Explores the value of teaching art criticism and aesthetics to young children. Maintains that critical aesthetic experience reinforces such experiences in art production. Outlines seven methods to develop aesthetic language and shows how art criticism and aesthetics can be used by visiting a gallery or museum. (KM)

This issue of "Media & Values" provides essays and teaching ideas for addressing the influence of the media in society and the growing incidence of addiction. Articles in this issue include: (1) "Culture of Addiction" (Rosalind Silver); (2) "Crack and the Box" (Pete Hamill); (3) "When It Comes to Drugs, Beware the Censor's Fix" (David Musto); (4)…

Presentations at the International Visual Literacy Association conference are grouped under five topics, a prologue, and an epilogue: (1) Prologue--"Writing About Visual Literacy" (Roberts A. Braden); (2) Visible Language--four papers concerning picture books, the Macintosh and Laserwriter, the design of library signs, and visual literacy and…

Advocates reconceptualizing visual arts as a core subject embodying key elements of experiential learning and critical thinking through an interdisciplinary approach. Illustrates this approach with a discussion of the interconnected issues surrounding family snapshots (social history, aesthetics, technological advancement). Discusses issues of…

Maintains that visual images of people contribute to how people perceive themselves and others. Explores ramifications of this under social conditions where pornography is evident and accessible. Examines definitions of pornography. Applies critical theory to art education, stressing that art educators should identify and critically study artworks…

Much has been written about the power of media to influence the public through instruments of advertising and a variety of venues (Considine & Haley, 1999; Cortes, 2000; Kilbourne, 1999). In this chapter, the author has chosen to use a singular media focus--news--to support the critical importance of teaching media literacy skills to students. She…

Faced with concerns that students in the American educational system are failing to learn critical thinking, problem solving, and reasoning skills, and do not have the ability to apply these skills to real-world situations, educators and psychologists are researching methods of improving student learning and assessing student performance. In order…

Examines the complex interactive set of conditions that influence artistic production and frame the way interpretations are constructed. Uses a software system to index qualitative material (interview transcripts, field notes, reviews, and commentary) and analyzes this material in terms of emerging themes. Includes comments from the artists. (MJP)

Given the explosion in the use of instructional television, it is especially important that it be used appropriately in international and multicultural classrooms. In 1990, a team of researchers at Northern Illinois University (De Kalb) began to compile findings from a study of the most critical audience factors with impacts on the design and…

Presents the Aesthetic Journal for junior high school art students. Designed to increase aesthetic perception, art history knowledge, and art vocabulary, the journal also helps students independently respond to artworks without peer influence. Outlines journal assignments and guidelines for students and teachers. Includes sample entries from…

This book argues that people live simultaneously in two different cultures. Values of the first culture are imparted to children through curriculum in the nation's public school classrooms. The second culture is the world of mass communication that promotes consumption, instant gratification, and impulse. The clash between these cultures confronts…

This book of readings consists of selected papers presented under five topics: (1) Research and Theory--18 papers including research on visual effects on attitude and cognition, students of different field dependence levels, modern and postmodern design on reader perceptions of news, effects of gray shades, short-term memory capacity differences,…

Today information about the world around people comes to them not only through words on a piece of paper, but more and more through the powerful images and sounds of their multimedia culture. This explosion in information has presented a major challenge to the world of formal education. The transformation of their culture from an industrial age to…

This handbook gives guidelines for setting up an elementary level art appreciation program. The program encourages involvement by staff and parent volunteers, resource persons and presenters and utilizes commercially produced art reproductions. Sample art reproduction selections and schedules are given. An art vocabulary and a time line of world…

The mass media teach whether or not mediamakers intend to or realize it, and users learn from the media whether or not they try or are even aware of it. This means all of the media, including newspapers, magazines, movies, television, radio, and the new cyberspace media serve as informal yet omnipresent nonschool textbooks. This raises an…