Argues that neopragmatism can provide art educators with theoretical perspectives to guide interpretations of works of art, pedagogy, and curriculum. Notes ways in which neopragmatist strategies would open art education to new forms of inquiry. Uses an analysis of Gerhard Richter's "October 18, 1977" to show how neopragmatic pedagogy…

Reexamines Arthur Efland's (1976) landmark analysis of the school art style in light of contemporary theory and practice. In that context, suggests "authentic" instruction in art that ties art to real life and real-life practices of the contemporary art world is a feasible strategy for dumping the school art style. (DSK)

Provides in full the forward to "Better Little Books" claiming the contents are applicable to the other midget series of illustrated children's books which were published during World War II and are discussed in this article. Discusses how children's book publishers in Britain during and immediately after the war strove to publish the…

Offers brief descriptions of 35 recently published children's books that view language as a means of expressing ideas, telling stories, and creating imaginative possibilities. Groups books into those that use language of imagination, of performance, of music, of visual arts, and expressive language. Notes a few ideas on inviting readers to respond…

Describes the development of a course bridging the theory of art history and the practice of studio art courses at St. Olaf College (Minnesota). Addresses the gap often found in higher education between the visual and liberal arts. Discusses the trials and elations of designing a course that overlaps these traditional boundaries. (DSK)

Argues that in an art world dominated by critical theory the contribution of painting to society and education is not firmly established. Reviews challenges from critical theory to painting and constructs an alternative relationship between them. Articulates how concepts in critical theory are informed and extended by painting. (DSK)

Contends that the principles of unity, variety, and balance can be taught to elementary school students through the production of relief sculptures. Describes how students were introduced to relief sculpture and how they created sculptures using common materials. Relates how painting the sculptures was related to a lesson on color. (DSK)

Discussion of information exploration and software design in computer-based educational systems focuses on the integration of hypermedia and natural language dialog. AlFRESCO is described, an interactive natural language-centered multimodal system that was developed for users interested in frescoes and paintings. (LRW)

Presents an art assignment that helps students progress from color theory and the color wheel to understanding watercolor techniques. Explains that students apply their knowledge of watercolor techniques by using three of ten techniques to create different views of a chair in the Cubist style. (CMK)

Compares responses of two highly reluctant learning-disabled readers before and after they were helped to visualize story situations through visual art. Shows that visual art helped the readers to begin enjoying reading, and to begin evoking and manipulating story worlds in their minds. Notes that the students began to participate in the classroom…

Presents an art lesson for elementary students using painter Claude Monet as an introduction to Impressionism. Discusses Monet and his artwork. Explains that the students copy Monet's painting "The House of Parliament, Sunset" in order to draw the contour or outline of the buildings. (CMK)

This is the second installment of Chapter 1, "The Assessment Context," by F. Robert Sabol, from "Assessing Expressive Learning: A Practical Guide for Teacher-Directed Authentic Assessment in K-12 Visual Art Education," edited and written by Charles M. Dorn, Stanley S. Madeja, and F. Robert Sabol. [c] Lawrence Erlbaum…

This author contends that it is sometimes difficult to construe exactly what the visual culture movement really involves. To use the kind of lingo that its spokespersons favor, we are seeing a conflict between transfigured factions surviving from the 1960s. During that fevered era, it appeared to academic liberals that America was becoming…

In this paper, the author asserts that current efforts to transform art education into visual culture studies (VCS) constitute a deeply disturbing educational trend. She asserts that, much like the now largely discredited developments in literary studies of recent decades (whose bankruptcy it apparently ignores), this movement aims quite…

In 1989, the National Art Education Association published Museum Education: History, Theory and Practice edited by Nancy Berry and Susan Mayer. In their introduction, the editors stated that the volume focused on theory and philosophy rather than case studies and specific programs, a focus much needed at the time. They wrote that the basic skills…