RIAMCO

Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Collections Online

For Participating Institutions

Rhode Island School of Design. Department of Teaching + Learning in Art + Design External Projects records (08.09.01)

Rhode Island School of Design Archives

Rhode Island School of Design Archives
Fleet Library at RISD
2 College Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-709-5922
Fax: 401-709-5932
email: risdarchives@risd.edu

Historical note

Administrative History

RISD began its graduate program in 1957 with Art Education, a one year curriculum expanded to two years in 1992. The school has changed degrees over the years awarding the MS, 1958-1963, MFA, 1964-1966, MAE, 1973-1993, and MA, 1994-2017. In 1964, RISD created the one year Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program, modeled on the undergraduate program, for students seeking their art teaching certification. The department offered a three year summer Master of Art Education program for teachers, 1973-1995. Reflecting the end of the undergraduate program, the Division of Teacher Education became a department under the Division of Graduate Studies in 1973.

Project New Directions, created 1994, was a for-credit professional development program for arts educators from Rhode Island schools attended week long summer academies and single day workshops with the objectives to develop and support arts education in Rhode Island, created and hosted by TLAD. Funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) and the Health and Education Leadership for Providence (HELP) Coalition. National and state level advisors, including artists and arts educators, supported RISD’s administrative staff of Paul Sproll (Project Director), John Chamberlin (Associate Project Director), Carole Villucci (Assistant Director), and Barbara Pichette (Project Coordinator).

Project Open Door, 2005-2017, partners TLAD with Providence School District to develop robust arts curricula and provide after-school programming for students at low-performing schools. The program began informally with Feinstein High School, and expanded to a collaboration with Hope High School and others in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket. Funding for Project Open Door has been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Rhode Island Foundation. Administrative staff from RISD, Paul Sproll (Project Director) and Lauren Allen (Associate Director), work alongside PSD superintendents, educators, and artists.

  • Normal Art, 1908-1932
  • Teacher Training, 1932-1940
  • Education, 1940-1946
  • Division of Teacher Education, 1946-1952
  • Office of Teacher Education, 1952-1956
  • Division of Teacher Education, 1956-1973
  • Teacher Education, 1973-1992
  • Art Education, 1992-2003
  • Art and Design Education, 2003-2008
  • Teaching + Learning in Art + Design, 2008-2017