ED 400: HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF ART EDUCATION
Course Description
This course will explore concepts and issues related to philosophies of art and education through a series of artistic, literary and critical sources including works from contemporary artists. The readings and discussion will explore the implications of philosophers’ ideas on current teaching and art practice, methods, curriculum design, and policy. Through engaged conversation and art making students will be encouraged to develop and express a personal understanding of educational philosophy and question what art education is and could be. Students are also expected to contribute their own conceptual and artistic interests and formulate adequate research methods to articulate philosophical, critical and practical cases for art and art in education. This will involve a careful examination of how experimentation in the studio and/or the classroom is related to the development of ideas and forms of practice that students deem as conducive to art and/or art in education.
Lines of Inquiry
What is the primary purpose of education in a democracy? How should one acquire knowledge? Who should be educated and how? Who should the educators be? By what moral standards should one live and teach? What is the relationship between theory and practice? How do we legitimate and come to terms with multiple perspectives? How do we, as art practitioners, educators, students, and citizens, answer these questions and develop individual and collective philosophies of education?
Required Texts
Allen, F. (2009). Education: documents of contemporary art. Whitechapel Gallery, MIT Press.
New York State Teaching Standards
Students will deepen their understanding of the philosophies of art and design education and develop an original contribution to the field, according to the following New York State Teaching standards:
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation
1a Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy
1b Demonstrating Knowledge of Students
1d Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources
Domain 2: The Classroom Environment
2a Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport
2b Establishing a Culture for Learning
Domain 3: Instruction
3a Communicating with Students
3b Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
3c Engaging Students in Learning
Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities
4a Reflecting on Teaching
4d Participating in the Professional Community
4e Growing and Developing Professionally
Goals
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
This course will explore concepts and issues related to philosophies of art and education through a series of artistic, literary and critical sources including works from contemporary artists. The readings and discussion will explore the implications of philosophers’ ideas on current teaching and art practice, methods, curriculum design, and policy. Through engaged conversation and art making students will be encouraged to develop and express a personal understanding of educational philosophy and question what art education is and could be. Students are also expected to contribute their own conceptual and artistic interests and formulate adequate research methods to articulate philosophical, critical and practical cases for art and art in education. This will involve a careful examination of how experimentation in the studio and/or the classroom is related to the development of ideas and forms of practice that students deem as conducive to art and/or art in education.
Lines of Inquiry
What is the primary purpose of education in a democracy? How should one acquire knowledge? Who should be educated and how? Who should the educators be? By what moral standards should one live and teach? What is the relationship between theory and practice? How do we legitimate and come to terms with multiple perspectives? How do we, as art practitioners, educators, students, and citizens, answer these questions and develop individual and collective philosophies of education?
Required Texts
Allen, F. (2009). Education: documents of contemporary art. Whitechapel Gallery, MIT Press.
New York State Teaching Standards
Students will deepen their understanding of the philosophies of art and design education and develop an original contribution to the field, according to the following New York State Teaching standards:
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation
1a Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy
1b Demonstrating Knowledge of Students
1d Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources
Domain 2: The Classroom Environment
2a Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport
2b Establishing a Culture for Learning
Domain 3: Instruction
3a Communicating with Students
3b Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
3c Engaging Students in Learning
Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities
4a Reflecting on Teaching
4d Participating in the Professional Community
4e Growing and Developing Professionally
Goals
- To understand the foundations of the philosophy of education through an analysis of its central ideas and the writings of its key thinkers.
- To facilitate an environment that helps students identify and articulate their interest in art education on the grounds of the philosophies that emerge from the dynamic relationship between art and education
- To discuss relevant themes against the backdrop of students’ specializations
- To understand the teacher’s relationship to art, educational and philosophical discourse.
- To understand the relationship between schooling and society by looking at the roots of this relationship in historical discourse.
- To understand the importance of reflecting upon, testing and modifying one’s own practice in regards to an evolving personal philosophy.
- To develop the capacity to understand a diversity of philosophical points of view and develop independent thinking about current educational debates.
- To enhance critical thinking facility
- To develop critical reading, speaking, and expressive writing ability.
- To understand the value and importance of taking responsibility for one’s own intellectual growth
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
- Engage critically with philosophical texts in order to understand how others have attempted to solve such central educational questions as; what is knowledge, how do we know what we know and what is education for?
- Demonstrate an ability to engage and communicate a relevant and effective philosophical argument for art in education.
- Identify specific areas within aesthetics and or art theory, by which they would be able to identify and problematize a number of issues they deem relevant to their interest in art education
- Develop a well informed analysis of visual practice in its relevant contexts
- Present a process of research and study in an appropriate format
- Demonstrate an understanding of how teachers’ practice expresses a philosophy that must be tested and modified.
- Use writing and discussion as complex tools to examine, test, and question ideas as well as to present tentative conclusions in interesting ways.
- Assume responsibility for the intellectual and emotional richness of the class through active participation (speaking and listening, challenging and supporting), deep reading, and engaged writing, discussing and art making.
- Create a series of artworks inspired by course content while developing the ability to situate their art practice within an art and philosophical context.