KEY DOCUMENTS

Coming to Our Senses: The Significance of the Arts for American Education
The Arts Education and Americans Panel, headed by David Rockefeller, Jr, publish Coming to Our Senses: The Significance of the Arts for American Education in 1977. This publication is the result of the movement’s desire to find solutions to educational problems through the involvement of community agencies and resources. It helps focus public attention on the importance of the arts in education and the terms ‘arts literacy’ and ‘arts are basic’ have their origin in this publication (Hebert, 2004).

Educating Artistic Vision
Written by Elliot Eisner in 1972, Educating Artistic Vision, emphasizes the need for structuring thought in the area of understanding and discussing art works. Eisner’s contributions to the field of art education continue to influence practice and research today.

Emphasis Art: A Qualitative Art Program for Elementary and Middle Schools
Frank Wachowaik’s 1971 text focuses on the value of art-studio experiences and the implementation of art education into classroom curricula with an emphasis on cultural understanding. It includes creative ideas and technical directions, promotes art appreciation, and provides educators with lesson plans and assessment guidelines. The text is widely used in teacher pre-service education and art classrooms.

Becoming Human Through Art
Published in 1970 by Edmund Burke Feldman, Becoming Human Through Art proposes four stages of art criticism: description, analysis, interpretation, and judgment. Widely used by teachers today, these stages are referred to as the Feldman Method.

Varieties of Visual Experience: Art as Image and Idea
In this 1972 text, Feldman examines the relationship between art and everyday life, analyzes how basic concepts of art are organized and perceived, and provides a guide to art criticism.

The Arts and Human Development
Howard Gardner, a developmental psychologist, looks at the relationship of art and human development and publishes The Arts and Human Development in 1973. His work in developmental psychology and the development of creativity in children and adults leads to his theory of multiple intelligences.

Beyond Creating: The Place for Art in America’s School
 Released in 1984, Beyond Creating: The Place for Art in America's Schools, is the first publication by The Getty Center. “This volume proposed that content was drawn from art studio, art criticism, and art history…and the study of aesthetics” (Efland, 1990, p.253). The purpose of this publication is to shed light on the significance of art disciplines to the educational program as a whole.

Curriculum Theorizing: The Reconceptualists
 Curriculum Theorizing: The Reconceptualists is published in 1975 by William Pinar. Pinar identifies curriculum theorists of the time, including Maxine Greene, who believe in an individual’s role in construction of their knowledge. They emphasize personal freedom and diversity in relationship to educational practices (Schubert, 1986).

Instant Art, Instant Culture: The Unspoken Policy of America’s Schools
Published in 1982, Instant Art, Instant Culture: The Unspoken Policy of America's Schools, has a huge impact on the field of art education. Laura Chapman argues for continuous in-school art education for grades K-12. Furthermore, she contends that art should be the core for all pupils, and that a curriculum that affirms creativity, imagination, and reflective thinking about art is absolutely necessary (Burton, 2004). Chapman uses National Assessments in Art Learning to illustrate the, “need for student learning to stretch beyond schools and classrooms, toward enlightened citizenship in a democratic society” (Tavin, 2005, p.12).

A Nation at Risk
In the 1980’s there is a renewed interest in quality education spurred by a concern with increasing competition in world economic markets and the future availability of top level jobs. Focus is once again directed towards the nation’s schools and attaining a level of excellence fueled by numerous publications such as A Nation at Risk (1983) prepared by the National Commission on Excellence in Education. This is followed by the National Art Education Association’s report, Excellence in Art Education: Ideas and Initiatives (1987) edited by Ralph Smith.