Re-imagining traditions of art education and educational reform in Japan

Wenchun WANG

June 30

We will discuss the current problems of Japanese art education.

First we would like to explain the concept of the seminar. Japanese

society has been undergoing a drastic change. We have seen declining

birth rates, the aging of the population, computerization and

globalization. In order to respond to these changes, various reforms

are underway and an educational reform is one of them. In the latest

educational reform, the Period of Integrated Study was newly established

for the participation of all teachers. On the other hand, the numbers

of classes in fine arts were reduced in the curricula of elementary and

junior high schools in April 2002. Our concern is how art teachers can

work on Integrated Study actively, and what kind of approach of art

education can be made for the problem of Integrated Study.

In Japan, we have had various discussions about a relation between

Integrated Study and fine arts but there are two problems. One is our

concern that originality as the subject of fine arts may be diminished.

The meaning of the subject may be questioned if a philosophy, which fine

arts and Integrated Study share, is emphasized. The other problem is

the uncertainty of art teachers' involvement with Integrated Study

because individual schools and teachers are entrusted with classes in

Integrated Study. In this seminar, we are aware that our study on the

relation between Integrated Study and fine arts is a key to the

regeneration of Japanese art education. We will discuss matters related

to "re-imagining traditions" which is one of the themes of this InSEA

Congress. In this seminar, we have four viewpoints.

The first viewpoint is an individual role in the subject of fine

arts in school.

We need to clarify the characteristics of fine arts in school in

order to discuss the problems of art education in Japan. In other

words, in the seminar, we would like to clarify what kind of role and

outcome of fine arts in elementary and junior high schools had before we

discuss what kind of role art education can play in Integrated Study.

The second viewpoint is the extent of the approach of art education

in Integrated Study.

As new issues in the educational reform, there are topics such as

information, welfare, international understanding, the environment and

human rights. It is important to study the educational values of fine

arts in relation to these topics. If a theoretical base, which expands

the content of art education, is clear, art education can play a part in

Integrated Study. Integrated Study may expand the content of art

education.

The third viewpoint is a relation between artists' experiences and

Integrated Study.

Today artists' interest varies in a wide range and the possibilities

of media also widen along with technological reforms. So we have seen

new types of arts. Because contemporary arts transcend the conventional

framework of art education, it is important to take advantage of what is

transcended for Integrated Study as much as possible. In order to

handle the problem, it is necessary to redefine or interpret arts from

the standpoint of artists.

In addition, we will also discuss Integrated Study in Japan from a

global viewpoint. In short, we will discuss the cases of Japan and the

U.S. from the viewpoint of the comparison of the culture so as to take

an objective view of the approach of art education in Integrated Study

in Japan.

Considering the extent of the approach of art appreciation in Integrated

Study

Kazuhiro ISHIZAKI

June 30

I will discuss the second viewpoint which is presented in this

seminar. The second viewpoint is the extent of the approach of art

education in Integrated Study.

In order to consider this viewpoint, it is necessary to clarify the

extent of the approach of art education in Integrated Study. After

analyzing what fine arts can not offer presently, I have figured out

what should be compensated for should be the extent of the approach of

art education for Integrated Study.

The number of classes in fine arts has been reduced and we have been

in a difficult situation. Under the circumstances, we should avoid the

situation where fine arts take more responsibility than they really can.

I think, we should analyze the outcome, which fine arts can bring about

now, and problems caused by what can not be offered by fine arts. Then,

I would like to consider and propose the possibility of compensating

developmentally through Integrated Study. In order to consider

specifically, I will limit our analysis to the realm of art

appreciation. In other words, I will analyze what is missing from art

appreciation education now and consider what is required of the approach

of art education in the Period of Integrated Study.

In order to analyze what is missing from art appreciation now, I

will use the result of our comparative survey concerning aesthetic

development which has been published in the journal, Studies in Art

Education's summer issue. In this survey, we used a questionnaire

called "Art Appreciation Profile", which is also called AAP. The AAP

was administered from third graders to adults in Japan and the U.S. The

AAP was prepared based on the Parsons's developmental stage theory. Our

analysis of the survey indicated that Japanese students were

characterized by a strong inclination toward expressiveness and formal

elements.

As seen in Figure 1, one of the Japanese developmental

characteristics is the predominance of the stage three for older people.

It is suggested that there is a strong inclination toward expressiveness

as they grow older. This characteristic is considerably significant in

comparison with the developmental characteristics of the U.S. students

as shown in Figure 2. In the case of the Japanese, the percentage of

the stage three increases rapidly from ninth graders. In particular,

the percentage of the stage three shows 70% or more for adults. On the

other hand, the percentage of the stage three does not clearly show

developmental changes among Americans.

In the case of the U.S., the percentage of the stage four increases

among adults. In particular, as shown in Figure 3, the percentage of

the stage four among art education majors in college is significantly

high and the percentage of the stage three is extremely low. On the

other hand, the percentage of the stage four among art education majors

in Japan is lower than the U.S. non-art education majors. In addition,

the percentage of the stage three among art education majors in Japan is

higher than the U.S. non-art education majors. This result shows a high

percentage of the stage three even among art education majors in Japan.

In short, the Japanese characteristic of aesthetic development related

to art appreciation is a strong inclination toward expressiveness which

is characteristic of the stage three.

We will not go into detail here now but I would like to mention that

our survey shows that another characteristic was a keen interest in

formal elements.

What does the predominance of the developmental stage three indicate

as seen in the Japanese cases? According to Parsons, expressions are

important topics for those who appreciate art in the stage three and

paintings are considered as the expressions of one's feelings so the

originality of expressions is considered very important. Their

interpretations and judgments are emotional with an emphasis on their

feelings but they are not sure of their interpretations. They do not

necessarily seek conformity with each other's ideas. On the other hand,

the characteristic of the stage four is appreciation with an emphasis on

medium, form and style. Their interpretations are modified in artistic

contexts such as art history, culture and tradition, and the

interpretations of paintings are socially attained in "a community of

viewers."

The Japanese characteristic of a strong inclination toward the stage

three is considered as one of the outcome of art appreciation education

in Japan. Concerning this respect, Efland pointed that modernists in

art education think formal elements for the bases of studio production

and art appreciation important as well as originality and self

expressions. It is considered that art appreciation education in Japan

typically reflects the legacy of Modernism.

On the other hand, in art appreciation education in Japan, skill in

finding out pictorial contexts objectively and awareness of "a community

of viewers" seem to be slighted. These are what current art

appreciation education can not offer and we consider them as its

problems. I think that the significance of the approach of art

education in Integrated Study lies in transcending the limitation of

Modernism in art education in Japan. For that reason, it is necessary

to find out artistic contexts from a wide range of issues concerning

actual society and culture, and talk individual interpretations with

many other people. Efland proposed curricula that emphasized a

relation between fine arts and culture, acceptance of cultural conflict,

and multiple interpretations as Post-modernism in art education. It is

integrated curriculum which is also seen in the purposes of Integrated

Study and the style of learning in Japan. Considering the present

situation where the number of hours for curricula has reduced, it is

necessary to clarify the roles of fine arts classes in the continuous

acquisition of the outcome of Modernism in Japan in the future as a

basic skill. On the other hand, as far as Integrated Study is

concerned, it is necessary to give shape to the role of promoting the

interpretation of meanings from various viewpoints as the post-modern

approach of art education.

Then, how do we image the post-modern approach of art education in

Integrated Study in Japan?

For instance, when "community" is selected as a theme in Integrated

Study, students will have various viewpoints such as social systems,

culture, languages, customs and ideas. At school, subjects have been

subdivided and defined such as social studies, Japanese, fine arts and

music. However, in Integrated Study, because community can be

considered by each student on an individual level, there are a wide

variety of ways for having awareness and finding out meanings.

In the case of my college student, he was a member of a group

playing local music for folk entertainment. He was interested in

traditional local music and musical instruments. For many years,

performers have been making their own flutes with shinodake which is

local bamboo. But he noticed that the bamboo was not available locally

and started looking for shinodake. Finally, he not only analyzed the

beauty of shinodake flute such as its shape, ornament and tone, but he

also started investigating the history and environment of the community.

His quest did not end with his interest in formal elements because he

became aware of various contexts related to the folk flute. For

instance, he questioned why folk entertainment is not handed down to

present young people, and why the materials of the flute, shinodake

have disappeared from the region now though they used to be abundant.

He developed many essential questions related to community.

As an example in conjunction with Integrated Study at elementary

school, there was an art project called "Kemigawa Transmitting Station

2000". In the project, artistic actions and discussions were promoted

for the transmitting station which lied in ruins in the area. Local

schools and residents were involved with the project. Based on their

experience in a workshop for contemporary art, individuals materialized

what they thought as an individual "little narrative" through art. We

consider the process as an attempt to materialize the viewpoint of the

appreciation of Post-modernism basically.

In Integrated Study in Japan, various themes related to our society

such as information, welfare, international understanding, the

environment and human rights are developed. Like this, in Integrated

Study, which aims to develop awareness of our society and culture and to

solve their problems, it is significant to promote the post-modern

approach of art education in order to regenerate art education in Japan.