Several sections in this article begin with a foundational discussion of the connection between art and the general curriculum, including how the effectiveness of that curriculum may then be measured. Continuing with a working definition of "critical thinking", the author demonstrates how Rembrandt's work relates particularly well to the social…

Until recently, little scholarly attention has been paid to the art found in children's books. This study describes a project with a fifth grade class in an effort to increase their ability to critique book illustrations. Ten slides from picture books were shown to one experimental and one control group. Students were asked to critique the…

Discusses the workshop for advanced (secondary) statistical analysis of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 1997 Arts Reports Card, attended by a team of arts researchers. Provides a discussion on the Arts Report Card, the secondary analysis, and an explanation of the database. Highlights implications for the field. (CMK)

An analysis of surveys conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics shows that the overwhelming majority of U.S. secondary schools offered one or more courses in the arts and in the humanities during the 1981-1982 school year. The arts program most commonly available was music, offered by over 90 percent of the schools; the humanities…