The paper reflects upon the tools, approaches and applications of visual literacy in the Visual Arts Department of Cross River University of Technology, Calabar, Nigeria. The objective of the discourse is to examine how the visual arts training and practice equip students with skills in visual literacy through methods of production, materials and…

In this article, the author analyzes Arthur Efland's "Art and Cognition," which advocates study of the visual arts for its cognitive benefits. The author argues that Efland's cognitive premises are largely sound but that his specific recommendations often belie the general principles he espouses. Efland focuses on the interpretation of baffling…

Reports two studies. The first study compared adults and children (aged four, six, and eight) on ability to sort paintings according to artist, a conceptual task that can reveal cognitive organization. The second study compared three groups of eight- to nine-year-olds using slightly different procedures. The results showed strong developmental…

This handbook, written for teachers, art teachers, and parents of young children, describes actual elementary school classroom experiences. Each anecdote is juxtaposed with a simple explanation of its philosophical and psychological rationale. Symbolic representation of the environment through art making is seen as a natural language, a…

Using examples from children drawing in a year one classroom, this article examines firstly, how drawing operates as a unique mental tool, and secondly, the role of drawing in the construction and development of knowledge. Young children utilize prior knowledge and experience to negotiate and construct meaning through their interactions with…

This a report of several studies of children's artistic behavior carried out at Cornell University with 3- to 5-year-old nursery school children. The studies involved: (1) taping comments children made while painting at nursery school; (2) determining if there was a difference in difficulty between two- and three-dimensional representations; (3)…

Reviews research about young childrens' focusing on the ability to transform a perceived scene into another representation. Reports on a study of 109 children and 18 college-age students on their ability to mold a lump of clay into a three-dimensional figure. Finds that cognitive maturity alone does not automatically lead to competence. (CFR)

Responds to Claire Golumb's research on the cognitive development of young children's ability to create representations of reality using visual arts. Asserts that young children must find acceptable pictorial substitutes when producing representations. (CFR)

Provides an overview of the research literature concerning the development of graphic art skills, relevant instructional methods, and the specific use of visual models as an instructional method. Pertinent findings, relevant methodological issues, and major conclusions are all discussed. Briefly addresses the viewpoints of gestalt and learning…

This curriculum guide for grades K-12 is designed to help art teachers, classroom teachers, art consultants, and administrators develop and maintain art programs. The guide has four main parts, the first part containing an introduction and forward. Part two includes the rationale, the focus, and the components of an art education curriculum. Also…