .05. Review of the data led to the following conclusions:(A) Subjects receiving a condensed and integrated version of the language treatment including in-process verbalization and exposure to semantic differential scales while viewing color slides of paintings achieved significantly higher Children's Embedded Figures Test scores than subjects in the Control Group. The resulting data indicated that treatment incorporating language training tasks was more successful in affecting perceptual performance than traditional art activities.(B) Data analysis of treatment effects on subject performance as measured by the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test was found to be inconclusive. The statistical evidence indicates that although scores achieved by the three experimental groups on the WPT did increase they were not significantly improved.(C) Group performance on the vocabulary subtest of the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test remained virtually unchanged. The abundance of verbal stimulation had no apparent effect upon language skills as measured by this instrument.This investigation made no attempt to prescribe how subjects should respond to visual stimuli, nor did it infer that these responses were either desirable or inalterable. At the same time this investigation made no attempt to assess the aesthetic effects of languagethat the inclusion of language tasks may stimulate and increase perceptual activity and ability thereby aiding children in developing perceptual skills.The most important general finding in this investigation is the facilitating effect of the combination of semantic differential scales and auditory verbal in-process response as a mode of instruction to increase visual perceptual ability. This combination of language factors evidently influenced the subjects to process pictorial information more effectively, perhaps by directing their attention to the distinctive features of the paintings.

The purpose of this investigation was to develop an instructional method utilizing event perception to affect the graphic abilities of young children.Event perception has been described by E. J. Gibson as the detection of invariant properties over a temporalspatial sequence of stimulation. This involves attending to aspects of permanence in an object's size, shape, ratios, proportions or other distinguishing characteristics over continuous transformations in time and space. The detection of these invariant properties facilitates the constant identification of visual phenomena as well as unifying sequential information. The instructional strategy in this study employed event perception training as a means to aid children in their development of drawing skills.The sample was comprised of fifty-seven third grade students in three intact classes in a private New York City elementary school. One group received perceptual training in the detection of invariant properties of moving objects undergoing transformation in time and space; a second group received traditional drawing instruction in composition and drawing techniques, while the third group received no treatment and served as a control section. Students in all three groups were pre- and post-tested using the Frostig Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP) and the Event Perception Drawing Test (EPDT). The DTVP consisted of five sub-tests designed to test and measure a specific type of perceptual ability. These abilities were operationally defined as: eye-hand coordination, figure ground perception, constancy of shape, position in space and spatial relationships.The EPDT was used to assess ability to perceive and draw invariant properties in visual information undergoing apparent transformation in time and space. The test task involved the sequenced illustration of a narrated event and was completed in five consecutive drawings. The pre and post-test drawings of the subjects in all three groups were subjected to a critique by three independent judges using a test scale designed for the study. The scale consisted of six criterion items associated with the perception of an event; size transformation, shape transformation, spatial transformation, kinetic occlusion, movement and causality.Data gathered during this investigation was subjected to analysis of covariance techniques and, when significant ratios were obtained, t-tests were conducted. The confidence level for testing the null hypotheses was set at an alpha of .05. Review of the data led to the following conclusions:(A) Subjects receiving drawing instruction which included the observation and recognition of physical invariants in moving, temporarily occluded objects achieved significantly higher drawing scores than subjects in the Traditional Drawing and Control Groups. The resulting data indicated that the treatment incorporating event perception training was more successful than drawing instruction in composition and materials.(B) Group performance on the Developmental Test of Visual Perception remained unchanged. The effect of the experimental treatments was inconclusive in this instance.While this investigation made no attempt to assess the aesthetic effects of event perception treatment, it does point out that data acquired through visual perceptual activity may serve as a resource for creative work. More research is required to examine the aesthetic effects of event perception training in general perceptual development. The findings suggest, however, that the inclusion of event perception tasks may stimulate perceptual inquiry, and can thereby aid children in developing the necessary drawing skills to represent changes occurring over time and space. The results of this study also seem to confirm that a source of visual information for art is dependent upon an observer's ability to engage in perceptual inquiry.

Formulation of a Visual Stimuli Kit designed as an aid to developing Visual Awareness for Grade 3, 4, and 5 school children by the elementary classroom teacher. In the elementary school, perception is important in many areas of the curriculum. Contemporary art education theorists have become more concerned with the development of children's visual perception as an integral part of the art program. Although there are adequate books and periodicals for teachers about art education theory and method, there is a lack of useful, easily understood, simple to use visual aids. This researcher's aim was to provide the means for teachers to develop perception with the help of visual aids. This kit was designed in such a way as to be easily used by the generalist classroom teacher without specialist training in art, or art education. After reviewing literature in the general area of visual perception and when selecting images for the kit, the researcher believed that two considerations were of paramount importances the relation of the image to the child's own environment; and the relation of the image to the interests of children. Consideration was given not only to the image but to the relationship between two views of the same object. The views of two independent evaluators were sought for clarification of and assessment of the potential kit. The potential kit was composed of black and white, 11" x 14" prints made after taking photographs of environmental areas and articles considered generally interesting to children and adults. An examination revealed that many prints were unsuitable for various reasons. The researcher also found that many needed modification because of insufficient content for detailed analysis. Additional enlarged photographs were made and included in each set. Questions were compiled and photographs were mounted in preparation for pilot testing. Pilot testing was undertaken with a grade 4 and a grade 5 class from two public schools in Vancouver. Visuals were shown and questions were asked about each. Responses were recorded and analysed. It was concluded that the Visual Stimuli Kit would be suitable for further use with only one visual omitted. Previous testing had suggested reportable differences in overall thinking and perception between grade k and grade 5. Large differences were revealed in degree of perception and children's critical thinking. Further testing was carried out with grade 3, 4 and 5 children with responses tabulated and analysed. Grade 4 children with previous perceptual training showed differences in quality of responses. Results from classroom testing gave positive indications of the suitability of the Visual Stimuli Kit for classroom use. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

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Visual aesthetics -- Whole-brain thinking -- Pictorial imaging -- Art and science, mathematics, social studies, and language arts.

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