미술교육이 학습자의 즐거운 체험을 바탕으로 하는 유희(遊戱)나 놀이의 차원과 연관된 논의에서 벗어나, 사회의 갈등과 분열을 치유하고 비판적 시각을 통해서 세계를 볼 수 있는 능력을 기를 수 있도록 하는 사회재건주의 사상이1) 국내?외 문화예술교육의 지형 변동에서 논의의 출발점으로 설정하는 것에 시대적 정당성을 내포하고 있다. 2010년 국립미술교육학회(National Art Education Association)의 학술심포지움 주제로 제시된 “미술교육과 사회 정의(Art Education and Social Justice)”는 미술교육이 표현활동 위주의 놀이의 수단으로 여기는 근대적 시각에 대해 질문하면서 학습자가 서 있는 환경 속에서 사회 정의에 기여하는 측면과 역할, 그리고 사회적 책무성에 관한 쟁점들을 제기하고 있다.
The modern paradigm of art education that focused on the creative-self expressionism is questioned and the social responsibility in art education is raised in the context of Korean art education. Cultural art education that began in early 2000 has played the most important role in social function. This study explores the social function of art education based on Social Reconstruction in relation to cultural art education in Korea. First, this study investigates on the myth of art education that has prevailed in modern art education in Korea as well as the West in order to discuss the discourse of social reconstruction art education. The belief of creative-self expressionism is related to the paradigm of modern art, mystification, and originality. Second, this paper explores the social background of the social reconstruction as a consequence of the Second World War in the U.S. Exhibitions, art critics, and school art education were focused on the prevailing the status of the nation in the international society. Third, the theoretical background of social reconstruction is discussed with a focus on the thoughts of John Dewey. Dewey's philosophy on art, education, and community influenced multicultural art education. In particular, a multicultural and a social reconstructionist approach emphasizes the heighten personal ability of critical literacy and provides a critical eye towards the world in which we live. Finally, this study examines cultural art education in Korea based on the investigation of a social reconstruction perspective. Cultural art education (that has been practiced by the government for 10 years) is discussed in terms of the current status and a theoretical framework.