Microsoft power point in defense of art educa

In Defense Of Art EducationIn Defense Of Art EducationIn Defense Of Art EducationIn Defense Of Art Education

In the SchoolsIn the SchoolsIn the SchoolsIn the Schools

In Defense Of Art EducationIn Defense Of Art EducationIn Defense Of Art EducationIn Defense Of Art Education

In the SchoolsIn the SchoolsIn the SchoolsIn the SchoolsIgnoring Orthodox Arguments and Embracing the FactsIgnoring Orthodox Arguments and Embracing the Facts

Art Educators in the

Public schools have

always had to justify

their subject area in

terms that academic

gatekeepers could

understand.

Art Educators in the

Public schools have

always had to justify

their subject area in

terms that academic

gatekeepers could

understand.

Art Educators in the

Public schools have

always had to justify

their subject area in

terms that academic

gatekeepers could

understand.

Orthodox Argument #1:Orthodox Argument #1:

“Students who study the arts

seriously are taught to see

better, to envision, to persist, to

be playful and learn from

mistakes, to make critical

judgments and justify such

judgments.”

“Students who study the arts

seriously are taught to see

better, to envision, to persist, to

be playful and learn from

mistakes, to make critical

judgments and justify such

judgments.”

Pogrebin, R., http://www.nytimes.com /2007/08/04

Orthodox Argument #2:Orthodox Argument #2:

“Arts education ‘enables students

to grasp alternative ways of

seeing’.”

“Arts education ‘enables students

to grasp alternative ways of

seeing’.”

Pogrebin, R., http://www.nytimes.com /2007/08/04

Orthodox Argument #3:Orthodox Argument #3:

“Art students experience

‘improved critical

thinking’.”

“Art students experience

‘improved critical

thinking’.”

Pogrebin, R., http://www.nytimes.com /2007/08/04

Orthodox Argument #4:Orthodox Argument #4:

“…students who had more

involvement in the arts in

school and after school scored

better on standardized tests.”

“…students who had more

involvement in the arts in

school and after school scored

better on standardized tests.”

Pogrebin, R., http://www.nytimes.com /2007/08/04

Orthodox Argument #5:

“…students who take art

generally do well in school.”

“…students who take art

generally do well in school.”

Pogrebin, R., http://www.nytimes.com /2007/08/04

All Good Arguments, But...All Good Arguments, But...

…why should we not

begin to think about

promoting art for art’s

sake?

…why should we not

begin to think about

promoting art for art’s

sake?

A case can be

made for art as a

distinct academic

discipline with…

A case can be

made for art as a

distinct academic

discipline with…

A distinct omnibus of rules…A distinct omnibus of rules…A distinct omnibus of rules…A distinct omnibus of rules…A distinct omnibus of rules…A distinct omnibus of rules…A distinct omnibus of rules…A distinct omnibus of rules…

� The Elements of DesignThe Elements of DesignThe Elements of DesignThe Elements of Design

� The Principles of DesignThe Principles of DesignThe Principles of DesignThe Principles of Design

� Rules of composition and Rules of composition and Rules of composition and Rules of composition and

BalanceBalanceBalanceBalance

� The Elements of DesignThe Elements of DesignThe Elements of DesignThe Elements of Design

� The Principles of DesignThe Principles of DesignThe Principles of DesignThe Principles of Design

� Rules of composition and Rules of composition and Rules of composition and Rules of composition and

BalanceBalanceBalanceBalance

Theories…Theories…

� Color theory

� Perspective

� Visual Communication

� Therapy

� Color theory

� Perspective

� Visual Communication

� Therapy

The history of the world

is written in the record

of its art.

The only thing left to tell

the story of some lost

civilizations is their art.

It is art that defines and

validates civilizations.

…And historical context

The ARTS form a major component of our culture.

The ARTS form a major component of our culture.

Art is such an

omnipresent

part of our

culture that most

people aren’t

even aware of it.

It’s the forest for the trees paradox…It’s the forest for the trees paradox…

Art’s Impact Onthe Economy

Art’s Impact Onthe Economy

“ ‘…the creative sector’ now

makes up approximately one

third of the United States

economy.”

Freedman, K. (2010), Rethinking Creativity: A definition to support contemporary practice, Art Education, p. 8, 63(2).

“The creative sector depends on

the many professions that are

connected to creating, viewing,

and criticizing visual culture.”

Freedman, K. (2010), Rethinking Creativity: A definition to support contemporary practice, Art Education, p. 8, 63(2).

� Painting

� Computer game design

� Sculpture

� Cartooning

� Advertising

� Landscape design

� Painting

� Computer game design

� Sculpture

� Cartooning

� Advertising

� Landscape design

� Television

� Filmmaking

� Architecture

� Toy design

� Fashion

� Television

� Filmmaking

� Architecture

� Toy design

� Fashion

Consider Advertising Alone…Consider Advertising Alone…

The bulk of its content and

delivery rely heavily upon

graphic communication (the

creative uses of lines,

shapes, spaces, colors, etc.)

to define the effective

delivery of those messages.

The bulk of its content and

delivery rely heavily upon

graphic communication (the

creative uses of lines,

shapes, spaces, colors, etc.)

to define the effective

delivery of those messages.

Sorry about the graphic…

Old ideas used to promote Art

Education in the schools…

(creative problem solving, deeper thinking, better test scores…)

…do not effectively defend the

whole idea of visual

awareness/literacy, nor do they

recognize the concept of

creativity.

“Taking Art In School Results

In Better Math Scores On

Standardized Tests.”

Do math teachers defend their subject by arguing that taking math makes better readers?

And how about this one?And how about this one?And how about this one?And how about this one?And how about this one?And how about this one?And how about this one?And how about this one?

IT IS TIME FOR ART

EDUCATORS TO BEGIN

THINKING OF ART IN

TERMS OF ITS

SIGNIFICANCE AND

IMPACT ON SOCIETY

IT IS TIME FOR ART

EDUCATORS TO BEGIN

THINKING OF ART IN

TERMS OF ITS

SIGNIFICANCE AND

IMPACT ON SOCIETY

Art Education is as

meaningful to a

comprehensive academic

curriculum as is math,

science, language arts, social

science, or any of the other

“core” subjects.

Art Education is as

meaningful to a

comprehensive academic

curriculum as is math,

science, language arts, social

science, or any of the other

“core” subjects.

If exposure to art education

seems to generate better

students (as the orthodox

arguments for it have been

presented) it is because

exposure to the arts opens up

mental channels and gives

access to understanding that

other subject areas do not.

If exposure to art education

seems to generate better

students (as the orthodox

arguments for it have been

presented) it is because

exposure to the arts opens up

mental channels and gives

access to understanding that

other subject areas do not.

Exposure to the arts makes better…Exposure to the arts makes better…

� Thinkers

� Presenters

� Problem solvers

� Graphic analysts

� Thinkers

� Presenters

� Problem solvers

� Graphic analysts

…just to name a few…just to name a few

But it especially makes…

But it especially makes…

BETTER ARTISTSBETTERARTISTS

BETTERARTISTS

Everything elseis a bonus

Everything elseis a bonus

Copyright 2010, Donald D. Gruber, EdD