Presentation for MoMA's Art & Inquiry MOOC, August 2013

1. In ANY Classroom

2. Incorporating Inquiry-Based Learning into the
classroom requires changing the environment
from one of passive information reception to one
of curiosity and desire for explanations.*
Artwork is an excellent way to introduce inquiry
based learning into any classroom.
http://wikis.swarthmore.edu/div_econ/index.php/Inquiry-based_learning

4. • What BIG IDEAS do I want students to learn
and explore through works of art?
• What QUESTIONS can I ask to encourage the
discovery process?
• What types of INFORMATION about the art
will I need and how will I FRAME this
information for students?
• What ACTIVITIES can enhance the learning
experience?

5. • Theme
• Questions
• Information
• Activities

7. A good theme is:
• Visually evident in the works of art
• Relevant to the student’s lives and classroom
content
• Provokes deep thought and critical thinking

8. Characters
Spaces & Places
Everyday Objects
Narrative in Art
Identity
Art Redefined
Society & Politics

9. “If I had an hour to solve a
problem and my life
depended on the solution, I
would spend the first 55
minutes determining the
proper question to ask, for
once I know the proper
question, I could solve the
problem in less than five
minutes.”
—ALBERT EINSTEIN

10. Questions are invaluable teaching tools that serve
many functions in the teaching and learning processes
including:
• Assess knowledge and learning
• Prompt students to clarify, expand, and support
their claims
• Direct students to engage in discussion or debate
• Encourage students to question their own thought
process or reasoning
• Apply class concepts to real-world scenarios*
A Primer In Effective Questioning Strategies For Classroom & eLearning, http://www.teachthought.com/learning/wiziq-posts/

12. Present a scaffold upon which students can layer
their understanding of the complexities of the
subject.
Weave factual information into the discovery
process.
Ask open ended questions at appropriate
intervals, and WAIT…….

14. • Foster Close Looking
• Connect Experience with Artwork to
other Learning
• Introduce Key Concepts
• Ignite Imagination and Creativity

15. • Generate a list of descriptive words; then
choose and form sentences “Six Word
Memoir”
• Write a review of a work of art
• Write a wall label for a work of art
Six Word Memoirs at Smith Magazine

16. • Write a first-person narrative or
dialogue from the perspective of a
character in artwork.
• Write a postcard to a friend about the
place depicted in the work of art.

17. • Students can use Twitter to
tweet themes, questions,
comments, critiques and
more.
• Students can reach out to
connect with the artists to
ask them questions.
• Students can
use Facebook , Voice
Thread, Google
Hangouts, Skype, and
email to connect
synchronously and
asynchronously with other
teachers and students
around the world through
written and spoken
reflections.
All the World’s A MOOC, Blog by Ary Aranguiz

18. Spaces and Places

19. Topic: The cultural preservation and the perpetuation
of indigenous traditions in the Pacific Islands.
Theme: Identity
Essential Question: Why is preservation of traditional
knowledge and cultural values important to a
community?
• What evidence of traditional knowledge and cultural
values do these images convey to you?
Activities: What traditions do you celebrate with your
family? Create a project to share these traditions with
the class.
Pacific Worlds Curriculum

20. MOMA Learning
Web Resources: (Courtesy of the MOMA Learning Team)
Google Cultural Institute
MOMA Worksheet: Questions About Art
Inquiry Drives Learning
The Art of Powerful Questions, by Eric E. Vogt, Juanita Brown, and David Isaacs
Swarthmore College: Diversifying Economic Quality: A Wiki for Instructors and Departments
Creating Classrooms We Need: 8 Ways into Inquiry Learning
7 Ways to Transform Your Classroom

23. A Primer In Effective Questioning Strategies For Classroom & eLearning, http://www.teachthought.com/learning/wiziq-posts/

25. cathleennardi@gmail.com
This presentation was developed for
MOMA’s Art & Inquiry MOOC via
Coursera, August 2013.
Thank you to Lisa Mazzola and the
MoMA Education Team for these
resources.
This presentation is intended to be
used for Professional Development for
K-12 educators interested in Art &
Inquiry.