DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS
OF A DISCIPLINED-BASED ART EDUCATION PROGRAM**
A. RATONALE
- The goal of discipline-based art education is to develop students abilities to understand and appreciate art. This involves a knowledge of the theories and contexts of art and abilities to respond to as well as to create art.
- art is taught as an essential component of general education and as a foundation for specialized art study.
B. CONTENT
- Content for instruction is derived primarily from the disciplines of aesthetics, art criticism, art history, and art production. These disciplines deal with: (1) conceptions of the nature of art, (2) bases for valuing and judging art, (3) contexts in which art has been created, and (4) processes and techniques for creating art.
- Content for study is derived from a broad range of the visual arts, including folk, applied, and fine arts from Western and non-Western cultures and from ancient to contemporary times.
C. CURRICULA
- Curricula are written with sequentially organized and articulated content at all grade levels.
- Works of art are central to the organization of curricula and to integration of content from the disciplines.
- Curricula are structured to reflect comparable concern and respect for each of the four art disciplines.
- Curricula are organized to increase student learning and understanding. This involves a recognition of appropriate developmental levels.
D. CONTEXT
- Full implementation is marked by systematic, regular art instruction on a district-wide basis, art education expertise, administrative support, and adequate resources.
- Student achievement and program effectiveness are confirmed by appropriate evaluation criteria and procedures.
**From: "Discipline-Based Art Education: Becoming Students of Art", P-135, Journal of Aesthetic Education, Vol. 21, No. 2, Summer 1987.