Theory We are living in a “global village”, however, this is a diverse village with the vitality of an international culture and distinct features from different countries and regions. Researchers suggests that “multiculturalism is the interaction of people from diverse backgrounds or agendas within the same tangible, regionalized space, while globalism/globalization refers to more than the sum of nations and cultures, and it suggests an interconnectedness of peoples within and across nations and cultures.” (Manifold, M. C., Willis, S. and Zimmerman, E. 2014, p. 4). With the advent of globalization and multiculturalism, many countries and regions focus attention on multicultural and intercultural education in order to address students’ cultural differences and promote their cultural and global awareness. (Larkou, 2014). Moreover, students can get benefit from the knowledge, perspectives and frames of reference by studying and experiencing other cultures and groups. (Manifold, M. C., Willis, S. and Zimmerman, E. 2014). Cultural understanding is essential to contemporary art education practice, meanwhile, art is an important subject/tool to promote cultural understanding and global awareness (Larkou, 2014). It opens new avenues for understanding ourselves and our communities (Dewhurst & Song, 2014). Researchers demonstrate several advantages of studying artworks from different cultures around the world. First, students can become familiar with the values and belief systems shared by specific cultural groups (Sheesley, 2000). Second, students’ learning experience can be initiated by exploring their own culture as well as studying works of art from other cultures (Tillman, 2011). It will finally help people fully understand and respect the diverse cultures (Dewhurst & Song, 2014). In the content of the cultural and global awareness, Gardner suggests that people should be cultivated with the respectful mind to welcome diversity, to help others, to learn to appreciate the evolution of cultures, to accept the different backgrounds and beliefs (Gardner, 2006). In 1922, American political commentator Walter Lippmann shed light on the idea of “Public Opinion” in which he pointed out that people cannot deal with things in a large complex form so they need to set up a simplified form, which is “stereotypical”. Here the “stereotype” means that people have a fixed idea on someone or something. However, it is mass communication that leads people to this stereotypical idea (Lippmann, 1946). “Stereotyping is present within societal institutions and perpetuated by a majority culture (Mokamba, 2014)”. Mokamba (2014) claims that art is generally viewed through Western art history, so that art is created from a Eurocentric perspective being considered “high” or “fine” art, however, people overlook something beyond the boundary, such as Native American Art, African-American Art, Asian Art and so on. It is indispensable to step over the boundary, to open our minds, to authentically understand the diverse cultures. A/r/tographical Theoretical Lenses: Artist/Researcher/Teacher A/r/tography is an arts-based research methodology, and the name itself examplifies these features by setting art and graphy, and the identities of artist, researcher, and teacher (a/r/t), in contiguous relations (Irwin, R. L., Beer, R., Springgay, S., Grauer, K., Xiong, G., & Bickel, B, 2006). As artists, we should build up a global perspective and appreciate artworks from different cultures, fostering open minds to embrace and welcome diversity, and collaborate with artists from different countries. As researchers, if possible, we should try to gain the opportunity to experience different cultures and countries personally, and work collaboratively with researchers from different backgrounds. As teachers, we should help schools lay a foundation on which all students can be nurtured with the cultural awareness in a global lens, and carry out some effective strategies to engage students with multiculturalism and globalism. As a/r/tographers, these three roles collaboratively assist us to figure out efficient ways of finally supporting students to have a better understanding toward the diversity. Better Practices abstract Teachers who use effective strategies to engage learners with multiculturalism and globalism create a global collaborative art environment, promoting cultural and global awareness. Practice Designing the cross-cultural curriculum (Sowell, 2014) The design of cross-cultural curriculum with emphasis on similarities/differences among cultures is contested, so it is better to include commonalities in the curriculum, because they are helpful to begin classroom discussions, meanwhile, encouraging students to reexamine their personal perceptions and assumptions. Most importantly, they “prevent students from equating difference with deviation (Sowell, 2014, p. 6)”. When it comes to designing the unit with the commonalities among cultures, it is usually thought of as big themes that link cultures. The big theme refers to the big idea which is a life-centered issue and can be examined from many disciplines. Recommended Strategies Start with why people make art
Pick some remarkable images in the past.
Changing Perceptions about Stereotypes of Art Images (Mokamba, 2014) Stereotyping is present within societal institutions and perpetuated by a majority culture (Mokamba, 2014). It is significant for students to examine artworks by artists from other countries, and this process may invite explorations of experiences addressed by artists from many countries and cultures. Introducing students to new concepts would further encourage them to consider the world as a source of complex relationships between people, within a culture and across cultures, while at the same time further examining their own personal values and perspectives. Recommended Strategies
Creating a respectful mind (Gardner, 2006)
Recommended Strategies
References and Websites Lippmann, W. (1946). Public opinion (Vol. 1). Transaction Publishers. Retrieved at https://www.archive.org/stream/publicopinion00lippgoog?ref=ol#page/n16/mode/2up Gardner, H. (2006). Five minds for the future. Boston, Mass. : Harvard Business School Press, ©2006. Irwin, R. L., Beer, R., Springgay, S., Grauer, K., Xiong, G., & Bickel, B. (2006). The Rhizomatic Relations of A/r/tography. Studies in Art Education, (1). 70. Manifold, M. C., Willis, S. and Zimmerman, E. (2014). Culturally Sensitive Art Education in a Global World. Alexandria, VA: National Art Education Association. Sowell, E. J. (2014). Increasing Students’ Cultural and Global Sensitivities Through Designing Cross-Cultural Curriculum Units. In Manifold, M. C., Willis, S. and Zimmerman, E. (2014). Culturally Sensitive Art Education in a Global World (pp. 5-13). Alexandria, VA: National Art Education Association. Larkou, F. (2014). Using Artifacts to Promote Cultural Awareness in Cyprus Primary Schools. In Manifold, M. C., Willis, S. and Zimmerman, E. (2014). Culturally Sensitive Art Education in a Global World (pp. 23-39). Alexandria, VA: National Art Education Association. Dewhurst, M. and Song, J. (2014). Looking, Creating, and Making It Public: Strategies for a Globalized Approach to Arts Education. In Manifold, M. C., Willis, S. and Zimmerman, E. (2014). Culturally Sensitive Art Education in a Global World (pp. 57-64). Alexandria, VA: National Art Education Association. Stroops-Mokamba, J. (2014). Changing Perception About Stereotypes of Art Images Through Investigations of Views About Native American Art. In Manifold, M. C., Willis, S. and Zimmerman, E. (2014). Culturally Sensitive Art Education in a Global World (pp. 72-79). Alexandria, VA: National Art Education Association. ![]()
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