Innovation in and for the Atelier: A Study in Early Childhood Art Education
Open Access
- Author:
- Mirarchi, Elizabeth Christine
- Area of Honors:
- Art Education
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Christine M Thompson, Thesis Supervisor
Christine M Thompson, Thesis Honors Advisor
Marissa Mc Clure, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- art education
environment
aesthetics
design
documentation
Reggio Emilia - Abstract:
- This study came from a curiosity regarding environment, studio design, children’s interaction and the place where product design meets education. It was inspired by the construction of thoughtful provocations for children by children and adults. My research concentrates on the effects of the classroom environment and its components on art-making practices: specifically, the functionality of materials and documentation at the Hort Woods Childcare Center. More importantly, I will be exploring the effects of these components of the many other aspects of an environment, including the intangible: the interactions that occur within it. Centrally, I have explored the influence that the children, the instructors, and the Center’s mission, have on the development of materials for children’s use. A resulting product is a movable studio furnishing which has multiple functions, and serves multiple purposes for facilitating interaction among teachers, students, the environment, and anyone who enters the studio. To accompany this product, I will explain the research, experience, and rationale behind its development; it is not only broad and adaptable to each unique educational scenario, but targets specific problems and opportunities for enrichment. The ideas generated from observation away from and centered around this piece will then be used to draw additional conclusions about student-environment interaction from a creative perspective, and to inspire additional innovative construction ideas.