Art Education NCATE Program Report
Longwood University
Spring 2010
Section I
The art education program at Longwood University implements Longwood University’s
vision statement, conceptual framework and Virginia state policies and regulations
seamlessly in a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with K-12 art licensure. Our art education
teacher candidates are citizen leaders whose curriculum includes 41 credits of general
education classes, 28 credits of education classes and 59 credits of art classes for a total of
134 credits.
The State of Virginia recently changed the state standards for education classes,
eliminating three credits from the education and methods (art) classes. These three credits
were transferred from a special education class, taught in the education department, to a
Non-Western Art History class. Special education will be directly addressed in the two art
methods classes, Teaching Art in the Elementary School and Teaching Art in Secondary
School. Possible negative outcomes of this change in state requirements to Longwood’s
conceptual framework include standard I, content area, standard II, planning, standard III,
learning climate, standard IV, implementation and management, standard V, evaluation and
assessment, standard VI communication and standard VIII, diversity. Teacher candidates’
special education content knowledge will diminish for a three credit class devoted to
mastery of this subject matter and pedagogy has been dropped. Planning may be
negatively effected for art education teacher candidates may not develop appropriate
individual strategies due to lack of special education content knowledge. The learning
climate may be negatively affected due to difficulty creating developmentally appropriate
lessons for special needs children making the environment unfavorable to learning for all
students. Effective classroom management may decrease for special needs students may
not be motivated to learn if lesson goals are not developmentally appropriate. Assessment
may be negatively effected due to lack of special education knowledge of appropriate
assessment tools and techniques. Communication may deteriorate due to lack of
understanding the special needs audience. Special needs students may need very special
and specific communication strategies. Lastly, diversity may be negatively affected for
special needs students who are not learning to their fullest potential may not enrich the
diversity of the classroom and challenge negative stereotypes.
Adding the Non-Western Art History course should improve teacher candidates’
performance on the Praxis II art content area test in which non-Western art history is
addressed. More importantly, art education teacher candidates’ integration of
multicultural art history and studio art should improve. Longwood’s conceptual
framework is addressed through the addition of this course in all the standards except
technology. Art education teacher candidates content expands beyond western art history
for an entire class is devoted to this content, not just a few weeks in the art education
methods class. Understanding and embracing non-Western art will transfer to planning for
many of Virginia’s Standards of Learning address non-Western art history, criticism and
aesthetics. Integrating a variety of cultural artifacts broadens student exposure to diverse
societies and challenges negative assumptions. Classroom management and climate will
improve for students of diverse backgrounds will feel included, important and even
celebrated in the art classroom. With such a positive climate, communication should
improve for all students, regardless of cultural background, will be encouraged to grow and
develop through the study of non-Western artifacts. By studying non-Western art, teacher
candidates should increase their appreciation and awareness of diverse cultures and this
will translate to their students. This appreciation will enable teacher candidates to
meaningfully reflect on their non-Western art curriculum and improve their professional
practice.
Field experiences needed to complete the art education program includes Practicum I for 1
credit. Practicum I is a week long experience in which teacher candidates shadow a middle
school art teacher. A reflection journal, short papers and aiding the coordinating teacher
with classes, displaying work and other duties are experienced. Field experience is also
integral to Inquiry into the Çlassroom Community course for 3 credits. Teacher candidates
will complete a Teacher Work Sample (TWS) with an elementary, middle or high school art
class. The TWS supports Longwood’s conceptual framework and is part of the unit’s
assessment. In both art education methods classes, Teaching Art in the Elementary School
and Teaching Art in the Secondary School, students teach one or more multi-age art
workshop (often including parents) in South Boston. Lastly, art education teacher
candidates experience Directed Elementary/Secondary Teaching for Art for 12 credits.
This is a semester long experience in which teacher candidates work with coordinating
elementary art teacher for one half of the field experience and a coordinating high school
art teacher for the another half of the field experience. During this experience teacher
candidates gradually take on the roll of a full time art teacher working closely with their
coordinating teacher and supervisor.
To be admitted into the art education program, a student must be admitted to the
University and choose the major. The art department has five yearly assessments, one each
year except the last year in which there are two. Students must pass these assessments to
continue in their chosen major. Assessment criteria includes the quality of art work,
teaching philosophy, service learning at the Longwood Center of the Visual Arts (LCVA) and
their ability to critique and discuss their educational experiences at the LCVA, in South
Boston and in various field experiences. Students must be accepted into the College of
Education around their sophomore year that includes passing the Praxis I, earning a grade
point average of 2.5 or higher and earning two references in which their teacher
dispositions are reviewed. Before student teaching, students must pass the Praxis II, Art
Content test and the Virginia and Communication and Literacy Assessment test. Also,
teacher candidates must have two professor recommendations for admittance to student
teaching. Upon completion of the above tests and successful passing of all classes, students
graduate.
Section 2:
The art education program embraces all 8 standards of Longwood University’s conceptual
framework. Content knowledge is addressed throughout all curricula to include general
education classes, education classes and art classes.
Planning is directly addressed in the education and methods classes. Inquiry into the
Classroom Community embeds the TWS that addresses all eight standards of Longwood’s
conceptual framework. Planning is also addressed in both art methods classes. State
Standards of Learning are imbedded in the units and lessons as well as appropriate
techniques, strategies and technology. Planning content is honed during field placements.
Another important aspect of planning is classroom climate. During teacher candidates’
field experiences, students may teach and reflect with the aide of professors, coordinating
teachers and supervisors to improve their performance and create an environment
conducive to learning. Classroom management and lesson implementation is also
addressed with emphasis on effective teaching strategies; motivational activities, critical
thinking and creativity.
Assessment is directly addressed in field placements as well as Inquiry into the Classroom
Community and both art methods classes. Assessments are rubric based, aligned to state
standards of learning and developmentally appropriate. Differentiation is also addressed
to meet the needs of all students and teacher candidates’ self-reflect using rubrics. Data
analysis aides the teacher candidates during their TWS to ensure all students learn.
Communication is honed during field and service experiences. Students interact with the
community through their field placements and through art advocacy at the LCVA. Art
teacher candidates complete 80 hours of service with a variety of tasks to include lesson
planning, make and take art activities for the Kids Activity Room, writing docent tours,
giving docent tours, hanging the Youth Art Month Show, teaching 4th grade at risk students
photography at our local elementary school, participating in openings, and so forth. In both
field placements and service at the LCVA, teacher candidates interact with the community
to include their peers, children, grandparents, parents, administrators, teachers and artists.
Technology is addressed throughout the curriculum but is emphasized in art department
assessments and various art classes. Digital slide shows, graphic design, digital prints,
digital manipulations and digital portfolios are experienced. Teacher candidates create
power points for lessons and create a visual culture unit including computer technology.
Diversity is addressed through field experiences, service at the LCVA and the two art
methods classes through exposure to a variety of peoples. Teacher candidates create a unit
plan on diversity in which they teach artifacts from a culture they are unfamiliar with, but
may have future students with this background. The Non-Western Art History class will
enhance teacher candidates’ understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures.
Lastly, professional dispositions are directly incorporated into admission to teacher
preparation, admission to student teaching and service learning at the LCVA for art
department assessments.
Section 3
The art education program assessments incorporate the unit’s assessments through
admission to teacher preparation program in which teacher dispositions are reviewed,
passing the Praxis I is required and a 2.5 or higher grade point average is required. Also,
admission to student teaching requires review of teaching dispositions and a 2.5 or higher
grade point average. The VCLA and the Praxis II must be passed to earn licensure and for
the art education program must be passed before admission to student teaching. The TWS,
an assessment shared by the unit, is completed during Inquiry into the Classroom
Community course.
Section 4 (2 pages)
Art education teacher candidates’ information for the last three years is below:
Year
06/07
07/08
08/09
Number enrolled
34
37
35
Number completed
5
5
4
A list of the art education program assessments is below with results for the last three
years:
Praxis I
Year
06/07
07/08
08/09
Pass
3
4
4
Fail
0
0
0
Pass
3
3
5
Fail
0
0
1
Praxis II
Year
06/07
07/08
08/09
VCLA: 100% pass rate
TWS
Yea
r
Num
ber
LG GL LG LG DI
1
2
3
4
1
DI
2
DI DI
3 4
DI
5
DI
6
Holis 1
tic
2 2a
2d
2e
06/
07
07/
08
08/
09
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
5
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2.
2
2
2.
2
2
2.
8
3
4
3
2.
2
2
3
1
2.
2
2
3
4
3
4 3.6 3
7
2.6 4 4
2.6
6
6
2.5 4 4
2.5
3
2.6
6
2.5
Unit and lesson plan
Year
06/07
07/08
08/09
Projects
17
18
14
1
8.65
8.61
9.14
2
8.29
7.95
8.23
3
9.12
9.22
9.29
4
9.35
9.56
9
5
9.24
9.33
8.85
6
9.3
9.56
9.35
7
9.41
9.28
9.57
8
9.24
9.39
9.57
Total
9.08
9.11
X
Art department assessments
Year
06/07
07/08
08/09
Number
16
17
13
2b
3
3
3
2c
2.95
3
3
2d
2.83
3
2.8
2e
2.67
3
3
2f
3
2.92
3
Clinical experience evaluations
Yea
r
06
/0
7
07
/0
8
08
/0
9
Evalua CF
tions
6a
12
2.
83
CF
6b
3
CF
6c
2.
91
CF
6d
2.
82
CF
6e
2.
67
16
3
3
3
3
2.
9
18
2.
83
2.
95
2.
95
2.
95
2.
5
1
2.
9
1
2.
9
4
3
1a 2 2a 2
b
2. 3 2. 2.
8
6 8
3
7 3
2. 3 3 3
9
4
2. 3 3 3
9
5
2 2
c d
3 2.
8
2
3 3
2e 2g 2
h
2. 3 3
9
2
3 3 3
1 2 3
3 2.
9
5
3
3 3 2.
9
5
2.
3
5
2.
8
9
3 3 3
3 3 3
Section 5
The art education program has collected data over the last three years and made
modifications to the curriculum accordingly. One of the changes occurred because the
Virginia Department of Education mandated dropping 3 credits from education and
methods courses. This enabled Non-Western Art History, a 3 credit course, to be added to
the curriculum in response to a few students failing their first Praxis II art content area test.
Students had difficulty with art history that includes Non-Western art as well as Western
art. Currently, all students take 9 credits of mostly Western art history so the additional 3
credits, for a total of 12 credits, should result in a higher Praxis II initial pass rate. Adding
the Non-Western art history course will also aide our teacher candidates with the diversity
standard for they will be exposed to an appreciation of Non-Western artifacts that they can
transmit this appreciation to their students. An introduction to diverse cultural artifacts is
needed for the art education teacher candidates are quite homogeneous.
Unit and lesson plan assessments are invaluable. I have changed the rubrics and their
weight a bit over the last three years to be more specific and better aligned. Also, teaching
in South Boston has been added to Teaching Art in the Elementary School and Teaching Art
in the Secondary School curriculum. Because this experience was new, Fall 2009 planning
was assessed, but not delivery. Fall 2010 and later both mock teaching and teaching multiage art workshops in South Boston will be assessed.
TWS was completed during student teaching until students in the 2009 – 2010 catalogue.
These students will complete the TWS in the Inquiry into the Classroom Community.
Although many of the TWS are strong, some were not completed. Student teaching is an
amazingly busy time and creating a TWS during this field experience is overwhelming for
some students. Teacher candidates who complete a TWS during a structured, supervised
class before student teaching should be more successful in both the TWS and student
teaching. An earlier, in-depth teaching experience before student teaching should only help
teacher candidates gain confidence and understanding of meaningful art units and lessons.
Art department assessments have influenced art methods courses as well. During art
department assessments, students write a teaching philosophy, compile a digital portfolio
of their artwork, summarize their LCVA service learning experience, present their digital
portfolio in a concise, intelligent manner. Teacher candidates also answer faculty questions
about their artwork, art criticism, art aesthetics, art history, field experiences and service
learning. To ensure meaningful educational opportunities at the LCVA, a checklist has been
generated for teacher candidates including a variety of educational experiences. Teacher
candidates work directly with the education curator to help her with a variety of art
educational experiences addressed in Section 1. Changes in curriculum include changes in
pedagogical best practices, multiculturalism and diversity, aligned assessment,
interdisciplinary approaches and a variety of art media. All the above were included in the
curriculum, but subtle changes have been made to improve student experiences and
understanding.
Individual data regarding candidate success is available in “Can Teach” restricted access for
the years 2006- forward.