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Student Research (MUSE)

artwork on brick that makes it look like a hose is spraying water.

MUSE is an undergraduate research program where students spend eight weeks in residence at The College of New Jersey during the summer, conducting research or engaging in creative activity in mentored collaboration with TCNJ faculty. MUSE students are involved with intensive research with world class faculty. In addition to receiving invaluable experience working directly with faculty, students receive a monetary stipend and housing during the course of the 8 week summer session.

MUSE 2014

During the summer of 2014, an art education student, Amanda Intili, participated in two MUSE projects titled, Arts Integration: Exploring Contemporary Art and Big Ideas, with Dr. LaJevic. The first project focused on pre-service art teachers’ experiences working with underserved populations, and explored how art teacher training programs, such as TCNJ, can provide art opportunities to New Jersey communities. The second project continued to explore fresh curricular approaches in art education and promote an awareness of contemporary art. Amanda assisted Matthew Pembleton (a NJ art teacher) and Dr. LaJevic in designing an engaging curricular idea inspired by Robin Rhode, a South African contemporary performance artist, where K-12 students interact with static chalk drawings in order to perform and document re-imagined worlds. Amanda also worked with Kelsey Long (an art teacher) and Dr. LaJevic in investigating the curricular possibilities of documentation in the art classroom, and researched Sophie Calle, a French conceptual artist who combines performance and photography to investigate the themes of identity and intimacy in lives of others. The research studies were presented at both the Art Educators of New Jersey (AENJ) and National Art Education Association (NAEA) annual conference and published as scholarly articles in art education journals and magazines.

Scholarly Outcomes: Publications

Intili, A., Pembleton, M. & LaJevic, L. (2005). Defying reality: Performing re-Imagined worlds. Art Education, 68(3), 40-46.

LaJevic, Lisa & Intil, Amanda. (2014). Meaningful artmaking for all. 6ArtBeat Magazine.

Scholarly Outcomes: Conference Presentations

LaJevic, L. & Intili, A. (2014) “Responding to an Art Education Crisis.” Paper presented at the Art Educators of New Jersey (AENJ) Conference, Long Branch, NJ.

LaJevic, L. & Intili, A. (2015) “Responding to an Art Education Crisis.” Paper presented at the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Convention, New Orleans, LA.

MUSE 2014 Intili

MUSE 2012

During the summer of 2012, three art education students, Matthew Pembleton, Gabe Randazzo, and Kelsey Long participated in a MUSE research study titled, Exploring Contemporary Art in Art Education, with Dr. LaJevic. The project was designed to promote an awareness of contemporary art in the K-12 schools and establish fresh curricular approaches that challenge the traditional boundaries of art education by promoting student understandings of art, world, and self. Matthew focused on performance art and the role of the body as the medium in artmaking, and researched Erwin Wurm’s one-minute sculptures. Focusing on reverse graffiti, an ecological reductive artmaking process by removing dirt from a surface, Gabe integrated ecology with artmaking and devised interdisciplinary K-12 lesson ideas. He investigated Moose and related ecological themes. Kelsey investigated the concept of documentation as art and related artists such as Sophie Calle. The research studies were presented at both the Art Educators of New Jersey (AENJ) and National Art Education Association (NAEA) annual conference and published as scholarly articles in art education journals and magazines.

Scholarly Outcomes:  Publications

Pembleton, M. & LaJevic, L. (2014). Living sculptures: Performance art in the classroom. Art Education, 67(4), 40-46.

Randazzo, G. & LaJevic, L. (2013). Cleaning our world through reverse graffiti. Art Education, 66(5), 37-43.

LaJevic, L., Long, K., Pembleton, M., & Randazzo, G. (2012). Teaching with contemporary art: Exploring Rhode, Calle, and Moose. Artbeat, 4, 24-25.

Scholarly Outcomes: Conference Presentations

LaJevic, L. & Randazzo, G. (2012). “Teaching about ecology through contemporary art.” Paper presented at the Art Educators of New Jersey (AENJ), New Brunswick, NJ.

LaJevic, L., Long, K., & Pembleton, M. (22012).  “Exploring contemporary artists: Lesson ideas for the art classroom.” Paper presented at the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Conference, New York City, NY.

MUSE 2012 Living Sculptures

 

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