The author is naturally a kinesthetic learner. As a child she was steeped in the wilds of seashore, fields, and woods in which she was free to roam, explore, and imagine in a deeply sensual, movement-oriented world. Because of these first experiences of freedom of movement and spontaneity in the highly intense natural world, she found the…

This article examines how children's construction of relationships in exploring materials helps to explain the constructivist foundations of the Reggio Emilia approach. A quasi-naturalistic study of 12 preschool children, ages 3 and 4 years, individually exploring different kinds of collage papers reveals a range of constructivist categories…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate modes of art instruction for children in kindergarten. These modes were derived from an experimental art instruction program. The experimental modes consisted of all possible combinations of the following instructional components: (1) a series of charts demonstrating Line, Shape, Color, and…

Investigates effects of a specific method of art instruction designed to increase the individual's ability to handle visual complexity and detail. Implications of findings for art education are also discussed. ( MG)

As a method of convincing students that they can draw, and as a way of building self-confidence through positive results, the gridded drawing, a logical step-by-step method of perceptual problem solving, is an effective tool. A method by which to teach the gridded drawing is presented. (Author/KC)

Through the use of a visual literacy process of instruction as an initial stage in perceiving and creating, beginning college art students can acquire knowledge and skills for completing successful drawings. This process includes the following steps: selecting a simple and familiar subject; studying the entire form of the subject; looking for big…

This paper summarily reviews cross-cultural studies of the art work of lower class black children and middle class white children, research done on cognitive development patterns of inner city blacks, and theories of the way in which experiences with art can affect the cognitive domain of these children. Suggestions for appropriate subject matter…

Most art programs at the secondary level and beyond hope to produce students who can make discriminating aesthetic judgments about many kinds of visual art forms. This paper describes how students judge the art they encounter and suggests how art teachers might improve the quality of their students' responses. (Author/IS)

This paper discusses and review the ideas of Hoyt L. Sherman who taught art and visual perception at the Ohio State University. It explores some of the psychological sources for his work and ideas about the teaching of drawing by seeing which relates to the work and ideas of Adelbert Ames, Jr. The article traces the influences of both Ames and…

Scientific discoveries concerning the bimodal functioning of the human brain have influenced the creation of a visual literacy methodology program at Iowa State University for future art teachers. Student teachers plan and prepare visual lesson plans designed to reverse the traditional pedagogical reliance on faculties dominated by left hemisphere…

The "Flash Lab" method of teaching the elementary fundamentals of drawing, a system based on the psychology of perception, the behavioral sciences, and the biological sciences, was developed to help correct common errors which beginning students make, such as inability to generalize, lack of proportional relationships, misjudgement due to depth,…

Provides four sample activities and illustrations to develop students' perceptual skills. Seeks to help teach students that (1) understanding art takes time and effort; (2) personal reactions are important; (3) understanding the culture in which artworks are created is useful; and (4) many different approaches are available for understanding art.…

Provides an overview of the research literature concerning the development of graphic art skills, relevant instructional methods, and the specific use of visual models as an instructional method. Pertinent findings, relevant methodological issues, and major conclusions are all discussed. Briefly addresses the viewpoints of gestalt and learning…

This book presents lesson plans, developed by special education teachers and graduate students, which use art across the special education curriculum. Preliminary information offers general guidelines for using the lessons and describes characteristics of students with disabilities, with emphasis on students with emotional disturbances. The…