Global Perspectives in Art Education: Ms. Land’s Academic Residency in Japan

Andrea Land recently returned from academic work in Japan, pursuing educational experiences related to professional development and curriculum development.  While on-site in Tokyo, Ms. Land presented Wilson’s Lascaux Cave Unit at the Japanese Association of Art Education (JAAEd) Research Conference at Waseda University on March 15, 2026.  Entitled Forward-Thinking Artifacts:  Prehistoric Art for Preschoolers (and beyond), her presentation included methodologies for engaging students through innovative practices (the sensory experience), experiential learning processes, and cultural perspectives.  The opportunity to engage, share, and learn from a diverse group of educators on an international level was extraordinary.  This included keynote speaker Ke Leng, Program Coordinator at the Division of Culture Policies and Development for UNESCO, based in Paris, France, who shared the importance of education as the foundation for peace and sustainable development.  Ms. Land also connected and will be collaborating with Dr. Masaya Fujita from Okayama University to research art education practices relating to both the Japanese and American cultures.  During her time in Tokyo, she visited and toured Fuji Kindergarten (internationally recognized for its circular, open-plan architecture and forward-thinking educational practices), observed classes at Kodomo International School, and participated in a children’s workshop at Fuchu Art Museum.  Research in curriculum development included investigating the works of renowned ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo (Hokusai: Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji) and the Sumida Hokusai Museum, as well as architectural studies of works by Tadao Ando, Ryue Nishizawa, and Kazuyo Sejima.  The above detailed studies will enable greater enrichment of our Japanese art and culture unit with a specific focus on drawing, printmaking, architecture, and sculpture.

Additionally, as the recipient of the Japan America Society of St. Louis Scholarship, Ms. Land conducted research and field work onsite on Sado Island.  Her investigations related to the environment and sustainable practices, co-existence between humans and animals - specifically the Japanese crested ibis (toki).  She carefully observed the toki both in captivity and in the wild (a critically endangered bird species, once considered extinct in the wild) and interviewed specialists in the field.  Her conversations with Yoko Kondo (former Ranger with the Ministry of the Environment) and Fumi Oyama (photojournalist focusing on the toki) explored the story of the toki and changes in human behavior to assist in saving the species.  Sixth-grade students at Wilson have already begun to study the aesthetics and environmental conditions related to the crested ibis through imagery, documentary clips, detailed drawings, and clay sculptures.  Plans are also in progress to implement an extension of Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots educational program/animal club at Wilson School for the 2026 - 2027 school year.