Invisible and pervasive imagery in three art classrooms

• Main Author: Tarlow-Calder, Pamela
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/3935

The purpose of this study was to discover and explore issues relating to the inclusion and exclusion of 'pervasive' and / or 'invisible' imagery in three secondary art teachers' visual arts programs. The term 'pervasive' refers to visual forms that are prevalent in popular culture. The term 'invisible' refers to visual forms that are not commonly addressed in visual arts programs. Many of the images in both categories attend to such themes as violence, racism, sexism, death, war, and disease — subjects which individuals may consider disturbing, controversial or sensitive. This descriptive, qualitative study employed a case study design. The researcher conducted audio-taped interviews with participating teachers and collected field notes in relation to inclass activities where appropriate. Further data were collected through casual conversations with teachers, follow-up interviews, photographs of student art work, and sample instructional materials. This study has indicated that the teachers' general use or non-use of pervasive and invisible imagery is shaped by their values and purposes, and is influenced by their own and their students' responses to specific imagery, their relationships with school administrators, other staff members and students, their individual employment situations, and the approaches they utilize in regards to such imagery. As a result of the findings, avenues for further research were suggested, and implications for the development and implementation of art instructional resources and working curriculum models that directly address and provide successful teaching strategies relating to the classroom use of pervasive and invisible imagery were made.