This paper describes a project that is a joint effort sponsored by the Ameritech company involving the Akron Art Museum (Ohio), the University of Akron (its libraries, New Media Center, and education faculty), and the state-wide library and multimedia consortium, OhioLink. The project combines the machine-readable cataloging of the museum's…

Long before he was a Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin was world famous for his work in electricity. He challenged the prevailing idea that there were two distinct kinds of electrical fluid, proposing that there is one kind of electricity and two charges. He invented the lightning rod which is still used today and so found a highly practical use…

This report, covering 2,783 faculty in visual and performing arts, is part of an annual national survey of faculty salaries. The survey is in two parts: one covering public and one covering private four-year colleges and universities. Data for the l995-96 baseline year and 1998-99 trend year were collected for full-time teaching faculty in 53…

This research deals with the development and study of a methodological alternative to those few tests commonly employed in the measurement of aesthetic preference, and an attempt to determine whether the preferences of elementary school children are for "realistic" or "abstract" types of paintings. (Author)

Junior high school teacher and his students investigated use of space and shape relationships in painting and architecture. (SP)

The focus of this special issue is how art facilitates the cognitive maturation of the child. In the last 20 years, the copious research conducted in the field of children's art and artistic development underscores that children's intellectual, as well as emotional development, is of long-standing and continuing interest. (RM)

This brief survey of successful visual literacy programs designed for students at the elementary and secondary level outlines projects to teach visual communication skills in Ohio, Indiana (Project Visual Understanding in Education/VUE), Virginia, Iowa (Media NOW), California, Canada, England, and Australia (Visual Education Curriculum Project).…

A checklist is provided to help civilization teachers identify relevant aspects of the visual arts. The goal is comprehensive treatment of works of art by focusing on the aesthetic dimension, social context, and the artist's experience. Activities are suggested for integration of aspects of the arts while practicing language skills. (Author/MSE)

Examines Rockwell's "Four Freedoms" posters and considers the historical circumstances during which they were mass-distributed. Observes how these paintings that praised the political and religious values of Americans were used to educate the people about the necessity of participation in World War II. (PD)

Since small children are more sophisticated readers of images than of words, pictorial reproductions represent an important means of bringing the visual thinking of the world's best artists to the attention of children. The use of pictorial images represents a solution to the teaching problems of gaining students' attention, interest, and…

Three evaluations (general preference, balance, and dynamics) were made for paintings presented simultaneously in artist-created and mirror-image views. For short (5 second) exposures, results showed consistent selection over diverse contents of paintings with a left-to-right figure sequence. Implications for perception and aesthetics are…

This experiment compared six methods of teaching concepts of painting style. A practice-plus-verbal feedback teaching strategy (active condition) was compared to a strategy using modeled verbal response (passive condition). Each strategy was combined with three amounts of information: none, artist's name, and name plus style rule. (Author/SJL)

The Philadelphia College of Art has planned cultural events in keeping with its educational mission and presenting the institution's best image. Among the guidelines followed: making each event distinctive, making the event valuable to participants and making all events complement one other. (MSE)

Using 103 adult art students, this study sought to develop a theoretical model for identifying those gifted in art, based on the hypothesis that cognitive complexity, executive skill in drawing, and affective intensity correlate significantly with behaviors consistent with artistic success. Results confirmed the importance and measurability of…

Describes the characteristics of the visually gifted student, comparing and contrasting this type of youngster to the academically gifted student. Part of a theme issue on art education for students with special needs. (SJL)