Within the broad perspective of school and social exclusion, this article pays attention to an important factor of exclusion: overweight and obesity in primary school children. An interdisciplinary research was conducted and aimed at the study of social representations and practices surrounding food which primary school children, their parents and…

A comprehensive, well designed approach to curriculum and assessment is fundamental to effective teaching and learning in the field of art education. Exemplary curriculum and assessment is evolving, non-linear, and responsive to students' interests and current events. In this article, the author addresses key components of effective visual arts…

The history of art and design education in Botswana has evolved in a unique way and reflects its British colonial history and post-independence development. It has involved constant exchange and dialogue with other countries through the employment of teachers, teacher trainers and university lecturers from a variety of European, Asian and other…

In this article, the authors designed a study to explore what children's own drawings reveal about their viewing skills and to examine the interplay between visual and verbal literacies. Specifically, the authors wanted to determine how two communication systems--visual and verbal literacies--contribute to children's abilities to extract meaning…

This issue of "Journal for Learning the Arts: A Research Journal on Arts Integration in Schools and Communities" embodies the range of arts and learning possible in our schools and communities. The articles reflect the diverse landscape of arts education, including dance, poetry, visual arts, drama, music and media. Each author takes to…

The term "visual culture" includes all manifestations of cultural life that are significantly expressed through visual aspects and interpreted through individual and shared experiences. Visual culture includes art, cultural practices, media images, and other forms. However, teaching visual culture involves more than extending the range of visual…

There are few studies measuring the effects on painting quality of playing background classical music at special schools. Primary students with severe intellectual disabilities (N=24) were taught abstract painting in a two-part method. The first part involved a Pictorial Only method and the second, immediately following it, involved a Pictorial…

This paper reports the findings of an inquiry into the role of visual arts in early childhood education. The inquiry consisted of three parts: (1) a review of documented practices of and literature about art in early childhood education; (2) a field study that investigated the place of art activities in 10 preschool and nursery school settings in…

Using different approaches when viewing art is critical because it provokes the viewer to go beyond a cursory glance and the influence of the historical period, and the influence of the culture in which it was created. In this resource kit three approaches to looking at art are examined including the examination of the elements of art, the…

This essay constitutes a thoughtful tool for art education curriculum design and teaching. It outlines a curriculum for art education, K-12, that attempts to do justice not only to the seriousness and complexity of art but also the demands of schooling and aesthetic learning. It updates developments in the art education field and addresses the…

An examination of 19th century U.S. art and literature reveals the country's strong identification with nature, the ideals of individual freedom and pioneer courage, and the faith in human nature embraced by the immigrants who expanded the country. In the 17th and 18th centuries, U.S. painting reflected the styles and standards of English art. By…

This teacher's guide provides an overview of KidPix software and contains adaptive applications of the software for Cognitively Disabled-Borderline (CDB) students. Ten lesson plans are given, including: (1) "USing Rubber Stamps/Rubber Stamp Editor"; (2) "Portrait"; (3) "Create a Pattern"; (4) "Garden Mural";…

This book takes a detailed look at current knowledge as basis for assessment policy; describes arts education assessment currently being developed or implemented; and proposes policy directions. The book is organized in 7 chapters: (1) "What Standards and Assessment Can Do for Arts Education" brings together statements advocating standards and…

These articles focus on art as a component of interdisciplinary integration. (1) "Integrated Curriculum and the Visual Arts" (Anna Kindler) considers various aspects of integration and implications for art education. (2) "Integration: The New Literacy" (Tim Varro) illustrates how the use of technology can facilitate…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of the Expressive Arts Project for Young Children with Disabilities, which developed and evaluated a CD-ROM, ArtSpace. The program, developed on a Macintosh platform, allows the child to either view or make art. It offers real time video, music especially produced to accompany images,…