visual arts - secondary - cycle 1 - education.gouv.qc.ca · visual arts play a fundamental role at...

Visual Arts

Personal Develop

men

tMathematics, Science and Technology

Socia

l Scie

nces

Languages

Uses information

Solves problems

Exercises criticaljudgment

Uses creativity

Adopts effectivework methods

Uses informationand communications

technologies

Achieves his/herpotential

Cooperateswith others

Communicatesappropriately

INTELLECTUAL COMPETENCIES

METHODOLOGICAL COMPETENCIESPERSONAL AND SOCIAL COMPETENCIES

COMMUNICATION-RELATEDCOM

PETENCY

Health andWell-Being

Personal and CareerPlanning

Environmental Awarenessand Consumer Rights and

Responsibilities

MediaLiteracy

Citizenship andCommunity Life

STUDENTConstructionof world-view

Constructionof identity

Empowerment

Arts Education

Visual Arts

Appreciates worksof art and cultural

objects fromthe world’s

artistic heritage,personal images

and media images

Cross-Curricular Competencies

Subject Areas

Aims of the QEP

Broad Areas of Learning

Subject-Specific Competencies in Visual Arts

Making Connections: Visual Arts and the Other Dimensionsof the Québec Education Program (QEP)

Createspersonalimages

Createsmediaimages

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Québec Education Program

Visual Arts Arts Education

Visual arts1 represent both the materialization of thoughtand the expression of a sociocultural reality. Since thebeginning of humanity, human beings have used visualarts as a way of conveying their world-view through images,using skills that have varied according to location, his-torical period and culture. The universal presence ofimages over the centuries—the path of which is retracedin art history from prehistoric times, well before the appear-ance of writing—demonstrates the importance for manof this knowledge rooted in sensitivity, intuition and imag-ination. Artists have always contributed to the evolutionof ideas, and consequently of society, by expressing their con-victions, values and artistic concerns through their works.

In visual arts, the image can take on different formsdepending on the materials and tools used. It can be two-or three-dimensional, figurative or abstract, static ordynamic, concrete or virtual, lasting or ephemeral, etc. Itis created using different techniques and artists continu-ally try to expand the registers of artistic creation. Theadvent of computers has also contributed to enrichingvisual arts through the diversity of images that can becreated using new tools—tools that hold a fascinationfor young people.

While a work of art grows out of the artist’s involvementin a personal creative dynamic,2 the media image is theresult of creative work guided by the purpose of imagecommunication. In this context, media designers give con-crete expression to a visual message addressed to atarget audience. To do this, they must consider the psy-chology and culture of the recipients, specify the infor-mation to be conveyed and identify the most effective

way of reaching, persuading or entertaining them.Therefore, the choice and treatment of materials, as wellas the organization of the image components will dependon the message to be communicated.

Visual arts education fosters the overall development ofthe person and the enrichment of his or her culture. Ithelps students acquire visual literacy, decode images,look at images with sensitivity, and exercise their criticalthinking and notion of aesthetics. Such an education isall the more important since today’s culture is marked bythe pervasive presence of images, and in this respect,visual arts play a fundamental role at the social, economicand artistic levels.

The Secondary Cycle One Visual Arts program is a con-tinuation of the elementary school program, and drawson the basic learning in arts education subjects. This pro-gram makes it possible to consolidate and gain a deeperunderstanding of this learning. Students who had mean-ingful visual arts experiences in elementary school entersecondary school with a knowledge of graphics and artsthat corresponds to their cognitive, affective, social andpsychomotor development.


Introduction to the Visual Arts Program

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1. Emmanuel Kant coined the term “visual arts.” In the 18th century, heincluded this subject in the philosophical tradition by identifying it withthe arts of form. Aesthetic philosophers and art historians continue touse this term to refer to the subject.

2. The creative dynamic is described in the introduction to the Arts Educationsubject area.

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Like the elementary Visual Arts program, the secondaryprogram is based on three complementary and interde-pendent competencies:– Creates personal images– Creates media images– Appreciates works of art and cultural objects from the

world’s artistic heritage, personal images and mediaimages

The distinction between the first two competencies liesin their function: one focuses on personal expression,while the other deals with communication throughimages. Creating personal images allows students todevelop their artistic abilities: they gradually learn tobetter control the transforming gestures, to enhance theproperties of materials, to use visual arts language in apersonal way and to be increasingly effective in organiz-ing the material and language elements. Their productionsreflect their personal and cultural values. When creatingmedia images, students either become acquainted withthe visual communication process or gain a better under-standing of it, depending on what they learned in ele-mentary school. The content of their media works musttake into account some of the cultural references of thetarget audience and integrate the information to be com-municated. Along with these two competencies, studentsdevelop the competency of appreciating works of art andcultural objects from the world’s artistic heritage, and per-sonal and media images, including their own and thoseof their classmates.

The place given to the development of each competencydepends on the particular nature of the subject. Thus, thelearning with regard to the creation of personal imagesor media images requires more time because of thedemands associated with the process of acquiring thegestures, techniques, language and principles specific to

visual arts and with the development of complex psy-chomotor skills. The competency related to the apprecia-tion of visual arts productions is inextricably linked to thetwo other competencies because it is essential to thedevelopment of critical thinking and a notion of aes-thetics. It gradually becomes more important in secondaryschool, as students consolidate the knowledge needed tocreate personal and media images, in conjunction withtheir socioaffective and intellectual development.

Visual arts education gives students the opportunity tobecome acquainted with numerous cultural references intheir immediate environment and with those related tothe works or productions they are appreciating. It alsoallows them to compare these cultural references withthose associated with other subjects. Furthermore, activ-ities, such as visits to museums and art galleries or con-tact with artists, play an important role in making themaware of the creative process and helping them discoverthe concrete dimension of works of art in a meaningfulway. This also contributes to enriching their perceptionand appreciation of works. In doing so, they acquire anopenness to the world of the arts, discover its particularfeatures and become aware of the distinct aspects of theirown culture. This renewed and enriched view of the worldhelps students to construct their personal and culturalidentity and prepares them for their role as citizens.



When students produce personal or media images orappreciate various types of visual arts productions, theydraw on their imagination, sensitivity and cultural knowl-edge. They use symbolic language to express who theyare and to present their vision of the world. They alsocompare their vision to that of others. They learn to knowthemselves and others better and to understand the envi-ronment in which they evolve and interact, all of whichcontributes to their empowerment. Visual arts educationtherefore contributes in a particular way to the aims ofthe Québec Education Program.

The Visual Arts program is part of the greater QuébecEducation Program. It must therefore be understood andused according to a systemic approach, which makes itpossible to establish links with all the other elements ofthe Program: the broad areas of learning, the cross-cur-ricular competencies and the other subjects.

Connections With the Broad Areas of Learning

The stimuli for creation provide a useful introduction tothe broad areas of learning. Students draw on their con-cerns to question themselves, obtain information, reflect,analyze the situation, communicate their point of view,take a position and express their opinion. The problemsencountered may be universal (environment, globaliza-tion, racism, sexism, armed conflicts, etc.), social (poverty,access to health care, community actions, etc.) or personal(self-affirmation, interpersonal relationships, diet, sexual-ity, physical or cultural activities, etc.). Planning and com-pleting artistic or interdisciplinary projects, appreciatingvisual arts productions, working in teams, using critical

judgment and expressing viewpoints all make it possibleto meet the educational aims targeted by each subjectand to use them. In this respect, it is likely that all thesubject areas of the curriculum will be involved.

Connections With the Cross-Curricular Competencies

When students produce personal or media images orappreciate different types of visual arts productions, theycall upon and develop various related competencies. Thus,they must exercise their creative thinking and use infor-mation in relation to the stimuli to be processed and theartistic productions to appreciate. To imagine differenthypotheses in relation to their creative project and to planthe stages of its realization, they must exercise their crit-ical judgment, solve material and technical problems andadopt efficient work methods. They must also be able touse information and communications technologies tocreate personal and media visual arts images and to con-sult electronic documentary resources. By its very nature,visual arts allows students to develop their potential,since the images they create represent, express and sym-bolize their ideas or feelings, and their appreciation ofvisual arts productions reflects their personal interpreta-tion and sensitivity. In addition, the various artistic pro-jects in which they take part during the cycle encouragethem to work with other students by interacting in a spiritof openness in order to make a contribution to each pro-ject and to benefit from the cooperation. Lastly, studentshave many opportunities to communicate appropriately,especially when they describe their appreciation of worksof art or talk about their creative experience.

Connections With Other Subject Areas

Visual arts possesses great potential for making connec-tions with other subjects in Arts Education, because theyhave a similar creative dynamic and similar competen-cies. Connections can also be made between visual artsand all the other subject areas of the Québec EducationProgram. A few examples can be suggested here, by wayof illustration, but many will become apparent simplythrough experience.

Using transforming gestures, which requires familiaritywith and consideration of the properties of materials,could in some aspects touch on issues discussed in sci-ence and technology. For example, students may want tocompare and do research on colour pigments and coloursin transmitted light.

In order to structure a visual arts production, whichinvolves organizing two- and three-dimensional shapesin space, students must use mathematical reasoning. Forexample, they may explore processes related to geome-try using the collage technique. Similarly, in order to usethe assembling technique in sculpture, they are encouragedto develop their spatial sense and understanding of solids.

When students work on a collective creation, conductresearch on artists or artistic movements, communicatetheir appreciation of a work of art or describe their cre-ative experience, they are encouraged to make use of theoral and written resources of their language in diverseways by using visual arts vocabulary. They can also usea second language.


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Making Connections: Visual Arts and the Other Dimensions of the Québec Education Program


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Analyzing works of art and visual arts productions fromvarious societies and periods helps students constructtheir representation of space, time and society, an impor-tant competency in the social sciences. To illustrate, appre-ciating works that represent scenes from everyday life indifferent contexts and cultures helps students to under-stand the meaning of human actions in a given environ-ment and to interpret social facts using historicalknowledge. Understanding a geographical landscapeenriches students’ representation of natural territory andallows them to convey this renewed perception in a visualarts production.

Subjects like moral education and religious instruction,which foster reflection, questioning and dialogue in orderto encourage self-knowledge and personal growth, helpstudents establish more personal contact with them-selves. This contact is vital for the development of anyartistic language. Moreover, artistic works and media pro-ductions sometimes take inspiration from social problems,and therefore reflect their creator’s position with regardto the issues at stake. Thus, when appreciating suchworks, students can find a fertile terrain to enrich theirmoral frame of reference. In addition, since an entirechapter of world art history is rooted in religious art, stu-dents can draw on and enrich the knowledge theyacquired in religious instruction class when appreciatingworks from the great religious traditions.

These examples demonstrate the significance of connec-tions that can be made among the different key featuresof the Québec Education Program. They also illustrate theadded value thus provided to students’ basic education,since they foster the transfer and consolidation of stu-dents’ learning, help them develop their world-view andenrich the cultural dimension of their education.

Pedagogical Context

The Visual Arts Classroom:A Dynamic Place

The visual arts classroom is a dynamic place that stimulatescreativity and encourages autonomy. It is a place whererisk-taking is valued and a climate of confidence and respectprevail. Such a place allows students to be open to creation,to express ideas, to exchange points of view, to begin acreative work and to continue it. It has a functional phys-ical layout that is adapted to the requirements of creat-ing and appreciating various works of art. Students haveaccess to quality artistic materials and tools, particularlyfor digital creation, and to a variety of documentaryresources. Additionally, in-class activities are extendedbeyond the confines of the classroom. In order to enablestudents to make contact with their cultural environmentand to become familiar with career possibilities, it is

important for them to have the opportunity to visit cul-tural venues and to be able to participate in activities involv-ing artists and other creators, at school or elsewhere.

Complex and Meaningful Learning Situations

Learning and evaluation situations are rich and mean-ingful, and become increasingly complex as studentsprogress through the cycle. A situation is meaningful tostudents when it involves a stimulus for creation that islikely to touch them and to prompt reflection as well asa commitment to the creative dynamic. It is rich when itinvolves a problem that may have several solutions, andtherefore requires effort to personalize the creative work.It is complex when it requires high-level treatment that,for students, represents a challenge that mobilizes skillsadapted to their psychomotor and cognitive abilities, rel-

evant subject-related knowledge, and attitudes such asopenness, respect and a desire to succeed and to surpassoneself. Meeting this challenge also helps studentsdevelop their self-knowledge and self-esteem.

The Teacher: Guide, Expert, GroupLeader and Cultural Mediator

Visual arts teachers are guides, group leaders and experts,and play an important role in the development of stu-dents’ artistic competencies. They create a climate ofopenness that is conducive to creation and appreciationand fosters individual research and team work. They offerstudents challenges appropriate to their capabilities andencourage them to develop their autonomy and initia-tive. Teachers support and guide students throughouttheir learning and help them discover the importance ofdiscipline in both the creation and appreciation processes.


They use their expertise to support students’ creativework and invite them to personalize the procedures theyuse and their production. Teachers’ expectations of stu-dents are realistic, and when necessary, they suggest analternate course to better help students develop, consol-idate and master their competencies. Teachers focus oneach student’s individuality in order to bring out thewealth of each one’s creative potential.They also help famil-iarize students with the strategies the latter can use todevelop their artistic competencies. Finally, teachers playthe role of cultural mediators3 who are able to conveytheir passion for art and to establish connections betweenthe past and the present or between different branchesof art. In short, teachers must be experts in their subject,familiar with the graphic and artistic development ofadolescents, and open and attentive to the socioaffectiveaspects specific to creating and appreciating works of art.

Students: Active Participants Responsiblefor Their Own Learning

Students are the prime architects of their own education.They demonstrate autonomy and perseverance, and boththeir gestures and material choices attest to a willing-ness to learn and become adept in the technical aspectsof the subject in order to better represent, express andsymbolize their vision of the world. They also pay particu-lar attention to originality and expressiveness by providingauthentic responses. They avoid clichés and stereotypes,and favour elements that reflect their personality andillustrate their uniqueness. Their search for originality mayresult in an innovative response to a stimulus for creationthrough the use of unusual gestures, the imaginative useof visual arts language, etc. Furthermore, their search forexpressiveness may emerge in the spontaneity or inten-sity of the gesture, the dynamism of the treatment, thesensitive use of visual arts language, the intense rela-tionship between the image components, etc.

During their creation and appreciation experiences, stu-dents are asked to record the steps that illustrate theprocesses they used and the results of their experiences.Recording the steps helps students define their methodof learning as well as the strategies and methods theyused. This awareness fosters the transfer of their learn-ing to similar situations or other contexts.

Evaluation as Support for Learning

Evaluation must be considered as a support for learning.This presupposes that all learning situations include asystem of regulation that allows adjustments to be madeto help develop competencies. For this reason, it is moreappropriate to refer to them as learning and evaluationsituations. Regulation can be accomplished by directobservations or observations made using verification, self-evaluation or coevaluation checklists. The use of othertools, such as the electronic portfolio, is recommended torecord more significant creations. Teachers and studentswill be able to see the progression in the students’ com-petencies and, if necessary, adjust the means used toattain the level of development expected by the end ofthe cycle.


3. This expression is adapted from the French passeur culturel, a term coinedby Jean-Michel Zakhartchouk in his book L’enseignant, un passeur culturel,Paris, ESF, 1999.

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4. The transforming gesture, which is in essence a conscious action, is theopposite of the mechanical or dictated gesture and is characterized byits special qualities. Thus, the spontaneous gesture conveys thedynamism of the creative action and gives the image part of its expres-siveness, whereas the specific gesture considers, uses and enhances theproperties and potentiality of the materials. On the other hand, the con-trolled gesture implies mastering the technical aspects that contributeto the quality of the material transformation.


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Creation in visual arts involves giving material form toone’s images using creative imagination and visual think-ing. When this activity is applied to the creation of per-sonal images, students are able to convey their perceptionof reality and to develop their creativity. In this respect,they become more aware of how they use the phases andmovements of the creative dynamic, and thus discovertheir creative power. Rather than stopping at their firstidea, they take the time to consider several possibilities,take notes and produce sketches. They pay particularattention to the impact of the transforming gesture4 onthe construction of meaning. Through experimentation,they develop skills and discover ways of personalizing thesubject material. They are also encouraged to discover andadopt the transforming gestures of electronic creation.

To create personal images, students transform materialsusing various techniques, including information and com-munications technologies. They may choose to use directobservation, their memory of people and things or theirimagination to create an original image. As studentsdevelop their knowledge and skills, they succeed in organ-izing the material and language elements in space in anincreasingly authentic, original and expressive way, bytaking into account their needs and their creative inten-tion. They are also able to step back to ensure that theircreative intention is reflected in the image they are pro-ducing. Sharing their creative experience with others andreflecting on how they proceeded enable students tobetter integrate their learning in order to apply it to othercreative endeavours or to situations of appreciation. Thekey features of the competency combine to form a

Focus of the Competencydynamic movement that manifests itself at various stagesof the creative experience.

The learning and evaluation situations take inspirationfrom the broad areas of learning and are designed tomobilize all the resources of the competency. They usemeaningful, rich and increasingly complex stimuli for cre-ation that take into account students’ graphic and artis-tic development and may give rise to multiple solutions.Students work alone most of time. They transform real orvirtual art materials using a two- or three-dimensionalspace, working from memory, observation or imagination.They have access to quality artistic materials and tools,including those used in electronic creation. They can alsoconsult a diverse range of documentation to enrich theirimages. The creation situations sometimes encourage stu-dents to take advantage of the resources available in theirenvironment, such as artistic venues, artists and artisans,and arts-related events. They frequently reflect on theirexperience, using the notes they recorded in the courseof the creative dynamic. This helps them identify whatthey have learned and the strategies they used.

COMPETENCY 1 Creates personal images

Visual Arts Arts EducationQuébec Education Program

367Chapter 8

Key Features of Competency 1

Evaluation Criteria

End-of-Cycle Outcomes

– Coherent relationship between the stimulus for creation, the development of ideas, the development process and theresult of his/her creation

– Effective use of transforming gestures– Appropriate use of the properties of materials– Personal use of visual arts language– Coherent organization of the image’s components– Authentic production that integrates original and expressive elements– Integration of periods of reflection and review into the creative experience

By the end of Secondary Cycle One, thestudents make conscious and autonomoususe of the creative dynamic most of thetime. Their productions reflect an attentionto authenticity and a search for originalityand expressiveness. They also reflect thedevelopment of students’ social, cultural,affective and cognitive fields of interests.During the creative process, studentsexplore ideas with their classmates andthe teacher, consult documentary sources,produce sketches and define a creativeintention. Furthermore, using two-dimen-sional, three-dimensional, traditional anddigital techniques, students experimentwith the materials they choose with theteacher for their creation, control theirtransforming gestures, make use of theproperties of materials and tools, andexplore the elements of visual artslanguage in a personal way. Theproduction grows out of a coherentorganization of its components. Studentsdescribe and comment on their creativeexperience and identify what they havelearned from it as well as the strategiesand methods they used. They anticipatethe transfer of learning to similar contextsor other subject-specific contexts.

Uses ideas to create a visual arts work

Is open to a stimulus for creation • Is receptive to ideas, images,emotions, sensations and impressions evoked by the stimulus• Keeps a record of his/her ideas • Explores various ways ofconveying creative ideas through images • Chooses ideas andanticipates his/her creative project

Uses transforming gestures and

elements of visual arts language

Experiments with ways of making his/heridea concrete • Makes use of his/hermemory of transforming gestures andknowledge of visual arts language• Chooses the most meaningful gesturesand elements in relation to his/her creativeintention • Perfects methods for usingthese gestures and elements

Organizes his/her visual arts

production

Integrates the result of his/her experiments• Shapes the material and language elements andorganizes them in space • Examines his/her choicesof material and language, as related to his/her cre-ative intention • Makes adjustments based on artis-tic choices • Refines certain elements, if necessary

Shares his/her experience of

visual arts creation

Analyzes his/her creative intention andprogress • Identifies the important elementsof his/her experience and its characteristics• Identifies what he/she has learned andthe methods used

Creates

personal images

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The media image involves communication and implies thepresence of a transmitter who sends a visual messageintended to inform, persuade or entertain a targetedreceiver. It can take various forms—printed, televisual orother productions—and use different techniques as wellas traditional or virtual materials. The quality of the mediaimage depends on the effectiveness of the message,which must be unambiguous and immediately under-stood by the recipient. In a professional setting, an in-depth knowledge of visual codes and the characteristicsof the potential recipients allows media designers toeffectively reach the target audience. For students, creat-ing visual messages addressed to different types of recip-ients is an opportunity to gain awareness of the influencethat media images have on their personal lives, to under-stand the values they aim at promoting and to learn visualcodes and the characteristics of potential recipients thatthey can reuse in new creations.

In order to create media images, students engage in acreative dynamic that is comparable to the one for cre-ating personal works. The difference lies in the commu-nication function of the image, which shapes therepresentation, expression and symbolization accordingto the information to be transmitted to the intendedrecipients. Students begin their media creation experienceby researching the culture of the intended recipients. Theythen identify visual codes that are likely to reach the recip-ients, note several ideas, sketch various hypotheses anddefine their creative intention. The choice and treatmentof the materials—whether traditional or electronic—thenature of the transforming gestures, the use of visual artslanguage and the organization of the work’s components

Focus of the Competencyare based on the message to be conveyed visually to atarget audience. Students must also plan to step back attimes in order to ensure that their media intention isreflected in the image they have created and to validatethe image’s effectiveness with the target audience. Bysharing their experience of media production and reflect-ing on how they proceeded, students integrate their learn-ing and can apply it to other situations of creation andappreciation. The key features of the competency com-bine to form a dynamic movement that manifests itselfat various stages of the creative experience.

The learning and evaluation situations take inspirationfrom the broad areas of learning and are designed tomobilize all the resources of the competency. They usemeaningful, rich and increasingly complex stimuli for cre-ation that take into account students’ graphic and artis-tic development and may give rise to multiple solutions.Students work alone most of time. They transform artmaterials or digital media using a two- or three-dimen-sional space, working from memory, observation or imag-ination. They have access to quality artistic materials andtools, including those used in electronic creation. They arealso able to make use of certain visual codes in order toenhance the effectiveness of their message, and consultdiversified documentation to enrich their images. The cre-ation situations sometimes encourage students to use theresources available in their environment, such as mediavenues, creators and media-related events. They fre-quently reflect on their experience, using the notes theyrecorded in the course of the creative dynamic. This helpsthem identify what they have learned and the strategiesthey used.

COMPETENCY 2 Creates media images



369Chapter 8


Evaluation Criteria


– Coherent relationship between the stimulus for creation, the development of ideas, the shaping and the result ofhis/her creation

– Effective use of transforming gestures– Appropriate use of the properties of materials– Use of visual arts language that integrates visual codes– Effective organization of components in the development of the visual message– Authentic production that integrates original and expressive elements– Integration of periods of reflection and review into the creative experience

By the end of Secondary Cycle One, thestudents make conscious and autonomoususe of the creative dynamic most of thetime. Their productions reflect an attentionto authenticity and a search for originalityand expressiveness. They contain the infor-mation to be communicated and areaddressed to a target audience. During thecreative process, students explore ideaswith their classmates and the teacher,familiarize themselves with the culturalreferences of the intended viewers, consultdocumentary sources and producesketches. Using traditional and digitaltechniques, students experiment withtransforming a variety of materials, controlsome of their transforming gestures, makeuse of the properties of materials andtools, and make use of the elements ofvisual arts language in a personal way.Based on the culture of the intended view-ers and the demands of the information tobe communicated, their productions growout of a coherent organization of theircomponents and integrate visual codesspecific to communication through images.Students describe and comment on theirmedia-creation experience and identifywhat they have learned from it as well asthe strategies and methods they used.They anticipate the transfer of learning tosimilar contexts or other subject-specificcontexts.

Uses ideas to create a media production

Is open to a stimulus for creation • Is receptive to ideas,images, emotions, sensations and impressions evoked by thestimulus • Takes into account the characteristics of the targetaudience • Keeps a record of his/her ideas • Exploresvarious ways of conveying ideas through images andadapting them to the target audience • Chooses ideas andplans a media creation project

Uses transforming gestures and

elements of visual arts language

according to the target audience

Experiments with methods of materializinghis/her ideas • Makes use of his/her memory oftransforming gestures and knowledge of visualarts language • Chooses the most meaningfulgestures and elements in relation to his/hercreative intention • Perfects methods of usingthese gestures and elements to adapt them tothe target audience

Organizes his/her media production

Integrates the result of his/her experiments• Shapes the material and language elements andorganizes them, based on the message to be con-veyed • Validates the media impact of the visualmessage on a control group • Reviews his/herchoices of material and language • Makes adjust-ments • Refines certain elements, if necessary

Shares his/her experience

of media creation

Analyzes his/her creative intention andprogress • Identifies the important elementsof his/her experience and its characteristics• Identifies what he/she has learned and themethods used

Creates

media images

5. The artistic heritage, which is the visual heritage and memory of human-ity, includes works of art and cultural objects that reflect the work ofartists and artisans over the centuries. Although cultural objects wereoften originally utilitarian, they are interesting because of their aestheticqualities, their historical significance and the information they conveyabout the societies in which they originate.


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To appreciate a visual arts production—a work of art ora cultural object from the world’s artistic heritage,5 a per-sonal image or a media image—students must becomeaccustomed to exercising their critical and aestheticresponse. The experience of looking at art and mediaimages and exploring their various meanings enables theformation and expression of a personal judgment. Thisexercise allows students to deepen their self-knowledge,to construct their identity and to open up to other cul-tures. Contact with various artistic creations—be it theirown productions, those of their peers or works from otherperiods or cultures—enables students to develop theirartistic awareness and refine their sensibility to theexpressive, symbolic, technical and aesthetic qualities ofa visual arts production. This contact also enables themto cultivate an interest in viewing works of art and visit-ing cultural sites, and to develop personal appreciationcriteria that will guide their choices so as to help thembecome sensitive and informed viewers.

When students approach a work, an image or a culturalobject from the world’s artistic heritage to analyze it, theyare asked to immerse themselves in it and focus on theiremotional and aesthetic reactions. They identify the com-ponents of the work and its structure, taking into accountthe historical context. They also identify expressive andsymbolic elements that they find meaningful and relatethese to the feelings elicited in them by the work. Theymust also take into account the criteria determinedbeforehand, and use these criteria to support their pointof view. During the entire appreciation process, studentsare encouraged to show respect for the work, for their

Focus of the Competencyclassmates and for their way of looking at the work. Bycomparing their perceptions with those of others, stu-dents develop their understanding and refine their judg-ment. They frequently reflect on their experience, usingthe notes they recorded in the course of their process.Students can thus explain what they have learned aboutthemselves, the works and the artists, and describe themethods they used to learn it.

To appreciate visual arts productions, students take partin activities involving the observation and interpretationof images and objects from different periods, civilizationsand cultures and that belong to varied aesthetic genresand movements. They can also observe their own worksand those of their classmates. This observation is mostoften done in the classroom, but students must also havethe opportunity to visit exhibition sites and to meet withartists in order to have contact with the concrete dimen-sion of works and become familiar with the creativeprocess of artists. In the case of media images, studentsare encouraged to analyze various types of printed, tele-visual and other productions. In all cases, students referto an age-appropriate cultural experience, to the contentof works and productions they have observed and tovisual, audio or electronic documentary sources. They useappreciation criteria that have been determined by thestudents and the teacher. These criteria may relate to thetreatment of the subject or the stimulus for creation, thetransformation of materials, elements of the visual artslanguage, emotions or impressions they have felt, as wellas aspects of the historical context. In the case of mediaproductions, the impact of the message and the means

used to convey it are also considered. Students expresstheir appreciation orally or in writing, and thus demon-strate their ability to acquire pertinent information and theirwillingness to give their appreciation a personal flavour.Sharing their appreciation experience and reflecting ontheir strategies also enable students to become aware oftheir methods of learning, integrate their learning andapply it to other situations of creation or appreciation.

COMPETENCY 3 Appreciates works of art and cultural objects from the world’s artistic heritage,personal images and media images


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Evaluation Criteria


– Coherent relationship between components of the image, what he/she has felt and his/her appreciation of the work– Relevance of the historical aspects identified in the production– Consideration of the appreciation criteria retained– Personal elements in his/her interpretation– Effective use of subject-specific vocabulary to communicate his/her appreciation– Appropriate use of spoken and written language to communicate his/her appreciation

By the end of Secondary Cycle One, stu-dents identify the components of an artis-tic production as well as the symbolic andexpressive elements that move them. Theymake connections between these ele-ments, historical aspects and what theyhave felt. Students develop their interpre-tation of the work, with the goal of com-municating it. Their communication reflectstheir personal interpretation of the workor production, based on previously definedcriteria, additional information found anddiscussions with their classmates and theteacher. Their appreciation incorporatesaspects of the expressive and symbolicqualities of the work, and takes intoaccount the context in which it was pro-duced. Using appropriate subject-specificvocabulary, students describe and com-ment on their appreciation experience andhighlight what they have learned from itas well as the strategies and methods theyused. They show an interest in the com-ments of other students and in the diversityof ethical, aesthetic and critical opinionsexpressed.

Analyzes a work or production

Immerses himself/herself in the work or production and identifies its materialand language elements • Identifies significant elements, based on a varietyof criteria • Identifies historical aspects, if applicable, using availableinformation • Makes connections between these elements

Interprets the meaning of the

work or production

Identifies expressive and symbolicelements and establishes a relationshipwith what he/she felt • Makesconnections between these elements

Makes a critical and aesthetic

judgment

Reviews his/her prior interpretation ofthe work in relation to the historicalcontext • Builds his/her arguments takingcriteria into account and communicateshis/her point of view

Shares his/her appreciation experience

Identifies the important elements of his/herexperience and its characteristics • Identifies whathe/she has learned and the methods used

Appreciates works of art and

cultural objects from the world’s

artistic heritage, personal images

and media images

CREATES

personal images

CREATES

media images

LEARNING CONTENT RELATED TO COMPETENCIES AND TO ELEMENTS COMMON TO ALL ARTS SUBJECTS

VIS

UA

L A

RT

S

APPRECIATESworks of art and cultural

objects from the world’s artisticheritage, personal images

and media images

BASIC

LEARNING

BASIC

LEARNIN

G

BASIC LEARNING

ATTITUDES

CREAT

IVE

DYNAMIC

STIMULI FOR

CREATION

■ STRATEGIES

■ CULTURAL REFERENCES TRANSFORMINGGESTURES

■ MATERIALS

■ TOOLS

■ VISUAL ARTS LANGUAGE

■ VOCABULARY

■ VISUAL ARTS REPERTOIRE

■

372



The program content6 corresponds to all the resourcesthat students integrate in order to create and appreciateworks of art or artistic productions and that they can inde-pendently use in complete, complex and meaningfullearning situations by the end of the cycle. In addition tothe program content listed below, the elements commonto all four subjects presented in the Arts Education sec-tion must be taken into account.


373Chapter 8

Program Content

6. The elements of program content in italics represent new additions tosecondary school content. Elements in normal font serve as a reminderof the essential knowledge acquired in elementary school and may beapplied in secondary school.

Transforming gestures will be explored through the use of techniques such as drawing, painting, collage,engraving, printing, modelling, shaping and assembling, as well as creative use of the computer and itsperipherals. Teachers can enrich this content based on the points of interest and educational needs ofstudents.

Transforming gestures, materials and tools

Freehand drawing

Applying coloured pigments: flatbrushstrokes, varied brushstrokes

Tearing, notching, cutting, snipping

Gluing shapes on a support, flat orin relief

Intaglio printing

Printing

Joining, pinching, hollowing

Folding, creasing, shaping

Assembling, balancing volumes

Digitizing images and objects

Photographing

Saving a digital image

Working on a digital image

Felt pen, pastel and charcoal

Gouache and ink

Paper and cardboard

Glue, paper and cardboard

Soft materials

Various objects with gouache, mono-type with gouache and textured sur-faces

Malleable materials

Paper and cardboard

Paper, cardboard and objects

Electronic pen and graphics tablet,drawing software program

Brush, paintbrush, scriber, drawing pen

Scissors, chisel

Awl

Various objects (sponge, comb, uten-sil, toothbrush, etc.)

Hole cutter, sculpting tool

Scanner

Digital camera

Image processing software programs

Transforming gestures Materials Tools

Strategies

– Use centring techniques to cultivate his/her imag-ination and generate mental images

– Use observation techniques to develop and enrichhis/her perception of people and things

– Use visual memorization techniques to enrich therepresentation in his/her images

– Explore materials to cultivate his/her imaginationand generate mental images

– Use improvised solutions in the event of an unfore-seen incident or a technical difficulty

– Use objective and subjective points of reference inorder to personalize his/her interpretation of avisual arts production


374

The concepts are used together with the transforming gestures when the image is being shaped. Teacherscan enrich this content based on the points of interest and educational needs of students.

Visual arts language (elements) Visual arts language (space)

Shape: figurative, abstract

Line: drawn, painted, incised, tangible

Colours of pigments: primary colours (primary yellow,magenta, cyan), secondary colours (orange, green, violet),warm colours, cool colours, light colours, dark colours

Colours in transmitted light: primary colours (red, green,blue), intensity, contrast

Value: in tone, in colours, in shades

Texture: varied textures

Pattern: varied patterns

Volume: tangible

Spatial organization: enumeration, juxtaposition, super-imposition, repetition, alternation, symmetry, asymmetry

Spatial representation: perspective with overlapping,diminishing perspective

Concepts


The terms below are especially useful to students when they reflect on their creation and appreciation experiences, appreciate works of art or productions andcommunicate their appreciation.


375Chapter 8

Gestures Materials Tools Techniques Visual arts language

Applying coloured pigment

(flat brushstrokes, variedbrushstrokes)

Assembling

Balancing

Cutting

Digitizing

Drawing

Engraving

Freehand drawing

Gluing

Incising

Intaglio printing

Joining

Modelling

Notching

Painting

Photographing

Pinching

Printing

Shaping

Snipping

Tearing

Charcoal

Coloured ink

Dry pastel

Felt pen

Gouache

India ink

Oil pastel

Awl

Brush

Chisel

Digital camera

Drawing pen

Electronic pen

Graphics tablet

Hole cutter

Paintbrush

Scanner

Scissors

Scriber

Sculpting tool

Assembling

Collage

Drawing

Engraving

Modelling

Painting

Printing

Shaping

Elements– Colours in transmitted light: primary colours (red,

green, blue), intensity, contrast– Colours of pigments: primary colours (primary

yellow, cyan, magenta), secondary colours (orange,green, violet), warm colours, cool colours, lightcolours, dark colours

– Shape: figurative, abstract– Line: drawn, painted, incised, tangible

Pattern– Texture– Value: in tone, in colours, in shades– Volume: tangible

Spatial organization– Enumeration, juxtaposition and superimposition– Repetition and alternation– Symmetry and asymmetry

Spatial representation– Perspective with overlapping– Diminishing perspective

Vocabulary


376

Works of art and cultural objects from theworld’s artistic heritage are drawn from the fol-lowing periods: Prehistory, Antiquity, Middle Ages,Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic andContemporary (modern and postmodern move-ments). They may also be media images selectedfrom printed productions (posters, photographs,jackets of compact discs, videocassettes orvideodiscs), television productions (advertising,television show sequences, etc.) or other typesof productions (music videos, cartoons, etc.).Students must also refer to the content of exhi-bitions they have visited or the works of an artistvisiting the school.

Visual arts appreciation repertoire

Visual arts productions

– Students’ productions related to the subject-spe-cific content

– Students’ productions related to the educationalaims of the broad areas of learning

– A minimum of 20 works of art and cultural objectsfrom the world’s artistic heritage, including mediaimages and digital productions

Cultural references are meaningful cultural elements related to visual arts. By using them in the classroom,students enrich their perception and understanding of the world around them. Cultural references enablestudents to make concrete connections with visual arts, to recognize the visual arts in their environment,and to understand the dynamic role of the arts in society. They must be selected according to their role inthe students’ education, and must take into account regional differences and the local community.

Art history: sociocultural context (works of art, cultural objects and media images from Québec culture and othercultures), historical context (works of art, cultural objects and media images from other periods), figures and per-sonalities, etc.

Cultural experiences: contact with artists, media designers, architects, filmmakers, commercial artists, designers,graphic artists, computer graphics designers, artisans, set and costume designers, etc.

Cultural sites: museums (fine arts, architecture, archaeology, ethnography, etc.), art galleries, cultural centres, artists’studios, art schools, heritage sites, etc.

Exhibitions: works of art and cultural objects from the world’s artistic heritage, fine crafts, photographs, comic strips,animated films, etc.

Artistic events: shows, film festivals, etc.

Careers related to visual arts: artist, media designer, designer, architect, photographer, filmmaker, television pro-ducer, videographer, graphic artist, computer graphics artist, art critic, art historian, illustrator, comic strip artist, artisan,art teacher, museum curator, conservation and restoration technician for art works and objects, museum educator, etc.

Media: books, magazines, reproductions, slides, films, videocassettes, videodiscs, compact discs, Web sites, multi-media shows, posters, invitations to art gallery openings, print and television advertising, music videos, etc.

Works from the visual arts repertoire: see the section Visual arts appreciation repertoire.

Cultural references


377Chapter 8

Allard, Michel and Bernard Lefebvre (ed.). Musée, culture et education. Montréal:MultiMondes, 2000.

Arnheim, Rudolf. La pensée visuelle. Paris: Flammarion, 1976.

Boughton, D., E. Eisner and J. Ligtvoet (ed.). Evaluating and Assessing the Visual Arts inEducation. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University, 1996.

Choko, Marc H. L’affiche au Québec: Des origines à nos jours. Montréal: Éditions del’Homme.

Couture, Francine (ed.). Les arts visuels au Québec dans les années soixante: La recon-naissance de la modernité, Montréal: VLB, 1993.

———. Les arts visuels au Québec dans les années soixante: L’éclatement du modernisme.Montréal: VLB, 1993.

De Meredieu, Florence. Histoire matérielle et immatérielle de l’art moderne. Paris: Bordas,1994.

Duborgel, Bruno. Imaginaire et pédagogie: De l’iconoclasme à la culture des songes. Paris:Le Sourire qui mord, 1976.

Gagnon-Bourget, Francine and France Joyal (ed.). L’enseignement des arts plastiques:Recherches, théories et pratiques. Toronto: Canadian Society for Education ThroughArt, 2000.

Gaillot, Bernard-André. Arts plastiques. Éléments d’une didactique-critique. (CollectionL’Éducateur). Paris: PUF, 1997.

Gardner, Howard. Gribouillages et dessins d’enfants. Brussels: Pierre Mardaga, 1980.

Gervereau, Laurent. Voir, comprendre, analyser les images. 3rd edition. Paris: Découverte(Repères), 2000.

Girard, Francine. Apprécier l’œuvre d’art: Un guide. Montréal: Éditions de l’Homme, 1995.

Gosselin, Pierre. Un modèle de la dynamique du cours optimal d’arts plastiques au secon-daire. Montréal: Faculté des sciences de l’éducation, Université de Montréal, 1993.

Grauer, Kit and Rita Irwin (ed.). Readings in Canadian Art Education. Boucherville:Canadian Society for Education Through Art, 1997.

Joly, Martine. L’image et les signes. Approche sémiologique de l’image fixe. Paris: Nathan,1994.

Julien, Louise and Lise Santerre (ed.). L’apport de la culture à l’éducation. Articles fromthe “Culture et communication” seminar held within the scope of the May 2000 con-ference of the Association francophone pour le savoir (ACFAS). Montréal: ÉditionsNouvelles, Culture et Communications Québec, 2001.

Kindler, Anna (ed.). Child Development in Art. Virginia: National Art Education Association,1997.

Lagoutte, Daniel (ed.). Les arts plastiques: Contenus, enjeux et finalités. Paris: ArmandColin, 1990.

Lemerise, Suzanne and Monique Richard (ed.). Les arts plastiques à l’école. Montréal:Logiques, 1998.

Levy, Pierre. La machine Univers: Création, cognition et culture informatique. Paris:Découverte, 1987.

Minot, Françoise. Quand l’image se fait publicitaire: Approche théorique,méthodologique et pratique. (Collection Audiovisuel et communication). Paris:L’Harmattan, 2001.

Poissant, Louise (ed.). Esthétique des arts médiatiques, Volume 1. Sainte-Foy: PUQ, 1995.

———. Esthétique des arts médiatiques, Volume 2. Sainte-Foy: PUQ, 1995.

Popelard, Marie-Dominique. Ce que fait l’art. (Collection Philosophies). Paris: PUF, 2002.

Sacca, Elizabeth J. and Enid Zimmerman (ed.). Women Art Educators IV. Her Stories, OurStories, Future Stories. Boucherville: Canadian Society for Education Through Art, 1998.

Saint-Martin, Fernande. Sémiologie du langage visuel. Montréal: Presses de l’Universitédu Québec, 1987.

Bibliography

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