| Statement of the problem. The purpose of this study is to examine multiethnic art education in the American public schools of the 1990's. Specifically, this study will investigate the importance of multiethnic education and discuss the integration of multiethnic art education into the existing art curricula. Model multiethnic art objectives and an assessment program applicable to public education throughout the United States for elementary grades kindergarten through five will be proposed. The proposed objectives and assessment model purport to increase students' awareness and appreciation of the contributions of various ethnic groups, to provide a means to achieve multiethnic art education, and to supplement existing multiethnic art education resources.;Procedure. A detailed review of unpublished and published material from available data was used to collect information related to multiethnic issues. Research was focused on multiethnic issues, multiethnic applications to art education, and the definitions of terms associated with multiethnic education. Additionally, multiethnic education in public schools was evaluated.;Information obtained through research was used to compile the multiethnic art education objectives and the proposed assessment model. Highlights of relevant concepts of research material were incorporated into the multiethnic art education objectives. These suggested objectives and assessment program should supplement an existing art curricula. Conflicting viewpoints were identified as encountered throughout this thesis.;Conclusion. Increasing ethnic diversity and lack of sufficient resources has prompted the investigation and development of multiethnic art education. Changing demographics necessitates the evolution of monoethnic courses into multiethnic education. Obstacles to multiethnic education include retraining teachers, providing additional resource material, modifying existing curricula, and proponents of the status quo. Integrating multiethnic education into the curricula may be achieved through a combination of interdisciplinary education, Banks' four levels, and community resources. Integrating multiethnic education will rely heavily upon implementing a multiethnic perspective in the artroom, where culture is easily studied via the visual arts. Suggested multiethnic art objectives and the proposed assessment model have been provided as core resources to execute multiethnic art education.;This investigation raises three important issues. Firstly, the educational system must endeavor to shift away from the mainstream-centric perspective in education. Secondly, interdisciplinary education must either be in place, or developed concurrently with multiethnic art education. And finally, although multiethnic education can result in cultural awareness and appreciation, many difficulties exist in instituting a true multiethnic art education program.;Although the need for multiethnic art education is clear, full implementation at the elementary level will be difficult. Teachers may be reluctant to adopt multiethnic art education due to unfamiliarity with the system. Administrators and the school board may be reluctant to modify the existing system. All participants, educators, administrators, students, and parents, must come to terms with what ethnic groups will be included in the multiethnic art education curricula. Another issue hindering full implementation (Banks' level four) of multiethnic art education is the implications of the social action approach. The decision of incorporating multiethnic art education to the social action level must be made when society has reached a very clear consensus in what the goals of education are. |
