Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Laura Buscemi
Towson University
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I really do love what I teach, which I guess is why I sometimes struggle with it. Each day,
I am able to interact with, educate, and maybe even inspire 158 free thinking, emotionally driven
teenagers. The worst part of the day comes when a skilled student raises a hand in the air, looks
up expectantly, and asks “can I be done now?” In a sense, the class developed to help them grow
as artists has robbed them of the autonomy necessary to decide if and when they have finished.
This attitude often hinders the work of a talented student, causing them to rely on what they’ve
found to be ‘good’ or ‘right’ in the past, preventing them from extending their learning into new
areas. Upon entering middle school, students begin to seek out more autonomy, while teachers
push more direct instruction and controlled rubrics (Pennisi, 2013, p. 128). With student decision
making reduced and testing increased, middle school students may begin to take on more
negative views of school over time (Way, Reddy & Rhodes, 2007). These negative views cause a
decrease in student engagement, motivation and satisfaction, which in turn impedes learning
Allowing students to find meaning within their work can create an environment where
success is seen within the process, not the product. Not all students will be able to thrive in the
traditional art classroom, as experience, fine motor coordination, personal interest, and vision
differences can cloud one’s ability to create realistically rendered pieces of art (Murray, 1983).
By emphasizing process over product, students can begin to see themselves as successful in their
own ways. Providing students with an expertly facilitated, and not overly directed, place to
engage in the artmaking process, motivation struggles due to perception of failure have been
shown to subside (Fleming, Gibson, Anderson, Martin & Sudmalis, 2016). As Pennisi (2013)
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found, students truly disliked the “passive absorbing of teacher information” (p. 133) given out
in so many core and special area classes. Students hated listening to “teacher talk” all day, and
would begin to tune out in classes where constant lecture, or heavily teacher directed
Current literature does well to look into the attitudes and behaviors of students in the
generalized art setting, but what about those students who have already found success within the
regular art class? Buscemi (2015) found that many skilled students surveyed were reluctant to
move outside of their art related comfort zone by trying new strategies, or even new materials.
Needing to be proud, or “at peace” with one’s own art was a popular theme among students, as
well as a desire to avoid being “bad”. As cited by Buscemi in a 2015 student interview, a student
identified the thought of their own art being “bad” as a strong deterrent “because if you think that
you’re bad at it, then you’re not going to really care about your artwork, and you won’t put as
much effort into it as you would if you were proud of it” (personal communication, April 20,
2015). Looking at this statement, this student has identified work that they consider “bad” as
work that they are unable to be proud of. Most newly learned skills or strategies won’t produce
instant success, so how can these already skilled students push past those feelings of good and
bad when trying to learn something new? What causes a middle school student to push
boundaries and extend creative ideas within the art classroom? Within these questions, I will also
explore in what ways art teachers can promote divergent thinking while still guiding students to
Literature Review
To help a group of disengaged students succeed, A.C. Pennisi and a New York middle
school art teacher, referred to as George, created a negotiated curriculum as an action research
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project with 24 eighth grade students. Pennisi and George observed these students over the
course of the year, and through interviews, observation, audio recordings, class discussions,
finished art, and written self-assessments, were able to gain a better understanding of the
As part of this study, educators were called to “negotiate engagement” (Pennisi, 2013, p.
128) through the use of a curriculum developed in collaboration with students. By becoming an
active participant in their own education, students were able to form connections with their art,
and provide their own attainable structure and goals within the art room. Students were asked to
define what art was, and the definitions were posted around the room in their own words. The
students had a voice, and that voice was one that was heard and respected by their teacher.
Rector-Aranda (2014) defines voice as far more than a student’s ability to speak. The term voice
“describe[s] the ability, mode and/or right of individuals or groups to make their ideas, opinions,
emotions, perspectives and needs known to others” (p. 809). Within George’s classroom,
students knew that their thoughts and opinions were respected and held up as expectations for all
to follow. Respect for student voice continue to be a theme throughout the study, as students
were able to negotiate a set of themes, number of works, choose materials, and assign deadlines.
Just as student voice was respected, respect for the teacher was also elevated. George provided a
set of “non-negotiables” (Pennisi, 2013) that students would need to follow to provide them with
a deeper understanding of the art making process. They were required to plan before execution,
and reflect at each step, providing students with a more profound perspective on their own work.
Specific skills were taught as they arose, and no process or technique was presented out of
context of a well thought out idea or project. The connection made between what was happening
in the classroom, and what was happening in the real world gave the students an understanding
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that what they were doing had more relevance to their lives than just making a pretty picture.
They were expressing thoughts on difficult subjects like war, family, reality and friendship
No longer was a set of skills taught to students without regard for individual thought, and
lessons were seen as “support for their ideas, not ends in themselves” (Pennisi, 2013, p. 133).
Throughout the course of the study, Pennisi (2013) and George found students did struggle with
ideas and concepts, but did not provide heavy handed assistance. Instead, students persevered
through their problems in a way that adult artists and creators would. This allowed students to
take full ownership of their artwork, creating a renewed sense of pride in each of their creations.
Students stated that they felt the class was “more important” than others, because it was about
Students within a study of eighth grade students conducted by Levine (2009) also walked
away with positive thoughts about their own self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is defined as one’s
ability to control “motivation, behavior, and social environment” (Carey & Andrew, 2015). In
order to study student engagement in artmaking, Levine conducted an action research study by
providing students with four open-ended art problems to choose from. Levine defines an open
ended art problem as “a question or statement focused on the elements of an artmaking process
that challenges students to make choices and generate original ideas” (p. 13). In addition to
students making choices throughout the duration of the project, a choice was made during the
initial stages, as students were able to select from four different problems. During this study,
Levine (2009) discovered that students remained engaged because their work had meaning to
them. They were able to connect what they were doing and creating to their personal lives. Their
specific project also gave them a chance to show something personal to their audience, and did
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not focus entirely on perfectly rendered shapes or spaces. By providing students with a
framework for making art, but not defining each step, Levine (2009) allowed for “open-ended
solutions and aesthetic outcomes” that both encouraged and engaged her students. The success of
this project was further evident in the interviews conducted at the conclusion of each piece.
Students expressed pride in their art, and were able to identify what aspects of the project they
most enjoyed. There was no “best” part of the project for everyone, as each student found
themselves invested in a variety of different parts and materials throughout the project. Choice,
The concept of individual choice as motivation was also discussed in the research of
Hafeli, Stokrocki & Zimmerman (2005) in their study of the learning strategies practiced by
middle school art teachers. While not as tied to personal narrative and negotiated curriculum as
Pennisi (2013), Hafeli et. al (2005) still found that personal choice and autonomy was a powerful
motivator in the classroom. Teachers within this study frequently adapted assignment
requirements, differentiating to account for skill level and “in service of expressive ideas”
(Hafeli et. al, 2005). Students responded to open ended problems and material choice, a
sentiment echoed in Burton’s (2001) national survey of secondary art teachers. In this
quantitative study, teachers across the nation were asked to respond on a number of teaching
strategies, including motivation and inspiration. Seventy-six percent of teachers found that
“working with a variety of media and processes” was very effective in “motivating and inspiring
students in art” (Burton, 2001). Nineteen percent of respondents still found this strategy
effective, but did not label it “very effective” (Burton, 2001). Overall, ninety-five percent of art
In addition to small scale qualitative studies, large scale research projects are also moving
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towards understanding the role of creativity and imaginative thinking within the classroom. The
Role of Arts Education in Academic Motivation, Engagement and Achievement research project
was conducted over the span of four years, and dedicated itself to understanding what role the
arts, and imaginative thinking, play in students futures. While many curriculums do not identify
imaginative thinking directly, it is directly tied to many core concepts and ideals vital to 21st
century education (Fleming et al., 2016). Researchers are beginning to understand the
importance of risk taking and mistake making, core tenants of imaginative thinking, within
modern society. They are now looking to provide the proof necessary to get it into educational
standards. Fleming, Gibson, Anderson, Martin & Sudmalis (2016) set to embark on a lengthy
research project to identify high performing arts classrooms across Australia in order to pinpoint
techniques that produced higher order imaginative thinking. Teaching practices tied to these
classrooms are believed to be integral to the development of the student ready for the modern
world (Fleming et al., 2016). Overall, Fleming et al. continued to discover what studies before
had emphasized, increased student autonomy and choice allowed for increased engagement in
Over emphasis on teacher directed lessons and prescriptive activities cause students to
pull away from wanting to learn, promoting negative views of school and self (Way, Reddy &
Rhodes, 2007). Through the effective use of student input into project design, choice in selection
and usage of materials, student engagement can thrive. The creation of a true to life studio
environment where artists create with autonomy and helpful critique will provide them with
learning far beyond the acquisition of specific material skills. These students will learn to
persevere, to analyze, make informed decisions and reflect throughout the entire process
(Hathaway, 2013). Autonomy is necessary for creative artistry. It may also be what is necessary
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to pull students away from the learned concept of self-appointed good and bad art. As cited in
Fleming et. al, ‘the risk of failure necessary for true creative exploration’, a risk which many
students are unwilling to take. Without full range of creative exploration, even the potential of an
Guiding Question
It has been proven that mixed ability classroom settings thrive when students are given
the chance to be sucessessful, but what about the students who have already found success, but
now fear failure in other areas? In order to help these students push past self-imposed barriers,
this study proposes to identify characteristics, attitudes and classroom factors that help influence
skilled students to reject the idea of bad, seeing errors as room to grow.
Method
Participants
This study will focus on eighteen students between the ages of eleven and fourteen, all
enrolled in the middle school art club. Each student was selected based on their choice to engage
in art making activities outside of the required school day. Students within this group who miss
more than five meetings, or who are off task more than 30 percent of the time will be excluded
from the study. This will eliminate an student from the study that is not already dedicated and
Measures
archival data will help to inform my study. By utilizing multiple methods of data collection, I can
process, providing multiple sources of data in order to strengthen the validity of a study
(Merriam, 2009).
Observations. I will observe my students once a week during their art club session. My
sketchbook will serve as my field notebook, and allow my observations to be structured yet also
allow for my notes to take multiple forms. Each class, I will record what material has been used,
the type of project a student is completing, their interactions with their classmates, and
engagement with their work. Project types may be skill building activities, three dimensional
work, painting or drawing. The stage of the project will also be recorded, as some projects may
last one class, and others may go on for weeks. Student planning, sketching and production will
be noted. The material, or materials each student chooses will also be studied, as well as how
often and if materials change. As the students interact with each other and myself, I will look to
see who is providing, receiving, and or requesting feedback. Uninvited feedback from peer to
peer will also be documented. Actual engagement in their work will be defined by the amount of
time spent either directly producing or researching their work. Engagement can involve the
reference of artistic exemplars, study of past work, creating small sketches or actively producing
an elaborate piece of art. Every 10 minutes, each student will receive a small circle on their note
page if they are actively engaged, and a mark indicating what type of engagement (see Appendix
C). Behaviors other than those beneficial to their project will be recorded directly.
Small Group Interviews. Teacher led, small group interviews will be utilized during the
beginning and end of the school year. Three to five students will answer a series of semi
structured questions (see Appendix A) in order to gain insight and understanding into the
thoughts of each artist. This particular method was selected due to anxiety felt by students during
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a one on one interview (Buscemi, 2015). As the interview is intended to be semi-structured, the
questions themselves are designed to illicit thoughtful, and unique answers. Teacher presence
during the focus group will allow data collected to be as rich and informative as possible, while
still providing the students a level of comfort that they may not feel without their peers. The
focus group itself will take place twice during the school year, allowing for student perspective
before and after they have engaged in the artmaking process alongside their peers within art club.
parent interview. Understanding my students from the perspective of their parents will help to
provide a wider outlook on their interests and motivations. A parent’s perspective is unique in
that they can provide history that their children may not remember. Information provided by
parents can also help to corroborate information provided by students, allowing for more
authentic and accurate data collection. At least one parent per student will be asked to participate
Artist Statements. Students will be asked to provide recorded artist statements at the end
of each project. The students would be asked to look at their work, spending one full minute
speaking about their art. They could choose to talk about their process, motivation, feeling on
completion or any other aspect they feel is the most important to discuss. As the projects are self-
created and self-paced, this data will allow me to see both student productivity and pace, as well
as their opinions on their work. This mode of interview will be conducted without peer or teacher
presence, and will provide students with a safe time to express themselves regarding their work
and performance.
Sketchbooks. Students are expected to keep a sketchbook for art club. Each week, a
prompt is given, and students are instructed to spend time on at least one page of their
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sketchbook working on the selected topic. The prompts are open ended, and allow students to
explore a variety of ideas, materials and procedures. Students are also encouraged to work
further in their sketchbooks than what is asked of them, and all art club participants regularly do.
Sketchbook checks will help provide valuable data that students may not be able to express
through words or observable action. The sketchbooks follow them home, to the bus, and on
vacation. They document their happiness and sadness, successes and failures. At the beginning of
each month, students will be asked to choose their favorite sketchbook page, and provide a short
rationale why this page is their favorite. To gain a wider understanding of what the student has
been working on, two pages will be selected at random in addition to the student selected page
(see Appendix D). A student’s sketchbook contains many elements to analyze, from how
productive the student has been, to material usage, to how many pages the student has removed.
Buscemi (2015) found when asked “how do you feel about your artwork?” students pointed to
their sketchbook habits as indications of growth. By noticing that they no longer felt the need to
rip pages out, they realized that they had developed as artists. For an art student to get past the
point of rejecting what they see as mistakes and learning to embrace them is a sign that they are
Archival Data. In order to understand my students as learners, I will collect and analyze
data relating to their habits and behaviors in school outside of the art room. Attendance records,
grades and testing data, involvement in other extra-curricular activities as well as previous art
club records will be studied in order to create a well-rounded picture of each student. By
collecting academic records on each student outside of the art room, it will allow me to see if
their motivation follows them throughout the school day, or if it is more pronounced in the arts.
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Identification of other extracurricular activities will help to determine if my students are involved
Procedures
Each student who has signed up for art club will attend club collectively once each week for one
hour following the normal school day. The first fifteen minutes of club will involve students
sharing sketchbook work that they have created following a prompt given during the end of the
previous week’s meeting. After students have had a chance to share, they will begin the
artmaking process (researching, brainstorming, or creating). During this time, field notes
regarding each students engagement will be taken every ten minutes utilizing a coded system
designed for quick observational notes (see Appendix C). Each student will self-record a one
minute long artist’s statement when they feel that they have created a finished piece. The timing
and number of statements will vary as students will be self-pacing their work.
Beginning in October and ending in May, students will select one piece from their
sketchbook to document, with two random pages being added to provide a well-rounded look at
individual progress (random will be determined by the researcher flipping sight unseen to any
page completed after the last review). Each student will provide a brief statement about why they
selected their piece (see Appendix D). October and May are also the two months that students
will be involved in small, semi-structured group interviews designed to gain insight on the
thought processes of each student. The questions will remain the same for each interview (see
Appendix A) but the amount of time between the first and last should provide additional insight
into the development of each artist over the course of the school year. Parent interviews (see
Appendix B) will be conducted once mid-year in order to help gain a wider view of each
Design
participants to behave as they would in a natural setting (Merriam, 2009). Within qualitative
research, there are many types of studies that can be conducted in order to produce useful results.
To best understand the inner workings of my students, a qualitative case study is the best choice
for my area of research. Merriam (2009) defines a case study as a detailed, descriptive look into
a specific phenomenon. To be considered a case study, the research must contain a bounded
system of inquiry. Bounded refers to the fencing in of a specific area of study, where a finite set
of data will be produced in relation to a research question. The case, therefore, is not the research
question itself, but the specific set of student exhibiting a particular phenomenon.
Data Analysis
Data will consistently be examined throughout the process of data collection in order to
identify emerging themes and concepts. It is imperative to keep guiding questions in mind when
examining data in order to determine important patterns that may appear. It is also important to
realize that the guiding questions established at the beginning of this study may change as new
data surfaces, and new themes emerge. After all data has been coded and classified, significant
Timeline
The study would be conducted over the course of one school year. Art club will meet
from 3:00 until 4:00 every Wednesday. Behavioral observations will be conducted each meeting,
while sketchbook checks will be done once a month. Small-group student interviews will be
conducted towards, but not at, the beginning and end of the year. Parent interviews will be
conducted mid-year.
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Anticipated outcomes
I believe that students will become more and more comfortable with their own art as the
year progresses, as it is seen that creativity and risk taking are valued. I also believe more
personal choice within projects will encourage this behavior. Students who have parents who are
encouraging of the arts will have a greater desire to push themselves than their less encouraged
peers. I am interested to see what direction that this study will take, and what insights I will be
able to learn about both my students as well as myself in regards to artmaking. My fascination
with this topic has lasted for years, more or less because I see a lot of the insecurities and fears
that I experienced as a young artist in my students. I want to see what type of results this close
study of a particular type of student reveals in order for me to better support my students, as well
References
Towson, MD.
Carey, M. P., & Forsyth, A.D. "Teaching tip sheet: self-efficacy." Educational Resources.
Fleming, J., Gibson, R., Anderson, M., Martin, A.J., & Sudmalis, D. (2016) Cultivating
10.1080/0305764X.2015.1064097
Hafeli, M., Stokrocki, M., & Zimmerman, E. (2005). A cross-site analysis of strategies
used by three middle school art teachers to foster student learning. Studies In Art
(4). 13.
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Murray, J. J. (1983). Art, creativity, and the quality of education. Daedalus, (3). 129.
Sen, S., Acar, S., & Cetinkaya, C. (2014). Development of the Person–Environment Fit
Way, N. Reddy, R., & Rhodes, R. (2007). Students' perceptions of school climate during
APPENDIX A
Background/Demographic questions
How old are you? When did you first start getting recognized for your artistic
I understand that you are in art club. What motivated you to join?
How do you think your classmates would describe a typical art club session?
Some people don’t believe that art has a place in school. What would you tell them?
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APPENDIX B
Background/Demographic questions
Do you have any experience creating art? Were you recognized for your artistic
accomplishments? Are any of your household members currently pursuing new art skills
or careers?
Your child has joined art club. Describe their artistic outlets outside of school.
Describe the sources outside of school that have encouraged your child to pursue art.
What does a typical at home art making session look like for your child?
Tell me about a time when your child became frustrated with their artwork.
What impact do you feel that the arts have had on your child?
Some people don’t believe that art has a place in school. What would you tell them?
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APPENDIX C
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APPENDIX D