The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Chia-Hui Lin

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

February 24, 2015 at 1:00 pm

215B Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Arts, Drama and Cinema, Chinese Culture University

Master of Education, Early Childhood Education, Memphis State University

Advisory Committee

Satomi Izumi-Taylor, Ph.D., Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Committee chair

Cathy D. Meredith, Ed.D., Clinical Associate Professor, Instruction Curriculum and Leadership

Duane Giannangelo, Ph.D., Professor, Instruction Curriculum and Leadership

Shelly Lynn Counsell, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Period of Preparation: 2004 – 2015

Comprehensive Examination Passed: August 2006

Early Childhood Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Art Education in Taiwan

Abstract

In current Taiwan, early childhood educators have been emphasizing the importance of children’s development of artistic abilities and creativity. The Preschool Activities and Curriculum Guidelines working Edition issued by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan have been revised, and young children’s artistic development was included in 2012. Early childhood teachers were responsible for providing children with developmentally appropriate art programs to promote their artistic development and learning. The primary purpose of this study was to describe and to understand how two Taiwanese early childhood education teachers’ perceptions of art influenced their teaching. Research indicated that teachers’ perceptions about education influence their teaching and students’ experiences in the classroom. The study employed qualitative research methods, including semi-structured interviews, observations, field notes, teachers’ curriculum plans, teaching journals, photos of classrooms, and my own journal. Two female preschool teachers from two different schools with various educational backgrounds and teaching experiences were selected to participate in this study. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: integrated curriculum, learning environment, and collaboration. Results of the study indicated that both teachers perceived that art should be integrated into other curriculum areas. Although both teachers considered the developmentally appropriate classroom environment to be important in inspiring children’s creativity and aesthetic awareness, one was more focused on creating a clean and warm classroom, and the other was concerned about displaying her students’ work everywhere in the classroom. They both recognized the importance of collaboration with others to improve their teaching of art. These teachers’ perceptions about teaching art mainly centered around on providing integrated art activities and creating appropriate environments. To offer such activities and environments, both teachers collaborated with others. School culture also had a strong effect on how they taught art, and one teacher had more support from her school, while the other had less. Taiwanese teachers needed to be trained and to have support from both internal and external resources to teach students developmentally appropriate art.