Discipline-Based Art Education; A Reflection

Bryan D. Luci
2018-20024

I. Summary

Art does not only begin with imitation, but with discipline. Truly art may take us to
various ideas and concepts to discover. Then if we will go to put it into practice we will
discover more details about it. Some may find it pleasurable while doing the arts, but for
some the more you are doing it and so are there are always discoveries. For example,
in Mathematics learning how to add numbers is just one part of the four fundamental
operations that you need to master to be able to do well in your future math related
subjects. Same as in arts like for an instance in painting a beautiful subject you need to
join it with history. Whereas it shows that there is a relationship to every subject. In that
way, many scholars and art educators are discovering an effective and integrated way
for teaching arts. For we must teach in order, after the right framework for us to
reassure that the learning of every student is deep-rooted and not just giving an
overwhelming emphasis on Western art. In doing the reformations for the art education
one theoretical approach is rising it is named as DBAE or Discipline-Based Art
Education. DBAE is a comprehensive approach to art education that draws upon four
foundational art disciplines for its instructional content: art production, art history, art
criticism, and aesthetics (Dobbs 1992). According to this handbook written by Stephen
Mark Dobbs (1992), DBAE is a theoretical approach rather than a curriculum.

The emerging needs of American students about arts pushed the author to
research the proper way of dealing with the students inside the art classroom. According
to Dobbs, this DBAE handbook is an outcome of the need to subsistence the literature
and instructional materials that already exist. The discussion then suggests that the four
art disciplines will be strictly followed. First, in art production, the creative production of
new works of art involves the active manipulation of selected materials using various
techniques that elicit the desired visual effects (Dobbs 1992). Artists create an artwork
that possesses an ability to convey strong emotional messages and employing
techniques that will bring out the artists ideas. Second is the art history, one can hold in
high regard an art object because of having a right background of it. This second
discipline will take us to another level of understanding of both aesthetic qualities and
values that artwork carries across time. The third discipline deals more about in
cultivating the students’ ability to look at art, also it will help each student
to provide multiple interpretations and make critical judgments of an art. The last
discipline tackles aesthetics that says each art has a unique feature where it gives us an
extraordinary experience of the subject. To be able to reflect upon that experience of art,
its impact and meaning wrapped-up these four disciplines. Another insight that the
author is suggesting is the involvement of the community to the process. Better
resources in teaching art are given an emphasis, the accuracy of its use and the short
background of it is contributing to the said approach. Proper instruction about the
teaching of art is one consistent rationale in achieving valid and high-quality learning in
the subject area. In like manner, the competent teachers of art are the backbone
of DBAE.

Another article that talks about the practice of DBAE approach in enhancing the
skills of gifted preschoolers are discussed. The said study gives emphasis to the
changes that occurred after the implementation of the DBAE approach. The researcher
allotted ample time in doing the study including the ways of data collection and
interpretation. There are several recommendations propose like: (1) Design a
curriculum that targets skills a child is expected to learn; therefore, Art must be
considered as important as other subjects. It should be appreciated and not be allowed
as simply curriculum fills. (2) Organize a committee which will study learning areas
where DBAE can be integrated with the preschool curriculum; (3) Implement programs
that will help children discover their gifts (Defeo-Baquial 2008, p. 13). However,
the DBAE approach is also good to use for the whole basic education. There are a lot
of scholars who had a desire to uncover how to enhance the performance of gifted
students. To engross the students’ desire in many things the researcher then found that
a good art program is highly beneficial to exceptional children because art is one of the
fields where giftedness can be nurtured (Defeo-Baquial 2008). In doing arts it targets all
of the developmental domains such as the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. In that
way, we can assure that the students are not just growing but learning appropriately.
Another factor is also suggested by the writer, DBAE approach in teaching arts
may provide the students different opportunities to explore different materials or medium
upon creating arts. Thus, it also suggests that the teacher must play a big role in
incorporating the said framework together with the basic education curriculum for the art
education in the Philippines. According to Defeo-Baquial (2008), one good way
to achieve the advancement of integration is to train teachers on how the art subject can
be effectively taught, especially to young learners. However, for further developments of
the DBAE approach future studies are suggested.

In the light of the discussion about the DBAE approach, another paper is
discussing how to study the Philippine traditional crafts using the DBAE approach. The
visual arts are art forms such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking,
design, and crafts (Reynolds & Tzanidaki 2011). If we will explore the broad fields of art
we will find that they are seemly studied using the right framework, which is the DBAE.
This third paper’s concentration is on the study of Philippine traditional crafts and how it
should be part of the students’ lessons. From the evolution of crafts here in the
Philippines up to how it could affect the perception of the students pertaining arts.
For example, one cannot tell someone that he is a friend if they are not having any
connection. Same as merely explaining that crafts is part of arts and not expounding it.
No one can teach you anything worth learning but through manual labor
(Icasiano 2009). As one part of the four foundational disciplines of DBAE, art
production can be more meaningful if one will work for his artistic masterpiece. Another
room for multiculturalism is discussed in this paper, as the researcher did not only give
emphasis on Philippine crafts but also for Southeast Asia wide. Because the researcher
tries to open our minds that visual arts is not limited only to paintings but it also involves
crafts where it brings many traditions and culture to the present time. According
to Icasiano (2009) aside from the benefits that the study of crafts offers using the four
foundational disciplines it may also be noted that through crafts the student
can heighten his or her understanding of the communities that serve as cradles of crafts
traditions by direct contact with these crafts and the dynamics involved in their
production. In that way, the learning takes place in direct hand and not remediated by a
secondary source. According to a study from Reynolds et., al (2011) the students can
express deep respect for artistic traditions and took pride in preserving and teaching
traditional skills and designs if they will undergo to a particular framework in art
education. DBAE in crafts is one good approach to use for the betterment
of understanding and a better appreciation of cultural backgrounds of Philippine crafts.

II. Analysis and Reflection

Based on the information given from the three selected readings DBAE is clearly
explained. The papers then give well-founded results; each paper has their own attempt
which the authors pursued very well. Aside from the information’s that each readings
providing the writer seeks help for the further studies about the approach because there
is a little some valid studies and researches that is found about the DBAE.

Discipline-Based Art Education is a systematic theoretical approach that we can

apply and integrate with our art education curriculum. There is a clarification
that DBAE is a theoretical approach rather than a curriculum (Dobbs 1998). However,
the foundational discipline should be integrated together to achieve a quality learning in
art education.

The curriculum should be based primarily on knowledge because literally

acquiring knowledge helps students to remember how information, solve complex
problems and improve their rational thinking. Same as the arts, before producing an
artwork the student’s first need to know the history, the techniques in creating art and
deriving explanation based on his personal judgments of an artwork. Moreover, one
should not stop by just having knowledge about a particular artwork. There should be a
balance among the four foundational disciplines.

Given the contents of DBAE has the four discipline as the approach, there is also
a proper target for its context. (1) District-wide adoption, the Philippine educational
system is consists of a systematic body of officers who govern each region. Each office
must properly adopt the approach. (2) Systematic, regular instruction is said as the
cornerstone in achieving valid results. (3) Administrative support, bring it to the public
and private schools there is always an admin who can give their support and play a role
in linking the approach and the community. (4) Art education expertise, it is pertaining
to every teacher that is equipped with the right knowledge for teaching art education. (5)
Evaluation, it is very crucial because it will dictate whether the approach is
facilitated well and the students are yearning to the approach. (6) The community
resource, this involves the other personnel and establishments to provide the right art
experience which the teacher cannot supply by just staying inside the classroom. Such
a resource should be coordinated with the DBAE approach, thereby reinforcing and
adding rich dimensions not otherwise available within the school (Dobbs 1992).
Since DBAE is not a curriculum, the Philippines only based the art curriculum in it. The
needs to carry out it concretely are arising, as an educator, the implementation starts
with us. Allotting time to integrate it and making sure that it will be part of the lesson plan
is the best basic way to correct the wrong connotations about arts. Strong patriotism,
culture sensitivity, and art appropriation will be developed to the students. Thus, the
students are also provided by activities that will give them opportunities to enjoy and
learn.

Information’s are obtained because of the three readings of the DBAE approach.
I have known and I have heard this approach several times before, but I got the chance
to contemplate it more. There are several incidents reported about arts, like the misused
t’nalak the indigenous fabric that originates from the T’boli tribe, the misconceptions
about the ukkil patterns of Mindanao, the so much commercialized costumes
of katutubos in Ifugao. There is an answer to the said problems and that is through
Discipline-Based Art Education. Because of the studies about DBAE, there is a high
chance that this must be taking arts into another level of improvement. Art education
here in the Philippines may be improved and not just be filler to the curriculum.
Arts must be part of the major subjects because it is playing an integral role to
everyone’s being.
 References

Defeo-Baquial, C.M., (2008). Enhancing artistic skills of gifted preschoolers through

discipline-based art education. Master’s thesis. University of the Philippines.

Dobbs, S. M., (1998). The DBAE handbook; an overview of discipline-based art

education. LA, California: Getty Publications.

Icasiano, C. E., (2009). Philippine traditional crafts in discipline-based education: a new

prospect. Asian Studies Journal, Vol. 45. Nos. 1-2, Academia.edu.

Reynolds, F. & Tzanidaki, D. (2011). Exploring the meanings of making traditional arts
and crafts among older women in crete, using interpretative phenomenological
analysis, Retrived from http://journals.sagepub.com