Invoking the Microcosm

This presentation offers a multi-faceted approach towards awareness of and tolerance for our differences and commonalities through the Arts in Society humanities courses for non-art majors and foundation courses in art and art education. In order to accept personal responsibility for social issues, students must be experientially engaged. It is vital to connect ideas to context through active responses that are aesthetic in nature. Students need to have the opportunity to practice what we preach: critical, creative avenues for promoting ethics, diversity and a global perspective. The visual arts draw us into the interpretive act, which honors and showcases multiple viewpoints. One common curricular mission is to teach students creative problem solving skills and a global perspective on the evolving world community. How do we instill a sense of responsibility in these diverse students at the beginning of their academic career? Our panel will focus on exemplary lesson plans designed to impact student lives, and ultimately their audiences as well. In our colloquium we propose a panel discussion on a multi-faceted approach towards global awareness and sense of responsibility. Our panel will present exemplary projects for both non-art majors (future audiences) and art majors (future artists as well as art educators). Following this, we will facilitate an exchange of insights and interpretive responses for promoting the experience of diversity within the classroom, with an eye towards cross-disciplinary efforts.