We investigated the impact of inquiry instruction within a well-established, yearlong, studio-focused high school student program based at a contemporary art museum in the southwestern United States. The pretest and posttest focused students' attention on the work of two different contemporary artists and used the same prompts to solicit student…

Questor is a curious little bird whose four broad questions are helpful to anyone interested in making art or understanding the art of others. He was designed as a character in an online video for children, "Building on a River: Questor's Tale." The video is narrated by Questor, who relates the 2000 year history of architecture along the Salt…

This descriptive study investigates the bases used to support judgments of artworks by preservice art teachers at two large universities. Bases art teachers might use to judge artwork range from personal preferences, to cultural expectations, to criteria drawn from values of various artworlds. The 26 preservice teachers in this study used a…

Reports on the effectiveness of a thematic art unit in fostering transfer within and beyond Discipline-Based Art Education. Finds evidence that it helped some students to transfer knowledge, broaden their knowledge base, and use knowledge-seeking strategies. Explores implications of transfer research aimed at informing the planning of more…

Rather than just being a study of past art works, art history can also be a study of process in which students learn about describing, attributing, reconstructing, and interpreting art. Sheet music is suggested as a possible resource to develop these skills. (IS)

Four styles of historical investigation are identified: realistic, formal, expressive, and pragmatic. For each style the philosophical assumptions of the historian, the methods employed, and criteria for judgment are discussed. Examples of each style in the literature of art education are also examined. (Author/RM)

This article presents a thematic, inquiry-based Instructional Resource for secondary students. This instructional resource uses thematic inquiry to facilitate transfer of knowledge. A theme is a general topic that can help students see relationships and make connections--and transfer information to new situations. Students may be more willing and…

Contends that history is a discipline with a great potential which could be exploited in the service of art education. Proposes that this potential be tapped by extending our notions of the educational functions of history and our conceptions of what past events might be seen as historically significant, and by learning to recognize historical…

This curriculum unit consists of four lessons that are designed to broaden students' understanding of art and culture; each lesson can stand alone or be used in conjunction with the others. The introduction offers a conceptual framework of the Artworlds unit, which takes an inquiry-based approach. The unit's first lesson, "Worlds within…

Reports the effects of art-history instruction on students' abilities to interpret artwork contextually. Confirms that eighth-grade students are more successful in contextual interpretation; students at both levels can use successfully the historical artist perspective; and art-history instruction at both levels increases students' ability to…

This curriculum unit helps teachers and students explore important murals by Mexican American artists in Los Angeles (California), examine murals from the past, and work together to make their own murals. The unit suggests questions to be considered in the classroom: Why do people make murals? Why does Los Angeles have more murals than any other…

Questions the traditional assumption that primary age children are not capable of historical understanding. Study discovers a wide range of responses that validates some of Parsons' Theory of Aesthetic Development and calls other aspects into question. Concludes with a suggestion for more study. (MJP)

Presents an online unit titled "Images of Me" to illustrate how themes can build connections to students' prior knowledge, how to use inquiry questions, and how to utilize online art reproductions. Examines how four middle and high school art teachers used the "Images of Me" unit. (CMK)

Examines the transformation of the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe as the foundation for proposing objectives teachers might use to guide students in borrowing traditional images from their own or others' cultures. Offers a series of six objectives to guide students in understanding and transforming traditional images. (CMK)

Following a preface on the uses of art education history, the author employs historical analysis to identify the current state of art education research as a discipline. Factors working to maintain the schism between art education research and practice are also discussed, particularly stereotyped self-images influencing art educators. (SJL)