Current Trends in Art Education : An International Viewpoint

Abstract

Looking at the current trends in art education from an international viewpoint, the following four points should be noted. First, importance of art education in schools has been gradually recognized in many countries. Second, the objectives of art education are expanding in Western countries. In order to contribute to the society, Western countries try to make good use of art education to stimulate creativity for international competitiveness, to teach the importance of a multicultural society, to protect national identity and cultural tradition, and to encourage peace education. Third, among Asian and Arabic countries, the child-centered approach has been strongly influencing art education. Finally, integrated education has been gradually adopted as pedagogy for art education. In this article, I examine these trends by focusing on art education programs in several countries.