Abstract:

This paper examines the dynamics of art in the light of J. Mezirow's Transforming Learning theory. The approach also draws on the ideas of the Frankfurt School of Aesthetics and Dewey's point of view on art in education Project Zero’s ideas form Harvard School of Education are also being utilized.

In general, an educational technique of observing artwork, will be presented. The main focus of the paper is to deepen on the idea that the thoughtful way of "reading"/observing an artwork helps the learner to confront his established perceptions and to "re-see" the grid of his habits mind. The aim of the technique is the realization from the half of the observer, that there is not only one (personal) truth to interpret the world. This educational technique has already been applied to groups of adult learners and has been a subject of action research study for Hellenic Open university students.

Targets to be pursued:
-the recognition that rational discourse can be triggered in certain ways through the process of observing artworks.
-the recognition that observation of artworks can be a dynamic part of transformative process as theorist Mezirow put it.
The technique’s name is NART (Notice, Accept, Reconsider my Truths) and it’s developed in four stages.
For each stage, specific actions are envisaged by the educator and specific activities are implemented by each student and his classmates. Τhe educator sets a set of questions that gradually lead the observer of an artwork to realize that interpretations are multidimensional, facile, unexpected and refreshing. The means for this awareness is the activation of critical thinking through rational discourse.

Below some indicative questions for each stage are presented:
Notice
1) Take a good look of the work of art. Which observation does not match with your own aesthetic perception? Focus on the basic theme of the artwork. It might be a social event, a moment of history, a personal assumption of the artist about life, etc. Do your own assumptions differ from those of the artist?
Accept
1) What kind of emotions is appearing a)as you discover the "strange" technical aspects of the artwork, b) as you discover that your assumption is not precisely consistent with those of the artist?

Reconsider
1) Focus on the basic theme of this work of art. Describe this issue as best you can What assumptions alleges?
2) Study those assumptions as opposed to your own. What similarities and what differences can you identify?
3) In what ways your opinion seems to be similar/or opposite to the others?
“Truth”
-How did your personal experiences in life contribute to your differentiation between the positions / values / opinions of the others?

In the full paper text, the analytical process of NART as well as theoretical foundation are settled for all stages An analytical example of the technique is implemented based on the observation of a particular artwork about immigration. The technique has been applied in adult education field and has been developed through action research method.

Keywords:

Transformative learning theory, observation of art works, educational technique, adult education, critical thinking, reflective thinking rational descource.