Perceptions held by teachers in designing and evaluating visual activities in preschool education: the assessment of “beauty” as a standard

Abstract

Visual activities in schools and especially in preschool education are quite often designed, implemented and evaluated by definitions relating to categories of “beauty”, as these are understood in every case. Consequently, the evaluation and feedback on an act of teaching are primarily assessed on the basis of an aesthetic quality. This accordingly creates a condition that defines the method for teaching visual education, and also influences the development of specific aesthetic criteria in children through their gradual adaption to a specified standard. On the basis of this approach a formulaic perception regarding art and its teaching is to be found, whereby the work of art is defined on the basis of its form, which must comply to specific criteria with universal validity. Our aim is to investigate the aspects and the extent of this specific practice, and its impact upon the features and quality of the available activities; to determine the extent to which it is a conscious choice on the part of teachers and to what degree it is associated with the theoretical approaches of visual education. Our methodology is based upon interviews conducted with teachers that are active in the broader Patras region. These interviews were open-ended, and the interviewees were permitted to deviate by expounding their personal views and considerations.