1. ISSUES IN ART EDUCATION AND ART TEACHER TRAINING IN TURKEY Prof. Dr. Vedat Özsoy Dean Faculty of Fine Arts TOBB University of Economics and Technology Ankara-Turkey

22. What Kind of Art Education and Art Teacher Training in the 21st Century Arts language is universal. Arts can go beyond the language borders of different countries. Someone who does not know Turkish history can easily comprehend what the functions of “Anıtkabir (Atatürk’s Mausoleum)” and Topkapı Palace while visiting these places, or what happens in the painting of Osman Hamdi called “Gun Merchant” The folkloric dance of Artvin region or the language of movements in the ballet “Lake Swan” can be understood all over the world and spectators do not need oral explanation.

23. By saying “The power , ruling people’s lives and performance is creativity and ability to invent”, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk somehow emphasized the necessity of developing these human abilities. To achieve this, education programs must cover art. It is known that art education is the pioneer of disciplines that develop creativity. By saying “Imagination is more important than information”, Einstein reminds the importance of improving imagery design, which is one of the basic objects of arts education.

24. Up to now, in many countries including Türkiye the understanding of art education which is based on creativity, ability and studio applications has forced art instructors into inertia. Art instructors at schools who choose the children or teenagers whom they find creative or skillful have preferred to deal with these students only. They have always got prepared for art galleries, arranged competitions, and educational training activities only with these select students. One of the fundamental problems which such a system brings is the prevalence of the idea that art education is only a skills training to enhance creativity.

25. Teachers and parents at schools, therefore also students, are of the belief that art classes are held only for students who are skillful; therefore, they believe these classes cannot concern everyone at the same rate. Undoubtedly, the enduring insensitivity and indifference of authorities responsible for education and other authorities has great influence on this situation.

26. Rather than developing students abilities on just one branch of art, visual art lessons should be arranged in such content that provide students with the behavior that they can improve their creativity and their ability to creation, activate all their artistic directions, gain the ability of critical thinking, develop aesthetic awareness, and claim both their own and other countries’ cultural heritage. Visual arts teachers should be trained with this approach. The realization of this will be possible with adequate support and separation of time to both theoretical and practical lessons about art teaching in visual arts teacher training programs.

27. Art curricula should be prepared by the methods of auctions to private entities and holding organized competitions in an understanding of decentralized way for the pre-school, primary and secondary education and for vocational and non-formal education. Relevant organizations, especially universities should support the visual arts training programs in a way which is purified from daily policies and relationships of mutual interests. It is mandatory that intelligent, talented and creative students who will be able to learn both the art teaching theories developed by scientific efforts and their applications should be trained. Such an interaction can also be beneficial for the world peace.

28. Every one of the art education programs will enable individuals to become aware of their artistic talents, which will uncover their creativity skills. These programs will also help them expertise their skills, give aesthetic sensibility, teach respect for human rights and freedoms, raise awareness about their duties and responsibilities, provide an emphatic way of thinking which presents their own and other cultures’ art. In addition, these education programs, teaching how to claim cultural values which has become universal and improving visual literacy, will help lead a happy and peaceful life.

29. It is a reality that art education develops students’ artistic talents; however, this is only one of the aims. It is within the scope of art education that children and the young develop their artistic skills via formal education, and individuals belonging to various age groups do this via informal education. It is essential that especially each individual at the first stage of training get artistic education in order to obtain the expected behavior. Hence, there will be an increase in the number of individuals who have aesthetic sensibility, and are tactful polite respectful fair.

30. It is necessary that art education be given in a well-prepared program which includes life-long learning principles to be given to people from all ages with any kinds of personalities in consideration to their capacities and levels. This education should be given to people not to waste their spare time but to develop their creativity and abilities via public training centers, pensioners’ house, art center regions, art galleries and museums.

31. Consequently, art education helps people develop their non verbal thinking skills, perception, and imagination, thinking and acting creatively. Art education, which is effective for people to discipline themselves, has also components for the other main subjects, and it is also developed and motivated through communication skills that are compulsory for the language and logical mathematical thinking. Moreover, art education is of great importance to develop societal skills and consciousness.

32. Thank you for your interest and attantion !