Research in Visual Arts Education - The National Society for ...

MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION
and several more will receive their degrees before the end of 2007. At the
University of Akureyri, the faculty of education, five visual arts teachers
and one textile teacher are enrolled in master’s education and at The Iceland
University of Education there is another handful.
The Icelandic master’s theses are generally elaborate and make up the core
of Icelandic research in visual arts education. Like in Norway the M.A.–M.
Ed. candidates in Iceland need to give an oral defence of their theses. Looking
at the titles of the theses, the selection of themes seem rather broad,
although a certain trend towards curriculum studies is noticeable as well
as the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in art
education. The status of art teaching in Icelandic compulsory schooling at
the turn of the millennium is the undertaking in Jóhanna Ingimarsdóttir’s
(2000) research. She investigated which aspects teachers emphasized with
respect to curricula as well as the development of the Icelandic curriculum
until the present day. In 2001 Guðrún Hannele Henttinen defended her theses
Textílmennt með augum textílkennarans in which she studies the work of
textile teachers from their experiences and their point of view. Rósa Kristín
Júlíusdóttir used phenomenological and interpretive qualitative methods to
examine students’ perceptions of the role of art and art making in their every
day lives. In her study (2003) she focused on the meanings young people
attach to this role and how narrative identity is constructed by students’
tales of their art works. Ásthildur Björg Jónsdóttir (2003) combined making
an interactive web site for children Listavefur krakka and a theoretical written
part (thesis). The web site is in concordance with the objectives in The
National Curriculum Guide (1999), i.e. with an emphasis on communicating
art history, aesthetics and art criticism. Information about Icelandic
artists and their work is also available on the web site. This spring Aðalbjörg
Ólafsdóttir (2007) defended her theses where ICT in art education is the
focus. Aðalbjörg studied how art educators use ICT in light of government
policy formulation as it is presented in the National Curriculum Guide.
Two master’s degrees in museum education have already been defended in
2007. In her theses Svala Jónsdóttir reveals an insight into art viewing with
children: To look and see. She discusses historical and cultural influences on
the interaction as well as different theories. Together with the thesis, Svala
presents a multimedia interactive cd-rom, an exciting learning environment
which offers children active participation and opportunities for interpretation
and creation. Alma Dís Kristinsdóttir discusses museum education
and families in her theses Learning moments: Museum education and families.
It is an extensive field research of 25 museum visits in two rounds, from
August 2005 to June 2006. In the latter round the participants were given a
NORDIC VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION IN TRANSITION 119