Lucas Green
Visual arts education is basically the field of study that relates specifically to the type of visual art that one may see, such as painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, printmaking, jewelry, pottery, weaving, carpentry, and home furniture. In other words, everything visual is an aspect of the arts. This art form seeks to engage, enlighten, and interpellate the learner on various different levels and gives them an opportunity to be creative. It is usually a combination of literature (for example, literature on architecture), film and television, dance, music, and other types of performance art forms.
Many schools now are realizing the importance of extending beyond traditional liberal arts education and reaching out to reach those who may not have access to the resources they need in order to excel in their academic pursuits. One example of schools that have developed this type of extracurricular program is Seton Hall University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their arts education partnership program seeks to enhance the social tolerance, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, self-confidence, and tolerance for others. These are all important qualities that a student should strive to develop while attending school. Another example is the University of California – Riverside that has developed a very strong program to help students from low income families that wish to further their education and increase their opportunity to gain access to higher education.
It should be noted that arts and sciences education programs are very interdisciplinary in nature. This means that the student will learn across a number of different disciplines such as art, history, geography, mathematics, and science. There is a much greater level of cross-curricular interaction as well as meaningful communication between students who are diverse in terms of ability, talents, and learning preferences. Students also have the opportunity to work with faculty and other professionals in their field who can assist them in mastering techniques that will set them apart from the rest of the student body. This type of well-rounded education will lead to improved job prospects, increased professional satisfaction, an increased interest in the arts, and an increase in academic achievements.
