The Long Shadow of Peer Review on the Preparation of Artist Educators

Abstract

The recruitment and retention of the highest-quality artist educators in colleges and universities is a key element in supporting strong K–12 arts education programs. Artist educators must be expert in at least two disciplines: their art forms and education. However, the peer review processes commonly employed to recommend higher education faculty members for tenure or promotion are sometimes not well suited to evaluate the work of faculty members whose work spans multiple disciplines. This discussion addresses the functions and implementations of peer review, epistemology, arts-based educational research, academic traditions and disciplinary cultures, and invisibility. Issues specific to the review of interdisciplinary work are also discussed. Recommendations address peer review policies, fostering critical mass in scholarly communities, and academic culture.

Keywords:

• arts-based research
• arts education
• multidisciplinarity
• teacher education
• tenure