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Kylor Owen

Dr. French

1301

March 08, 2017

Literature Review: Career Research on Art Education

Introduction

The need for art education and art educators will be clarified through a series of

comparisons from different sources. If you are striving to become an art educator the content that

is about to be covered will lead you down the path to truly understanding the impact you can

have in childrens development. Certain aspects that will be included are the importance of art

education, how art and healing are connected and intertwining art into everyday curriculum.

Importance of Art Education

Studies have been conducted and research has been achieved all to show the stimulation

that art brings forth in childrens lives. Art challenges diversity and brings awareness of other

cultures to the surface. Articles written by Green, Durham, Peville and Ulbrict all have similar

features in explaining the importance of art education. In each of these writings, it is explained

that art broadens the mind to challenge critical thinking and even critical analysis. Art is

described as a stepping stone to bringing cultures together not only in Ulbrichts Changing Art

Educations Matter Through Popular Media but also in Greens We Know It We Measured it.

Art is said to diminish the cultural and emotional boundaries by allowing student to develop their

own character. Peville, CEO of urban school improvement nonprofit organization Edvestors,

even argues that art is one of the major keys to further advancing technology. Many benefits are

outlined on decreasing stress levels, improving behavior patterns and enhancing creative
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expression skills in pieces mentioned. It is made very clear that art education can have a huge

impact on a different depth of education for the children of the future.

Using Art as a Healing Mechanism

Through four distinctive articles different features are laid out to help realization surface

on just how influential art education is in emotional realization. Many examples are given to

prove the changing effects art has on the emotions and behaviors of children. In Greens We

Know It We Measured It. he explains how development of tolerance and empathy increase

through viewing art pieces. Viewing different art pieces not only are you lead to a deeper cultural

understanding but it can also help you see your life from a different aspect. Durham, CEO of Art

with heart, even goes so far to include a study done by Drexel University on how art helps to

reduce stress levels. She explains that creating your own art can help open eyes to unnoticed

emotions. Dr. Barchana- Lorand also explains that self-expression is more easily achieved when

able to create through art. One last article that correlated directly with the three mentioned above

is Giardinas When Curriculum Meets Art. This professor states that when students compare

art to their own personal experiences it can help them to develop a deeper understanding of them

emotions they are facing. These articles, even though they are written by various authors all seem

to carry the same idea. Comparing these has brought a deeper understanding in the use of art as a

healing mechanism.

Intertwining Art into Core Curriculum

Dr. Barchana and Giardina both bring forth ideas on how intertwining art into the core

curriculum can be very beneficial. In Giardinas When Art Meets Curriculum a step by step

process on exactly how to include art into each core subject. She also argues that by trying to
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find a way to correlate art into curriculum this challenges children to look deeper, which in turn

leads students to learn versus just searching for an answer. Students then sincerely retain the

information given because it is easier to understand and more relatable. In Barchanas Artistic

Freedom and Freedom in Education, she argues that the way education is set to be achieved is

outdated. Also mentioned is the fact that the educational format is not beneficial for various types

of learning styles. By incorporating art and changing the educational format students are lead to a

more meaningful education. A step by step guide on how to intertwine art into each subject is

provided in Giardinas article. Barchana and Giardinas articles truly go hand in hand when

explaining the benefits that can be achieved by putting forth the effort to rearrange the way

students are educated.

Conclusion

Through each of these articles a great insight is given on the significance of incorporating

art into education. Students are truly affected when not given the opportunity to not only learn

through art but also heal through art. Through the analysis of each one of the articles provided

we learn how and why each student deserves the opportunity to have a more meaningful

education. Through art, students minds are opened to many different aspects that were not

available before. Art is not only important to education but also important for the development of

a more open-minded society. Future educators should teach through passion and gain a deeper

understanding of exactly how the bright minds of the future should gain education and

understanding.
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Barchana-Lorand, Dorit Art Conquers All? Herbert Reads Education Through Art Artistic

Freedom and Freedom in Education (2015) Pages 172-174

Durham, Heidi How Art Can Help Children Overcome Trauma School Leadership in the Wake

of a Natural Disaster: Healing through Creative Expression (2004): Volume 36, issue 15,

page 22. Web.

Giardina, Nicola Educational Leadership When Curriculum Meets Art (2016) Pages 70-74

ww.ascd.org

Greene, Jay, Brian Kisida, Cari Bgulski, Anne Kraybill, Collin Hitt, Daniel H. Bowen. Art

Education Matters: We Know it, We Measured it (2014): Volume 34, Issue 13, Page 24.

Print.

Peville, Laura from Education Week A Blueprint for Successful Art Education Strategies for

investing in students creative capital. www.eddidigest.com

Ulbrict, J.Changing Art Educations Matter Narrative Through Popular Media Preservice

Teacher Preparation. (2011) Pages 8-9