Section 3: Overview and Exam Framework
TX PACT: Art: Early Childhood–Grade 12 (778)
Exam Overview
| Exam Name | TX PACT: Art: Early Childhood–Grade 12 |
|---|---|
| Exam Code | 778 |
| Time | 3 hours and 15 minutes total appointment time
|
| Number of Questions | 125 selected-response questions |
| Format | Computer-administered test (CAT) |
The TX PACT: Art: Early Childhood–Grade 12 (778) exam is designed to assess whether a test taker has demonstrated the requisite knowledge and skills for admission to an educator preparation program. The 125 selected-response questions are based on the Art: Early Childhood–Grade 12 exam framework. Questions on this exam range from grades Early Childhood–Grade 12. Your final scaled score will be based only on scored questions.
Domains and Competencies
| Domain | Domain Title | Approx. Percentage of Exam |
|---|---|---|
| I | Foundations of Art: Elements and Principles | 11% |
| II | Art Media, Tools, Technologies, Techniques, and Processes | 33% |
| III | Visual Arts in Historical and Cultural Contexts | 33% |
| IV | Aesthetics and Art Criticism | 12% |
| V | Connecting the Visual Arts to Other Disciplines | 11% |
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table above.
The content covered by this exam is organized into broad areas of content called domains. Each domain covers one or more of the standards for this field. Within each domain, the content is further defined by a set of competencies. Each competency is composed of two major parts:
- The competency statement, which broadly defines what an individual should know and be able to do in order to perform effectively in a Texas-approved educator preparation program.
- The descriptive statements, which describe in greater detail the knowledge and skills eligible for testing.
Domain I—Foundations of Art: Elements and Principles
Competency 001—Understand the elements of art.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the elements of art (i.e., color, line, shape, form, texture, value, space).
- Analyze how the elements of art have been used to achieve specific effects or communicate ideas in given works of art.
- Compare and contrast ways in which the elements of art are used in two different artworks.
- Analyze the characteristics and qualities of the elements of art in a given work of art.
Competency 002—Understand the principles of design.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of design (e.g., balance, contrast, unity, variety, emphasis, harmony, repetition, rhythm, pattern, movement).
- Analyze how principles of design are used to achieve specific effects or communicate ideas in a given work of art.
- Compare and contrast how principles of design have been used in two different artworks.
Domain II—Art Media, Tools, Technologies, Techniques, and Processes
Competency 003—Understand media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes used in drawing.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in drawing.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in drawing.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given drawing.
- Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in the creation of drawings.
Competency 004—Understand media, tools, technolgies, techniques, and processes used in painting.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in painting.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in painting.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given painting.
- Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in the creation of paintings.
Competency 005—Understand media, tools, technolgies, techniques, and processes used in printmaking.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in printmaking.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in printmaking.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given print.
- Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in the creation of prints.
Competency 006—Understand media, tools, technolgies, techniques, and processes used in sculpture.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in sculpture.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in sculpture.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given work of sculpture.
- Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in the creation of sculpture.
Competency 007—Understand media, tools, technolgies, techniques, and processes used in photography, video/film art, multimedia arts, and design arts.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in photography, video/film art, multimedia arts, and design arts.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in photography, video/film art, multimedia arts, and design arts.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given work of photography, video/film art, multimedia arts, and design arts.
- Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in photography, video/film art, multimedia arts, and design arts.
Competency 008—Understand media, tools, technolgies, techniques, and processes used in functional arts, such as ceramics, fiber arts, and jewelry.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various media, tools, and technologies employed in functional arts, such as ceramics, fiber arts, and jewelry.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics and uses of various techniques and processes employed in functional arts, such as ceramics, fiber arts, and jewelry.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the selection of particular media, tools, technologies, techniques, and processes affects meaning or expression in any given work of functional arts, such as ceramics, fiber arts, and jewelry.
- Demonstrate knowledge of safety and the proper use and care of media, tools, and technologies used in functional arts, such as ceramics, fiber arts, and jewelry.
Domain III—Visual Arts in Historical and Cultural Contexts
Competency 009—Understand the purposes and functions of art in cultures and societies throughout history.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the purposes and functions of art in various cultures of Africa, the Near East, and the Middle East from ancient times to the present.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the purposes and functions of art in various cultures of Asia and Oceania from ancient times to the present.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the purposes and functions of art in various cultures of Central and South America from ancient times to the present.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the purposes and functions of art in various cultures of Europe from ancient times to the present.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the purposes and functions of art in various cultures of North America from ancient times to the present.
Competency 010—Undertsand how works of art and architecture relate to their historical context (e.g., cultural, political, social, religous, technological).
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of how works of art and architecture from various cultures of Africa, the Near East, and the Middle East from ancient times to the present relate to their historical context.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how works of art and architecture from various cultures of Asia and Oceania from ancient times to the present relate to their historical context.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how works of art and architecture from various cultures of Central and South America from ancient times to the present relate to their historical context.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how works of art and architecture from various cultures of Europe from ancient times to the present relate to their historical context.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how works of art and architecture from various cultures of North America from ancient times to the present relate to their historical context.
Competency 011—Understand how art from various cultures and historical periods influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of how art from various cultures of Africa, the Near East, and the Middle East from ancient times to the present influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how art from various cultures of Asia and Oceania from ancient times to the present influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how art from various cultures of Central and South America from ancient times to the present influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how art from various cultures of Europe from ancient times to the present influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how art from various cultures of North America from ancient times to the present influenced and was influenced by art from other cultures and historical periods.
Competency 012—Understand the distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures of Africa, the Near East, and the Middle East from ancient times to the present.
- Demonstrate knowledge of distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures of Asia and Oceania from ancient times to the present.
- Demonstrate knowledge of distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures of Central and South America from ancient times to the present.
- Demonstrate knowledge of distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures of Europe from ancient times to the present.
- Demonstrate knowledge of distinguishing characteristics of art from various cultures of North America from ancient times to the present.
Competency 013—Understand similarities and differences among art forms or artworks from various cultures and historical periods.
For example:
- Analyze the similarities and differences in how the elements and principles of art are used in artworks from various cultures and historical periods.
- Analyze the similarities and differences in how tools, media, techniques, and processes are used in artworks from various cultures and historical periods.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how similar themes or subjects have been treated by artists from various cultures or historical periods.
- Compare and contrast the use of visual symbols in artworks from various cultures and historical periods.
Competency 014—Understand ways in which visual images may influence current cultural and societal issues.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which the works of contemporary artists reflect, play a role in, and influence present-day culture.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which visual images shape worldwide responses to societal developments or historical events.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which visual images in popular media and advertising influence culture and society.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which cultural and social ideas, themes, and concepts (e.g., individual identity, community, power, authority, feminism, environmentalism) are reflected in works of art.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which changes in culture and society have influenced how viewers respond to given works of art.
Domain IV—Aesthetics and Art Criticism
Competency 015—Understand aesthetic concepts.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate vocabulary used in aesthetic responses.
- Demonstrate knowledge of aesthetic concepts and processes in addressing aesthetic questions.
Competency 016—Understand critical analysis and interpretation of artworks.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate vocabulary used in art criticism.
- Apply critical processes to describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate works of art.
Domain V—Connecting the Visual Arts to Other Disciplines
Competency 017—Understand connections between visual arts and other disciplines.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of how ideas, themes, and concepts in the visual arts are expressed in other arts disciplines (i.e., dance, music, theater).
- Analyze how developments in visual arts and other arts disciplines have influenced each other throughout history.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which the visual arts and other arts disciplines may be combined to express ideas or themes.
- Analyze ways in which concepts and themes in other disciplines (e.g., language arts, math, science, social studies) have been explored through the visual arts.
- Analyze how developments in the visual arts and other disciplines have influenced each other throughout history.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which the visual arts and other disciplines may be combined to express ideas or themes.
Competency 018—Understand careers and opportunities for lifelong learning in the visual arts.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the innovative thinking and creative problem solving used in various arts-related careers.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how career skills taught in the arts (e.g., teamwork, use of technology, communication skills) are essential in the global economy.
- Demonstrate an understanding of career opportunities in the visual arts.
- Identify the skills and preparation required for careers in the visual arts.
- Recognize how various professions require creative thinking skills developed through the study of visual art (e.g., medicine, law, urban planning, environmental design).
- Recognize opportunities for lifelong learning and expression through the visual arts.
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