Mapping as a tool for understanding the proceedings of an art class

This article presents a visual documentation tool for the observation of art classes. The documentation of an art class, like the documentation of any active class, is a complex task that requires focusing on clearly designated components. Quick structured sketching, as proposed here, is able to reflect varied simultaneous activities of teachers and students within specific learning environments, and enables triangulation with the customary means of documentation. The observations took place in 21 primary school and junior high art classes and the findings enabled the characterization of three different approaches implemented by the teachers.