Lifelong Learning Interest Group (LL) Column: Summer 2023

Hello to all my fellow Lifelong Learning Interest Group members! I am thrilled at the opportunity to serve as your Chair for the next 2 years. For those who don’t know me, I am Deborah Wall and have been teaching art education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for the past 19 years. This year marks my 30th year of teaching overall. Preparing for this new role, I naturally reflected on my career thus far and am humbled by the richness art education has brought to my life both personally and professionally.

Over those 30 years, I accepted many wonderful opportunities—from teaching at an international studies high school with students from 60 different countries, to a special needs secondary school, as well as several K–6 elementary schools. Each of those experiences presented unique challenges and rewards, but cumulatively have proven invaluable in my present position at the university, where I teach preservice K–12 art educators. I also supervise student teachers in their practicum internship for licensure. Each year I travel through several counties in North Carolina, visiting classrooms in both rural and urban settings to observe student teachers. This is definitely the best part of my job and is always exciting! Three decades have ushered in many changes—but while the clothing styles and gadgets may have changed, the power to transform students’ lives through the arts remains a timeless constant.

As a member of the Lifelong Learning Interest Group for many years, I have benefited greatly from the friendships forged with many other like-minded art educators. Learning across the lifespan, as well as intergenerational connections, have always been interests of mine. As such, I was thrilled to find a group in Lifelong Learning that shared the same focus. While copious amounts of time and resources are given to teaching art within the preK–16 realm, I believe we should also engage and instruct older adults in creativity and artmaking. The Lifelong Learning Interest Group facilitates a dialogue for strategies and possibilities for achieving this. Additionally, the group promotes and highlights new research in the area.

While contemplating the possibilities that lie ahead for our group over the next 2 years, I am brought back to my experiences at the NAEA National Leadership Conference last July in Park City, Utah. As Chair-Elect, I accompanied Liz Langdon; we had the opportunity to meet with all the leaders of the other Interest Groups. We brainstormed ways to achieve success within our platform, and additionally with the National Art Education Association leaders with their overall mission statements. It was a very eye-opening experience that allowed me to understand the inner workings of NAEA and future leadership possibilities. Leaning on this experience, I am making a goal to cultivate connections with other Interest Groups whose focus overlaps with ours. With 22 listed groups, I’m confident several could align with Lifelong Learning’s goals, such as the Retired Art Educators Affiliate and the Community Arts Caucus.

Finally, I want to strengthen your connection among our other members by exploring your research and interests as they relate to lifelong learning. I want you all to explore the opportunities our organization provides and dream up new ones! This group is what we make of it, and I want you all to freely share your ideas. I will continue to promote our online journal and encourage nominees for the Pearl Greenberg Award for Teaching and Research in Lifelong Learning and the Murray Greenberg Award for Emerging Scholars in Lifelong Learning. I will also be exploring ways to network and welcome any suggestions you may have to make communications convenient and compelling.

Keep in mind that members of NAEA can join as many Interest Groups as they like. When you join or renew with the Lifelong Learning Interest Group, there will be no charge in the membership categories of Student, Retired, or First Year Professional.

Thank you so much for your kind attention, and I am so excited to be your Chair for the next 2 years as we pursue lifelong learning together!

If you have research in lifelong learning, community-based art education, creative aging, or intergenerational learning to share, please contact Linda Helmick, editor of International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education, lindahelmick@missouri.edu. For more information, visit https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/ijllae.

Column by:

Deborah Wall, LL Chair
Art Teacher Educator, University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Email: dwall@uncc.edu