Questions the use of professional artists as appropriate role models for students learning about art making in the classroom. Examines a biography of one artist and reviews research on the psychological and social circumstances that facilitate art production. Suggests that the creation of those circumstances in the classroom would be complicated.…

Reviews professional literature on developments in art education for older adults since 1980. Describes programs at the national, state, and local levels that emphasize either the crafts or fine arts approach to art education. Recommends programs that promote creative thinking and self-expression. (CFR)

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)

Describes interactions among children in four preschool kindergarten art classes. Examines the nature of the talk surrounding children's mutual participation in voluntary art activities. Concludes that classroom social life demonstrated children's capacity to collaborate in meaningful ways and to benefit from the sharing of perspectives. (KM)

Asserts that traditional age-stage theory of visual art education is simplistic and misleading. Suggests that neoteny, the retention of juvenile-like traits in adults, may provide another means of linking human development to the visual arts. Concludes that the inherent neotenous aspects of art can make a contribution to successful aging. (CFR)

Maintains that integrated mathematics and art curricula reveal congruent activities that enhance learning in both disciplines. Suggested ways to restructure and coordinate the curriculum include inspection of content areas for congruent elements, examination of older models for related theory and materials, and utilizing relevant developmental…

Reports a study of 56 fifth graders that questioned whether the cognitive style of reflection-impulsivity could be measured by students' performance on 2 art-related tests. Found that cognitive style was not a strong predictor of artistic performance. (GG)

Reports on a study of verbal interaction during art production experiences. Finds that teachers trained in structured questioning techniques were able to elicit significantly greater proportions of verbal interaction, inquiry-oriented questions, and student verbalizations than teachers not trained in the techniques. (CFR)

Describes how an elementary classroom teacher discovers and explores the power of aesthetic experience in an educational context. Discusses how the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh helps an exceptionally difficult class of 11-year-old female students in suburban Dublin, Ireland, become interested in their education. (KM)

Contends that using art textbooks is a relatively new trend in art education. Reports on a survey about art textbook use among 64 art teachers involved in an in-service teacher education program. Concludes it is important that the art education field encourages, promotes, and supports research on the use of art textbooks. (CFR)

Postulates that students' untutored and unrehearsed verbatim responses to viewing artworks parallel specific schools of thought in aesthetic theory. Middle school students tape recorded their responses to a previous museum visit. Their responses reflected some of the key concepts in expressivism, institutionalism, and formalism. (MJP)

Provides a brief overview of the historical development of art education. Notes the relationship between 19th century art education and manufacturing jobs and contrasts this with current art education and a changing job market. Maintains that art education must remain relevant to, and cognizant of, social changes. (MJP)

Raises a number of interesting questions about the relationship between controversial contemporary art and school art. Briefly summarizes the reactions of several groups of teachers and students after attending a controversial exhibit. Concludes with some recommendations for bridging the gap between the two art worlds. (MJP)

Provides evidence that sixth-grade students are capable of considerable art historical understanding. Suggests that second-grade students are able to incorporate knowledge of individual artists, and some limited historical perspective, in their consideration of artworks. Includes assessment instrument and statistical tables. (MJP)