The art of looking is a museum and art gallery teaching tool at the core of the Visual Thinking Strategies, a Harvard School of Education pedagogy initiated as an educational experiment for schools across the United States almost two decades ago. Today, a large number of schools implement this teaching method to increase student engagement in a…

According to van der Pluijm (2006), an ecological community occurs when interacting groups, living in the same area, are joined together by the set of connections. This definition implies a symbiotic relationship and the acknowledgment that what affects one member or part of the community also affects the others. When the interconnections are…

Discusses the potential for cooperation between schools and art museums and examines the use of visual materials in the classroom. Surveys show that teachers normally use nonprint visual materials only to make their classrooms attractive or to illustrate information. Museum experiences can enrich student visual imagery and appreciation of art. (AM)

Though reproductions are a necessary teaching tool, they are not substitutes for the original work of art. Through museum visits, students can be provided with the knowledge needed to experience art. By describing, analyzing, and evaluating the works of art, students become aware of the differences between originals and reproductions. (CS)

Line, shape, color and texture have always been the universal components of visual expression. Together these elements form a visual language. This packet is designed to be used as part of the Thematic Tour "First Look" offered by the Georgia Department of Education. The material explores some of the ways people use pictorial language;…

The 13 seminar papers presented in this collection discuss various avenues used for educating adults in the arts in order to enrich existing arts audiences and to educate the widest possible adult population in the practice and history of art and aesthetics. These efforts will ensure that the quality and quantity of arts participation and support…

An examination of 19th century U.S. art and literature reveals the country's strong identification with nature, the ideals of individual freedom and pioneer courage, and the faith in human nature embraced by the immigrants who expanded the country. In the 17th and 18th centuries, U.S. painting reflected the styles and standards of English art. By…

This study attempts to gain information concerning the receptive, as opposed to the creative, aesthetic experience by talking to museum professionals who spend their working lives identifying, appraising, and explicating works of art. The study is based on an underlying assumption that rules and practices for looking at art exist and must be…

Describes a cooperative program where the New York City Museum of Modern Art and the New York City Public School System joined forces to create a visual literacy/aesthetic development program. The program incorporated a three-year teacher training effort, development of an art education curriculum, and classroom art education support. (MJP)

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…