Research in Visual Arts Education - Bilderlernen.at

MEDIATED ACTION AND AESTHETIC LEARNINGArts Education (Lindström, 1998, 2000), preferably as a Special InterestGroup associated to the Nordic Network for Subject-Matter Didactics (Sw.Nätverket för ämnesdidaktik), which was established in 2002 (Schüllerqvist,2003). A network of Nordic researchers in visual arts education should as aminimum have the following aims:• To compare programmes for research education in the Nordic countries,to discuss general principles that are guiding such programmes and toimplement necessary changes on a national level.• To initiate co-operation between institutions that offer research educationin visual arts education.• To facilitate co-operation between researchers in visual arts education,for example by providing opportunities for research students to use researchersfrom universities and institutes of higher education other thantheir own as advisors or mentors.• To develop channels for exchange of information on research in visualarts education.In the USA, Elliot Eisner has insistently argued for the importance of theaesthetic dimension in education and human development. In The arts andthe creation of mind, Eisner (2002) further develops his view of the significanceof aesthetic subjects and activities. He also comments upon whatkinds of research questions are most urgent:Among the most important kinds of research needed in the field are studies of teachingand learning (…) studies that try carefully to answer the question “What do teachersof the arts do when they teach and what are its consequences?” (…) What kind of curriculumactivities do teachers ask students to engage in? (…) What kinds of commentsdo they make to their students as they view their work? (…) What proportion of theteacher’s discourse focuses on aesthetic matters, what proportion on technical matters,and what proportion on matters of classroom management? (…) How much access dostudents have to one another? (…) Questions such as these are important, for if we knowlittle about the processes teachers employ in classrooms, we will be in a poor position toimprove teaching. (pp. 215-216)Charles Dorn (1999), in a book called Mind in art: cognitive foundations in arteducation, has a similar opinion of what kind of research is most needed:We need to pursue at least two parallel research goals: one to provide the descriptiveresearch needed to understand the phenomena of art making and the other the appliedresearch required to adequately assess student progress in learning. (pp. 256-257)70 NORDIC VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION IN TRANSITION