This volume contains papers presented at the 1997 meeting of the American Educational Research Association; many were presented as part of Arts and Learning programs. The papers gathered in the volume explore in a variety of ways the notions of space: artistic, cultural, domestic, personal, political, public, private, and virtual and how spaces…

The role of arts education has been receiving increasing emphasis in early childhood education. This paper maintains that teaching itself may be considered an artistic, creative activity in the following ways: (1) teaching presents an artistic performance to the student; (2) the teacher has to make judgments during the course of instruction; (3)…

Art works created with conventional materials reflect the hand of the artist. Artists with physical disabilities such as muscular spasms, weakness, or limitations of mobility impedes efforts to produce works of art. An experimental program uses computers to introduce art curricula into two British schools: (1) Thurlow Park (a school for children…

This paper seeks to bridge visual arts education and educational policy decisions to improve student learning in the visual arts. Moving this agenda forward will require the National Art Education Association's (NAEA) Board of Directors and its constituency groups to commit to (1) use the organization's resources and intellectual capital to inform…

This grid for planning visual arts teaching in Delaware kindergarten outlines the following six standards for students to complete: (1) students will select and use form, media, techniques, and processes to create works of art and communicate meaning; (2) students will create ways to use visual, spatial, and temporal concepts in creating works of…

This paper describes a disruptive model of interpretation which explores positions in discursive practices embedded in visual culture as a means of understanding self and difference. The model understands interpretation as a Foucauldian technique of the self, and its use may give art teachers and students strategies for understanding the social…

In response to a need for curricular support, the Idaho State Department of Education gathered teams of exemplary educators from throughout the state to write courses of study related to all subject areas within Idaho?s Achievement Standards. A need arose to assess areas not tested statewide in a performance-based manner. Teachers involved in…

Considered the development of perceptual awareness in childhood, when habits of behavior are being formulated and response sets are being established. (Author/RK)

Teacher discusses how string pictures can stimulate a student's creative imagination and perception. (GB)

Discusses ten elements of visual or photographic language using examples from a photographer's handling of an assignment to photograph an Alice Cooper concert. (TO)

This study considered the way in which female and male music and nonmusic majors matched six paintings of Klee with the twenty-one compositions that inspired them. Purpose was to determine whether there were differences among the subjects with regard to their sex and to their major areas of study. (Author/CB)

Discusses the function of art education as a guide to the quality of life. (RK)

Reports two studies. The first study compared adults and children (aged four, six, and eight) on ability to sort paintings according to artist, a conceptual task that can reveal cognitive organization. The second study compared three groups of eight- to nine-year-olds using slightly different procedures. The results showed strong developmental…

An art program for socially and economically deprived children in Los Angeles met with success. (CK)