Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Elementary art education'

This study investigated yard-spaces as artistic sites that are created and maintained through design processes involving aesthetic choices. The field of art education has grown to consider everyday objects and places worthy of exploration as important signifiers of cultural views, values, and expectations. Yard-spaces, as everyday places, are often taken for granted, and aesthetic choices that conform to social norms often have detrimental effects on the environment. This study investigated conformist and non-conformist aesthetic choices, the environmental effects of these choices, and the influences affecting design and maintenance choices for yard-space appearances.

A gap in knowledge was discovered for recognizing socially conformist aesthetic choices and social expectations for yard-space appearances. This gap was addressed by implementing a researcher-developed place-based environmental art curriculum with fifth grade students from my own teaching practice. Changes in students' attitudes and perceptions of the aesthetic choices affecting yard-space appearances indicated growth in aesthetic understanding and environmental concern. Introspection on the ways social norms are communicated through visual messages was transformational to my teaching practice as I developed a heightened awareness of social influences on my students. Therefore, the curriculum developed for this study is offered as an example to art educators interested in raising students' social and ecological consciousness and also for art educators interested in raising their own awareness of the social influences affecting students' aesthetic choices.

Barriers to enacting change due to aesthetic attachment to appearances and psychological ownership of property impeded the willingness of participants to consider aesthetic changes for their yard-spaces. Research of these barriers is recommended for student learning to move beyond understanding of environmentally beneficial aesthetic choices to enacting these choices. New knowledge that was generated through this research revealed strategies for encouraging aesthetic and environmental understanding of yard-space appearances, but further research is necessary to understand the barriers that impede the enactment of social and ecological change.

Student engagement is a prominent indicator of a student’s academic success (Harbour, Evanovich, Sweigart, & Hughes, 2015). Leavy (2015) continued the engagement dialogue by stating the arts can be highly engaging and a high-yield strategy leading to academic success. Research has been conducted on arts integration, but little research specifically aligns arts integration with student engagement (Mason, Thormann, & Steedly, 2004). Further, there is a lack of depth within arts-integration research on all of the “arts” (including music, visual arts, drama, and dance) (Mason et al., 2004). In this qualitative study, student engagement was viewed from teachers’ perspectives within one urban elementary school which focuses on arts integration. Seven teachers were interviewed and 10 observations were conducted in various classrooms at the same arts-integrated elementary school. Commonalities among teacher perceptions from those interviewed were identified from the analysis of data. Participants agreed arts integration was a teaching strategy students appreciated and preferred. Additionally, participants reported they enjoyed teaching in an arts-integrated setting; however, interview data revealed teachers at the school site did not have collaborative planning. Teachers in an arts-integrated school must collaborate on lesson planning to effectively create an integrated, collaborative plan (Riley, 2012). The findings from this study may help teachers and school leaders identify the components of student engagement in an arts-integrated classroom within the elementary setting.

This thesis reviews literature researching creative thinking and applies the findings in a curriculum designed to develop creativity in elementary age students in the U.S. Educators and business leaders recognize creativity as a key need for 21^st century success, but creativity scores have been going down. Since current research shows correlations between creative thinking, questioning strategies, and contextual connections, teachers need to weave these processes into instruction. The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards recognized the importance of creativity and proposed new national standards which include 4 key components: creating, responding, presenting and connecting. This six-unit curriculum synthesizes the new National Visual Arts Standards (NVAS), questioning strategies, and contextual connections to increase creativity in elementary school students in the United States.

Challenging problems require transdisciplinary, novel solutions. Equity demands that all students receive appropriate services to develop talents and potential, however, poverty limits opportunity. According to the National Association for Gifted Children (2017), approximately 6% to 10% of all students exist within the gifted and talented range. A specific subset of this demographic, underrepresented gifted and talented (UGT) student fail to receive appropriate access to develop their creativity and leadership potential. Grounded in the Human Ecology Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), this case study argues that talent development requires arts education to enrich and support UGT students. Application of a qualitative case study, design process allowed authentic interviews of professionals working in the fields of gifted and talented education, fine art, elementary education, and student advocacy to develop. The themes and opinions regarding equity, UGT students, and arts education discovered in this study provide salient recommendations for the academic community.

Bullying behaviors among primary school-aged children are underreported, which communicates to the children that the issue is not important to the adults who should be promoting a safe and healthy environment. The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of a purposeful sample of 15 fourth- and fifth-grade elementary teachers concerning the possible effect of Bernstein’s Artful Learning™ Model strategies (an arts integration program) on bullying behaviors of fourth- and fifth-grade students at an arts magnate school. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 fourth- and fifth-grade teachers, using an interview guide with open-ended questions, about their perceptions of bullying at the research site and the effects of Bernstein’s Artful Learning™ model on bullying behaviors. The study results indicated use of the model has the potential to help deter bullying behaviors. Participants believed the model’s community-building component and strategies helped decrease bullying and aggressive behaviors. This study provides educational leaders with a demonstration the efficacy of an arts-integration program in deterring bullying behaviors among elementary students.

As educators grapple with the issue of eliminating achievement gaps that exist among student groups, instructing for students' diverse learning needs while effectively meeting the demands of the curriculum can be a daunting task. Arts integration (AI) is a research-based strategy that has been demonstrated to lead to positive effects in student achievement with the greatest effect being among students who qualify for federal meals benefits (FARMS) (Deasy, 2002; Catterall, 1999; Rabkin & Redmond, 2006). This mixed-methods study evaluated state mandated reading assessment data for a cohort of grade three students for the years 2011, 2012, and 2013 within one school district in Maryland using a formula developed by the Maryland State Department of Education to determine student change scores. While analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of AI and change scores for FARMS and non-FARMS students did not yield a positive relationship, further qualitative analysis of principal and teacher interviews and classroom observations at five public AI elementary schools revealed perceptions among educators of a positive relationship of AI to student achievement. Utilizing a grounded theory approach to examine emergent themes, a theory of effective models of arts integration was developed to include the elements of: shared vision, student engagement, rigorous instruction and teacher capacity. This study provided information regarding the optimal method of delivering arts integrated instruction that may lead to student achievement and reduce the achievement gap between FARMS and non-FARMS students.

This was a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional research study that surveyed California homeschooling parents with children in grades K-6 during the 2016–17 academic year. The purpose was to discover the methodologies and activities California homeschooled K-6th grade students received and experienced in the four arts disciplines: music, dance, theater and fine art. The data was collected through an online survey and a random representation of the research participants. The data collected included collecting specific information regarding arts activities and lessons, the approximated time and hours of instruction, and the locations or places where the lessons and activities were conducted. There were a total of 178 responses collected from the research participants. The overall participation rates within the four arts disciplines for this sample population of California homeschooling students in grades K-6 during the 2016–17 year in music was 80.34%, dance was 48.32%, theater was 52.81% and visual arts was 94.39%. The specific activities, lessons, time and locations were analyzed and discussed. This research concluded that the sample population participates in visual arts activities and lessons mainly in the home, and music, dance, and theater activities and lessons are experienced at private studios or theaters. It was additionally noted that just over 11% of the California homeschooling parents participating referenced the VAPA standards.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine if any relationship exists between a cross-section of 48 fourth-grade elementary-school students in one suburban intermediate school, thirty miles from a large northeast metropolitan city, and their artistic judgments regarding the seven elements of art; color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value. Each of these elements of art affects our senses and might offer a better understanding of an individual. This study employed a mixed methods interdisciplinary approach, to identify viewpoints that were shared among children, and the works of art. Four Q-models emerged from the data, and were identified as: (1) Colorful and Eye-catching; (2) Perplexity and Animals; (3) Multiple Components; and (4) Nature.

Q-methodology, a form of factor analysis, was utilized for its suitability in facilitating children's participation in research. The use of Q-methodology allowed participants to be competent contributors regarding their behavior without speaking. These findings lead to a better understanding of students' likes; which can increase awareness and engagement; strengthen motivation; and lead to better performance in school.

Participant characteristics included: gender, ethnicity (Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White students), socioeconomic status (SES), academic and artistic ability. Findings showed that each of these characteristics were salient factors. The results of this study support the visual arts in schools; can contribute to curriculum development; teacher education; policymaking; text book visuals; and to the field of neuroaesthetics. Keywords: behavior, fourth-grade students, seven elements of art, Q-methodology