Youth Voice,Civic Engagement and Failure in Participatory Action Research

In this article, we tell the story of a changing urban landscape through the eyes of the youth we work with in an ongoing after-school program and community-based research project rooted in Photovoice methodology. In particular, we focus on the work that, over the 6 years of our time with youth, has “ended up on the cutting room floor” (Paris and Winn (eds) Humanizing research: decolonizing qualitative inquiry with youth and communities. SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks, 2014, p. xix). This attention to the work that has fallen through the cracks is a move to engage the central tenets of Humanizing Research, but it’s also a call to think critically with and through the failures that emerge in work with youth. We attend specifically to an ongoing failure in our work as a way to think about the kinds of promises that are often made and broken in participatory action research. In doing so, we tease out the implications of our work with youth and the steps community-based researchers can take to navigate the challenges that can impede the goals of fostering meaningful change.     

Digital Portfolios in Action: Acknowledging Student Voice and Metacognitive Understanding in Art

ABSTRACT

Students need a genuine voice in the content, process, outcome, and assessment of their learning so they can take ownership of their education (Jaquith and Hathaway 2012 Jaquith, Diane B., and Nan E. Hathaway. 2012. The learner-directed classroom: developing creative thinking skills through art. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. [Google Scholar]). Digital art portfolios allow students to research, document, and reflect on the development and assessment of their learning. Unlike traditional portfolios, which typically emphasize product, the use of digital portfolios as a process portfolio for learning has the potential to increase autonomy, experimentation, and allow the student to tell the story of their learning; to be metacognitive about their work (Berrett 2005 Barrett, Helen C. 2005. White paper: Researching electronic portfolios and learner engagement. The Reflect Imitative. Accessed March 15, 2013. https://www.taskstream.com/reflect/whitepaper.pdf [Google Scholar]). For the purposes of our research, we are defining metacognitive as awareness or analysis of one's own learning or thinking processes. The key elements of traditional paper portfolios include: collecting, selecting, reflecting, directing/goals, and presenting/celebrating. The use of technology adds to that list the processes of archiving, linking/thinking, storytelling, collaborating, sharing, and publishing (Barrett 2005 Barrett, Helen C. 2005. White paper: Researching electronic portfolios and learner engagement. The Reflect Imitative. Accessed March 15, 2013. https://www.taskstream.com/reflect/whitepaper.pdf [Google Scholar]). This paper examines how online digital portfolios provide a platform to promote students’ metacognitive skills and direct their learning.     

Female Empowerment in Iran: The Voice of Iranian University Students

In line with global trends, the rate of Iranian female students' enrolment in higher education has increased. However, some policy makers have been concerned about this and without considering the female voice, they have implemented strategies to balance the labour market, which has led to a decrease in female students in certain majors. The results of an empirical study showed that going to university is the primary route to empowerment for girls in Iran. The study into the meaning of empowerment adopted a qualitative approach using unstructured in‐depth interviews with 80 Iranian female university students from seven provinces of Iran. The narrative responses were analysed using content analysis and grounded theory. The results of this study led to develop a new theory called ‘Female Empowerment through Higher Education’, which has several key constituents of female empowerment including: social presence, the power to make decision, autonomy, education and building up a new value framework.     

试论灯彩艺术的形式结构

光、形、色是灯彩艺术形式的基本构成要素。声与动是灯彩艺术顺应时代发展而形成的继发性构成因素。拟声与制动,源远流长、方式多样,及时反映着特定时期内科技的进步与制作水平的提高,满足了观赏者不断变化的审美期待与要求。成功的拟声与制动,不是科技和艺术的机械相加,而是要求将科技整合到艺术之中,让科技为艺术服务。     

Thriving at the Intersection: Integrating Social Determinants of Health and Sexual Health Education to Achieve Positive Outcomes for Youth

Abstract

Social determinants of health are the key to understanding and addressing persistent disparities in adolescent pregnancy in the United States. However, there is little guidance on what concrete steps organizations can take to work at the intersection of social determinants of health (SDoH) and sexual and reproductive health (SH). Two community-based organizations completed a case study using a structured interview guide to illustrate their transition working at this intersection. The Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy and Identity, Inc. arrived at the intersection of SDoH and SH from opposite ends of the road. Despite clear differences in their trajectory, their experiences share four key elements that marked their success in expanding their core work: (a) both organizations enjoyed ample community and political support, (b) they used data to drive strategic decisions, (c) they used funding opportunities to move toward the intersection of sexual health and social determinants, and (d) they leveraged existing programs to sustain their efforts. Organizations working at the intersection must continuously leverage community, political, and financial capital to pursue partners, expand services, and change policies that sustain a holistic approach to youth health and well-being.     

Making Art,Teaching Art,Learning Art: Exploring the Concept of the Artist Teacher

The article explores the concept of the artist teacher, drawing upon an overview of relevant literature and two related pieces of research: the first investigated practices within the Artist Teacher Scheme (ATS); the second sought to understand the perceptions of practice‐based coursework in an MA Art Education programme at Roehampton University in London. Commonalities and differences between the perceptions and understandings of artist teachers (including masters' students), their tutors and gallery educators were explored. The data for each piece of research were collected through unstructured, open‐ended interviews. A significant reflexive and autobiographical dimension for the research was motivated by my own identity as an artist teacher, and by the exploration of reflective practice as a potential framework for realising and sustaining an artist teacher identity and practice. The research concluded that connections between art practice and teaching are complex, diverse, difficult to articulate, challenging to implement and do not easily lend themselves to simple impact measurement. The ATS operates in a context that includes languages, cultures and identities from frameworks in education and art that can be both complementary and oppositional. Artist teachers need to develop skills of negotiation through which they can articulate and continuously reappraise their art practice and, at an appropriate stage, use that practice to inform their teaching.     

Forms of Life and the Life of Forms: Clay Figurines in Women’s Art

From the end of the XIX century until the second half of the XX century, there is a ‘hidden-stream’ world of women’s popular art in traditional clay work of the Barcelos region – Galegos parishes. At a time when mainstream aesthetic values in fine art are undergoing fundamental change, research into this tradition could contribute to the current status of knowledge of aesthetic value in general, particularly with regard to evaluating the aesthetic in hidden-stream art forms, and the reasons for the negative value attached to female art production. This paper documents and records visually clay figurines of these women artisans, determines how the ceramic tradition is passed on in the community, and reveals the artisans’ views of its meaning, significance, and aesthetic worth. From a feminist perspective, the research will inquire into the aesthetic and other concerns of the women artisans and ascertain their audiences and their reasons for valuing or not valuing the work. Male and female responses to the products of a traditionally female ceramic occupation will be compared. There is a need to document processes of informal and continuous training made available for those who might wish to participate in the future, and to determine the extent to which this heritage is dependent on gender divisions in Portuguese society undergoing a process of change.     

油画艺术的多元表达形式

伴随科学技术的发展和市场经济转型,艺术呈现出多元化的表达形式,传统的油画艺术受到了挑战。从电影、摄影与油画的关联、影像与油画的本质,以游走于摄影、电影和绘画之间的两位艺术家的艺术道路为剖析,探讨了油画艺术的多元表达形式,分析了油画与现代多种新兴的艺术形式融合可能出现的导向问题,提出了对电影与油画、摄影与油画融合趋势的展望。     

Outercourse: Exploring Nonpenetrative Forms of Pleasurable Safer Sex

Best practices in comprehensive sexuality education call for rights-based, factual lessons that provide healthy options and are sensitive to the varied contextual factors affecting participants. Further, lessons are to better balance positive and negative outcomes of sexual expression that reflect the sexual realities of (young) men and women. This lesson plan contributes to such aims through the facilitation of nuanced activities and discussions to critically assess a wide range of sexual practices with and without a partner and beyond penetrative or procreative acts. The main outcome is to broaden options for healthy sexual expression and consider the potential reconciliation of pleasure and safer sex.     

传媒文化与当代青年的文艺生活

传媒文化深刻改变着当代青年的审美理想、文艺观念和文艺消费方式。这种影响是多极化的,既有积极的一面,也有消极的一面。加强引导,充分发挥传媒的文化建设作用,建设绿色的大学校园文化生活势在必行。     

从跨文化的角度审视反思

反思在跨文化交流中具有潜在优势,当人们处于一个新的文化环境或社区甚至是一个新的班级时,他们会加强对自己身份、归属感和责任的反思。反思是一种深层次的社会行为,其在跨文化互动过程中具有两种社会功能:一是帮助人们确定文化中哪些方面适合自己,以及怎样根据自己的兴趣去适应文化中其他方面;二是帮助人们变得更加善于接受不同文化的价值观和行为。培养反思能力的设计原则包括:创建以教育目标为目的的反思活动;在活动中创造能够真正激发反思的机会;在呈现文化背景的时候尽量采用小模块;鼓励个人的独立反思,并与其进行沟通;设计“提倡实践并提高适应能力”的技术;人性化的文化交流可使人们更乐于进行反思。作为改变教师和学生教育价值观和行为的一种方式,技术在促进跨文化交流中发挥着重要的作用。利用技术可以把地域文化上的障碍转变成学习和个人成长的新契机。     

意境与意象两种至境艺术形象的审美差异

意境和意象是至境艺术形象的两个并列的理论范畴。两者之间的审美差异主要表现在五个方面 :意蕴的情韵悠长与思致隐奥 ,质地的空灵透莹与朦胧幽晦 ,气势的飞动流转与凝重沉滞 ,形态的清水芙蓉与笔补造化 ,心意的直觉圆融与玄思穷究     

作为有限与无限的艺术

一切艺术都力求通过有限的表现形式传达无限的情感和意义。但艺术在其长期的发展中业已形成自身固有的规律与形式技巧。在虚与实、空与灵、有限与无限的追寻中,艺术传达了对人生世相的返照,体现了意理情趣与意象的融合,给人以无限的审美快适与心灵体验。对艺术有限与无限的意义与关联的思考,可以加深对艺术表现及审美经验的感悟。     

古典哲理诗艺术探略

中华民族素有“诗国”之称。古典诗歌中的哲理诗，主要表现作生活中有所感悟，通过具体、生动、形象的描述，曲折委婉地揭示出某些生活的哲理；哲理诗一般多以五绝、七绝出之，篇幅比较短小；此类诗是哲理与诗情的有机统一，含蓄隽永，启人心智。     

试论大速写艺术的基本形式

大速写艺术是绘画艺术发展的必然产物，是在传统速写的基础上发展而来的新型艺术形式。积极开展大速写艺术基本形式的探讨，不但可以强化画种间的融合，繁荣艺术的表现形式，拓展绘画表现的空间，而且有利于速写注重表现、注重个性特质的发挥，有利于条理速写的范畴，推进大速写艺术的完善和发展，打造大速写艺术纯感觉的至高权威；不但有利于绘画艺术对研究性和表现性的大胆探索。而且有利于绘画艺术本质的回归。     

声乐教学艺术初探

声乐教学各施所教,但应有章可循,即如何在科学的理念指导下树立正确的声音观念,掌握歌唱平衡的反向思维及寻求歌唱平衡的最佳途径,在漫长的训练过程中注重培养用脑、用心再用嗓的歌唱习惯.     

论人声在歌唱艺术中的个性色彩

在歌唱艺术中人声是具有鲜明的个性色彩的。除了声部因素外,因不同唱法、作品风格、流派以及不同的语言特点、演唱技巧等都会产生不同的声音色彩。本文就人声在歌唱艺术中个性色彩的形成从理论上作了分析研究。