This issue of "Basic Education" is devoted to the arts in education as a concern that should be addressed in a time of new priorities for the curriculum. Five articles and a book review are included. The opening article, "The State of the Arts in Education: Envisioning Active Participation By All" (Virginia Robinson),…

Describes two studies of art instruction offered to secondary school students which integrated art production with critical and historical learning and provided some comparisons with non-integrated approaches. Provides observations of high school art programs that included art history and criticism as part of the integrated art curriculum. (AEM)

Children in grades one, five, and nine viewed painting reproductions for different lengths of time to determine whether viewing time affected their memory of color and subject matter placement. Results indicated that children's memories of these properties are affected by length of viewing time and that recognition improves with age. (Author/IS)

Describes a Victoria University (Australia) program that combines art history, computer graphics, and studio practice. Discusses the social applications of technology, the creation and manipulation of computer imagery, and the ways that these impact traditional concepts of art. The program has proven particularly successful with female students.…

Compares "School Arts" Teacher Viewpoint Surveys of 1990 and 1979 under the headings who responded, students served, what is taught, program enrichment, problems, the artist-teacher role, other professional participation, and curriculum concerns. Describes additional responses to current trends, including multicultural education and…

The purpose of the monograph is to identify instructional practices in art criticism that are based upon historical developments in aesthetics. Part 1 presents a history of the transformation of the aesthetics into the three areas of art doctrine, art history, and art criticism. Part 2 provides an overview of major developments in the history and…

This paper describes The Toledo Museum of Art Early Childhood Program, a program that promotes knowledge and appreciation of art by young children and their families. The program supports the interactionist philosophy of early childhood education, which focuses on developmentally appropriate instruction. In interactionism, the major emphasis is on…

Observes that the focus and special quality of art education can sometimes be diluted in an interdisciplinary setting. Provides several examples and suggests creative and cooperative responses. Includes guidelines for maintaining quality art instruction in an interdisciplinary context. (MJP)

Shows how learning, in an art appreciation class, can be more meaningful and lasting by emphasizing expressive outcomes that develop during class and reflect students' life experiences. Explains how teachers can take advantage of students' spontaneously generated questions. Provides four examples from an undergraduate class that can be applied at…

Provides a sculpture analysis lesson on aesthetic scanning designed to avoid the monotony of step-by-step discussion of sensory, formal, technical, and expressive properties of works of art. Offers four questions on sculpture analysis. Concludes that variety in aesthetic scanning is essential to keep both students and teachers motivated. (KM)

Postulates a broad, interdisciplinary art education curriculum. The curriculum is built around nine increasingly cognitively challenging understandings expressed as instructional objectives. These objectives incorporate a series of questions examining art's functional, cultural, historic, and social contexts. Includes a discussion of the project's…

This anthology focuses on the earliest art expressions, experiences and encounters of young children in the educational setting. The 21 chapters include: (1) "The Visual Arts and Early Childhood Learning: Changing Contexts and Concepts" (Christine Marme Thompson); (2) "The Narrative Quality of Young Children's Art" (Marilyn Zurmuehlen; Larry…

Maintains that computers have provided a creative device for image creation and enhancement for visual arts educators. Traces the development of educational technology in art education from the 1940s to the present. Describes a four-part "visualization center" that will be the center for art education programs in the future. (CFR)

This booklet outlines key competencies for art education in kindergarten through grade six in the Philadelphia school system. The goal of art education is to provide an understanding of elements and principles of composition and design such as color, line, shape, mass, and texture. Art education should involve students in creating, analyzing, and…

Major competencies are presented for art education courses in grades seven through 12 in the Philadelphia school system. The goal of art education is to promote an understanding of elements and principles of composition and design such as color, line, shape, mass, and texture. Art education should involve students in evaluating, creating, and…