MW2010, K. Charitonos, Promoting Positive Attitudes in Children Towards Museums and Art: A Case Study of the Use of Tate Kids in Primary Arts Education

Museums and the Web 2010 The role of art museum websites in primary art education: a case study of the ‘Tate Kids’ Koula Charitonos [email_address]

Web statistics of museums’ websites often indicate a high number of users and visit sessions in on-line resources for schools and teachers
BUT
These numbers do not reveal how these resources are being used in the classroom
In practice, effective and sustainable bridges between the wealth of museum digital content and the classroom environment have not yet been built (Peacock et al. 2009)
Gap

Assumption
IF
children are given opportunities to view the art museum and works of art on their own terms, using tools many are very familiar with (computers, websites and mp3s) and to engage with the museum processes through co-creation
THEN
any persistent ideas that art museums are uncomfortable and elitist formal spaces, and that art is ‘not for them’ may be broken down

Generic Learning Outcomes (GLOs) (MLA 2004)
‘ Inspiring Learning for All’ Framework

Case study: ‘Tate Kids’ ‘My Gallery’ http:// kids.tate.org.uk /

Sessions Face to face interviews (participants and teachers) Post-test Questionnaire
Pre-intervention activity with ‘Ophelia’
Classroom session
ICT sessions (Exploring Tate Kids & My Gallery)
‘ Artcasts’ (in groups n=13)
Post-intervention activity with ‘Ophelia’
Pre-test Questionnaire 4 th 3 rd 2 nd 1 st

Children’s Interpretive Strategies
The analysis of children’s interpretations is based on:
visual analysis of the artwork (colour, tone, composition, form, space)
process of art-making (materials, technique and style)
drawing on ‘socio-cultural context’ of the artwork (subject-matter, artist, personal associations and context)
(RCMG, 2001)
Emergent theme: drawing on ‘social techniques’

a. ‘Ophelia’

Aris’ first attempt to interpret ‘Ophelia’ “ I thought of nothing, my mind was blank” a. ‘Ophelia’

Aris’ second attempt to interpret ‘Ophelia’ “ It’s a woman dead in the river and flowers are falling from the trees above onto her will (while) she is floating down the river colours: green, white, pink and black a. ‘Ophelia’ (continued)

a. ‘Ophelia’ (continued)
Process of art making
Materials (3 out of 37)
Process of art making
‘ Social Techniques’
Discussions among children (‘collective interpretations’)
‘ Social Techniques’
Visual Analysis
Colour (14 out of 37)
Visual Analysis
Colour (3 out of 37)
‘ Socio- Cultural’ context
Description of the scene and children’s interpretation of it (18 out of 37)
Make up a story (17 out of 37)
Personal Associations ( 24 out of 37)
Context (4 out of 37)
Meaning of the painting (8 out of 37)
Artist (7 out of 37)
‘ Socio- Cultural context’
Description of the scene and children’s interpretation of it ( 27 out of 37)
Make up a story (10 out of 37)
Personal Associations ( 5 out of 37)
Context (1 out of 37)
Post-intervention activity with ‘Ophelia’ Pre-intervention activity with ‘Ophelia’

Fourteen children posted twenty-two comments on ten artworks
Drawing on the ‘socio-cultural context’ emerged as the dominant strategy
“ […] It looks like when I watched Tom n Jerry and there was a big explosion […]”
“ […] It reminds me of cartoons […]”
Not involved in dialogic conversations
b. Tate Kids

b. Tate Kids (continued)

c. ‘Artcasts’
References to the artist and title (13 out of 13)
Drawing on ‘socio-cultural context’ dominant strategy
- make up a story (13 out of 13)
- personal associations (6 out of 13)
- meaning of the artwork (3 out of 13)
“ […] I think it is a really funny picture and I enjoy looking at it. It makes me feel this way because it has Mickey-mouse in it. It reminds me of a mouse jumping out of a box […] I think the artist was inspired by a TV series. He might had children who were watching this programme.

‘ Visual elements’ of the artwork ( 12 out of 13)
(not only colour, but tone and form too)
“ […] It is like a photograph because the colours are very real and have lots of details […]”
“ […] It’s very bright in the face…On one of the ears he has mainly used chalk to show that one of the ears is sticking out […]
‘ Processes of art-making’ (4 out of 13)
- materials and techniques
“ […] We think the artist used tissue paper and painted over it […]”
“ […] It looks like he copied and pasted the wieners’ sausages and the characters […]”
c. ‘Artcasts’ (continued)

A head of a young boy 1945 (Pablo Picasso)
Example 1

“ The picture was made when the war finished at 1945. I think the reason why the artist aint’ showing the body is because the boy got executed”.

Example 2 “ The meeting or have a nice day Mr Hockney” (Peter Blake )

“ The one in white would be Mr Hockney’s assistant and I think they would say: ‘Have a nice day Mr Hockney’. Mr Hockney would say ‘Thank you’”.

Findings
Participants were employing a wider range of ‘interpretive strategies’
The use of a museum’s website can enhance learning and engage children

The use of art museum websites can be beneficial for a holistic approach to art education
Contextual tools are required on museum websites that will enable interpretation and meaning-making process
Conclusions

Thank you!
[email_address]
@ch_koula

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MW2010, K. Charitonos, Promoting Positive Attitudes in Children Towards Museums and Art: A Case Study of the Use of Tate Kids in Primary Arts Education

by museums and the web on May 31, 2010

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MW2010, K. Charitonos, Promoting Positive Attitudes in Children Towards Museums and Art: A Case Study of the Use of Tate Kids in Primary Arts Education — Presentation Transcript