A phenomenological study of the pedagogical methods of preservice art educators: A regional comparison
Abstract
How an art teacher determines the pedagogical methods that he/she will use in his/her teaching situation is one of the questions of interest in the field of art education, particularly due to the paradigm shift from a focus on art production to a discipline-based art education philosophy. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate how two secondary preservice art educators, one from the Midwest and one from the Southwest, determined the pedagogical methods that they used in their student teaching experience and will use in their future classrooms, and how they described their experiences to make sense of their art teaching worlds. Field notes and interview data were triangulated to analyze the pedagogical methods used by the participants. The use of discipline-based art education, critical theory, and social action pedagogical methodology were examined. Results from the interpretation of the data revealed that the preservice art educators focused more on what to teach and not how to teach. The preservice art educators showed difficulty synthesizing content knowledge with pedagogical methods and knowledge of learners. They focused on content from a formalist approach with an emphasis on art production. There was minimal use of art history, art criticism, and aesthetics in their teaching. The translation of the DBAE model from theory to practice did not occur in the classroom during their student teaching. The use of critical inquiry in their dialogical methods was minimal. The preservice art educators did not use any pedagogical methodology that related to feminist, social or cultural issues nor did they attempt to relate their teaching to real life application. Both preservice art educators struggled in identifying their pedagogical methodology and in explaining the influences that made them choose their particular teaching methods. The novice stage strongly influenced their lack of ability to express and understand particular pedagogical methodologies.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Farris, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Art education|Teacher education|Secondary education
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