The literature on civic engagement in higher education is rich with examples of courses and programs that promote the development of students as engaged citizens in our democracy. However, few of them involve the arts. This fact is unfortunate because all forms of engagement with the arts is an important and effective means of achieving our civic…

In the quest for anti-oppressive research practices grounded in a commitment to social justice, arts-based research holds promise for scholars in a wide range of disciplines and fields of study, including education. In this article, I discuss the possibilities and challenges of social justice-informed arts-based research, drawing on data from a…

Seventh grade students entering South East Junior High in Iowa City come from eight elementary feeder schools, as well as from schools around the world. Their information literacy skills and knowledge of reference sources vary, but since all seventh graders and new eighth graders are required to take one trimester of Visual Studies, all entering…

This visual arts curriculum guide was developed as a subset of a model curriculum for the arts as mandated by the Iowa legislature. It is designed to be used in conjunction with the Visual Arts in Iowa Schools (VAIS). The guide is divided into six sections: Sections one and two contain the preface, acknowledgements, and a list of members of the…

An overview is provided of the history and current status of arts education in community colleges in Iowa and across the nation. After a brief history of art programs in higher education, the paper reviews research on course offerings, enrollment trends, student characteristics, and the role of the colleges as community cultural centers.…