Jennifer Eiserman, PhD
PhD in Art Education with Specialization in Museum Education Werklund School of Education University of Calgary, CanadaMA in Education Through The Arts Faculty of Education McGill Univeristy
Areas of Research
My research in cultural diversity has examined the way that aesthetic values of Chinese Canadians have influenced Canadian contemporary art practice. Currently I am initiating an examination of contemporary Jewish Canadian art with my colleague Dr. Janet Blatter. The purpose of these studies is to expand the canon of Canadian Art beyond the Anglo-Franco Canadian boundaries that have defined it, to understand the rich kaleidoscope of aesthetic traditions that inform contemporary art in our country. The understandings that the research provides can then be applied to the development of inclusive art curriculum at all levels of formal education and in contexts of informal learning.
This research has explored the unique aesthetic properties of digital art and the ways these properties have affected the practices of this artform.
This work has been the result of a long term collaboration with teacher of gifted middle school students, Heather Lai. We have been exploring the ways that integrated arts projects can provide gifted students with unique entry into math and science, addressing their special needs. This work has been informed by the pedagogical approaches of Reggio Emilia and by Dabrowski's theories regarding giftedness.
My studio practice involves the creation of mixed media works that are responses to sacred Jewish texts. Through crochet and watercolour painting, installation and public art projects, I explore issues related to Jewish theology, philosophy and identity.
Supervising degrees
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Working with this supervisor
I am looking for students who who are interested in investigating the ways that different cultures function, where "culture" is broadly defined as "the attitudes and behaviour characteristic of a particular ... group" (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com). Thus, culture can refer to the attitudes and behaviours of a group of people, but might also refer to the culture of an artform, or an academic discipline. While my research does not currently focus on museum studies, I have a continued interest in this area that I remain current in through my teaching in the Museum and Heritage Studies program. I would be interested in supervising candidates working in museum education, visitor studies, and exhibition design. I value collaborative practice and would welcome candidates who might want to participate in one of my research projects.
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