Guidelines for Art Education

Table of Contents

1. Purpose
2. General Collection Guidelines
    A. Language
    B. Chronology
    C. Geography
    D. Publication Date
    E. Treatment of Subject
    F. Types of Materials and Formats
3. Area Resources
4. Subjects and Collecting Levels

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1. Purpose.

Collections in Art Education support teaching and research consistent with the currucilum at a Carnegie Research Intensive (Very High Research) institution with bachelor's and master's degree programs in the field.

Degrees offered by the Art Education Department include a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) and a Master of Art Education (M.A.E.).  The primary goal of the program is to prepare students as arts educators in today's culture through a broad training in both art education, as well as general education, processes.  Providing the opportunity for students to develop a strong background in the arts by focusing on the development of artistic sensitivity, critical analysis, perception and the ability to interpret art forms, is of primary importance to the undergraduate program.  The Art Education program is also concerned with the development of students' knowledge base in the following specific subject areas: studio arts, art history, art criticism, aesthetics, and curriculum development and evaluation.

The Art Education Department offers opportunities for research and study at the graduate level on an individualized basis as opposed to a prescribed program of graduate studies.  Methods of research typically include descriptive research, historical research, empirical/statistical research, design of learning packages, philosophical study, curriculum development, or action research.

2. General Collection Guidelines.

A. Language.
English-language texts are preferred, especially for art theory and analysis and for discussions of pedagogical techniques. Foreign-language material is acceptable only where the text is secondary in importance to the visual images that accompany it.

B. Chronology.
Collecting efforts focus on contemporary issues in art education.

C. Geography.
 No restrictions.

D. Publication Date.
Primarily current imprints are acquired.

E. Treatment of Subject.
Considering the various curricular levels that Art Education addresses, there is selective acquisition of materials aimed at juvenile or young adult audiences.

F. Types of Materials and Formats.
Monographs, reference works, and key serial titles are collected. There is minimal retrospective collecting due to the currency desired in art education. Juvenile and young adult materials are selectively collected for instructional support and student teaching. Materials for classroom use during semesters of student teaching are collected in a highly selective manner.

Streaming media programs are actively sought and evaluated for content relevant to the arts. The development of streaming platforms and the negotiations of copyright is closely monitored. To assure uninterrupted access, DVD is the current preferred format for core titles and remains the only available option for many titles.

Electronic and online resources to support the Department of Art Education are actively sought and evaluated for acquisition.

 

3. Area Resources.

The library at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a complementary resource in the Richmond metropolitan area for the study and analysis of art disciplines. The VMFA library distributes educational materials relating to numerous subject areas in the arts at various grade levels.

 

4. Subjects and Collecting Levels.

Art Education is collected at an instructional support level (3).