Public Perception of Art And Art Education

What does the Public

Consider Art?

Links to Previous Studies

Laura Chapman– National Survey

High Socioeconomic Schools have the most desirable results in all categories

Most valuable:Support from Administration, Faculty, and Parents

Frequency

Certified Teachers

Mandatory Curriculum

Standards

Links to Previous Studies

J. H. Mueller

“Art was seen as an inspired achievement and required a special gift reserved for the few.”

“The field of art was seen as a realm that in impenetrable to the ordinary mortal.” (1938, p.222)

Links to Previous Studies

E. Dissanayake

“Art is a universal, intrinsic behavior.”

“It is an unchangeable part of human nature and has been retained because it contributes positively to human’s evolutionary success and survival as a species.” (1980, p. 398).

Rationale

What do we do in order to strengthen the support for and understanding of the arts in

the U.S.?

What do we focus on? Where will we get our support?

Is art education a lost cause? Are we reaching the public?

What is actually being taken away from the art classroom?

Rationale

Currently, these questions go unanswered.

At this time there is no way of accurately knowing what the public knows about

art.

We do not test art on a national level the adult public or student body has never

been asked.

Rationale

Define Art!

Historically, “the prevailing wisdom regarding the definition of art, based on a thesis of Wittgenstein, was that there can be no definition of art… But neither is a definition really needed-for we are all able to pick the artworks out of a set of objects, leaving the non-artworks behind,” says Danto (1998, p. 129).

“In the mid-1960’s, however, it was no longer clear that we could pick the artworks out from the non-artworks all that easily…” (Danto, 1998, p. 131). “The notion of quality has recently become, in the American art world especially, a vexed matter.” (Danto, 1998, 131).

Hypothesis

MT People who understand and appreciate art will be come greater supporters of Art.

CB Post Modernism is counterproductive in creating artistic understanding and understanding

Methods

• Krathwohl • Research Chain of reasoning• Qualitative/Quantitative

• Ary, Jacobs, Razavieh, and Sorensen • Pilot study• The research instrument

• Burnaford, Fischer, Hobson• Action research• Qualitative/Quantitative

Who

• 9 men

• 20 women

• Varied occupations

• Ages from 21 – 80

• Hand picked participants• Researchers• Other Participants

What

• One page survey

• Five Questions

• 3 Open ended

• 2 Yes/No

When

• Over Two weeks

• Completion• On the spot• Taken and returned-Leisure time

Where

• Delivered and taken home

• Restaurant environment

• Rural School

•How

Written

FindingsAesthetic Items Found In Homes

Mass produced:                  34/85  = approx. 40%    Prints/Posters                   12/85    Artisan/Crafts                  14/85    Crafts/Home Décor           8/85

Family or self made:             25/85  = approx. 30%     Children's Art                  10/85     Family Art                        13/85    Self Made Art                    2/8

Fine art                                 26/85 = approx. 30%    Photographs                      7/85    Paintings                         12/85    Sculpture                          4/85    Fine Art Prints                 3/85

Findings

Professions owning fine art:

Medical professional(s): 4

Educator(s): 4

Technology professional(s): 1

Homemaker(s): 2

Findings

What the General Public Thinks About Art

No special education needed to be an artist 12/16Special education needed to be an artist 5/16

No art education certificate needed 3/16Art education certificate needed 11/16

All grades need art in the general curriculum 82%Continue art in general curriculum 100%

Analysis

• People considered everyday household items to be art objects.

• A definition for art needs to be clarified.

• Teachers own art or people who work with creatives own art.

• Public support for the Arts Is blind

Implications for Further Study

Adults & Students• Scale

• Larger participant number

• Over the U.S.

• Questions• Art objects in general-ownership not necessary

• What do Americans, students & adults, know about art?• How should art curriculum change in order to promote

better understanding and meaning of art?

Limitations

• Small participant number

• Short time frame

• No budget

• Semi-local participants

Conclusions CB

The General Public is Puzzled

What is art?

Catchy Connections to create interestIPhone

PSP

Other electronic devices

Conclusions CB

Could this approach back fire?

The general population does not know enough about art.

Conclusions MT

Fear of Art

Lack of Definition

Conclusions MT

Paradigm Shift is Needed

New Teaching Approaches NeededArt is not only for the rich

Art is not only for the artist

Advocacy