Sixth grade students' thinking about art making : a naturalistic study

• Main Author: Chandler, William L.
• Other Authors: Spoerner, Thomas M.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Art > Study and teaching (Elementary); Cognition in children.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/175479; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/833009

Students are regularly involved in art making as a part of the general school curriculum. This study investigated and documented sixth grade students' art making in terms of thinking and the construction of knowledge. Following qualitative research procedures the study took place in two sixth grade classrooms. Four questions directed the investigation. These included inquiries into the subjects' art making knowledge base, how knowledge is used in the practice of classroom art making, ways in which art making exhibits cognitive and reflective thinking, and finally how student production is affected by interactions with other members of the environment. Data was collected through observation and informal interview. Data collection activities focused on three student subgroups, identified by peers as having an interest, disinterest or a neutral attitude toward classroom art making.Analysis of data revealed three broad patterns of behavior relative to student art making. Reflecting the research questions these behaviors considered ways art making knowledge is constructed by students, how art making knowledge is used for the process of art production problem solving, and the impact of other members of the environment on the art making.These data indicate that subjects are especially able to construct and use art making knowledge in terms of technique and procedure. Knowledge exhibited through the use of analytical and critical language was observed less frequently, and with less skill. Subjects' processed art making as cognitive and reflective thinking, rather than as spontaneous activity. Students identified asart interested especially pursued their production activities, making choices and decisions relative to their act of making and their constructed object. Junctures of the art making activity specifically considered the envisioning of the problem, choosing appropriate production actions and the determination of a work's completion. Interaction between members of the setting was also prevalent during class observations. Teacher input resulted in the highest level of impact relative to student art making. The focus of student interactions was primarily social and thus had limited influence on the art making practices of their peers. === Department of Art