Art Education and Transformational Learning

Abstract

This paper presents qualities of art education experiences that lead to transformational learning and renewed civic engagement in communities. Using critical place-based pedagogy and elements of oral history practices, arts educators can situate art-making at the nexus of learning about self and learning about community. Since art education takes on the development of self identity and broader connection- and meaning-making as some of its multiple purposes, the learning environment is ripe for raising critical consciousness and fostering authentic learning. Two cases that exemplify the use of a critical place-based framework and oral history methods are presented, along with analysis that includes the importance of dialogue and authentic community engagement as precursors to the success of socially engaged art education. Lastly, constructionism is drawn on as a theory of learning that informs art education as well as the method of using portfolios as a form of assessment