Islamic Art Studies

Islamic Art Studies

Evaluation and Optimization of Miniature Painting Education in the Undergraduate Curriculum of Handicrafts

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohieddin Aghadavoudi 1
Khashayar Ghazizadeh 2
Mohammad Hassan Mirza Mohammadi 3
1 PhD graduate, Analytical-Comparative History of Islamic Art, Shahed University, Tehran. Iran
2 Assistant Professor,, Islamic arts Department, Faculty of Arts, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran.Iran
10.22034/ias.2022.237832.1289
Abstract
Iranian painting, as a cultural heritage and a symbolic and spiritual asset, requires effective and appropriate educational conditions. This research aims to examine the role of miniature painting in the higher education of traditional arts, evaluate the challenges facing the miniature painting course, and propose solutions for its enhancement within the undergraduate curriculum of handicrafts.   The authors have employed a comparative approach to analyze this course alongside others within the higher education system, enriching the findings. The summary of these findings indicates that the current state of the miniature painting course is inadequate for several reasons. These include a mismatch between the allocated time and the course objectives, overly extensive content that combines both illumination and miniature painting, a lack of emphasis on the crucial topic of design, weaknesses in course description writing, and misaligned assessment methods with the course goals.  Another significant issue is the excessive parallel efforts that separate miniature painting and illumination from handicrafts, along with the overall low priority of this course in the undergraduate handicrafts curriculum. To address these shortcomings, the research presents suggestions and solutions for improving the course or potentially replacing it with a more suitable option that aligns with the program's objectives. These recommendations are structured coherently as a revised course description and a preliminary proposal.
Research Objectives:

To identify the challenges of miniature painting education in the undergraduate handicrafts curriculum.
To propose solutions and recommendations for enhancing the current situation.

Research Questions:

What are the strengths, weaknesses, and inefficiencies of the miniature painting course in the undergraduate handicrafts curriculum (according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology)?
What suggestions and solutions can improve the current state of miniature painting education in the undergraduate handicrafts curriculum?

 
Keywords
Curriculum
Undergraduate Handicrafts
Miniature Painting Education
Optimization
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