The National Coalition for
Core Arts Standards (NCCAS)
is considering the inclusion of media arts as a distinct arts discipline in
their revamping of 1994 national art standards. This is my position of
advocacy, refined over the past year:
This inclusion would authentically reflect 21st century culture and creativity. The “traditional” disciplines have not, and are inexperienced in representing the full breadth and depth of media arts from cinema and animation to virtual and interactive design, let alone emerging "intermedia hybrids". In fact, it is highly questionable whether they would be able to do so with authenticity and coherence in fulfilling media arts potential as a distinct form.
This inclusion would authentically reflect 21st century culture and creativity. The “traditional” disciplines have not, and are inexperienced in representing the full breadth and depth of media arts from cinema and animation to virtual and interactive design, let alone emerging "intermedia hybrids". In fact, it is highly questionable whether they would be able to do so with authenticity and coherence in fulfilling media arts potential as a distinct form.
If left under-defined, the rapid ascendance and proliferation
of media arts outside of educational institutions and from other subject areas
will continue to erode the perceived relevancy of traditional arts education.
For example, STEM already includes multimedia production and game design
through readily available devices and software, with little consideration of
their cultural, artistic and aesthetic-design aspects.
The declaration and development of media arts as a distinct arts
discipline will ultimately reaffirm the arts' “core” PK-12 status, particularly
in 21st Century transitions. Media arts’ trans-disciplinary, “nexus” capacity
will enhance learning for students by incorporating aesthetic perception and
modalities through project and design-based learning that can integrate the
arts and all subject areas. Furthermore, media arts specifically addresses
critical literacies in media, technology and digital culture.
Traditional arts educators may hesitate to embrace this inclusion,
due to a perceived loss, or extraction of media arts practices out of their
disciplines. But media arts is an overlapping form that creates a multiplying
dynamic. It is both distinct and pervasive. Its pure specializations
within virtual and interactive design do not inflict on the other disciplines.
And its forms can still be utilized within any and all arts disciplines and
subject areas. Certainly, every teacher would benefit from some inclusion of
media arts in their instruction.
This greater, comprehensive assembly of the arts is an
embodied, cultural vehicle within education with great potential to
benefit learning. Thus, this is a gain for students and for a more
aesthetically astute and media literate global culture.
