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Professor Douglas Boughton named 2017 National Higher Education Art Educator

March 30, 2017

Doug Boughton

NIU’s Doug Boughton has added another national recognition to his growing list of accolades for his leadership and excellence in art education. This month, the National Art Education Association (NAEA) named him the 2017 National Higher Education Art Educator.

The prestigious award – determined through a peer review of nominations – recognizes the exemplary contributions, service and achievements of one outstanding member annually at the national level within their division. The award was presented at the NAEA National Convention in New York this month. NAEA is the professional association for art educators.

“Douglas Boughton exemplifies the highly qualified art educators active in education today: leaders, teachers, students, scholars and advocates who give their best to their students and the profession,” said NAEA President Patricia Franklin.

Boughton is regarded as a world leader in the advocacy of “visual culture” curriculum for art education. He was previously named the 2015 Illinois Higher Education Art Educator of the Year. His research interests include assessment of student learning in art, portfolio assessment and art curriculum policy.

Boughton’s reputation as a world leader comes in part from his service in significant international leadership roles as World President of the International Society for Education through Art (InSEA), Chief Examiner in Visual Arts for the International Baccalaureate Organization, Foundation Director of the National Art Education Research Council of the Australian Institute of Art Education, and Consulting Professor in Art Education to the Institute of Education in Hong Kong.

He is a member of the Council for Policy Studies in Art Education (USA), is a Distinguished Fellow of the National Art Education Association (NAEA), and an honorary life member of the Australian Institute of Art Education (now Art Education Australia) and the South Australian Visual Arts Education Association. In 1997 he won the Studies in Art Education Invited Lecture Award for consistent contributions through published literature to the direction and scope of the profession, and in 2006 he won the USSEA Edwin Ziegfeld Award for his outstanding contribution to international art education.

In addition to Boughton’s recognition, a current NIU student and a recent alumnus were honored at the convention this month, as well:

Deborah Filbin received the Carrie Nordlund Award. Filbin is a current doctoral student in the Art Education program.

Jonathan Grice received the Regional Supervision / Administration Art Educator Award. Grice received his bachelor of art in art education from NIU, and is currently Director of Fine Arts at Adlai E. Stevenson High School. This is the second major award for Grice during the 2016-17 school year. In October, he was named 2016 Art Administrator of the Year by the Illinois Art Education Association.