This practical study explores how dialogue-based art appreciation can foster the deepening of elementary school students’ perspectives and feelings in Arts and Crafts classes. Previous research emphasizes the value of repeated implementation and skilled facilitation, yet evaluating students’ appreciation remains challenging. To address this issue, a “Morning Appreciation Rubric” was developed, grounded in earlier studies and adapted to the classroom context. The rubric was applied over ten weekly “Morning Appreciation Time” sessions, where students’ utterances were recorded and analyzed. Findings revealed a steady increase in higher-level responses, indicating that repeated practice contributed to the deepening of students’ perspectives. Moreover, teacher prompts that asked for reasons and justifications, together with peer interactions, were shown to significantly support students’ engagement and interpretative growth. Although the rubric requires considerable effort to implement, it proved effective in making qualitative changes visible. This practical study demonstrates the potential of rubric-based approaches in enhancing classroom evaluation and promoting reflective art appreciation. The rubric used in this study was designed to draw out knowledge and is effective in assessing achievement levels in classroom practice. Future improvements may increase its versatility.

This paper examines a collaborative learning project in cross-curricular curriculum development conducted by Japanese and American graduate students between 2023 and 2025. Grounded in the framework of culturally responsive pedagogy, the project engaged students in intercultural group communication, enabling them to avoid superficial understandings of culture, approach topics from multiple perspectives, and develop curricula integrating the arts. In the first year, students experienced meaningful exchanges through translation tools, challenged themselves to step beyond their comfort zones, and learned the importance of respecting diverse cultures. In the second year, they critically examined cultural stereotypes and gained confidence in designing lessons that incorporated historical, social, and emotional contexts. Based on students’ reflective writings, the findings suggest that the collaborative learning process as a whole fostered adaptability, intercultural sensitivity, and teaching skills, while also highlighting the necessity of critically examining cultural contexts when addressing local arts and traditions in arts-integrated education.

In this study, we hypothesized that the inability to grasp shapes in drawing learning situations is due to the tilt of the body, which leads to distortions in spatial awareness, and attempted to verify this by comparing experts and non-experts. A one-hour motif drawing was analyzed by (1) evaluating the work and calculating the average value, (2) dividing the time sample method, and (3) visualizing posture changes by tracing (how to trace and simplify drawing postures), and the following results were obtained. First, non-expert drawings received notably low ratings in “shape and proportions accuracy” and “three-dimensional spatial understanding”. Moreover, experts dedicated a significant amount of their drawing time to “observing”, whereas non-experts typically maintained a downward gaze (time to take eyes off the motif), causing distraction from the subject and neck strain, indicating that their inclined posture may contribute to distorted spatial perception.

In contemporary societies striving for inclusivity and sustainability, expectations for arts education are rising worldwide, yet qualitative development in classroom practice often remains stagnant. In Japan, visual arts education is still frequently perceived as a “healing” or recreational space, and its foundation as an intellectual and disciplinary pursuit remains fragile. In contrast, the French lower secondary subject arts plastiques is structured around a cyclical dialogue between making, viewing, and critiquing, supported by institutional frameworks that integrate curriculum, assessment, and external cultural resources. In particular, the EAC/PEAC policy guarantees systematic access to cultural institutions and artistic encounters, while students’ learning is made visible through portfolios and oral examinations. Drawing on classroom observations at Henri IV Middle School in Paris, this paper illustrates how disciplinary vocabulary and analytical frameworks cultivated in arts plastiques are extended into extra-school experiences, which in turn enrich subsequent classroom learning through a reciprocal process. This circulation between in-class and out-of-class learning highlights a distinctive strength of the French system in connecting institutional policy with everyday practice. Building on these insights, the paper proposes possible directions for Japan, including more deliberate task design, clearer modes of assessment, and the structured incorporation of external cultural resources.

This study reexamined the movement in representative works by Unkai Yonehara using numerical analysis, with the aim of obtaining new insights into the modernity of his art. Moreover, this study represents a preliminary investigation of movement analysis in modern wood sculpture. Yonehara’s works were classified into “early,” “middle,” and “late” periods for comparative analysis. The findings indicate that the strong frontality of the early period was retained through his artistic career, whereas the middle period introduced complex movement into works that were based on classical themes. This resulted in characteristic features of movement, such as the formal integration of depth and horizontal directions, in addition to frontality. Furthermore, in the later work “Taketori no Okina”, despite exhibiting low inter-axis correlations similar to his early works, the introduction of specific bodily actions demonstrated the development of a unique mode of movement expression while still maintaining frontality. This suggests that Yonehara developed a unique sculptural perspective through form and movement in response to the cultural and intellectual context of the period. This study serves as a part of the ongoing effort to compile numerical data for the analysis of movement in modern figurative wood sculpture.

The vibrant colours and free-spirited brushstrokes of opaque watercolours displayed by American children at the “American Children’s Art Exhibition” at Ginza Mitsukoshi in 1947 shocked art educators in Japan. This exhibition was part of a Japanese education reform movement led by Heffernan of the CIE. Japan’s art education community, both public and private, shifted from the previously used transparent to opaque watercolors. Paint manufacturers began researching, developing, and selling finger paints in 1949 and opaque watercolours for schoolchildren in 1950. The Ministry of Education established curriculum guidelines in 1951 and 1961 mandating the use of opaque watercolors from the early grades. Thus, Japanese watercolours became centred on opaque watercolours. However, in reality, paint manufacturers only produced and sold translucent watercolors. The basic differences between layered transparent and single-coat mixed opaque watercolours became less apparent, and confusion persists in the classroom today. This study introduces Matsumoto Kimiko and Hori Noriko as teachers who taught opaque watercolors.

Such outcomes as final products or presentations often receive primary attention in problem-solving design projects. However, design inherently involves working with complex unresolved issues, which it does not always fully resolve. This study examines negative capability—the ability to tolerate uncertainty and persist in inquiry—in the context of inquiry-based design projects, aiming to clarify the significance of the discomfort and dissatisfaction that arise during students’ creative processes. I conducted an inquiry-based design project grounded in design-thinking principles with 44 second-year high-school students and analyzed their learning processes. Post-project questionnaires revealed that, despite experiencing discomfort and dissatisfaction during the creation and proposal phases, students continued learning by constructively engaging with these feelings. These findings indicate that students exhibit negative capability—the capacity to sustain thought and inquiry—even when confronted with unresolved situations. Students’ reflections further highlighted instances of negative capability, including continuing their work and postponing completion. Overall, this study suggests that the unease or dissatisfaction that emerges when a design is ostensibly complete should not be interpreted as a learning failure. Rather, such feelings can serve as an internal driving force that initiates subsequent cycles of creative inquiry.

In recent years, interest in art appreciation education for young children has grown significantly. While such activities are known to foster sensitivity, creativity, and expressive abilities, challenges persist in their actual implementation in educational settings. Prior research has shown that while many teachers and students acknowledge the importance of art appreciation education during the early childhood years, they often feel uncertain about suitable teaching strategies and lack the confidence to conduct such lessons effectively. To address this issue, the present study developed and implemented an art appreciation program focused on imitation play, designed specifically for preschool children. The program was conducted in a preschool, and the children’s bodily movements as well as verbal expressions were carefully observed and analyzed. Findings indicated that the children deepened their understanding of the presented artworks by physically imitating them and expressing their impressions verbally and through movement. Some children spoke as if they had become the characters depicted in the artworks, demonstrating empathetic engagement with their inner states. Immediate expression of feelings and active peer interactions were also observed, highlighting the advantages and educational potential of conducting such programs within preschool classrooms.

This study systematically analyzed in detail the structure of preferences and normative beliefs among university students studying business card design, carefully and rigorously examining their relationship to the understanding and evaluation of fundamental layout principles. Factor analysis of a structured questionnaire survey of 58 participants revealed preference dimensions of “restrained decorativeness orientation”,“individual harmony orientation”,“functional beauty orientation” and “personal impression orientation” while normative belief dimensions of “information reliability orientation”,“considering recipients” and “organizational role orientation” were also identified. A positive correlation was consistently found between these two dimensions, clearly indicating that an emphasis on information accuracy and order was closely linked to consideration for recipients and the evaluation of functional beauty. In layout evaluation, participants who selected designs that correctly and coherently implemented the principles scored higher on both preferences and normative beliefs, indicating that conceptual understanding is directly related to the maturation and internalization of values. Participants generally prioritized trustworthiness and social appropriateness over individual expression. From an educational perspective, reflective practice and step-by-step instruction mediated by systematic understanding of the principles are considered effective in fostering a balanced development between expression and consideration.

This study examines how students in early childhood teacher education develop professional expertise through “integrated expression” activities, focusing on the embodiment of narratives. The research targeted second-year junior college students who participated in a course involving picture book reconstruction and stage performance. Data were collected through free-description questionnaires and analyzed using qualitative coding. The findings reveal a developmental trajectory across three phases. In the initial phase, students concentrated on the faithful reproduction of picture books, with attention to materials and technical challenges. During the intermediate phase, the emphasis shifted toward collaboration and role awareness, highlighting collective perspectives within the group. In the final phase, students incorporated the audience’s viewpoint, leading to processes of meaning-making through relationships with others. These results suggest that expression evolves from reproduction to practices of “conveying and co-creating” meaning within embodied interactions. Integrated expression activities thus function not merely as opportunities for skill acquisition, but as learning environments where students engage in generating shared meaning with others. Such experiences support the formation of professional expertise transferable to early childhood practice, emphasizing the significance of integrated expression in teacher education.

The current visual arts curriculum in Malaysian schools is based on the Standard Curriculum for Primary Schools (KSSR) and Secondary Schools (KSSM), both of which were revised in 2017. These revisions were influenced by the Ministry of Education’s ‘Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013–2025’. Against the backdrop of global economic development and cultivation of talent, these curricula heightened standardisation and aimed to nurture literacy in the visual arts. In contrast, the Ministry of Education has initiated the formulation of the ‘School Curriculum 2027’, which places a primary emphasis on character development through a holistic education. This study investigated how the cultivation of creativity through art education was perceived under this shift in educational policy. The study found that creativity is viewed not only within a contemporary context but also as a form of students’ daily ingenuity and as a positive attitude. Furthermore, the findings suggest the perspective that creativity is an intrinsically inherent attribute of human beings, offering significant implications for art education.

This study is based on participant observations (2022–2025) at the C Creative Art Lab and the A Workshop Atelier, and ethnographically describes the “making” activities of five children. Their practices were analyzed from four perspectives: “materials,” “tools,” “people,” and “time.” The findings revealed diverse engagements, including long-term exploration of the same material, repeated provisional completion and expansion, sustained variation of motifs, creation of narrative worlds, and repair and updating of past works. These processes cannot be fully explained by developmental stage theories or evaluations of product completion. This study provisionally introduces the concept of the “Rhythm of Becoming,” referring to temporal pulsations in which provisional completions accumulate through interruptions, resumptions, variations, and oscillations. Rather than fixed patterns, the Rhythm of Becoming highlights the diversity of children’s practices and offers a perspective for understanding their worlds.

The research, study, and utilization of a museum’s collection is the primary mission of an art museum. However, at the Hamamatsu City Museum of Art, where the author works, attendance at exhibitions featuring the collection has lagged behind special and planned exhibitions. Consequently, opportunities to hold exhibitions centered on the collection and to develop and implement related educational programs have been limited. In this study, an educational program utilizing ceramics was devised and implemented in conjunction with a ceramics exhibition. Furthermore, a teacher training session (for new teachers) was conducted to acquaint schools (teachers) with ceramics and their educational value. During the training, participants actually experienced the educational program developed by the museum. Then, they observed how the qualities and abilities nurtured in children through the pre-implemented educational program were manifested in the children themselves. By reviewing the educational program using ceramics and the outcomes of the teacher training, a new approach was proposed for the educational use of the museum: the sequential and integrated implementation of educational programs utilizing the collection and teacher training.

The purpose of this study is to develop a new method of dialogue-based art appreciation, focusing on contemporary art. Dialogue-based appreciation has been widely implemented in schools and museums as part of art education; however, previous research suggests that conventional approaches are not fully suited to the distinctive characteristics of contemporary art. Contemporary art is marked by abstraction and polysemy, embedding questions within the work itself and achieving completion through dialogical engagement between the artwork and the viewer. For this reason, it may be considered highly compatible with dialogic approaches that presuppose an exchange of diverse perspectives. In designing the new method, we adopted a polyphonic approach that respects each viewer’s individual thoughts and interpretations while encouraging discussion from multiple viewpoints. This study first examines the theoretical and empirical relationship between contemporary art and dialogue based on prior research. It then outlines the key principles and structure of the newly developed method. Finally, we review a workshop conducted using this methodology. The results of a post-workshop survey administered to participants are qualitatively analyzed, and the effectiveness of this approach is evaluated.

This study analyzed free-response answers collected via nationwide surveys conducted in 2005 and 2021, to clarify the tendencies characterizing the views of senior high school teachers regarding art writing education. The responses were organized into four categories: supportive intention, oppositional doubt, implementation difficulty, and requests and other remarks. Over the 16-year period spanned by the surveys, no significant structural changes were observed, although the proportion of responses citing implementation difficulty due to time constraints decreased. At the same time, both supportive and critical comments revealed a deepening of perspectives, including a recognition of the universal educational significance of art writing and a reflection on issues fundamental to art education. In the 2021 survey, expressions of supportive intention were remarkably higher among schools that had participated in essay contests, indicating a perception that artistic production and written reflection are inseparable. However, the tendency of opinions to converge around contest participation also points to a limitation of the survey. Future research should therefore broaden its scope to encompass diverse forms of art writing education that go beyond contests while also exploring ways to build upon the heightened awareness and reflective engagement demonstrated by high school teachers in this study.

The 1920s marked the beginning of a full-scale influx of Western artwork into Japan, a period in which the acceptance of Western art had previously focused on training Japanese painters in Western art. For approximately ten years, beginning in 1922, French art dealer Herman d’Oelsnitz and Kuroda Hoshin organized large-scale exhibitions of French contemporary art almost annually, both in Tokyo and Osaka. They also organized 23 exhibitions in 15 provincial cities from 1925 to 1930. This study focuses on the exhibitions held in Beppu in January and August 1926, describing the background of the event, newspaper coverage, and the artists and works featured. This clarifies that the exhibition featured works by a wide range of artists, from deceased 19th-century artists to emerging artists of the time, and also it is revealed that a few artworks were sold. Furthermore, it highlights that the exhibition was a great success, even as a record of its time, and had a strong educational element. It examines several factors behind why the exhibition was held in Beppu and the complex circumstances that led to its holding.

This study investigates students’ knowledge of self-regulated learning strategies in art classes. Questionnaire and classroom observation data revealed that many students possess knowledge of “goal setting and planning” strategies, often alongside other strategies. Based on these patterns, four groups were identified: Self-Assessment/Planning Group, Material Redesign/Planning Group, Information Gathering/Planning Group, and Environment Organization/Planning Group. Each group exhibited distinct learning behaviors influenced by their environment and social interactions, such as reinterpreting themes or revising production methods.

This article is based on articles published in “Hokkai Times,” which was the predecessor of the current Hokkaido Newspaper Company, and aims to elucidate the efforts made by the company in the year 1925 with regard to “Jiyuga” education. Shigeo Sawaeda, a member of the paper’s art department, began soliciting “Jiyuga” drawings from elementary school students and started publishing them with accompanying comments in 1921. From 1921 to 1923, the number of publications remained in significant, but in 1924, in a section called “Times Edition” targeting households, approximately 40 “Jiyuga” by elementary school students from various regions of Hokkaido were published. Moreover, in 1925, approximately 50 “Jiyuga” were published. In July 1925, the fine art association of Hokkaido was established with the goal of developing of the fine art in Hokkaido. The Hokkai Times Company handed over the “Jiyuga” exhibition to this new association, and began sponsorship in the October of that year.

Since the Modern Woodcut Movement, printmaking in China and Japan has evolved through sustained exchange and mutual influence, securing a central role in art education. A comparison of elementary and junior high school textbooks and instructional guidelines from both countries suggested that while China emphasizes standardized techniques and classroom feasibility, often linking printmaking with traditional culture and affective education, Japan highlights material exploration and autonomous expression, focusing on experiential processes and connections to daily life. Both countries adopt a progressive approach, encouraging practice and the cultivation of aesthetic competence. Based on these findings, this study recommends creating an intercultural printmaking curriculum that integrates the strengths of both systems. Such a curriculum would enrich cultural depth, promote creative exploration, and foster students’ artistic literacy and intercultural understanding.

In recent years, social inclusion has become an important issue for museums around the world. This paper looks at how two U.S. institutions—the Museum of the Moving Image in New York and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis—have addressed this challenge through their exhibitions and educational programs. Both museums are situated in cities with diverse, multiethnic communities, and they have developed pioneering practices in relation to film, video, and other moving-image media.Specifically, it examines DEAI—Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion—which, while encompassing the diversity of creators, staff, and visitors, is here explored primarily through case studies in approaches to visitors in these two institutions.Attention is given to the historical development of each institution, distinctive features of their exhibitions, and the design of their educational programs. Special consideration is given to changes in the ethnic backgrounds of local communities, approaches to neurodiversity such as sensory sensitivity, and the evolving role of moving-image media as a tool for participation. By also comparing other related cases, the paper aims to highlight both the opportunities and the ongoing challenges museums face in providing inclusive cultural spaces.

This study analyzed the contents of two brush painting textbooks, namely “Chuto Nihon Ringacho” and “Joshi Koto Gacho,” which are believed to have been widely used as models for elementary school studentsʼ graduation commemorative artworks created during the Taisho era, preserved at elementary schools in Takaoka City. The study also examined studentsʼ artworks that referred to textbooksʼ illustrations to reveal the reality of studentsʼ expressions in their copy works. The research methodology involved a review of the literature and prior research, as well as an analysis of the textbooks. The study attempted to identify the illustrations used in the studentsʼ graduation commemorative artworks and then analyze the characteristics of studentsʼ expressions in their copy works. The results of this study revealed similarities of illustrations between “Chuto Nihon Ringacho” and “Joshi Koto Gacho,” including the revised editions. Both resources showed common themes, including many flowers, birds, utensils, and landscapes. The studentsʼ copy works covered a wide range of themes. They included accurate copies, coloured monochrome paintings, and works with partial modifications to the originals, thereby identifying several types of studentsʼ expression in their copy works.

This study compared participants’ utterances in two dialogic gallery-viewing sessions: one facilitated by a visually impaired artist (Group B) and another in which a sighted university teacher provided supplementary facilitation (Group A). Using a textile installation as the viewing stimulus, both sessions were transcribed and coded into five meaning-making categories: sensory expressions, memory, structure/material, metaphorical or symbolic expressions, and facilitator questions. In Group B, references to “structure/material” accounted for 39.8% of all utterances, compared with 15.0% in Group A, and many sequences developed from detailed observations to personal memories and symbolic interpretations. In Group A, brief sharing of first impressions predominated, and meaning expansion tended to be limited. In Group B, the facilitator repeatedly invited participants to verify colors, textures, and spatial arrangements, prompting them to refine their descriptions and revisit earlier observations. These interactional patterns suggest that the visually impaired facilitator’s questioning strategies may have fostered both fine-grained observation and deeper interpretive engagement with the artwork.

YHRP (Yasuragi, Heiwa, Rehabilitation, Poland) Art Museum, which was established at Hiroshima University Hospital in 2018, is unique in Japan, as a museum in a hospital. The author independently planned and organized a hospital artwork exhibition at the YHPR Art Museum in March of 2025. “Our Hospital Artwork Exhibition with maquettes (models) by students of Hiroshima University” which was held for approximately one month. These exhibition artworks were created primarily by students attending “Seminar in Carvings and Sculptures” for second-year university students. The achieved works of class assignments were based on an actual monument called, “FOUR SEASONS TREE.” Furthermore, the exhibition conducted a questionnaire survey and collected 37 responses. The data collected included responses regarding artworks that left a strong impression, the reasons behind their selections, and experiences and emotional reactions on hospital arts in general. Additionally, the survey explored visitor opinions on elements required for art and the necessities of hospital art. The present study analyzed the possibilities and challenges regarding installing and displaying sculptures and three-dimensional artworks in hospitals, based on the considerations of the completed survey results.

This study qualitatively examined the inspiration experienced by students in an artist-led class at a design college, focusing on two processes: “inspired by” and “inspired to.” Analysis of student reflections and interviews revealed that multiple factors, related to both the techniques and originality of the artist’s works and the artist’s personality and attitude, emerged simultaneously. Case studies of three students showed that the relationship between “inspired by” and “inspired to” was shaped by processes such as comparing the artist’s thinking with their own interests, actively engaging with the artist and the artworks, and deeply reflecting on the artist’s intentions in creation. Furthermore, in relation to Kiyota’s “Art Education Nurturing Creativity through Encounters with Society” model, the four elements of cultivation, including “deepening of the self,” “empathy,” “careful observation,” and “expansion toward society,” were evident in the students’ responses. These findings indicate that inspiration arising from encounters with artists can offer significant opportunities for students to reexamine their own values, develop empathetic and reflective attitudes, and cultivate a willingness to connect creative activities with society. Ultimately, inspiration acts as a catalyst for fostering attitudes that enable students to engage proactively with future experiences.

In the institutional everyday life of contemporary corporations, where structures prioritize efficiency and rationality, the mode of existence of the “self”—which cannot be fully contained within organizational roles and is rooted in inner desires—remains obscured. This study explores how artistic practices can enable the emergence of the “self” within such institutional everyday contexts. A newly designed small-group workshop was conducted, using methods of understanding negative emotions, as well as using mask making to understand individual personality, where results were analyzed in multilayered ways through a post-qualitative research perspective that examined linguistic and non-linguistic generative processes. The findings revealed that by reaching deep-seated values, engaging with others’ narratives, and being stimulated by specific questions, key moments of “self emergence” were obtained. Furthermore, even after returning to the institutional everyday life, participants experienced new relationship structures through the expression and acceptance of the “self”. These results suggest that artistic practice, rather than remaining a mere ideal, can function as a technique that makes it possible to live as a “self” within the institutional everyday life of corporations, thereby contributing to the realization of sustainable and diversity-respecting organizational structures that foster both diversity and well-being.

This research explored the evolution of creative education for children, developed and implemented by the 20th-century Italian artist Bruno Munari, with a particular focus on those workshops that emphasize the tactile experience. The research undertook a comparative and analytical examination of translations of two books on the same theme, authored by Munari and his collaborator Beba Restelli, while also tracing the development of Munari’s educational methodologies as they were adapted and expanded upon by Restelli, based on interviews with her. The comparative analysis highlighted how Munari’s original creative pedagogical methods, which prioritize sensory perception and artistic expression, were subsequently fulfilled by Restelli in more practical workshop programs. These programs were tailored to the physical, cognitive, and developmental stages of the children they aimed to educate. Through the translation and interpretation of Restelli’s writings, it was confirmed that Restelli deeply interpreted Munari’s creative educational methods and concretized them into practical and systematic programs. Through this study, it was confirmed that rethinking educational approaches that emphasize Munari’s creativity, which has remained an unexplored field of research in Japan to this day, is of great significance for the education of children facing an increasingly uncertain future.

This study focuses on the educational value of tactile experiences in art education and aims to clarify their effective placement in lesson design by carefully examining both direct and simulated experiences. Tactile experience is essential for expressive activities in art education, as it provides learners with important sensory engagement that supports understanding. Therefore, this paper first clearly outlines the theoretical framework of touch by referring to findings from related fields, including developmental psychology, pedagogy, and philosophy, showing in detail how tactile perception contributes to learning and knowledge acquisition. Next, considering recent advances in tactile technology, the role of memory in touch is examined by utilizing prior research and experimental results from an engineering perspective, highlighting the main benefits as well as the potential limits of haptics. Based on these analyses, this study demonstrates how direct and simulated experiences can be effectively positioned in lesson design from an empiricist perspective, integrating tactile memory. Finally, this study clarifies the effective positioning of direct and simulated experiences in lesson design from the perspective of tactile memory and empiricism in Arts and Crafts education.

This study examines Kishida Ryusei’s “Art Education Theory” (1921). It reexamines the work’s artistic philosophy of “inner aesthetic.” It also examines the state of art education at the time. Kishida Ryusei is one of Japan’s leading modern painters, known for his “Portrait of Reiko.” He raised his daughter Reiko during the Taisho era and presented his own views on art education in “Art Education Theory.” During the Taisho era, Yamamoto Kanae’s philosophy of “Free Drawing Education” and its teaching methods spread throughout the educational field. Among these, “Art Education Theory” presents a teaching method based on “inner aesthetic.” It uniquely attempted to reinterpret the nature of art education. This paper focuses on the value of creativity and appreciation that develop from imitation. It also clarifies the significance of this work in Taisho-era art education. It explores the perspective it brings to art education today.

The Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024 revealed inequalities in task distribution within evacuation shelters, particularly in meal preparation, which disproportionately burdened women and specific individuals. In response, three undergraduate students in a teacher and childcare training program collaboratively created a 16-page disaster prevention picture book, Poka Poka Bento, in the form of a fable, and presented their work—emphasizing the creative process—to first- to third-year university students, including peers in the same program. This study analyzed two data sources: reflections from the student creators, who directly engaged in both volunteer activities and book-making, and written comments from 126 audience members, who reflected on evacuees’ experiences while listening to the presentation. Using a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative multi-label coding with quantitative frequency, co-occurrence, and correspondence analyses, the study examined the impact on both groups. Findings indicate that the audience internalized ESD-oriented values such as fairness, mutual support, and psychological recovery, while the student creators developed behavioral transfer intentions through the PBL cycle of creation, presentation, and reflection. Furthermore, the results clarify that picture book production in art education mediated reciprocal connections between ESD and PBL, fostering deep learning and practical intention for sustainable shelter management in disaster contexts.

The purpose of this research is to promote the creative inquiry of university students by utilizing the “knowledge construction type jigsaw method” in the appreciation and planning phase of project-based design learning (PBDL) during the university class “Teaching methods for art in junior high schools”. To this end, I considered that creative inquiry would be promoted by collaborative conception in which the specialized knowledge acquired in the “expert activities” of the “knowledge construction type jigsaw method” is utilized in the “jigsaw activities” where opinions are exchanged from various perspectives. The relationship between the creative inquiry of university students in these classroom practices and the “knowledge construction type jigsaw method” was examined using a qualitative analysis of the university students’ “sensational and rational evaluations, worksheet and questionnaire descriptions, behavioral records, and deliverables.” As a result, it was discovered that university students who acquired specialized knowledge in the “expert activities” also utilized their specialized knowledge in the “jigsaw activities” to advance creative inquiry. In this way, it became clear that PBDL using the “knowledge construction type jigsaw method” is effective in promoting the creative inquiry of students.

This study aimed to summarize developmental characteristics of expressions from infancy to adolescence as observed in expression activities using clay. This fourth research phase examines these developmental characteristics from the middle to upper grades of elementary school by conducting practical activities with clay among fourth- and sixth-grade students. Students worked in groups of three to four people and were asked to perform expressive activities using paper clay, focusing on the theme of feelings that cannot be seen. This task was followed by engagement in an appreciation activity. The study found that students become capable of abstract expression linked to feelings in their own experiences starting around fourth grade of elementary school. By the sixth grade, it could be observed that there were qualitative changes in development, including a shift toward more original expressions while still being influenced by peer work, a transition from listing multiple works toward using a single work, and the capacity to express two or more feelings within a single work. Based on these findings, I add further details regarding the characteristics of abstract expression among children aged 10 to 12 years.

This study clarifies the differing viewpoints of early childhood educators and teachers by comparing and analyzing their tendencies in observing children, and it explores the significance of shared observation of the same child. For this purpose, a survey was conducted on the theme of “Artistic play activities,” which resemble early childhood play, as children construct their own learning. The results show that teachers tended to focus mainly on class objectives and emphasize the attitude of children to think and express themselves independently. In contrast, early childhood educators tended to observe children as the central subject and focus on how they were developing in relation to the environment. Although there were differences between the two approaches, the distinction between teachers’ emphasis on academic objectives and early childhood educators’ focus on the developmental process, in which early childhood educators tries to grasp each child’s learning through the overall flow of the activity, is considered essential to supporting child development and learning.

This study designed and qualitatively analyzed an art lesson in elementary school based on Arts-Based Research (ABR). The lesson incorporated a Formative Play perspective through embodied engagement with materials and places, conceptual exploration of the contextual and personal meanings of materials and works, and an instructional approach that fosters flexible expansion of imagery. Specifically, a class integrating “Stone Art” with poetic expression was implemented. The findings reveal that students extended their ideas from the shapes and colors of stones, engaging in creative acts such as imagining, arranging, stacking, and combining. Through the reciprocal process of creating artworks and poetry, they described the formal characteristics of their works while employing poetic language to narratively conceptualize, relativize, and multimodally reflect on their experiences, complex emotions, and emerging meanings and relationships. This study demonstrates how ABR can be applied to reconstruct the integration of expression and appreciation in art education.