Landscapes of Imagination: A Critical Analysis of Art Textbooks

<p>Author's abstract: This qualitative study examined imagination in secondary art textbooks, both historically and in the current educational climate. An arts-based inquiry, as described by Barone & Eisner (Jaeger, 1988), investigated how imagination is manifested in some art books, how the standards movement has tended to limit imagination in art textbooks, and how art textbooks could expand students' imaginations. Using a framework based on the theories of Dewey (1934/1980), Greene (2001), and Eisner (2002), four art textbooks were analyzed for their qualities which expand students' imaginations. The study described a design for an imaginative art textbook. Analysis focused on the creative process, synthesis and higher level thinking processes, multiple representations of knowledge, and the aesthetic features of the textbooks. Four secondary art textbooks were analyzed, and a sample chapter was presented showing a design for a high school art textbook that was highly imaginative and offered many choices to the student and teacher. The view of this study was that the art textbook can expand imagination through aesthetic satisfaction, synthesis, and multiple representations of knowledge; and that a textbook can model imaginative graphic design. With this research, I hope to enhance public awareness of imagination in textbooks, especially in art textbooks. Through this 2 awareness I would like to see more innovative textbooks become available, leading to more imaginative teaching and learning.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education in Curriculum Studies (Ed.D.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Curriculum, Foundations, and Reading

Year dc:date.available

2006

Author dc:creator

• Kerr, Lynda C.

Contributors dc:contributor

• none

• ETD
• Imagination
• Art textbooks
• Textbooks
• Textbook design
• Textbook adoption
• Art education
• Secondary education
• Education

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1022

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-2055