2010 Research Journal #1

International Art in Early Childhood Research Journal

Margaret Brooks

University of New England, Australia

Kathy Danko-McGhee

University of Toledo, Ohio

Rosemary Richards

Massey University, New Zealand

Please mark the 6th to 8th June, 2011 in your diaries. The 4th Art in Early Childhood Conference will be held in Toledo, Ohio, USA. Professor Katherina Danko McGhee is convening the conference in collaboration with Toledo Art Museum. The web site for the conference is www.ECartconference2011.com

The 3rd Art in Early Childhood Conference, which was held in Singapore in 2009, provided an opportunity for many of the authors in this edition to present their papers. Professor Susan Wright, and her colleagues at the National Institute of Education in Singapore, convened this interesting and engaging conference that drew a wide international audience. Many thanks to all involved for your warm hospitality.

With articles from Canada, Singapore, Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia and North America, the second edition of the International Art in Early Childhood Research Journal continues the strong international representation for discussions about art in early childhood. A wide range of perspectives and theoretical frameworks made available for us through such international engagement enriches the journal, and our discussion about the many roles of art in early childhood. [/learn_more]

[learn_more caption=”About the Articles >”]

This volume of the journal begins with a foundational text by Professor Anna Kindler. She provides us with a critical overview of the main theoretical frameworks adopted by early childhood educators when considering artistic development in the visual arts. Professor Kindler proposes a more dynamic and flexible framework that acknowledges the ever-changing relations between the field, the domain and the individual, as well as addressing the disconnection between artistic development and the world of Art. Professor Kindler provides us with some clear directions as to how we might productively move forward.
In a similar vein Lisa Terreni presents a historical overview of visual art education in early childhood in New Zealand as a way of understanding the forces that have moulded perceptions and practices in art education. She suggests that a clearer understanding of the relationship between models of curriculum in early childhood education and art education will help us move art education in early childhood forward. While the context for her article is New Zealand, the ideas presented have global relevance.
In response to the United Kingdom’s National Curriculum, where autocratic and mechanistic approaches to art teaching seem to be dishearteningly common, Kathy Ring takes us behind the scenes in primary school and gives us an intimate look at a more supportive role a teacher might take with children. Kathy engages a group of seven year olds in some meaningful and guided drawing activities. Her dialogue with the children is both refreshing and revealing.
In a multi layered, cross-cultural study, Felicity McArdle (Australia) and Betty Wong (Hong Kong) ask children why they draw and paint. The authors discuss the discourses, the commonalities and the surprises. Then, drawing on Foulcault’s notion of the technologies of the self, they further examine the children’s responses to reveal how art shaped the children’s sense of self, how children used art to position themselves and how art worked to position children.
Jill Fox’s article examines the role drawing can play in the science observations of kindergarten children. She describes how the act of drawing while observing helps focus the children’s attention. Her study demonstrates how drawing can help children talk about their science observations in more depth and with great accuracy.
Daniella Barroqueiro presents an interesting discussion about the links between art and language. She compares and contrasts structural features like syntax, semantics and pragmatics of both language and art while at the same time demonstrating the interconnections between art and language. She invites us to pay closer attention to the language that occurs during young children’s art making.
Many early childhood educators seem reluctant to consider the impact of art on the emotional development of young children. Perhaps this is because the theoretical frame works that underpin such studies are unfamiliar, or perhaps it is because art therapy is not something we feel knowledgeable about. However, just as it is important to widen our participation with a wider international audience so too is it important for us to look outside of our disciplinary norms. Caroline Essame’s article presents a very readable introduction to art making from an art therapy perspective.
This volume includes a book review – thank you Rosemary. This is something we hope to do again. Please contact the editors if you have a book you would like us to review.

Frances Alter, University of New England, Australia.

Daniella Barroqueiro, Illinois State University, USA.

Elisabeth Bettlam, University of New England, Australia.

Margaret Brooks, University of New England, Australia.

Kathy Danko McGhee, University of Toledo, USA. (Editor).

Angela Eckhoff, Clemson University, USA.

Sue Fawson, University of Wolverhampton, UK.

Janette Kelly, University of Waikato, New Zealand.

Linda Knight, University of Canberra, Australia.

Karen Maras, University of New South Wales, Australia.

Chris Mulcahey, Rhode Island College, USA.

Rosemary Richards, Massey University, New Zealand. (Editor).

Lisa Terreni, University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Christine Marme Thompson, Pen State School of Visual Arts, USA.

Jannie Visser, Manukau Institute of Technology, New Zealand.

Disclaimer: The views in this journal do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors

Article 1 Anna M. Kindler Art in early childhood: what young children learn from art activities?
Article 2 Lisa Terreni A history of visual art education in early childhood in New Zealand: looking backwards to go forwards
Article 3 Kathy Ring Drawing with seven-year-olds: assuming the role of teacher
Article 4 Felicity McMcArdle and Kit-mei Betty Wong What young children say about art: a comparative study
Article 5 Jill E. Fox The role of drawing in kindergarteners’ science observations
Article 6 Daniella Ramos Barroqueiro Language and art in early childhood: an examination of form, content and social context
Article 7 Caroline Essame Understanding art-making from an art therapy perspective
Article 8 Rosemary Richards Book Review

For more information about the International Association of Art in Early Childhood and our teaching resources, please contact us.

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