Good observations are often fundamental to good science, and drawing has long been recognized as a tool to develop students' observation skills. Yet when drawing in illustrated journals was introduced into botany laboratories in an undergraduate, teaching-focused university, students reported feeling uncomfortable and intimidated by the required…

Students sometimes find introductory drafting and design a boring subject. They must learn the basic skills necessary for drafting and architecture and this may require repetition in order to reinforce those skills. One way to keep students interested is to have them draw objects they encounter in their own lives instead of abstract machine parts…

This study investigates Turkish children's perception of violence in school as represented through drawings and narratives. In all, 66 students (12 to 13 years old) from the middle socioeconomic class participated. To elicit children's perception of violence, they were asked to draw a picture of a violent incident they had heard, experienced, or…

Five children with visual impairments received instruction in drawing, using ink and wash painting and calligraphy techniques. A special system developed by a blind Taiwanese Chinese calligrapher, Tsann-Cherng Liaw, was used to help the children orient and refine their work. Children's performance on simple drawing tasks was compared before and…

All human communications are a form of storytelling about some aspect of the world. They are shaped by human personality and grounded in their historical contexts. This article considers commonalities and differences among three kinds of artful human communications that appeared to people as a special kind of storytelling: (1) preservice art…

Introduction: This article explores the scientific ideas and alternative conceptions that pre-service teachers have regarding animal classification and spiders in particular. Method: The study involved 40 pre-service teachers of elementary education in Spain and the data was collected by means of questionnaires, descriptions and drawings. The…

An experimental methodology was used to test hypotheses concerning the effects of contextual, cognitive-developmental, and individual difference factors on children's views of whether they have been the target of gender discrimination and the possible consequent effect of such views on two forms of state self-esteem: performance and social…

Art and art education are open to broader definitions in the twenty-first century. It is time that teachers seriously think about including built environment design in K-12 art education. The term "built environment" includes interior design, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning. Due to increased exposure to built environment…

This article describes an exercise appropriate for all grade levels. This exercise is based on a book of Picasso's contour drawings called "Picasso's One-Liners," which combines a delightful assortment of one-line drawings with accompanying one-line quotes. Students are given a stack of copy paper and a black fine-tip marker. Students then take…

In this article, the author describes an activity that integrates world maps into self-portraits. Students received maps and used the beautiful geographic linear designs as a basis for their self-portrait. They began by drawing the shape of their head. Some students elected to add details to their self-portrait and to the background that…

Many first year students of anatomy and physiology courses demonstrate an inability to self-regulate their learning. To help students increase their awareness of their own learning in a first year undergraduate anatomy course, we piloted an exercise that incorporated the processes of (1) active learning: drawing and plasticine modeling and (2)…

This article describes the methodology, data analysis, and results for a pilot study investigating perceived self-efficacy of cognitive performance among Latino American elderly. The sample included 24 Latino American elderly. A 12-week quasi-experimental design was utilized. Participants were provided with weekly 2-hr art education sessions…

Creating a self-portrait of having fun "riding a wave" is a very enlightening and engaging experience for students of all ages, but the author's second-graders had an especially wonderful time with this art experience. To begin the unit of study, the author and her students looked at self-portraits created by Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt,…

The best artistic challenges open students' eyes, hearts, and minds by combining both formal and conceptual concerns. In this article, the author describes a project inspired by a temporary exhibition of African Shona sculpture entitled "Mutambo! (Celebrate!)" at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens in Norfolk, Virginia. (Contains 2 online…

Open-ended activities can be a powerful and engaging tool, promoting authentic learning and opportunities for formative as well as summative assessment. This article presents an activity that shows how an open-ended task--with a variety of solution strategies and multiple correct answers--can be an effective educational activity which also offers…