Beyond Local Cultures: Towards a Cosmopolitan Art Education

What kind of art education best takes up the educational opportunity of cultural diversity? This article draws on Merton's distinction between local and cosmopolitan perspectives on culture to contrast different models of art education in a multicultural society. An example is given to illustrate a local perspective on education which seeks to affirm pupils in their own culture. This model is underpinned by a particular view of culture, pluralism, art and education. Alternative views on each of these constituent elements are explored in order to make a case for an alternative model of art education - one which goes beyond culture and which can more properly be described as cosmopolitan.     

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The role of information and communications technology (ICT) in widening participation in lifelong learning, and thereby establishing the UK as a bona fide ‘learning society’, is now enshrined in a series of multi-million pound government initiatives such as the University for Industry, learndirect and UK Online. Although politicians and educationalists have been quick to herald such initiatives as revolutionizing post-compulsory education and extending learning opportunities to ‘anyone’ on an ‘anytime, anywhere’ basis, there has been little empirical analysis of how ICT is actually impacting on patterns of lifelong learning in the UK. With this in mind, the present paper presents an analysis of data from the 2002 National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) survey of 5885 households, focusing on learners' access to technology and the role that technology is playing in facilitating learning.