Provost & Academic Vice President

Student Learning Outcomes

Art  (B.F.A.)

 

Art Studio and Graphic Design Options

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to: 

  1. demonstrate an understanding of the art fundamentals and ability to apply them successfully
  2. demonstrate technical mastery in media consistent with the area of specialization
  3. imagine, develop, and create artworks by choosing and employing media and techniques within the area of study
  4. critique and think critically about art works using examples and concepts from art history and the context of art in relation to contemporary topics and social, political, and cultural issues.
  5. demonstrate an understanding of art as a medium for expression by communicating clearly and persuasively through their work.
  6. exhibit and understanding of the professional practices, safe and sustainable processes, and ethical standards for employment.
  7. create a professional portfolio/website.

 

Teacher Education Option

Based on standards established by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, upon completion of the Teacher Education option of this program, the student will be able to: 

  1. demonstrate the following basic Art Competencies:
    1. familiarity with the basic expressive, technical, procedural, and organizational skills, and conceptual insights which can be developed through studio art and design experiences
    2. knowledge of traditional processes, as well as newer technological developments in environmental and functional design fields
    3. ability to make students emphatically aware of the all-important process of artistic creation from conceptualized image to finished art work
    4. understanding of:
      1. major styles and periods of art history, analytical methods, and theories of criticism
      2. development of past and contemporary art forms
      3. contending philosophies of art
      4. fundamental and integral relationships of all these to the making of art
    5. functional knowledge in such areas as the physics of light, chemistry of pigments, the chemical and thermal aspects of shaping materials, and the basic technologies involved in printmaking, photography, filmmaking, and video
  2. demonstrate the following Teaching Competencies:
    1. connect an understanding of educational processes and structures with an understanding of relationships among the arts, sciences, and humanities, in order to apply art competencies in teaching situations and to integrate art/design instruction into the total process of education
    2. understand child development and the identification and understanding of psychological principles of learning as they relate to art education
    3. understand the philosophical and social foundation underlying art in education and be able to express a rationale for personal attitudes and beliefs
    4. ability to assess aptitudes, experiential backgrounds, and interests of individuals and groups of students, and to devise learning experiences to meet assessed needs
    5. knowledge of current methods and materials available in all fields and levels of art education
    6. basic understanding of the principles and methods of developing curricula and the short- and long-term instructional units that comprise them
    7. ability to accept, amend, or reject methods and materials based on personal assessment of specific teaching situations
    8. understand evaluative techniques and be able to apply them in assessing both the progress of students and the objectives and procedures of the curriculum
    9. ability to organize continuing study and to incorporate knowledge gained into self-evaluation and professional growth
  3. demonstrate the following skills:
    1. potential to inspire others and to excite the imagination of students, engendering a respect and desire for art and visual experiences
    2. ability and desire constantly to seek out, evaluate, and apply new ideas and developments in both art and education
    3. ability to maintain positive relationships with individuals of various social and ethnic groups, and empathize with students and colleagues of differing backgrounds
    4. ability to articulate and communicate the goals of an art program to pupils, colleagues, administrators, and parents in an effective and professionally responsible manner

In addition to the outcomes listed above, all professional educator licensure programs at Western Illinois University are designed to meet the 2013 Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (IAC 23, Part 25)  and are also aligned with the standards established by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium.  These standards can be found at the links below: 

https://www.isbe.net/Documents/IL_prof_teaching_stds.pdf  

https://ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-12/2013_INTASC_Learning_Progressions_for_Teachers.pdf