Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course students will have:
• understood the basic concepts of the various visual art forms and their connection to Education in the context of a holistic approach and art education
• familiarized themselves to Art History through main periods and artistic movements
• acquired a first acquaintance with the leading expressive media and techniques of the fine arts (visual arts), having tried to engage and express themselves through various art forms
• been able to distinguish the key benefits from engagement with the arts at individual and social level
• reflected, experimented, and worked with fellow students to create and present joint artistic projects
• become familiar with the primary aesthetic considerations and methods of reading and interpreting works of art
• studied the form and role of art education in Greek schools through history, experimenting at the same time on ways of shaping the course
• sought ways of upgrading the teaching of art and its history in schools
Course Content (Syllabus)
The course is a basic introduction to the field of Visual Arts, with concise references to their techniques and subject matter, as well as an examination of the critical role they play in the development and cultivation of the individual. The course syllabus also includes the familiarisation of students with the History of Art, aiming at the one hand at their understanding of the importance of the visual arts and contemporary forms of artistic expression and, on the other hand, at their cultural and social awareness.
Emphasis is placed on how teachers can contribute to better familiarising and engaging students with the visual arts to form their individual and cultural identities. Through theory and creative praxis, students acquire a comprehensive and direct perception of the benefits that result from their systematic and conscious engagement with the various forms of visual arts and the opening of their horizons, which is achieved through their broader cultural cultivation and awareness. A parallel objective is to enable students to respond to the modern approach to global knowledge through interdisciplinary applications, realising how the arts can contribute significantly to the abolition of strict dividing lines between the various disciplines.
Brief references, where appropriate, are made to the educational role and the combined use of other arts (e.g., photography, film, music, theatre), which are, however, developed in more detail in individual special courses in the subject area.
Keywords
Art, Visual Arts, History of Art, Art education, imagination, critical thinking, expression, team-work, art creation/ creativity learning, metnal/kinesthetic/sensory motivation, cultural education, human studies