Importance of Visual Demonstrations in Art Education

Art education promotes experiential learning.

Visual demonstrations are important to art education but are not the primary agenda. Art education allows students to process tactile information, rather than auditory information. Visual demonstrations should provide an example. They are not to be encouraged as a standard for reproduction.

Replication

Visual demonstrations explain how to use tools.

Teaching line art relies heavily on visual representations. Realistic art demands portraying an accurate perspective.

Survey

Teaching with visual demonstrations provides an educator with an array of different styles and techniques.

Process

Clay wheels are a trial and error process.

Students can vary the process of creating art after they have mastered the demonstrated techniques. Skill development is the reward of practice.

Medium

Teaching photography with demonstrations of the tools and process.

Use a visual demonstration for the tools students need to produce within a particular medium, such as pottery, jewelry, glass or photography.

Mastery

Mastery is evaluated by rubric, not by standardized replication.

Students use visual demonstrations as a foundation for their art work. Mastery of art is assessed through several examples within the student's portfolio of a chosen medium.

References

• Arts Alliance

Resources

• Visual Literacy