Annotated Bibliography

Adams, J. (2005). Room 13 and the contemporary practice of artist-learners. Studies In

Art Education: A Journal Of Issues And Research In Art Education, 47(1), 23-33.

Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Adams (2005) researched a Scottish elementary school’s student managed and

artist supervised art group known as Room 13. He observed the methods of teaching

contemporary art to elementary aged students, and argued for the development of

contemporary and collaborative methods of teaching art in other schools. The research

question was: Why should teachers and artists challenge the traditional treatment of art in

the education system and instead create contemporary, student-guided, and cooperative

models of art education based off the system created in Room 13? The research design is

qualitative.

Adams called for a resistance to traditional notions surrounding the dissemination

of art in schools. His observations of Room 13 showed this space to be a perfect example

of resisting tradition, as its curriculum focused on the distinct inclusion of contemporary

art. Adams described this art group as consisting of independent, student-guided

experiences that avoided conventional, overly-structured curriculum. Labeling teachers

and students as artists added to the unique environment. Along with the encouragement

of autonomous art creation, Room 13 also encouraged artist collaboration and discussion.

Student work addressed contemporary global issues; one example being a child’s work

that focused on the World Trade Center attacks that was displayed at the Tate Modern in

London. Adams concluded that Room 13 emphasized the value and importance of

having a separate, designated space to create legitimate artwork.

This research is important to teachers and administrators because it provides a

concrete example of contemporary art practice in a specific elementary school. The

article also shares the effective nature of contemporary art experiences, as well as the

relevancy of creating collaborative, community art spaces in schools.

Chang, E. (2012). Art trek: Looking at art with young children. International Journal Of

Education Through Art, 8(2), 151-167. doi: 10.1386/eta.8.2.151_1

Chang (2012) discussed the educational benefits of art museum visits for

elementary art students, since this experiential experience is often not provided to

elementary students. She emphasized that teachers can create valuable learning

experiences by providing students with a concrete opportunity to view and discuss the

work of artists. The research question was: How can teachers create meaningful

experiences when visiting art museums? The research type was qualitative.

Chang observed Art Trek, a museum program for children from age five to

fifteen, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York that teaches about

artwork from different cultures, styles, and time periods. Along with five pre-service art

teachers, she observed fifteen children from ages five to nine during an ‘Inside and

Outside’ themed program. The students experienced a range of artwork meant to

increase their observation of indoor and outdoor spaces including: the architecture of the

museum, the Charles Engelhard Court room, images of Versailles, and the Japanese

gallery. Interaction and conversation were encouraged, and the visit provided students

with the opportunity to observe, listen, discuss, question, play, and create. Information

was collected primarily through observation and interviews. She found that creating

meaningful museum art experiences involved the encouragement of: (a) exploration, (b)

active listening, (c) engagement through play, (d) observation of realistic and simple

artwork, (e) student artistic creation, and (f) parental support. She concluded that

creating and observing artwork in museums during the beginning years of artistic

development should be important aspects of elementary art curriculum. Programs like Art

Trek provide engaging, interactive experiences in museums that allow children to explore

and construct their own knowledge and understanding of art.

This research is important for teachers and administrators because it shows how

art museum visits increase student engagement and comprehension of art. Educational

museum programs that allow students to meaningfully view and interact with original

works of art demonstrate the value of giving young students the opportunity to look at

and discuss artwork.

Edens, K., & Potter, E. (2007). The relationship of drawing and mathematical problem

solving: "Draw for math" tasks. Studies In Art Education: A Journal Of Issues

And Research In Art Education, 48(3), 282-298. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Edens and Potter (2007) examined the relationship between spatial

comprehension and problem solving skills in mathematics by studying the drawings and

math performance of students in fourth and fifth grade. They argued that integrating

visual and spatial thinking across disciplines has academic value, since art has been

shown to enhance academic success, student motivation, and cognitive growth. The

primary research questions were: Is there a relationship between spatial comprehension

and the problem solving performance of students, and does drawing when solving math

problems enhance performance? The research design was correlational.

Edens and Potter conducted their research in an elementary school art class with

214 fourth and fifth grade participants. Students were asked to complete a drawing task

and solve mathematical problems that required student created drawings to support

completion. The researchers evaluated the spatial understanding and the schematic (i.e.,

proportional detail) or non-schematic (i.e., non-proportional detail) drawing format of the

students. Using cognitive developmental researcher Case’s study on conceptual

structures, spatial understanding levels were measured by examining the drawing

prompts. Problem solving performance was measured by the accuracy of numerical

answers. The findings demonstrated a significant correlation between spatial

comprehension and the use of schematic drawings in students’ mathematical problem

solving performance. The researchers concluded that the study showed the value of art

education in developing spatial and proportional abilities, encouraging art and multiple-

subject teachers to utilize drawing activities to support mathematics.

This research is important for teachers and administrators because it demonstrates

the value of interdisciplinary learning, specifically between visual art and math. It

provides empirical confirmation that art can encourage student development of spatial

skills and proportional thinking.

Grant, A., Hutchinson, K., Hornsby, D., & Brooke, S. (2008). Creative pedagogies: "Art-

full" reading and writing. English Teaching: Practice And Critique, 7(1), 57-72.

Retrieved from

https://education.waikato.ac.nz/research/files/etpc/2008v7n1art4.pdf

Grant, Hutchinson, Hornsby, and Brooke (2008) researched the methods and

effects of connecting art with reading and writing content in Australian schools. They

introduced elementary teachers to a variety of classroom activities in a professional

development program that combined visual arts, literature, writing, music, performance

art, and crafts. The research question was: What influence do the arts have on student

reading and writing? The research type was qualitative.

The researchers and elementary school teachers collaborated throughout the

study. Three teachers were observed and interviewed in kindergarten, fifth grade and

sixth grade over the course of an entire year. These teachers attended four professional

development workshops on integrating the arts with literature. The teachers developed

activities around the theme of lifecycles, and the lessons integrated visual art and drama

with the reading of a text and written responses. The qualitative data compiled included:

(a) observations, (b) student work samples, (c) teacher and student interviews, and (d)

classroom video and photographic data. The researchers concluded that student

comprehension of reading and writing was enhanced through arts integration. They also

found that professional support and modeled projects improved the possibility of the

teachers prioritizing the arts in the curriculum.

This research is important to teachers and administrators because it shows the

benefits of supporting reading and writing lessons with the arts. It also demonstrates the

value of providing teachers with professional development workshops to encourage

interdisciplinary connections with the arts.

Hallam, J., Gupta, M., & Lee, H. (2008). An exploration of primary school teachers'

understanding of art and the place of art in the primary school curriculum.

Curriculum Journal, 19(4), 269-281. doi: 10.1080/09585170802509856

Hallam, Gupta, and Lee (2008) examined the links between elementary school

curriculum and the lack of expressive development in students’ drawings. They argued

for the integration of the arts in school curriculum, and emphasized that students should

be taught to combine skill and expression when creating artwork. The research question

was: How is the lack of expressive development in elementary artwork influenced by

curriculum and teaching practices? The research design was qualitative.

The researchers addressed previous research in developmental psychology that

noted a decrease in the growth of expressive drawings in elementary school. They

wanted to pinpoint the factors that influenced this decline in expressive development by

examining educational policy. The researchers interviewed ten different teachers from

two different elementary schools in kindergarten, first, fourth and sixth grade. The art

specialist at each school was also interviewed, in order to gain insight into the role of art

in the curriculum. The interviews were between 40 minutes to an hour long and

addressed: (a) teacher training, (b) national curriculum, (c) art and the school curriculum,

and (d) teaching and evaluation of art. The researchers analyzed the interviews by

following a Foucauldian discourse model that focused on the use of language and

meaning derived from the discussions. The analysis showed that teachers view art as: (a)

skills-based, (b) expressive, and (c) connected to other disciplines. The teachers

considered the acquisition of skills to be the most important aspect of art curriculum. The

inclusion of art across disciplines did give it academic value, but the academic goals of

other disciplines were put before artistic expression. Three issues were identified: (a) the

lack of appreciation for art, (b) the gap between curriculum and actual teaching, and (c)

the emphasis on only skills in art curriculum. The researchers found that these issues can

be resolved by increasing the value and time dedicated to art in curriculum, as well as

balancing the emphasis on skills and expression in students’ artwork.

This research is valuable to teachers and administrators because it emphasizes the

importance of appreciating and including art in school curriculum. It demonstrates the

value of creating an equal balance between skills and expression in the art classroom.

Herne, S. (2005). Download: Postcards home contemporary art and new technology in

the primary school. International Journal Of Art And Design Education, 24(1), 5-

19. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-8070.2005.00419.x

Herne (2005) studied a contemporary education project for elementary students

implemented at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London. He addressed the validity of

encouraging contemporary art experiences with elementary aged students, since this topic

is widely debated in the art community. His research question was: Can contemporary

art be meaningfully applied to elementary school art curriculum? The research design

was qualitative.

The contemporary artist Laurie Long worked with two groups of fourth grade

students from an inner city North London elementary school at a contemporary art

gallery. She led a lesson that required students to create a postcard depicting an image

that had meaning to them, where they could explore and create their personal identities.

The students constructed their artwork using photography, scanning, digital media, text,

and printing. They worked independently for most of the project, splitting their time

between computers and literacy activities. The data were collected through observation,

interviews, and images of student artwork. Herne concluded that the students achieved a

valuable relationship with contemporary art through this relevant art experience. Student

growth was perceived in technology, literacy, and writing skills, through the

implementation of group discussions, listening activities, and presentations. The

students’ comprehension of the significance of contemporary, artistic creation led to their

personal and creative growth.

This research is important to teachers and administrators because it demonstrates

the value and meaning that can be derived from contemporary art experiences in the

elementary art room.

Inwood, H. (2010). Shades of green: Growing environmentalism through art

education. Art Education, 63(6), 33-38. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Inwood (2010) demonstrated the value of combining art and environmental

education to encourage an awareness of environmental issues. She created a research

team in Canada that studied the development of eco-art curriculum. The research

questions were: How can elementary teachers provide valuable eco-art classroom

experiences and what support do they need to achieve success? The research type was

collaborative action research.

The research team consisted of Inwood, a university-based art teacher, and four

multiple-subject elementary teachers who worked with kindergarten to sixth grade

students. They collaboratively planned, taught, observed, and reflected upon the

ecological art curriculum for one school year. Various shades of green were used to

describe the depth of environmental concepts reached in each lesson: lighter shades of

green touched briefly on the subject, while darker shades addressed environmentalism in

a variety of meaningful ways. By facilitating, documenting, and analyzing the creation

and completion of eco-art education lessons, Inwood found some important factors

relating to curriculum development. These included: (a) eco-art learning does not require

extensive art training, (b) art can be easily linked to environmental issues, and (c)

collaborative staff support results in successful integration. Inwood concluded that

incorporating art and the environment in school curriculum results in deeper and more

complex environmental learning experiences.

This research is important for teachers and administrators because it provides

concrete experiences that show the value of art integration in schools, particularly in art

and environmental education.

La Porte, A. M., Speirs, P., & Young, B. (2008). Art curriculum influences: A national

survey. Studies In Art Education, 49(4), 358-370. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

La Porte, Speirs, and Young (2008) studied the influence of various factors on the

curriculum taught by K-12 art teachers in the United States. They were specifically

interested in the implementation of contemporary art theories in course content. The

research questions were: Does content acquired in higher education influence curriculum

taught by K-12 art teachers, and do art teachers teach what they were taught in school?

The research design was mixed-methods.

The study selected a sample of 436 K-12 art teachers from 42 states who had

taught for one to seven years. Teachers were selected in the early stages of their career

based on the idea that they would be more likely than aged teachers to have received

contemporary art education in college. The teachers were given a survey with primarily

quantitative questions, as well as a few open-ended qualitative questions regarding the

influences of curriculum choices. Some limitations were the: (a) size of the study, (b)

sample of participants, (c) question interpretations, and (d) survey tool. The findings

found five common curriculum themes: (a) multicultural, (b) identity and issues, (c) art

disciplines, (d) modern and postmodern art history, and (e) graphics and visual culture.

Factors found to influence these curriculum themes were: (a) college coursework, (b)

national and state standards, (c) personal interests, and (d) student needs. The researchers

concluded that teachers often do teach what they learned in school; however, the

strongest curriculum influence was what they knew and felt comfortable teaching. In

addition, they found a shift from traditional Western art history to modern and

contemporary themes in curriculum.

This study is important to administrators and teachers because it demonstrates the

value of providing art teachers with a contemporary art background in teacher preparation

programs. It also shares a variety of applicable art themes teachers could use in the art

classroom.

Lynch, P. (2007). Making meaning many ways: An exploratory look at integrating the

arts with classroom curriculum. Art Education, 60(4), 33-38. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Lynch (2007) studied an interdisciplinary arts integration program at a public

magnet arts school in the United States. The study was her response to the need for more

research on the influence of interdisciplinary arts on learning. The research questions

were: What are the components of an arts integrated lesson and how can these lessons

create meaning through art activities? The research type was qualitative.

Lynch observed students in third through fifth grade over four weeks at an urban,

elementary magnet arts school. The school utilized arts integrated lessons to enhance

student achievement, communication, motivation, and self-assurance. Her qualitative

study was supported by student and staff interviews, class observations, and student

artwork. She discovered that arts integration demonstrated that: (a) learning can be fun,

(b) the arts naturally support other disciplines, (c) mistakes and risk-taking can be

valuable learning tools, and (d) multiple meanings for comprehension can be constructed.

The only limitation of arts integration was having the time to effectively plan and teach

lessons. She concluded that combining the arts with other disciplines provides

meaningful support to learning. In addition, she emphasized that every child can benefit

from the use of the arts to enhance and support the content of multiple disciplines.

This study is valuable to teachers and administrators because it provides evidence

of the academic benefits of arts integration. It also encourages the use of the arts to

create meaningful change in traditional curriculum.

Marshall, J. (2006). Substantive art integration = exemplary art education. Art Education,

59(6), 17-24. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Marshall (2006) emphasized a need for new approaches to teach art in elementary

school called substantive art integration. Her research demonstrated applicable ways to

incorporate art across disciplines by focusing on contemporary art, constructivism, and

inquiry-based art experiences in the curriculum. The research questions were: How and

why should teachers create a substantive integrated art curriculum? The research type

was theoretical.

Marshall described a five lesson unit for upper elementary or middle school

students that was developed as a model for a teacher training course. The theme

connected art, science, mythology, and storytelling. Throughout the lessons the students

drew and wrote stories about hybrid, mythological creatures they created. The lessons

were found to encourage: (a) a connection between disciplines, (b) active student

participation, (c) the construction of knowledge through art, (d) contemporary art

connections, and (e) the growth of art skills. Marshall concluded that supporting

substantive art integration requires extensive, imaginative curriculum development. The

progress of a successful integrative classroom experience involved the support of

contemporary art and the combination of a variety of academic elements and principles.

This research is important to teachers and administrators because it emphasizes

the importance of creating academic, contemporary connections across disciplines in the

art room.

Marshall, J. (2010). Five ways to integrate: Using strategies from contemporary art. Art

Education, 63(3), 13-19. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Marshall (2010) focused on the importance of relating art to other subject areas in

the education system. She clearly outlined five strategies influenced by contemporary art

that could be used to create links between art and other disciplines. Two research

questions were addressed in this article: Why is art integration important and how can

teachers of all age groups connect art to other academic subjects? The research design

was theoretical.

Marshall argued that interdisciplinary study enhances student learning and

understanding of essential subjects. Influenced by contemporary theory and the

development of meaning through artistic manipulation, Marshall explained five strategies

inspired by contemporary art that teachers could utilize in multiple subjects. She

practiced these methods in her own classroom. The first strategy involved depicting

subject matter through observation: a technique that can especially be relevant in science

and social studies. Some examples included: (a) sculpting planets in astronomy, (b)

rendering images of plants in botany, and (c) creating images inspired by ancient

mythology. The second strategy incorporated predicting and projecting the possible

outcomes of an idea or theory. Some applicable lessons included inventing ideas for new

technology that would help the world and imagining how creatures may evolve to survive

in an extreme environment on another planet. The third strategy focused on reformatting

a previous idea or topic, in order to create new meaning and comprehension. Relevant

lessons involved creating a geographical map of ones emotions and depicting a trip

around the brain in the format of a postcard. Mimicry was the fourth strategy that

emphasized radically copying the techniques or tools used in other disciplines to create

an authentic experience of the discipline. This included imitating a botanist’s studies

before drawing a plant and mimicking an anthropologist by photographing what their

peers consider to be hip. The final strategy, metaphor, focused on creating symbolic,

visual connections between disciplines through comparisons. Students worked with this

technique by focusing on a familiar subject and combining it with the natural sciences:

depicting their family as the solar system and their community as a cell. Marshall

concluded that all these strategies provide an exemplary means to include art across

disciplines in a contemporary format.

These strategies are important to art and multiple-subject teachers because they

show artistic innovations that not only focused on formal technique, but also conceptual

understanding. The article also provides concrete examples of art integration techniques

across disciplines.

Mason, C. Y., & Steedly, K. S. (2006). Lessons and rubrics for arts

integration. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 3(1). Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Mason and Steedly (2006) argued that rubrics can assist teachers in many ways,

specifically when measuring the impact of connecting art to other disciplines. Examples

of lessons and rubrics were provided across age levels and disciplines from five different

sites. The research question was: Can rubrics help determine the impact of arts

integration on student learning? The research method was qualitative.

While researching the influence of the arts on students with disabilities, the VSA

arts organization’s background studies determined that rubrics may be able to encourage

arts integration and help teachers understand the impact of this integration on students.

Research was compiled by studying examples of student work, implementing discussions

and surveys of participants, and interpreting scored rubrics. Three grades and lessons

were analyzed: (a) using clay with social studies and science in third to fifth grade, (b)

creating literature circle worksheets in fourth grade, and (c) using acting/pantomime to

teach vocabulary and communication in a class of students who are deaf or hearing

impaired. All the teachers in the study found rubrics to be helpful in assessing student

comprehension, as well as in organizing and enacting the actual art activity. The study

concluded that rubrics provided a considerable influence in arts integrated lessons and

that they enhanced: (a) student comprehension, (b) teacher planning and execution of

lessons, (c) student self-assessment, and (d) cooperation between artists and teachers.

Arts integration itself was found to influence student motivation and comprehension of

the discipline being studied.

This research is important to teachers and administrators because it shows the

value of incorporating art in other disciplines with the support of a rubric guideline. It

demonstrates that rubrics can enhance student assessment and comprehension, as well as

provide art and non-art teachers with a structured guide to follow when teaching an arts

integrated lesson.

Popovich, K. (2006). Exemplary content, curriculum, and assessment in art education.

Art Education, 59(6), 33-39. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Popovich (2006) discussed a variety of approaches to create meaningful, student-

centered art curriculum. By incorporating interdisciplinary connections, contemporary

art, and authentic assessment, she described student-centered, flexible methods to create

authentic experiences in the art room. The research question was: How can teachers

create exemplary curriculum and assessment in the art classroom? The research design

was theoretical.

Popovich emphasized the importance of following a set of art standards, stressing

that the primary goal of standards is to encourage students to create connections across

disciplines. Her research described curricular examples across grade levels that

incorporated three methods: interdisciplinary connections, contemporary curriculum, and

authentic assessment. Interdisciplinary connections were created by outlining the “big

idea” of a unit and relying on student research through observations, sketches, journaling,

reading, and library and online resources. These connections covered topics such as

environmental issues and world populations. Staying current with contemporary art

forms was found to encourage the learning of concepts and ideas. This encouraged

students to make meaningful connections through art lessons covering topics such as

heroes and identity. Authentic assessment was described as an evolving force of

reflection and higher-level thinking that could be implemented through electronic

portfolios and journals. Popovich concluded that individual interests and active learning

experiences should play a role in art curriculum. She found that when a teacher acts as a

facilitator of the three described methods, student growth results and students construct

their own meaning of the concepts learned.

This research is important to art teachers because it encourages them to develop

their own methods of enhancing curriculum and assessment in art classrooms. The

emphasis on contemporary and interdisciplinary connections in the classroom

demonstrates the value of these academic, authentic art experiences.

Smigel, E., & McDonald, N. L. (2011). Piecing together the 20th century: An

interdisciplinary unit on principles of collage in modern music, art, and poetry

(Grades 4-8). General Music Today, 24(3), 10-16.

doi:10.1177/1048371310363107

Smigel and McDonald (2011) assessed the impact of interdisciplinary activities in

two lessons they implemented in a fourth and fifth grade combination classroom. They

created, taught, documented, and assessed the project. The research question was: How

can teachers create effective interdisciplinary art lessons? The research type was action

research.

The research took place at an inner-city elementary school in fourth and fifth

grade combination classrooms with English language learners. The researchers compared

modern music to different art forms and disciplines, and provided strategies to integrate

the arts in classrooms. They created a two lesson unit on the principles of collage: a

technique that can be applied to visual art and music. The unit combined the arts with

language arts, in order to promote word retention and assist the verbal development of

English language learners. The researchers provided lessons, detailed instructions, hands-

on activities, and assessments. The results of the unit included an increase in student: (a)

engagement, (b) creativity, and (c) critical thinking. The detailed script provided in the

research can be used by music teachers, visual art teachers, and classroom teachers.

This research is important to teachers and administrators because it provides

relevant materials and techniques for integrating the arts with other disciplines.

Snow, C. S., & McLaughlin, T. F. (2005). Effects of teaching perspective in a structured

and systematic way on still life drawing of elementary students: An empirical

study. Educational Research Quarterly, 28(3), 17-26. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Snow and McLaughlin (2005) conducted research on the effects of teaching

perceptual drawing skills in elementary art classes. They argued that an intellectual

framework can demonstrate the academic value of the visual arts in school curriculum.

The research question was: Does the attainment of perceptual art skills improve student

success in art? The research type was quasi-experimental.

The research focused on extending previous research on teaching and learning

perceptual skills by training students on how to see and convey the environment around

them through drawing. The researchers sought to examine the effect of the step-by-step

sequential drawing method developed by the researcher Brookes. The study involved two

sixth grade art classes. The sequential drawing technique was taught to the experimental

group, while the control group did not receive any special instruction. Pre-tests and post-

tests were implemented to compare the quality of students’ still life drawings before and

after the study by using a ten point system. The tests were evaluated by the students’ art

specialist, as well as two other art teachers from different schools. When the mean scores

were calculated, the researchers found that teaching perspective drawing significantly

improves the drawing skills of elementary students. The post-test scores were

significantly higher than the pre-test scores in the experimental group, while there was no

significant difference in the control group. The study showed that teaching structured

drawing techniques not only enhances the visual art skills of students, but also improves

students’ performance in other disciplines, demonstrating the value of the arts in school

curriculum.

This research is important to teachers and administrators because it shows that art

enhances cognitive skills and improves performance in other disciplines.

Strand, K. (2006). The heart and the journey: Case studies of collaboration for arts

integrated curricula. Arts Education Policy Review, 108(1), 29-40. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Strand (2013) argued that collaborative efforts to effectively integrate the arts in

school curriculum lead to valuable, academic learning experiences. She particularly

emphasized the results of collaboration between art and non-art teachers. The research

questions addressed were: How can non-art and art teachers collaborate to design and

teach arts integrated school curriculum, and what kind of curriculum develops from this

process? The research design was qualitative.

Strand examined two integration collaborations: the first between a theater

company and an elementary school and the second between arts and humanities teachers

at a summer enrichment program for gifted and talented high school students. The

courses were team-taught by art and non-art teachers, who taught through direct

instruction and guided instructive strategies. The arts were connected to other disciplines

through cognitive practices, including student reflection and critiques. Data were

gathered from: (a) observations, (b) staff and student interviews, (c) lesson plans, and (d)

student work. Strand found four re-occurring themes that encouraged the effectiveness of

the collaborations: (a) the goals and philosophy of the educational organization, (b) the

characteristics of the teachers, (c) the relationships between the teacher teams, and (d) the

emphasis on the process of creating the artwork over showing off the final product. The

research emphasized the value of collaboration among teachers to encourage arts

integration in schools. It also showed that a relationship between disciplines and

curricular themes strengthens the academic effect of curriculum.

This study is important to teachers and administrators because it shows that arts

integration partnerships between teachers lead to meaningful learning experiences.

Tanggaard, L. (2011). Stories about creative teaching and productive learning. European

Journal Of Teacher Education, 34(2), 219-232.

doi:10.1080/02619768.2011.558078

Tanggaard (2011) studied the methods and obstacles to teaching creativity by

observing three different Danish schools. Her research demonstrated how project-based

teaching nurtures creative learning across disciplines. The research questions were: How

can creativity be taught, and how do teachers understand creativity? The research type

was qualitative.

Fourteen teachers from three schools with significantly varying student

populations were interviewed. The focus group interviews were semi-structured and

conducted by following a guide; however, the interviewer also asked questions that went

with the flow of the conversation. The answers were analyzed using open coded

strategies, as well as a theoretical concept-driven approach. Many common factors were

discovered among the interviewees. A sample of one of the group interviews with four

teachers demonstrated the main themes of the study. These five themes included the

teachers’: (a) assorted interpretations and definitions of creativity, (b) debate between

breaking or following the rules, (c) debate between spontaneous or planned creativity, (d)

promotion of creativity through themed workshops and projects, and (e) concern over the

threat of outside pressure. Tanggaard concluded that teacher creativity was the most

important component in encouraging student creativity. Teachers must be willing to

experiment and present projects creatively, in order to encourage students to discover

their individual creative styles.

This research is important to teachers and administrators because it emphasizes

the importance of encouraging creativity in the classroom. It also provides empirical

support on how to teach and encourage creative growth among students.

Thulson, A. (2013). Contemporary practice in the elementary classroom: A study of

change. Art Education, 66(1), 16-23. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Thulson (2013) stressed that contemporary art has a place in elementary school.

She outlined a variety of art projects based on mimicry that she practiced in her own

classroom. The research question was: How can contemporary art be a part of elementary

art curriculum? The research design was theoretical.

Though contemporary art can be tricky to define, Thulson explained that

constructivist methodology allows students to create their own meaning and

understanding of art. Focusing on mimicry, Thulson described two techniques: one

where students learn by copying a contemporary format and one where students learn

from a contemporary idea. In the first technique of directly mimicking a contemporary

format, students were introduced to non-traditional and sometimes fantastical methods of

producing artwork. Thulson’s lessons focused on site-specific artwork, installation, and

social practice. The second technique had more to do with ideas than form: looking to

contemporary artists’ work for inspiration. Some lessons included creating fantasy

civilizations and designing nomadic shelters. With all of these projects the

documentation of the process was more important than the final product. Thulson

emphasized that while the contemporary art classroom does not necessarily create typical,

traditional art pieces, it provides the opportunity to educate and enlighten administrators

and parents on new art-making processes.

This research is important to teachers and administrators because it provides

applicable techniques and lessons that incorporate contemporary art in the elementary

classroom.

Trent, A., & Riley, J. (2009). Re-placing the arts in elementary school curricula: An

interdisciplinary, collaborative action research project. Penn GSE Perspectives On

Urban Education, 6(2), 14-28. Retrieved from

http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Trent and Riley (2009) researched the educational impact of an arts integrated

unit in a fourth grade classroom. They wanted to create an applicable model for student-

centered, interdisciplinary learning that could be implemented in urban and affluent

schools. The research questions were: How can the arts be integrated into curriculum and

what are the outcomes of incorporating visual art with other disciplines? The research

type was action research.

The research was conducted over an entire spring semester and visual art was

integrated into a fourth grade unit called “Privacy: Foundations of democracy”. The

sources of data were both qualitative and quantitative, including: (a) pre and post

assessments, (b) observations, (c) examples of student work, (d) group interviews, and (e)

documentation of curricular materials. Trent and Riley used simple materials,

collaborative planning, and detailed lesson plans to effectively conduct this action

research project. They provided summaries of four of the implemented lessons. Arts

integration was found to support student learning, encourage student engagement, align

with the standards of other content areas, and provide students with multiple perspectives.

It was also determined to be easily facilitated by “non-art” teachers. The researchers

concluded that arts integration provided valuable support to higher level student learning.

This study is important to teachers and administrators because it demonstrates the

value of interdisciplinary connections across curriculum, specifically in the visual arts. It

shows that collaborative integration of the arts can enhance the learning experience of

students.

Uhrmacher, P., & Moroye, C. M. (2007). Instituting the arts. Clearing House, 81(2), 53-

57. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.sierranev.idm.oclc.org/ehost/

Uhrmacher and Moroye (2007) discussed effective methods to incorporate art

education in schools. By highlighting the approaches of the Aesthetic Education Institute

of Colorado, they provided four methods to approach art in the education system: (a)

interdisciplinary, (b) discipline-based, (c) transformational, and (d) utilitarian. The

research question was: What is the best approach to implement the arts in various

educational systems? The research method was theoretical.

The authors pointed out that while many agree that the arts are a necessary

component of a well-rounded education, implementing the arts effectively can be

difficult. The article highlighted the success the Aesthetic Education Institute of

Colorado (AEIC) achieved in assisting teachers in executing four possible approaches to

art education. The first discipline-based method emphasized that art be valued as its own

unique subject taught as a separate subject by art teachers in art classrooms. The second

interdisciplinary method focused on the integration of art with other subjects taught by

classroom teachers. The third utilitarian method utilized art to support student growth in

a non-art subject area, such as math or reading. The fourth transformational method

stressed incorporating artistic and creative viewpoints in all areas of education. The

AEIC assisted in the process of educating teachers about these methods, in order to

include art in schools in the most effective way possible. The authors finally stressed the

importance of researching local resources or connecting with institutes like the AEIC to

find the most effective way to include and implement the arts in schools.

This research is important to teachers and administrators because it demonstrates

the value of institute supported learning, as well as applicable approaches for

incorporating art in the education system. At least one of the four presented approaches

could be implemented in a variety of school settings, even those with limited resources or

budgets.