dissertation proposal by temi rose 2/20/02
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: THE PROBLEM STATEMENT
A National Perspective
Art in Academia: Valuing Aesthetic Cognition
Technology in Education: Ethical Considerations
Art and ritual.
Learning, Change and Democracy
Rationale for this Study
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction: Weaving a Web
Art in Schools: Theory
Justice, Responsibility and Care
Conversational Reality
Motivation and Learning
Adult Education
Action Research: Methodology and Principles
Art in Schools: Practice
Technology in Schools
Conclusion: Seeking an Articulation
CHAPTER III: METHOD
The Site
The Participants
Data Sources
Procedure
Researcher's Role
Data Analysis
APPENDIX I - THE STATE GUIDELINES FOR TECHNOLOGICAL
EDUCATION
APPENDIX II - THE STATE GUIDELINES FOR ART EDUCATION
APPENDIX III – LETTER FROM RESEARCHER TO THE CAMPUS
LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE
APPENDIX IV– FROM THE FINE ARTS ACADEMY COORDINATOR:
E-MAIL INITIATING CONTACT WITH RESEARCH COMMUNITY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION: WEAVING A WEB
Ellen Dissanayake, in her book, What is art for? (1988), described in her introduction
her explicatory procedure: because she was attempting to synthesize a variety
of literatures, she chose to describe each one separately and in the final chapters,
bring her analyses into the synthesis that she stated was the purpose of her
book. The metaphor she used was a paint-by-numbers picture: she would paint
in all the green, then all the red until at last she could show the picture
as a whole to the reader. I share Dissanayake’s procedural concerns: in
order to synthesize several literatures, I need to describe each one before,
asking the reader to appreciate that these literatures present a variety of
intersecting perspectives on conversation, change and democratic education.
All the perspectives are salient to this study. Although I share Dissanayake’s
procedure, my metaphor would be of weaving rather than of painting. Each perspective
has contributed a strand that is vital to the strength of the whole fabric.
Describing the fabric without giving each strand its own distinctive coloration
would muddy the picture in the reader's mind. The image I am hoping to invoke
is a fabric of many colors and textures whose aggregate strength is philosophically
monumental. This fabric supports a tapestry that tells a story honoring pluralism,
humanitarianism and democratic practice. As stated in the introduction, writing
about education is synecdochal. I trust the reader to understand that this chapter
will weave specificity and philosophical perspective into an overview of the
literature relevant to this study.
In the following sections of the literature review, I will be building on a foundation of premises covered in the introduction. These premises are that art is a fundamental human activity and, as domains of pedagogy, praxis, and cognition, art and science are mutually responsive and interdependent. Information technology can benefit both the art and the science curriculum, and the moral obligation inherent in democratic education is to provide experiences and environments in which democratic processes can be practiced, emerge and evolve.
The following sections are titled according to the themes discussed therein: 1) art in schools: theory; 2) justice, responsibility, and care; 3) conversational reality; 4) motivation and learning; 5) adult education; 6) action research; 7) art in schools: practice; and 8) technology in schools. The first six sections are primarily theoretical and philosophical explorations. The last two sections discuss research studies concerned with concrete manifestations of theories in practice.
We begin the next section with John Dewey’s perspective on art, education, experience and democracy. next