Curiously, while the efficacy of the arts for the development of multicultural understandings has long been theorized, empirical studies of this effect have been lacking. This essay recounts our combined empirical and philosophical study of this issue. We explicate the philosophical considerations that shaped the development of the arts course we…

In this article, the author suggests that visual culture is so much a part of students' lives that it is difficult to ignore. In the art class educators can effectively model democratic concepts, processes, and behaviors, and help students make sense of their world. The arts can heighten perception and critical thinking and help students develop…

The concept of critical media literacy expands the notion of literacy to include different forms of mass communication and popular culture, as well as deepens the potential of literacy education to critically analyze relationships between media and audiences, information and power. The authors argue that critical media literacy is crucial for…