What is distinctive about art and design as a subject in secondary schools? What contribution does it make to the wider curriculum? How can art and design develop the agency of young people? "Understanding Art Education" examines the theory and practice of helping young people learn in and beyond the secondary classroom. It provides guidance and stimulation for ways of thinking about art and design when preparing to teach and provides a framework within which teachers can locate their own experiences and beliefs. Designed to complement the core textbook "Learning to Teach Art and Design in the Secondary School", which offers pragmatic approaches for trainee and newly-qualified teachers, this book suggests ways in which art and design teachers can engage reflexively with their continuing practice. Experts in the field explore: the histories of art and design education and their relationship to wider social and cultural developments; creativity as a foundation for learning; engaging with contemporary practice in partnership with external agencies; the role of assessment in evaluating creative and collaborative practices; interdisciplinary approaches to art and design; and, developing dialogue as a means to address citizenship and global issues in art and design education. "Understanding Art Education" will be of interest to all students and practising teachers, particularly those studying at M Level, as well as teacher educators, and researchers who wish to reflect on their identity as an artist and teacher, and the ways in which the subject can inform and contribute to education and society more widely.