Learning in a Visual Age: Intrinsic/Extrinsic

To advocate effectively for the arts, we need to be clear about the value of what we do. The ubiquity of images in the lives of young people already has transformed the way they learn and perceive the world. They live in a world that puts a premium on the types of abilities that visual arts educators develop. To serve them, we need to put a premium on advocating for the arts. That process begins with our knowing where we stand on a wide range of critical issues, starting with the value of what we do.

Intrinsic Value For the Arts Video Clips
Elliot Eisner on What Education Can Learn from the Arts David Perkins on Symbolic Presence and the Value of the Visual Arts Terry Peterson on the Importance of Being Seen as Developing Job Skills

Extrinsic Value For the Arts Video Clips Scott Shanklin-Peterson on Major Corporations’ Views Susan Sclafani on the Views of America’s Corporate Leaders Susan Gabbard Framing Questions about Creativity and Learning David Perkins on Using the Arts to Develop Creativity Bennett Reimer on How Difficult it is to Develop Creativity

Discussion Prompts: Intrinsic Value for the Arts How are people in your community succeeding in creating an appreciation for the intrinsic and extrinsic values of the arts? What are they doing?
Why is it working?

Many people at the summit believed that David Perkins’ ideas about the symbolic presence of the visual arts offer an interesting way to speak about an important strength of the field. How do you react to his statements?
What about Terry Peterson’s view (in contrast) that the only way to be assured a role in American education is to be seen as a force for helping people secure good jobs?
What do you see in your life to support such a view?

Discussion Prompts: Extrinsic Value of the Arts Washington Post columnist E.J Dionne recently suggested that the 21st century truly arrived only in the last few months of 2008 with the global economic slump. As the United States seeks to retool for a better economic future, how essential a role do you think the arts can play?

At the Aspen Summit, former NAEA president Mary Ann Stankiewicz cautioned that the association’s leadership needed to stay closely aligned with membership so that it doesn’t promise things that the field can not deliver.
Can the arts deliver on the kinds of expectations that Susan Sclafani talked about in her sound bite? How are the visual arts delivering on such promises in your community?

David Perkins speaks about the hard work involved in developing the creative abilities of our students.
Who do you admire in your community for the ways they are developing students? creativity?
What are they doing?
And, why is it working?

Discussion Prompts and Transcripts