Concept of Art Education: Developing Aesthetic Sensibility, Social and Situational Awareness

This article explains the concept of art education for students in public schools. Conventionally, art education has made its mark in various institution or public school that directs towards skill-based creativity. This causes many of the students in public school unable to understand and to express the materials of art education in accordance with the objective expected by the government. This issue arises due to the teachers' poor grasp of the concept of art education. This research is done through qualitative approach by explanation method. Object of research is the concept of art learning in public schools located in West Sumatera. The observation's locations are SMA Semen Padang, SMA Negeri4 Padang, SMA Negeri4 Payakumbuh, SMA Negeri 14 Padang and SMA Negeri 1 Painan. Data is collected through observation, interview, literature study and documentation. The validation of data is done by discussion among colleagues and triangulation. Analysis is adopted from Miles and Huberman model by reducing and providing data to conclude it through verification. The research results shows that some of the teachers have poor grasp on the concept of art education and they tend to focus their teaching more on skills. This reality hindered the process of learning and teaching that results in students becoming mere audience in their art classes. It is important to expose teachers to aesthetic sensibility, as well as situational awareness and social sensibility.