"Identity as a Stimulus for Studio Practice" was developed as a summer university component of post-graduate courses provided by Bretton Hall College's arts education extension in Israel. It involved the Israeli students in reconsidering notions of identity: interrogating the limitations of fixed notions of identity and engaging in a…

This 2008 foundation report provides an opportunity to look back and ahead as the organization reviews what has been accomplished and identifies challenges to be tackled in the future in the areas of education, scientific and medical research, and the arts. Grant making from the perspective of grantees is presented in each area. [This document was…

The Arts Libraries Society of Australia and New Zealand (Arlis/ANZ) recently implemented a new web presence. More than just a website, it was envisaged as a web "identity", a virtual clubhouse where the Society could conduct its "virtual business" and where members could "meet" and contribute to the activities of…

Since the mid-1980s, arts policymakers in Minnesota have positioned "media arts"--defined as the "study and practice of examining human communication through photography, film or video, audio, computer or digital arts, and interactive media"--within the realm of aesthetic education and considered it one of six arts areas. This…

Over the past few decades, it has become evident that the natural environment is an entity that humans need to better understand. Environmental education is defined here as the teaching and learning of, and about, nature and human interaction with nature. Traditionally, the environment has been researched and taught about in a piecemeal…

The 2007-2010 strategic plan for the National Art Education Association places a priority on creating a learning organization that will help to advance the mission of the organization and effectively meet the challenges of the 21st century. The plan is guided by four major strategic goals: (1) Learning: Focus on exemplary professional development…

The real problem with teaching character is that, in order to teach it, the teacher has to have it. Students may or may not study lessons, but they certainly study the teacher. In this article, the author points out that process is what is needed to modeled, not perfection. By living honestly in front of their students, teachers provide them with…

In this article, the author examines the current arts education policies in the United States through the lens of Matthew Arnold's work and prose during his time as one of Her Majesty's School Inspectors in England and Wales in the nineteenth century. Arnold argued for government funding of public school systems, setting standards of quality for…

Nanakuli is a rural, poverty-stricken community on the remote west coast of the Hawaiian island of O'ahu. In May 2006, Nanakuli High and Intermediate was ranked the worst school in the state of Hawaii. In this article, the author relates what happened when she led teens in Nanakuli through the creation and performance of an original theatre show…

Why teach art? Answers generated by preservice art teachers usually suggest a range of reasons (i.e.: so that students will have knowledge about art, acquire the skills of artists, and/or gain aesthetic appreciation). It is rare when students recognize that art is also taught in order to experience something yet unknown to the teacher, whether…

This study examines a series of children's drawings ("Draw for Math" tasks) to determine the relationship of students' spatial understanding and mathematical problem solving. Level of spatial understanding was assessed by applying the framework of central conceptual structures suggested by Case (1996), a cognitive developmental researcher.…

Pupils' attitudes influence both learning and teaching processes and affect the way pupils will engage with art as adults. This article introduces an attitude scale, the Attitude Scale for Art Experienced in School (ASAES), which comprises four subscales: enjoyment, confidence, usefulness, and support. A three-step procedure was followed for the…

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, popularly known as Grandma Moses, may be the most famous American folk artist. A fortuitous combination of original vision, innate talent, spunky character, and long life, Moses is known for her landscapes that depict nostalgic views of country life. In this article, the author describes an art activity she introduced to…

In Kathleen Loomis's preschool classroom at the Bennington College Early Childhood Center, the goal for children is not to produce beautiful and expressive artworks or to learn specific methods of working with art media--although those things do happen. Here, the curriculum is built around the philosophy that learning to think and create with art…

California policy-makers clearly have ambitious goals for arts education. However, beyond developing rigorous standards and calling for instruction in the arts as part of the required course of study, California historically has done little to develop, implement, and sustain comprehensive arts programs that provide all students with access to and…