Sharif Bey © 2002

Problem Statement #1
Through critical analysis of institutional attempts to organize, socialize, structure, or contain the creative process, I will compare the effectiveness of their methods in order to determine a methodology for liberating inhibited art students through their creative voices.

Problem Statement #2
Through critical analysis of three urban Pennsylvanian institutions, Rockford State Penitentiary, Pittsburgh Center for the arts and Schenley High School, I will examine attempts to organize, socialize, structure or contain how ideas in the visual arts are fostered, I will compare the effectiveness of a class in each institutions methods to promote originality and freedom in order to determine a methodology for assisting students in finding their own creative voices.

Problem Statement #3
The focus of this study is to examine the historical networks formed by African American Artist to collectively address the social,economic andpolitical resistance they endured during the Harlem Reniassance through the Civil Rights Movement. I will specifically investigate the concepts of the Harlem Artists Guild ,The 306 Group, The Spiral Group,C.O.B.R.A. andAfri.C.O.B.R.A. in order to dicover methodologies for young students to address current social issues they face through the visual arts.

Problem Statement #4
The historical networks formed by African American artists to collectively resist the social, economic, and political oppression that they endured during the Harlem Renaissance and Civil Rights Movement provide models for art students to address current oppressive situations. I will develop visual art strategies that empower youths, based on a study of the political art practices of the Harlem Artists Guild and Africobra I will implement the teaching model that I develop with a group of 20 high school students in Pittsburgh to evaluate to what extent the art practices empower youths to resist oppression in their lives.

Sharif Bey © 2002

Wei-Chung Chang © 2002

Problem Statement #1: My study concerns on-line teaching and learning computer graphics. The purpose of the study is to develop a distance educational model, which can improve the learning efficiency for college students in academic programs of arts and design. I will combine two sources to develop an on-line curriculum. First, I will analyze historical documents to develop content. Secondly, I will interview computer graphic specialists and scholars in both industry and academies to define various frameworks for teaching computer graphics. In a four-month case study of the on-line course, I will evaluate undergraduate student learning of computer graphics.

Topic #2:
"The Study of the Perception of Lighting Impact in Virtual Reality" or "Story Telling through Lighting in 3D Computer Animation"

Topic #3:
Qualitative study of an animated character's impact on student learning in an online graphic communication course at a Taiwan university.

Problem Statement #2:

Students from diverse arts fields desire computer graphic courses as part of their undergraduate art education. The demand for such courses challenge institutions to provide enough faculty and computer lab teaching facilities. Can on-line computer graphic courses fulfill students' educational needs to learn how to communicate ideas in digital media? The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate an on-line computer graphics course for undergraduate college students in academic programs of arts and design.

I will review historical documents on _______, recent developments in on-line technologies, educational theories of on-line teaching, and interactive design for active learning. I will also interview leading computer graphic specialists and scholars in both industry and academics to compare various frameworks for teaching computer graphics. From these interviews and research of five major computer design educational programs in the United States, I will develop an online computer graphic course for students majoring in art and design in a large northeastern United States university. In a four-month case study of the on-line course, I will evaluate student learning of computer graphics with a focus on student ability to translate idea into computer graphics in a way that is effective for specific presentational formats (e.g., print or time-based), and desired viewer or audience of the graphic designed communication.

Wei-Chung Chang © 2002

Danielle Crowe © 2002

Problem Statement #1:
The purpose of this study is to compare the conception of art teaching from the perspectives of both undergraduate teacher education students and working teachers so that discrepancies might be addressed in art education programs at the university level.

Problem Statement #2:
The purpose of this study is to deconstruct the experience of learning traditional film photography and contemporary digital photography for a secondary photographic arts student. Research will consist of active observation in the classroom over a nine week period and interviews of students after equal experience with both forms of the media. The intent is to build a defense for the preservation of film photography in secondary education through description of the less obvious benefits a teenage learner can draw from it.

Danielle L. Crowe © 2002

Minam Kim © 2002

Problem Statement #1:
The purpose of this study is to investigate how characteristics of comics influence students’ expression and how students who are in different levels of artistic development recognize and use comic expressions, characteristics of comics, in their pictures. I will restrict objects of my study to elementary school students from 1st to 6th grade students. For three months, I will compare two types of children's art. One is, what is called, a picture of school art and the other is comics drawn by students. Students are all requested to draw both their picture and comics under the same theme. I will compare and analyze how differently students describe the same theme in two types of drawing. In order to analyze students' expressions more precisely, I will interview students and hear their feelings when they draw pictures and their own interpretation about each work.

Problem Statement #2
The purpose of this study is to investigate influences of manga(comics) on Korean elementary school students' visual cultural works. Nowadays, the effect of manga is very powerful in Korea. From elementary school students to adults, there are a lot of people who enjoy reading and even create their own manga. However, traditionally, school art had a tendency to belittle this genre. Many art teachers didn't like their students to draw manga. Also, they thought that drawing manga just made students imitate popular characters and teaching manga in art class was meaningless. Students are nevertheless showing their creativities through spontaneous groups of drawing manga and making their magazines beyond school art education. Now, art educators cannot ignore the influence of manga on students any more.

However, studies about degree of influence of manga on students and art educational effect of manga are very insufficient. So, at first, I try to survey how much Korean elementary students are exposed to and influenced by culture of manga. Because of limitation of area, I will ask colleague (elementary teachers) to survey instead of me. And then, I will interpret that situation and find out the differences between students' desires of drawing manga and teachers' believes and practices of teaching manga in art class.

Last of all, I will collect mangas drawn by students and I will try to find out how students who have different genders and levels of artistic development recognize and use characteristics of manga and what are positive effects that art teachers can use in their art classes. For this research, I will restrict objects of my study to 5 or 6 elementary schools' 2nd, 4th and 6th grade students and art teachers or teachers in the south area of Seoule, the capital of Korea.

Minam Kim © 2002

Problem Statement #1:
In this study I will examine successful approaches and methods of art mentorship programs in order to develop a methodology that could be used in the public schools.

Problem Statement #2:
The purpose of this study is to examine concepts and practices used in art mentorship programs in order to develop a methodology that could be used in public schools. By interacting with the students as a participant-observer in several programs I will be able to describe how these programs promote self worth, increased school performance, and develop artistic skills. I will conduct interviews with the mentors, artist and operators to discuss the successful practices of these programs and possible methodologies for public schools.

Problem Statement #3:
The purpose of this research is to assess the accomplishments and failures of educational strategies used by artist-in-residence programs to develop a methodology for high school art education.

Problem Statement #4:
A small rural school has limited access to the arts, while urban schools have more opportunities for contact with artists and art. In this case study of a rural school with an artist-in-residency program and a reflective autobiographical account of my own experience in a small rural school with very little access to art, I will consider issues of feasibility (money, space, time), resources (artists, materials), and relevance to youths in specific rural communities (motivation to learn, evidence of innovative thinking, confidence in individual identity, developed artistic skills, and pursuit of career opportunities).

Todd McCannon © 2002

Renee Kredell © 2002

I propose to conduct a series of six performance-based interviews with university professors from different fields, who are critical pedagogues. Critical, defined in the Freirean sense as a pedagogy, eschews the banking approach and fosters a shared uncovering of information between the teacher and student. Triangulation of three data sets for analysis include: (a) performative videotape interview, documenting the professors theoretical and pedagogical strategies, (b) classroom observation of the pedagogy, and (c) observation of student/teacher power relationships, student engagement, and classroom performativity. I will present the study both as a reflective video documentary, and as a reflective narrative.

Renee Kredell © 2002

Li Yujie © 2002

The purpose of this ethnographic study is to analyze the impact and educational efficiency of a video film, Mu-Lan, on a selection of three or six, four-year-old children of various ethnic backgrounds (namely, Asian, White, and Latino), in terms of their generated knowledge of gender, culture, and morality to understand the role of the media art, both its form and content, and that of parent participation in such activities on children's education and growth.

Problem Statement #2:

In this case study, I will analyze the impact of some popular TV and/or Hollywood video programs (The specific program is to be decided upon after a survey of what programs people most often expose their children to) on the formation of young children's knowledge and opinion of gender and age. The major construct focused upon include girl's and boy's image (feminine and masculine), gender role, and ageism. I will decide on a case of a three to four (or a four to five) year old girl after conducting the survey, and will observe closely how much knowledge and what kind of impression/opinion she has gained after a one-week TV view or after the Hollywood video view.

Li Yujie © 2002

Click on image to read the text.

Maryellen Murphy © 2002

First Drafts:

1) Utilizing everything that the Theory of Chaos and Order has to offer, What is a new model for change within public school education? How can secondary teachers of —art, vocational and technology education become change agents, while operating within and around established bureaucratic structures which are — deeply committed to closed limit-cycle systems (to collusion and automatism), unwilling, even reluctant to change, and not burn out, destroyed ore leave teaching altogether? What new approaches can be designed, and implemented, using a fundamentally positive more organic or spiritual manifestation, borrowing from Vaclav Havel’s phrase using “the power of the powerless”, to exert more subtle influences, thus facilitating greater participation in the creation of more creative, open systems of education addressing issues of learning, freedom, making-meaning, empowerment and equity? Are secondary level public schools truly capable of dramatic change? Are charter schools and school-within-a-school models the only answer, or is there a new model we haven’t come up with yet?

2) While taking into account the notions of Structure and Anti-Structure: Consider the reflections of a teacher sharing a cautionary tale promoting change in secondary level educational delivery systems filtered through the eyes of her formalist point of view which has undergone transformation in response to postmodern society and seven years of teaching in the same school. When you think you’re doing a good job, think again, are you really? Who are you serving? And are you serving who you think you are? How can a teacher go about the process for creating a climate of support and funding for progressive, pioneering, and challenging curriculum with appropriate infrastructure while planting the seeds of resilience, collaboration, interdependence, and social action in both faculty and students? How does one proceed and what are some possible examples, and strategies (methodologies) to consider as well as avoid?

Problem Statement #2

My expertise is grounded in teaching through vocational education theory and practice, a passion for color theory and 2D design while simultaneously embracing "computer arts and technology" at the secondary level. Looking forward from this perspective, I intend to research, develop and propose new guidelines, criteria and ingredients for an Interdisciplinary Foundations Art & Theory curriculum for the post secondary environment. I plan to review existing frameworks and curriculum standards to assess what is of value and to find possible intersection points where expansion of new models could deepen connections and meaning to students lives, in both, an immediate sense as well as in the future. Observation of current practices and professional discourse will also inform my ability to know what is important to keep, what needs to be redefined and revitalized and what contents can be allowed to fade away. Technology is a defining condition for the part that new media plays in the future direction of Foundations. What are the implications and expectations the technology component places of both teachers and students? I count on interviewing former BFA graduates to check for understanding and value ofFoundations curriculum and whether or not those students decided to pursue an MFA. I am hoping that the findings of research and interviews, combined, will inform the new directions in Foundations curriculum and practice. I would also like to determine if there are any motivating factors that lead students to continue art making professionally or not. And what may have played a role or applied in their choice of career endeavors. An ultimate goal would be to identify the necessary support system to assist students in making the connection towards attaining an MFA degree and maintaining their involvement in the arts and related industries.

Research Problem Statement #3:

I have a passion for color theory and 2D design that I applied to computer arts and technology at the secondary level. From this perspective, I intend to research, develop and propose new guidelines, criteria and ingredients for an Interdisciplinary Foundations Art & Theory Curriculum for the postsecondary environment. I plan to review existing frameworks and curriculum standards to assess what is of value while looking for intersections and points for expansion of these new models, which could deepen connections and meaning in students’ lives. My observation of current practices and professional discourse will also inform my research about what aspects are important to continue, what needs to be redefined or revitalized and what should be segued out of the curriculum.

Technology is a defining condition of the new media and how it plays out in the future directions of Foundations & Critical Theory. What are the implications and expectations the technology component places on both teachers and students? My methodology includes interviewing former BFA to assess for their understanding and value of Foundations curriculum. I am curious about what percentage of BFA graduates chose to pursue and MFA and if there is a correlation of that decision positive or negative, to Foundation classes. I hope my findings will inform the new directions in Foundations curriculum and practice. I want to investigate the motivating factors that lead students to continue art making professionally. I want to look at the ways those factors played a role in career choices. Finally I want to identify the support system necessary to assist students in making connections towards attaining an MFA degree and maintaining their involvement in the arts and related industries.

Maryellen Murphy © 2002

Pirkko Pohjakallio © 2002

I will examine the debate/discourse on art education that is, the teaching of visual arts in Finland over the past 30 years (specially in the comprehensive art education). My goal is to advance self-understanding in the profession, as well as offer tools to analyze the curriculum development work by the Department of Art Education at the University of Art and Design, Helsinki, through a historical perspective. The implicit presumption is that history and tradition exist in many ways in the present and in present-day practices, and our activities conceal many traditions to which we should not be blind.

This dissertation research will continue the study started in my licentiate dissertation (1999), in which, the change taking place in art education was analyzed. In the earlier research I examined the crisis in art education during the late 1960‚s and early 1970s. The concept of paradigm was employed as a heuristic tool to explain the change in the art education ideas as certain kind of shift in the conception of the world. The primary data consisted of interviews with teachers. The secondary data consisted of debates by the profession, particularly those in Stylus, a journal published by the Art Teachers Association in Finland since 1907. In addition to the interviews, I studied art education texts, such as reports, manuals, official plus that dated back to the times when my informants or co-researchers were students or in the beginning of their career.

Pirkko Pohjakallio © 2002