Readings in Art and Design Education

This Collection of fourteen essays by eleven different authors demonstrates the increasing breadth of enquiry that has taken place in art and design education history over the past two decades, and the expanding range of research models applied to the subject. The essays are grouped into six sections that propose the emergence of genres of research in the field-Drawing from examples, Motives and rationales for public art and design education in Britain, Features of institutional art and design education, Towards art and design education as a profession, Pivotal figures in the history of art and design education, and British/European influence in art and design education abroad. The rich diversity of subject matter covered by the essays is contained broadly within the period 1800 to the middle decades of the twentieth century. The book sets out to fill a gap in the current international literature on the subject by bringing together recent research on predominantly British art and design education and its influence abroad. It will be of specific interest to all those involved in art, design, and art and design education, but will equally find an audience in the wider field of social history.

This book reviews past practice and theory in critical studies and discusses various trends; some papers keenly advocate a re-conceptualisation of the whole subject area, while others describe aspects of current and past practice which exemplify the "symbiotic" relationship between practical studio work and critical engagement with visual form. Rod Taylor, who has done much to promote and develop critical studies in the UK, provides us with examples of classroom practice and gives us his more recent thoughts on fundamental issues—"universal themes" in art—and gives examples of how both primary and secondary schools might develop their teaching of art through attending to themes such as "identity," "myth," and "environments" to help "re-animate the practical curriculum." Although some of the discussion in this book centres on or arises from the English National curriculum, the issues are more global, and relevant to anyone involved in developing or delivering art curricula in schools. An American perspective is given in papers by George Geahigan and Paul Duncum. Geahigan outlines an approach to teaching about visual form which begins with students' personal responses and is developed through structured instruction. In Duncum's vision of 'visual culture art education' sites such as theme parks and shopping malls are the focus of students' critical attention in schools; Nick Stanley gives a lucid account of just such an enterprise, giving practical examples of ways to engage students with this particular form of visual pleasure. This publication serves to highlight some of the more pressing issues of concern to art and design teachers in two aspects. Firstly it seeks to contextualise the development of critical studies, discussing its place in the general curriculum—possibly as a discrete subject—and secondly it examines different approaches to its teaching.

With its inevitable dependency on the essential, and often contested, nature of art, the subject of assessment or evaluation in art and design education remains a matter of continuing controversy. This collection of essays examines the principal issues as they relate to the main phases of formal education, from primary to post-compulsory. Together, the papers provide an historical and philosophical analysis of the present state of assessment in art and design in our schools and colleges, and significantly, they map out some possible directions for reform.

Academics, artists and critics focus on specific practices and broader contexts for cultural production, highlighting the work of artists in the former Soviet and East European bloc and in the West. The collection reveals that some practices have not changed, and that in a world of globalized consumption, art and theory are not as liberated as first supposed. New practices are discussed: collaborative efforts by groups of artists, and the emergence of dissident art that subverts and challenges the institutional structures of the art world. Art and Theory After Socialism is a unique re-investigation of the overlap of art and everyday life in a post-Cold War world.

An increased public and academic interest in drawing and sketching, both traditional and digital, has allowed drawing research to emerge recently as a discipline in its own right. In light of this development, Writing on Drawing presents a collection of essays by leading artists and drawing researchers that reveal a provocative agenda for the field, analysing the latest work on creativity, education and thinking from a variety of perspectives. Writing on Drawing is a forward-looking text that provokes enquiry and shared understanding of contemporary drawing research and practice. An essential resource for artists, scientists, designers and engineers, this volume offers consolidation, discussion and guidance for a previously fragmented discipline.

Many of the essays pinpoint the stagnancy of teaching methods today and discuss the reductive parameters enforced by the current curriculum. The radical tone that echoes through the entire series of papers is unmistakable. Throughout the book, postmodern theory informs the polemical debate concerning new directions in educative practice. Contributors shed new light on a postmodern view of art in education with emphasis upon difference, plurality and independence of mind. Ultimately, the paper provides a detailed insight into the various concepts that shape and drive the contemporary art world and expands the debate regarding the impression of postmodern thinking in art education.

With approximately 16,000 students beginning primary teacher education in the UK each year, and each of those being expected to teach art and design, this pioneering volume provides a renewed emphasis on ideas, issues and research in art and design education in the primary and early years phases. It gathers together work from internationally recognised authors, providing a critical framework to underpin current and developing practice in primary art and design education in the UK and worldwide. Through in-depth exploration of debates that have taken place worldwide amongst art educators, it provides a critical framework to underpin current and developing practice. Herne's edited collection is a welcome addition to art and design education and will be of interest to all those involved in primary art and design education, whether teachers, trainees, post-graduate students or academics.

Although educators are increasingly interested in art education research, there are few anthologies tackling the subject. Research in Art and Design Education answers this call, summarizing important issues in the field such as non-text based approaches and interdisciplinary work. Contributions from internationally renowned researchers explore a broad range of topics in art education, highlighting particular problems and strengths in the literature. An indispensable and engaging resource, this volume provides a long-awaited aid for students and teachers alike.