교육과정의 실현은 결국 교사의 몫이다. 교육내용이 학생들에게 의미 있게 전달되기 위해서는 그것에 대한 교사들의 공감과 가치 발견이 전제된다. 미술과 교육은 예술적인 특성에 따른 비구조화 교과 내용, 그리고 구체적인 교육 내용과 교수방법에 대한 지침을 안내해주지 못하는 교과서 시스템을 갖고 있다. 그러므로 미술과 교육은 그 어느 교과보다도 가르치는 내용과 수준이 교사에 의해 크게 좌우되는 교과로 ‘교육의 질은 교사의 질을 능가할 수 없다’는 절대진리에 대면하게 된다.
In this study, I raise two research questions as follows, and investigate the cognitive aspects of contemporary art through a qualitative method: 1. Before taking the course of the contemporary art, how much do the pre-service elementary teachers comprehend the phenomena of contemporary art? I saw their ignorance on the contemporary art, the lack of its education in school, the lack of pre-service teachers' awareness of the absence of cultural activities but I saw their potential curiosity of the contemporary art. 2. After taking the course, how do their cognitive aspects of the contemporary art manifest themselves? I found the complex cognitive aspects: the acceptances or hesitations of the contemporary art, the development of cognitive flexibility and artistic thinking, the reflection on Art and Art Education, the self-reflection and so on. Through the approach to the contemporary art phenomena, the pre-service elementary teachers could improve the comprehensions on the artistic creation, develop their competence to critique and research, open their mind and gain tolerance for diversity. In addition, they showed higher sensibility and self-efficacy toward Art Education. Therefore, this study suggests the importance of the comprehensions on the contemporary art in the pre-service teachers' training course.