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…

This article chronicles the development and implementation of a lesson sequence in a high school art course that utilized "Extreme Beauty: The Body Transformed," a special exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute from December 6, 2001-March 17, 2002. This project took place over a 3-week period in the spring…

A middle ground between two rival visions of art education is explored. One side views the major purpose for education in the arts to be the aesthetic experiences they offer, while a rival position identifies the mission of art education to be the exploration and analysis of visual culture, to help students discern social contextual influences…

What images should we study? Which have value? Which are significant? These questions lie at the heart of one of the most critical issues in art education today in the debate over whether the field should maintain a narrow focus on fine art or expand its scope to include all of visual culture. In this article, I argue for the inclusion of…

This author relates how she introduced the art of Gustav Klimt to her third-grade class in her desire to provide them with a combined portrait, figure, and writing unit with a focus on positive character traits. Gustav Klimt's use of controlled patterns and designs inspired younger students, who easily related to his style. In this article, the…