NAEA Position Statement on Supporting, Sustaining, and Retaining Art Education Programs in Colleges and Universities

NAEA places a high value on the university/college preparation of art teachers who are certified to teach a wide range of the visual arts in diverse art educational settings. Visual art education programs aim to introduce pre-service art education students to the essential pedagogical and philosophical foundations of the disciplines of studio art and art education. Visual art education programs also offer extensive supervised field and practicum experiences with the aim to bridge theory and practice. The strength and diversity of college and university visual art education programs is critical toward achieving the preparation of highly qualified preK12 art educators today.

All university/college programs (undergraduate, certificate, credential, masters and doctoral programs) seek qualified professors and instructors with degrees and practical experience aligned with institutional programs needs and teacher certification requirements.

Visual art education programs in colleges and universities also make important contributions to the field through the research they conduct to improve the teaching, learning, and advocacy of art at all levels. Faculty within university/college art education programs should therefore demonstrate a commitment to scholarly activity that can advance the field.

Mentoring, professional learning, community outreach, and interdisciplinary collaborations contribute to the advancement of visual art education as a field of study. University/college visual art education programs need support and funding to advance these practices with the goal of strengthening retention, professional renewal, and preK-12 partnerships with university and college visual art programs.

Finally, college/university visual art education programs must be supported, sustained/reinstated, and revisited in order to:

• assess student learning and programmatic outcomes
  
• maintain the vitality of preK-12 and university and college visual art programs
• recruit and retain diverse faculty, instructional staff, and students
  
• prepare preK-12 visual art educators to meet the increasing and changing demands of teaching art in diverse contexts.