American Art Education in 1980s Through Today (2012) - Research Paper Example

The move to institute uniform art education program addressed issues such as teaching materials, teachers training, curriculum guide, and books among other issues. Previously, art education in America did not address issues like teacher training, which influence the system adopted by teachers in teaching art education. In 1980s, art curriculum for K-12 focused on progressive education and self-expression. Through this education, American technology education on art was founded, which is based on the cultural industrial education history (Foster 2).

This focus addressed the need to develop art talent in children while nurturing their natural abilities. Art teachers taught painting, sculpture, drawing, ceramics, and other forms of art skills. The result of this approach was quite impressive. Many children were able to grasp the skills and produce aesthetic work. Another notable thing with revising of the art education curriculum in 1980s is that it revitalized art education. Art education looked at history, traditional systems, and broader aspect of art to make art education interesting to pupils and the teachers.

The 1980s curriculum stressed on art making while blending it with studies of art history, aesthetics, and criticism. The art education curriculum of 1980s did stress on visual art education. . This argument led to the push for more realistic studies in art over the formal system. Notably, art education in 1990s has emphasized the need for visual art in all aspect of art education (Mary 5). Curriculum developed to cater for the needs of pupils and students in post primary schools address current issues.

For instance, visual art stresses on current events or realities. In other words, the curriculum does not stress on abstract art. The 1990s art education curriculum identified the need to incorporate place based art education. This is a reform in art education since it exempts traditional aspect of art education in previous decades. Another important observation about art education in 1990s is that art education incorporated other disciplines such as history, current environmental events among others in the art curriculum (Keyon 2).

Scholars and lovers of art argued that this approach gave the learner the ability to use art to solve current issues in the society. For instance, music art education takes place in special classes while addressing current events in the society. In 1990s, art curriculum has developed various degree programs in art, which address individual needs (Mary 7). Other than professional development programs introduced in 1990s, art studies have created room for students to choose from a wide range of programs.

Art education development led to the visual culture experienced today in art schools. Educators and stakeholders in art emphasized on the use of technology in visual art. For instance, National Standard, which was introduced in 1995 as per the California Teaching Standards has become a top producer in weld wire and several industrial wire