Visual Arts Philosophy and Aims
Art is used by people to make meaning of their experience of life and themselves and to communicate these meanings to other people. The way we see the world is affected by the diverse images, which confront us daily through artworks, TV, advertising, films, fashion, architecture and all that is created by humanity.
An artwork is a product of the artist’s social, cultural, political, historical, and aesthetic understanding of the world. Where you come from, what you believe in and your experiences of life affect both how you make an artwork and how you understand it. These experiences of life construct a frame of reference or orientation for making art and for studying art.
The visual arts curriculum is established to encourage the emotional and aesthetic development of students. The purpose of the study of the visual arts is to acquire knowledge of historical and cultural developments that have occurred through time. Cultural diversity is valued and reflected in our visual arts curriculum and students. The visual arts contribute to the total development of the students’ overall creative potential, both as artists and as individuals. The visual arts curriculum provides an exploration of career opportunities to encourage personal enjoyment through both process and product.
Through engagement with each of four strands, we hope to develop the full potential of each student as creative and imaginative individuals. The first three strands: Knowledge, Understanding and Appreciating; Investigating, Designing and Creating; Communicating, Presenting and Critiquing are specific to the Visual Arts, while the fourth strand Inspiration, Enjoyment and Enrichment is an integrating strand across the Arts.
Students will be engaged in all aspects of the creative process from designing to critiquing. Through participation in experiences such as drawing, painting, sculpting and graphic design, the Visual Arts curriculum contributes to the self-identification for each student. Through both student-initiated and teacher-facilitated experiences, students take part in all aspects of the creative process: investigating, designing, presenting and critiquing. Students will experience a variety of ideas, skills and techniques in the visual arts in order to apply artistic elements and principles to create, present, and perform works of art for a variety of audiences and purposes.
Structure of the Visual Arts Curriculum
The Strands The Integrating Strands
Knowledge, Understanding and Appreciating Inspiration, Enjoyment
Investigating, Designing and Creating and Enrichment
Communicating, Presenting and Critiquing
The Strands
Knowledge, Understanding and Appreciating
The purpose of the study of the visual arts is to acquire knowledge of historical and cultural developments, which have occurred through time, with particular reference to our host country Bali / Indonesia. Students study a variety of artworks and accomplishments of contemporary, historic, and prehistoric cultures. Through comparative analysis, students understand that art reflects, records, and shapes history and plays a role in every culture. Learning about artists, their contributions, and ways of communicating values and beliefs of people, provide the basis for discussion, research, study, presentations, and displays.
Students develop an appreciation of their own aesthetic values and those of other people and cultures through time. Students gain an understanding of their creative abilities and their heritage within the context of a comprehensive worldview. Through comparisons and analysis, students clarify their own aesthetic values and learn to appreciate similarities and differences in the aesthetic values of others.
Investigating, Designing and Creating
Through creative expression, students develop and expand their visual arts knowledge and skills in order to express their personal ideas, feelings and values imaginatively. Experiences with diverse two-dimensional and three-dimensional media and tools help students acquire the skills to select and use the appropriate media effectively to transform personal experience into art.
Students engage in experiences with drawing, painting, designing, sculpting, constructing, printmaking, crafts, graphic design, fabric arts, multimedia, and integrative projects. Students will increase their confidence and skill in expressing ideas, feelings, values, and originality. Information on careers in the visual arts is introduced and to continue a life-long interests and involvement in Art.
Communicating, Presenting and Critiquing
Regular displays and discussions about students’ works or the works of others form an integrated part of the curriculum. Such experiences help students to realize the relationship between the students, the audience and the purpose of the presentation. Students interact consistently with works of art, nature and objects in order to compare, analyze and search for relationships as a means of continually learning to make more informed judgments about the meaning and value of art. Through direct interactions with the environment, students learn to see in the manner of an artist. Students engage with works of art and objects to develop observation skills in discrimination and comparison. Students talk about works of art using relevant art vocabulary. Critiques then assist students in recognizing the importance of personal experiences and respect for the originality in their own visual expressions and in the artwork of others.
Inspiration, Enjoyment and Enrichment
Through the Visual Arts, students are exposed to the ways in which the arts empower people and enrich their lives. Students engage in a multitude of experiences to understand the full range of options and opportunities open to them in the arts. By being involved with school and community based learning opportunities, students are exposed to diverse expressions of ideas, moods, and feelings through various art forms.
Students learn how the arts influence, shape and are used to change or preserve individuals and societies. Exposure to diverse forms of artistic expression helps connect individuals with their experience and deepens their perceptions of the world in which they live.
Visual Arts
Teaching and Learning Methodology
The visual art’s teacher is a collaborator, as well as a facilitator and an expert. The students and the teacher learn together as a part of a team. Students are active participants in the learning process that moves from being content-based to process-based through relationships and inquiry. The study of art can provide thematic links with other subject areas through cross-curricular planning and collaboration. Activities are planned appropriately for a variety of learning styles, ability and language levels. Through demonstrations, individual and group work, modeling, and guided learning, students learn that art is its own language.
Students will be introduced to many visual and tactile experiences using a variety of art materials, tools, techniques, and processes. Students are provided with opportunities to undertake a balanced program of art that clearly builds upon previous work and takes account of previous achievements. Students will be given opportunities to work individually, within groups and as a whole class.
Students have a variety of diverse in-school and community-based experiences to work with practicing artists, both Indonesian and expatriate. As a part of these experiences, field trips to museums, galleries, studios, art schools, and other artistic community resources will take place. Opportunities to participate in international, national and local exhibitions, exchanges, competitions and online publishing are encouraged.
The pervasive use and impact of computer technology in our lives have expanded the tools available to artists. Experiences with computer aided processes such as digital cameras, internet, animation, printers, etc. are integrated into the curriculum. Students have opportunities to explore digital images and multimedia graphics utilizing the hardware, software and peripherals available in school.
When appropriate, the curriculum will be linked to school and community projects, for example, PTA events, drama productions, exhibitions, and other related occasions.
To provide time for students to pursue personal interests, extra-curricular learning experiences are also provided outside the regular timetable schedule.
Visual Arts Assessment Practices
Assessment in the Visual Arts is a continuous cycle providing ongoing feedback to help refine the teaching and learning process. One of the main purposes of assessment is to engage students in reflection on their own learning and progress.
As an integral part of the Art curriculum, the focus is on individualized assessment. The assessment strategies focus on both process and product and are used to provide both formative and summative reports. Formative assessment is ongoing to help students learn to what degree their performance meets or exceeds visual arts expectations. Summative judgments about learning will be made using grade-level and developmentally appropriate achievement standards to guide student progress.
Assessments will involve:
examples of students’ work ( studio work)
observations of students participation and practical progress
participation in group activities
sketchbooks, developmental workbooks and Research Workbooks ( to include written and visual ideas , art appreciation and critical analysis)
projects
Critiques ( oral feedback from students and teachers)
Self assessment
Peer Assessment
Criterion based assessment
Together, these strategies are intended to build student confidence in their creativity.
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