Vol. 15 No. 1 (2019): International Journal of Education Through Art

ETA 15.1 Table of contents

 

Editorial

3–14 ‘The Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy: Looking for the bigger picture’

Andrea Kárpáti and Diederik Schönau

 

Articles

15–26 ‘Metamorphosis of visual literacy: From ‘reading images’ to a critical visual education’

Luis Errázuriz

 

In this review some ideas about the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy (CEFR-VL) are critically discussed from a South American perspective. First of all it is observed that the relationship to the visible world should also include nature and ecological issues. As to the concept of ‘visual literacy’, its linguistic and economic overtones are criticized from the point of view of visual education, as well as for its sociological implications. Finally the notion of competency and sub-competencies are discussed. The origin of ‘competency’ in an economic and technocratic model of curriculum runs the risk that in visual education the non-measurable might get lost. The CEFR-VL also runs the risk of becoming a rigid, prescriptive format, thus leaving little space for other views. It is hoped for that the professionals in the domain will transform the CEFR-VL into a valuable tool capable of offering multiple ways of seeing. Thus the concept of ‘visual literacy’ will give space to the notion of ‘visual education’. This would be a most welcome metamorphosis of the domain.

 

27–33 ‘The CEFR-VL and its suitability to art education in Nigeria – a review’

Sewanu Peter Gandonu

 

Research has shown that pictures are easier to recognize and process than words; art as a subject is taught using both words and images. The introduction of the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy (CEFR-VL) is developed around the concept of ‘competencies’, which is currently used in all school subjects, art included. It is a timely initiative and a necessity for other regions. But does the depth of this framework in content and context make it applicable to other regions outside Europe, given that the framework was developed using European curricula as a starting point and that the acronym of the framework clearly denotes its source? Its suitability and workability to curricula outside Europe − particularly Nigeria − therefore becomes an issue to discuss. This review aims to highlight the concept of 'visual literacy' and the need to embrace it in the teaching and learning of art; to discuss the structure and content of the CEFR-VL; and to confer its workability in the context of art teaching in an African country, in this case Nigeria.

 

 

35–50 ‘The enduring politics of Art education: The Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy – Prototype’

Alexandra Lasczik

 

This article is a discussion that replies to a generous call from European colleagues to evaluate and respond from an Australian perspective, to a new Art1 education framework in the area of visual literacy. This call also asks whether such a framework is relevant to Art education in the Australian context. The initial impression of the framework from an Australian perspective is that it is a useful if not complex attempt to generate a common language and understandings in the domain of visual education across and through the multifarious linguistic and cultural entities that comprise the European continent. This is an ambitious undertaking and a courageous one, given the complexities of the domain of Art education, and one that is embedded in the on-going politics of contemporary education generally and contemporary Art education specifically. The structure of this essay will be to first explain and contextualize the framework as I have viewed it so that the reader is oriented to the discussion. This is followed by a dialogue on its relevance initially and philosophically to Art Education as a domain more generally, and then specifically towards Art education in the Australian context. Finally, I offer some humble comments upon possible further developmental elements of the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy (CEFR-VL).

 

 

51–61 ‘A review of the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy – Prototype (CEFR-VL)’

Fiona Blaikie

 

In the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy (CEFR-VL) the researchers present competencies for teaching, learning and assessing art, conceptualized as visual literacy, offering constructive possibilities for modifications and implementation in Europe and potentially globally. The CEFR-VL is comparable with other international approaches to framing curriculum and assessment approaches, including the General Certificate in Secondary Education in England, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, the National Standards created by the National Art Education Association in the United States, and design and craft focused practices in Europe. Given multiple incarnations of art, design and craft making worldwide, articulating what visual literacy means, along with re-shaping and revising the framework in an ongoing way, offers a helpful infrastructure for use by the global community of art educators, creators, students and scholars who are committed to the visual and to visual sensitivity, and to situated meanings and interpretations of visual and material cultures of production and consumption.

 

 

63–74 ‘A discussion of the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy and the American National Arts Standards’

1. Robert Sabol

 

Identifying agreed-upon content and competencies necessary for learning in the arts has been an ongoing challenge. With publication of the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy by the European Network of Visual Literacy and publication of the American National Arts Standards by the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards, two models for achieving visual literacy and learning in the arts were established. This article summarizes essential components of both models and then describes similarities and differences between the two models. The article concludes with a discussion of key factors in assessment of visual literacy and learning in the arts.

 

 

 75–83 ‘Observations about the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy’ Marie Fulková

 

Identifying agreed-upon content and competencies necessary for learning in the arts has been an ongoing challenge. With publication of the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy by the European Network of Visual Literacy and publication of the American National Arts Standards by the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards, two models for achieving visual literacy and learning in the arts were established. This article summarizes essential components of both models and then describes similarities and differences between the two models. The article concludes with a discussion of key factors in assessment of visual literacy and learning in the arts.

 

 

 85–94 ‘Acquiring visual competencies with situation-based assignments’

Franz Billmayer

 

This article reacts to the current debate on the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy. From the position of theory and practice of Czech art education, this article comments on several aspects of the framework as a curricular document, and presents its potential interpretations and application in the context of ongoing changes to the Educational Framework, Art and Culture Domain in the Czech Republic. The commentary deals with the issue of international and Czech terminology, shift in contents, the structural model, cognitivist approaches in art education, the concept of an image and visuality, competency, and presents partial findings of recent research into the occurrence of the concept of visual literacy in school curriculums in the Czech Republic.

 

 

 95–100 ‘Renaming the framework: Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Competency’

Diederik Schönau and Andrea Kárpáti

 

This article presents a situation-based, user-oriented methodology and tool for the development of assignments aimed at the enhancement of visual competency. Art educators are invited to identify relevant situations in life that today’s learners are likely to be faced with now or in the future and use them as a basis to define competencies that the learners will need in order to act appropriately. This approach to competency models appears to be effective, as it is the task of education to prepare learners to deal with situations through acquiring competencies. Components and possible uses of the ‘situation wheel’, the tool for the design of authentic assignments, may facilitate the interpretation of the Common European Framework for Visual Competency (CEFR-VC) for everyday teaching praxis.

 

 

Visual Essays

 101–104 ‘Using images for commanding, requesting and begging’

Franz Billmayer

 

In visual communication, images may be used to command, request or beg. The examples of non-smoking signs, shown in this essay, indicate how these different emphases work in practice. The manner of a visual utterance depends on the motives and formal qualities. The examples are ideas for constructing assignments in art education to foster visual literacy.

 

105–114 ‘Information vs enigma – exploring students’ understanding of artistic and  conventional visual communication’

Lucia Leben

 

This visual essay discusses how visual communication strategies in the context of art differ from visual communication strategies in everyday media. A quantitative visual content analysis of 23 art exhibition leaflets and 47 leaflets advertising everyday life events showed that readability is a significantly more important feature of conventional visual communication, whereas artistic visual communication tends to emphasize aesthetics and a sense of enigma. 322 students between the ages of 10 and 18 years participated in an online-survey designed to investigate their preconceptions about art and to measure their competencies in discriminating and naming characteristics for artistic communication strategies in opposition to conventional communication strategies with an emphasis on pictures. The students’ awareness of aesthetic communication strategies increased after completing the task of comparing and categorizing leaflets from artistic and other contexts.

 

 

 

Book Reviews

 115–117 Cadre Européen Commun de Référence pour la Visual Literacy – Prototype, Common

European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy – Prototype, Gemeinsamer Europäischer Referenzrahmen für Visual Literacy – Prototyp,  Ernst Wagner and Diederik Schönau (eds) (2016)

 

117–120 Visual Proficiency: A Perspective on Art Education, Kunibert Bering and Rolf Niehoff (2015)

 

120–123 Toward a More Visual Literacy: Shifting the Paradigm with Digital Tools and Young Adult

Literature,  Jennifer S. Dail, Shelbie Witte and Steven T. Bickmore (eds) (2018)