Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MA

College

College of Creative Arts

Department

Art Education

Committee Chair

Victoria Fergus.

Committee Co-Chair

Ronald Aman

Committee Member

Alison Helm

Committee Member

Erika Osborne

Abstract

A place-based pedagogy is a call for educators to utilize local environs in content curricula to build upon and enrich instruction for students. This study examines the potential for K-12 schools in West Virginia to reasonably adhere to place-based art education methods in visual arts curricula. Data collection consisted of interviews conducted with three West Virginia public school art educators and three community specialists who work in the fields of art, ecology, and art education. Using qualitative analysis, the open-ended responses from both the teachers and the community specialists were analyzed. The conclusion section reviews limitations to placebased education expressed by the educators, and examines how community specialists may create a "bridge" with schools that would facilitate such lessons.

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