Research in Arts Education: A Federal Chapter.

Overview & Synopsis

This document provides an overview of art education research funded by the Arts and Humanities Program (AHP) from 1965-70. Several dozen research and development projects, selected from among the more than 200 initiated during this period, are analyzed to indicate the wide range of scope and funding, nominal success or failure, distribution among art forms, research strategies, and objectives. The report is presented in six chapters. Chapter I offers a history of art education research and stresses the importance of the federal funding for art education research pursuant to the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Chapter II discusses AHP's role as administrator of ESEA funds to art education research. Chapter III compares the limited funding of basic research with the more generous funding of proposals aimed toward strengthening the position of art in education. Chapter IV describes activities such as conferences and surveys which were developed to spur research. Chapter V focuses on research into art classroom occurrences and practices. Topics discussed include measurement and testing, teaching methods, art in the curriculum, music in the curriculum, educational laboratory theatre, and curriculum development. The final chapter stresses the need for increased federal funding in art education research. (Author/BC)