ART 328 - Materials and Techniques, 2 credit hours

Notes: Required of all art education majors. Not open to freshmen

This course is a blend of studio experiences and art education theory and practices. It encourages students to reflect on the importance of the arts in our schools and within our society as a whole, with particular emphasis on using the arts to foster creative and critical thinking skills. For general education majors it can be useful to learn how art can be adapted to other subject areas to enhance meaningful learning experiences in science, math, language arts and history. For those interested in pursuing art therapy, the course can expose you to practical studio techniques (such as ceramics, printmaking, and other two and three dimensional projects) and develop skills to become an effective facilitator of these activities in a group setting. Additional discussions on the psychological and emotional benefit of art can be applied to therapeutic goals, as well as learning how to assist children with special needs in the art classroom or studio group setting. Reflective journaling and discussions challenge participants in the class to critically evaluate current topics pertinent to the arts.