This visual journey, which revisits childhood art as an entry point to inquiry centred on my landscapes of meaning as an educator, represents a self portrait about identity and place that is told from the multiple subjective geographies of self. My collection of childhood artwork offers a different lens to understand historical conditioning and…

Six physically maltreated children and 12 matched non-maltreated children (ages 4-8) were asked to draw their "favorite kind of day." Drawings were compared on three criteria: inclement weather, size, and movement of weather. Results showed that over a period of 18 months, maltreated and non-maltreated children consistently drew similar drawings.…

The objective of this research was learning about the chosen aspects of self-knowledge in 8-year-old children, evoked through self-presentation of the public and private self. The issues considered dealt with particular, significant features of "personal narrative" analysed through both the content and the form of the self-presentation…

Based on a longitudinal study of three children from birth, argues that children experiment with two dimensional representation much earlier than is commonly thought. Interaction between figurative and action modes of representation is described. Suggests symbolizations based on movement and time as well as configuration. (Author/AS)

Examines studies, especially those of Viktor Lowenfeld, which suggest that coloring books are harmful to the creative expression of children. Proposes an alternative hypothesis that views coloring books as useful teaching tools to help children understand and appreciate art. Calls for further research into the issue. (KM)

Teachers completed the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire for Children for 148 preschool children in South African townships, and children drew pictures of personal experiences. Findings indicated that children exposed to violence suffered posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and that, though their drawings showed severe emotional…

Analyzes 500 drawings by 258 Hong Kong Chinese and English children (ages 7-11) in order to assess intellectual, social, and emotional development. Found that, irrespective of race or culture, the drawings were symbolic and that similarities were more apparent than differences. Also found that as development proceeded, symbolism was increasingly…

Focuses on a group of children with moderate learning difficulties who exhibited a lack of interest or enjoyment in drawing. Attributes this to a developmental lag in the use of specific forms and drawing skills. Concludes that nonspecialist teachers could benefit from a greater awareness of developmental stages. (MJP)

Explores the extent to which social cognitive aspects of preschool children's free play behaviors varied according to two classroom contextual variables: (1) presence in different learning centers and (2) number of children and adults in those centers. Results incdicated that children behaved differently according to these variables. (Author/AS)

Examines the effects of wartime trauma on the artistic expression of 35 Bosnian and Croatian children, ages 4-12. Discusses their cognitive development in terms of the Intuitive-Symbolic and Concrete-Operative levels. Includes four examples of representative paintings. (MJP)

Reviews past studies of children's drawings and their relationship to academic ability. Discusses the use of Clark's Drawing Abilities Test with gifted and talented secondary students. Finds that the test can be used successfully to identify various ability levels among students. (CFR)

Reports on a study of seven preschool children engaged in drawing activities with traditional media (crayons, felt-tip pens, etc.) and a mouse-driven computer paintbox program. Finds that the same basic media-independent strategies are used when children try to establish a relationship between their mark-making actions and the resultant effects.…

Maintains that assessment in the arts often is avoided in the early childhood years because it appears to be incompatible with a child-centered philosophy. Asserts that reflective assessment procedures can inform early childhood teachers about instruction in arts education. (CFR)

Asserts that educational researchers ideally want their interests, values, and assumptions about life and human purpose interwoven with their research themes. Reviews research in art education. Concludes that one topic to study would be the relationship between art education and life. (CFR)

Presents the results of a study where five-, seven-, and nine-year olds were asked to draw three figures: one standing still and facing them, one standing still in profile, and one running in profile. Half drew from imagination and half drew from models. Discusses the differences between the efforts. (MJP)