Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE ACR5003

 
TITLE Historical and Contemporary Issues in Art Education

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Arts, Open Communities and Adult Education

 
DESCRIPTION The study-unit will focus on the aims of art education and how these aims have been expressed in different philosophies and teaching methods. It will analyse and critically assess historical and contemporary trends and theories in art education: from apprenticeship and academic models to twentieth-century innovations in curricula and methodologies, child art, and contemporary debates related to themes like interdisciplinarity, multiculturalism, social engagement and community practices, learning in museums, diversity, media literacy, globalisation and visual culture.

Study-Unit Aims:

This study-unit aims to:
- Introduce students to theories of art education and historical developments within the field, focusing both on compulsory schooling and academic learning;
- Analyse topical issues and readings in art education research;
- Highlight linkages between theoretical foundations and policies and practices in art education;
- Engage students in debates about the relationships between education, museum collections, curating and the implementation of educational programmes and projects in museums.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- identify, compare and evaluate different historical and contemporary approaches to the teaching of art at different levels;
- demonstrate critical thinking abilities in his/her interpretation and analysis of readings in art education;
- identify and evaluate strategies, practices and policies of art education in museums;
- describe and discuss challenges that art educators are faced with in the context of globalisation, contemporary visual cultures, technological changes and media;
- integrate wider readings in sociology, cultural studies and aesthetics with research in art education.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- display critical reading, writing and research skills;
- respond to theoretical debates by applying them to educational and cultural contexts and situations;
- display ability to articulate personal views based on theoretical and historical knowledge and to communicate these views to others.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- Addison, N. (2010) Understanding art education: engaging reflexively with practice, Routledge.
- Efland, A. (1989) A history of art education: intellectual and social currents in teaching the visual arts, Teachers `College P.
- Eisner, E.W. and Day, M.D. (2004) Handbook of research and policy in art education, Eribaum.
- Gaudelius, Y. (2002) Contemporary issues in art education, Prentice-Hall.
- Hardy, T. (2006) Art education in a postmodern world: collected essays, Intellect.
- Macdonald, S. (2005) A century of art and design education: from arts and crafts to conceptual art, Lutterworth.
- Stankiewicz, M.A. (2001) Roots of Art Education Practice, Davis.
- Stone, D. L. (2001) Using the art museum, Davis.
- Xanthoudaki, M., Tickle, L. , Sekules, V. (2003) Researching visual arts education in museums and galleries: an international reader, Kluwer Academic.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Presentation (15 Minutes) SEM2 Yes 40%
Assignment SEM2 Yes 60%

 
LECTURER/S Moira Borg Bonaci
Raphael Vella (Co-ord.)
Charmaine Zammit

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit