An art teacher describes her experiences in teaching three classes of moderately/severely mentally retarded and multiply handicapped students (6-16 years old). Instruction focused on sensory experiences which involved a variety of materials and creative activities. Lesson plans were prepared based on information gathered in a questionnaire…

It is possible to adapt art activity to meet the needs of any student regardless of physical and medical challenges. Art activities should allow any child to participate with success. This handbook is about tools and devices adapted for and used by physically handicapped and health impaired students for art activities. The handbook also works on…

This action research project implemented and evaluated an assessment and evaluation program designed to keep students motivated and on-task in art classes. Targeted population consisted of 76 fourth grade students in a middle to lower class suburb of a Midwestern city. Evidence to support the problem consisted of teacher observation checklists and…

This report describes a program for integrating visual art into the core curriculum of sixth grade students, in a growing, upper middle and middle class, suburban community, elementary school located in a northwest suburb of Chicago (Illinois). The problem was noted originally by the teachers, who found the students unable to apply skills learned…

The purpose of this dissertation is to describe teaching strategies with potential to provide inner city minority group students with success experiences in selected areas of art production. Teaching strategies relevant to problems, strengths, and needs of these youngsters in relation to achievement in school are identified, devised, and described…

A program was developed to improve the attitudes of elementary students toward the artistic experience and the end products of artistic creativity. The targeted population consisted of fifth grade students at a Midwestern elementary school in an affluent suburb. A low level of interest was exhibited by students toward the artwork they produced.…

A study examined two different methods used to increase story comprehension. These methods were implemented using two kindergarten classes from the Secaucus New Jersey Public School District during a 4-week instructional period. The students from one classroom listened to stories proceeded by dramatization. Retelling techniques used were role…

This report describes a program for improving memory retention through instructional and motivational techniques in elementary art. Targeted population consisted of third grade students at three sites in a middle class suburb of a large midwestern city. The problems of memory retention were documented through teacher pre-surveys and art memory…

A program for improving student attitudes and achievement in art was developed and implemented. Targeted population consisted of eighth-grade students (n=28) in a junior high school in a suburban community near a large Midwestern city. The problem of poor attitudes and disinterest in art was documented with student surveys and self assessments, a…

The mandate to foster social intelligence through public education is the historic basis for the federally funded programs resulting from the 1965 Elementary Secondary Education Act. Art as an instrument of social change also was the goal of a 1970 summer program initiated by the Guggenheim Museum for New York's inner city youth. Under the…

A masters degree action research project implemented a program for higher order thinking skills through the use of journaling art history, elements, criticism, materials in the production of art. The targeted population consisted of 19 middle school students (grade 8) in a suburban area in northern Illinois. The problem of filling the need for…

An action research project was designed to enhance the creativity and thinking skills of students in a studio art class at the secondary level. The project was conducted between September and December 2002 at a Catholic high school near an urban center. Data were collected using observations, surveys, and document analysis. The targeted population…

This investigation identifies the goals in art education that high school teachers and college professors consider important in formulating a hierarchy of goals in terms of students' behavior, as guidelines for developing a ninth year general art course for disadvantaged youth in urban areas. Art goals to meet the special educational needs of the…

This action research project devised a program designed to increase the use of visual elements in middle school core subjects and assessed its impact on student recall, teacher awareness, and use of visual/spatial elements. Observation, surveys, and interviews documented teachers' and students' limited knowledge and use of visual/spatial elements…

The study determined whether using outdoor experiences as a teaching medium increased the level of creative thought for sixth grade children. Four factors of creativity were measured: figural fluency, figural flexibility, figural originality, and figural elaboration. Two groups of sixth grade pupils, one experimental (with 30 children)and the…