Against the "Coverage" Mentality: Rethinking Learning Outcomes and the Core Curriculum

Abstract

This article proposes a revised way of approaching the learning outcomes of introductory courses in Art History and Art Appreciation. Taking into account disciplinary complexities, this article argues that instructors can improve student learning by focusing on "understanding" and "application" (the second and third levels of the revised Bloom's Taxonomy pyramid) rather than "remembering" (the bottom level). The article argues that focusing on student understanding and application of ideas rather than memorization can improve the value of introductory courses both for art history and for the core curricula that these courses often serve.