Graduate research in art education at the University of Florida is providing a unique and vital connection between teaching and research through practice based examples from the UF Art Education graduate candidates. Online discussions, from our graduates that reside all over the county, of research articles, noting their methodologies, limitations and results provides a diverse community of art education practitioner researchers. The development and execution of a Capstone proposal and Final project offers concrete examples of how research can inform teaching.

Art education research in our online program and the inherent connection to teaching establishes a valuable environment for educational research from unique local context in an accessible and global world. The online research class broadens students’ concepts of research, helps them become better teachers, builds a community of diverse researchers, and offers local experiences in a global context and builds mentoring and leadership skills. Graduate candidates because of their research efforts have positive experiences incorporating research results into their art teaching as well as developing leadership roles in their communities.