Abstract
The paper reports on a study of young children and the nature of their art learning based on the in-depth approach and in the context of chorotopos (space-place, area, landscape, region, village or town). The sample includes 50 children drawn from three classrooms in three early childhood settings in the area of Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki, Greece. Classroom observation notes, audio-taped analysis, photographic material and the artworks of children were used to find out the influences of the programs to young children’s art learning. Findings indicate that artistic activities in relation to their chorotopos and in-depth exploration of materials made children more situated to their own environment and enabled them to understand the potential expressiveness of materials and their inherent meaning. Teachers’ role was decisive in providing special “scaffolding” to further the exploratory process in an interactive environment of learning. The findings highlight the significance of learning in, through and about art by allowing children to experience their personal environment through objects and materials encountered in their chorotopos, to appreciate its richness and to see themselves as part of it.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
The term chorotopos (originates from the Greek language meaning the choros—space and topos—place). It is linked to the school itself and its surrounding area meaning the space inside and outside the school. In a broad sense it refers to the space-place, area, the landscape, the neighbourhood, the region, the village, the city where the school is situated and the human factor. It refers to the natural and man-made environment of the immediate space-place of the school.
The definition of the term learning is situated within the human and social constructivist paradigms. Learners build knowledge and understanding for themselves through personal, social and culturally mediated experiences. For the purposes of the present study art learning is viewed both as a process and a product that encompasses socio-cultural, cognitive and aesthetic dimensions.
References
Althouse, R., Johnson, M.H., and Mitchell, S.T. (2003). The colors of learning: Integrating the visual arts into the early childhood curriculum. New York: Teachers College Press; Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Anderson, T., & Milbrandt, M. K. (2005). Art for life: Authentic instruction in art. New York: Mc Graw Hill.
Brownell, C., & Carriger, M. (1991). Collaborations among toddler peers: Individual contributions to social contexts. In L. Rensick, J. Levine, & S. Teasley (Eds.), Perspectives on socially shared cognition (pp. 365–383). Washington, DC: American Psychologiacal Association.
Carpenter, B. S. (2004). Learning environments for show and tell (an editorial). Art Education, 57, 4–5.
Duncum, P. (2002). Visual culture art education: Why, what and how. International Journal of Art and Deign Education, 21, 14–23.
Elliot, S., & Bartley, S. (1998). Material arts design: An exploration in creativity: Ecology and culture. Art Education, 51, 51–56.
Epstein, Α. S., & Trimis, E. (2002). Supporting young artists. The development of the visual arts in young children. Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation.
Fasoli, L. (2003). Reading photographs of young children: Looking practices. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 4, 32–47.
Freedman, K. (2003). Teaching visual culture. Curriculum, aesthetics and the social life of art. New York: Teachers College Press.
Gardner, H., & Perkins, D. (1989). Art, mind and education. Research from project zero. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Gergen, K. J. (1995). Social construction and the educational process. In L. P. Steffe & J. Gale (Eds.), Constructivism in education (pp. 19–39). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.
Hohmann, M., & Weikart, D. P. (2002). Educating young children: Active leaning practices for preschool and child care programs. Ypsilanti MI: High Scope Press.
Kellman, J. (1998). Art, narrative & place. Art Education, 51, 35–41.
Krug, D. (2003). Teaching art in the context of everyday life. Green Museum Organisation: URL: www.greenmuseum.org/generic_content.php?ct_id=134.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Patton, M. K. (1987). How to use qualitative methods in evaluation. London: Sage Publication.
Phillips, D. C. (1995). The good, the bad and the ugly: The many facets of constructivism. Educational Researcher, 24, 5–12.
Piscitelli, B., & Anderson, D. (2000). Young children’s learning in museum settings. Visitor Studies Today, 3, 1–20.
Savva, A., & Trimis, E. (2005). Young children’s responses to contemporary exhibits: The role of artistic experiences. International Journal of Education and the Arts, 6, 13.
Savva, A., Trimis, E., & Zachariou, A. (2004). Exploring the links between visual arts and environmental education: Experiences of teachers participating in an in-service training programme. International Journal of Art and Design, 23, 246–255.
Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Stephens, K. (1999). Primed for learning: The young child’s mind. Child Care Information Exchange, 3, 44–48.
Thompson, Ch. M. (2005). Images of the child in art and art teacher education. Art Education, 58, 18–24.
Trimis, E. (1996). A developmental art program for pre-school education based on the principles of holistic an in-depth approach method. O.M.E.P (In Greek). Researching the Child’s World, 2, 137–151. in Greek.
Trimis, E. (1997a). A developmental Program with Art Activities in pre-school setting. In depth explorations of materials and ideas and active learning approaches. Proceedings of European Regional Conference (OMEP): Art open the child’s sold (pp. 112–117). Prague: OMEP.
Trimis, E. (1997b). Supporting young artists: Exploring and creating with paper (Video). Ypsilanti, MI: High Scope Press.
Trimis, E. (2004). Cultural and aesthetic education: A curriculum programme for lifelong learning. IDEKE, Institute of Continues Adult Education: Greek Ministry Education and Religion.
Trimis, E. (2005). Art and Environment: An in depth visual arts approach with young children. In A. Giorgopoulos, (Ed.), Environmental education: The emergent of a new civilization. Athens: Tipothito-Dardanos.
Trimis, E., & Manavopoulos, C. (2001). Promoting the creative abilities of young children through a visual art program with found materials. In E. Kourti (Ed.), Research in the pre school educational, instructive methodology (pp. 229–244). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. in Greek.
Trimis, E., & Savva, A. (2004). The in depth studio approach: Incorporating an art museum program into a pre-primary classroom. Art Education, 57, 20–36.
Trimis, E., & Savva, A. (2005). The in depth studio approach: Redefining the aims of early childhood art/visual culture programmes. In Proceedings of abstracts of the International Conference of Art in Early Childhood (p. 32). London: Roehampton University.
Wright, S. (2003). Ways of knowing the arts. In S. Wright (Ed.), Children, meaning-making and the arts (pp. 1–34). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Yin, R. (1994). Case study research: Design and methods (2nd ed.). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publication.
Acknowledgments
We express our special thanks to the teachers (Andriana Vretou, Ioanna Goula, Silvia Gramaticopoulou, Thothora Soulimena, Georgia Papaefstathiou, Triantafilia Paximatha, Manousia Aggelidou) who readily participated in the present study, and the children who offered us an enormous amount of images and icons full of joy and knowledge.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Trimis, E., Savva, A. Artistic Learning in Relation to Young Children’s Chorotopos: An In-Depth Approach to Early Childhood Visual Culture Education. Early Childhood Educ J 36, 527–539 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-009-0308-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-009-0308-1