The document summarizes discussions from two conferences about research on the relationship between arts education and STEM performance. At the first conference, participants examined existing studies and considered claims they could make about how arts engagement improves STEM skills. They discussed the need for more sophisticated quantitative studies and neurological research. The second conference discussed potential areas of research, including how arts education relates to graduation rates, transfer of skills between domains, and integrated curricula. Participants also debated how to define and measure creativity.
The document summarizes discussions from two conferences about research on the relationship between arts education and STEM performance. At the first conference, the group examined existing studies on this topic and considered ways to improve future research designs. They discussed 20 claims about how arts education may improve skills in other disciplines. At the second conference, participants discussed priorities for future research, including studying metacognition, the effects of arts education on graduation rates, and the impacts of integrated arts and STEM curricula. They also debated how to define and measure concepts like creativity.
This document summarizes discussions from several conferences focused on integrating arts and sciences in education (STEM to STEAM). Key topics included defining STEAM and determining best practices for implementation. Examples were provided of projects integrating subjects like dance cognition, medical drawing to build empathy, and using artistic projects to teach math and science concepts. Barriers to integration like teacher training and resources were discussed. Attendees emphasized the importance of collaboration between educators and finding ways to apply integrated learning both in and out of traditional classrooms.
This document summarizes a book review of "Learning together online: Research on asynchronous learning networks" edited by S.R. Hiltz and R. Goldman. The review provides the following key points:
1) The book is a collection of essays from a 2002 workshop on teaching in Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALNs) that focuses on applications in adult education rather than primary/secondary schools.
2) The book aims to provide a state-of-the-art review of ALN research literature but dismisses practitioners' literature.
3) The first part deals with theoretical frameworks for ALNs while the second provides reviews of research topics like online student behavior and virtual learning communities.
4)
What if there were no universities? - Jan W. Vasbinder (2017)Wouter de Heij
This document discusses what role universities might play if they did not already exist. It argues that while all of humanity's knowledge is theoretically accessible, universities would still be necessary to address complex problems. Specifically:
1) The world faces enormous complex problems that require interdisciplinary knowledge and approaches.
2) Existing knowledge from various cultures could help address problems, but scientific knowledge is often inaccessible to non-experts.
3) Universities could help identify knowledge gaps and strategies by taking a problem-based approach and applying a "complexity lens" to properly understand issues.
4) Crafting a complexity lens to analyze complex problems would require expertise from all fields and professions.
This document discusses several factors that can influence student academic performance based on a review of related literature. It discusses internal classroom factors like student competence, class size, and external factors like family problems. It also discusses how social interaction plays an important role in cognitive development according to Vygotsky. Several studies found attendance has a positive correlation with performance, though a causal relationship cannot be determined. Physical activity is important for health and may positively impact classroom behavior and performance. Emotions and motivation also influence learning.
This document outlines a project plan for a unit exploring nuclear physics and its impact on society. The unit aims to understand nuclear physics through studying its role in society and the world. It incorporates interdisciplinary subjects and connects with community experts. Students will learn about nuclear reactions, chain reactions, and how scientists developed an understanding of nuclear physics. They will explore how social standards influence science and consider ethics around the funding and applications of science. Assessments include labs, reflections, and a final project researching a historical figure involved in the Manhattan Project. The unit promotes critical thinking about the relationships between science, society, and social justice issues.
Self-Efficacy, Scientific Reasoning, and Learning Achievement in the STEM Pro...Nader Ale Ebrahim
The main goal of education is to prepare students for future job opportunities and civic responsibilities, and this is one of the biggest challenges in the 21st century. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Project-Based Learning (PjBL) prepare students to master their new role as a global citizen with greater responsibilities. This systematic review analyzed 265 papers that are related to the STEM PjBL. The papers were collected from well-known databases such as Web of Science® and SCOPUS by using the quality assessment and relevant criteria. This study inspected the top 48 distinguished papers by covering three dimensions, Search result, Subject, and Research methodology. STEM and PjBL come together, due to the natural overlap between the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and PjBL. The fully integrated STEM with PjBL can increase the effectiveness of teaching. Nonetheless, this inspection uncovered that previous research has not fully integrated STEM with PjBL. Thus, despite the wealth of existing research, there are still significant opportunities for future research on STEM PjBL in high schools to prepare students for 21st century challenges.
The document summarizes discussions from two conferences about research on the relationship between arts education and STEM performance. At the first conference, the group examined existing studies on this topic and considered ways to improve future research designs. They discussed 20 claims about how arts education may improve skills in other disciplines. At the second conference, participants discussed priorities for future research, including studying metacognition, the effects of arts education on graduation rates, and the impacts of integrated arts and STEM curricula. They also debated how to define and measure concepts like creativity.
This document summarizes discussions from several conferences focused on integrating arts and sciences in education (STEM to STEAM). Key topics included defining STEAM and determining best practices for implementation. Examples were provided of projects integrating subjects like dance cognition, medical drawing to build empathy, and using artistic projects to teach math and science concepts. Barriers to integration like teacher training and resources were discussed. Attendees emphasized the importance of collaboration between educators and finding ways to apply integrated learning both in and out of traditional classrooms.
This document summarizes a book review of "Learning together online: Research on asynchronous learning networks" edited by S.R. Hiltz and R. Goldman. The review provides the following key points:
1) The book is a collection of essays from a 2002 workshop on teaching in Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALNs) that focuses on applications in adult education rather than primary/secondary schools.
2) The book aims to provide a state-of-the-art review of ALN research literature but dismisses practitioners' literature.
3) The first part deals with theoretical frameworks for ALNs while the second provides reviews of research topics like online student behavior and virtual learning communities.
4)
What if there were no universities? - Jan W. Vasbinder (2017)Wouter de Heij
This document discusses what role universities might play if they did not already exist. It argues that while all of humanity's knowledge is theoretically accessible, universities would still be necessary to address complex problems. Specifically:
1) The world faces enormous complex problems that require interdisciplinary knowledge and approaches.
2) Existing knowledge from various cultures could help address problems, but scientific knowledge is often inaccessible to non-experts.
3) Universities could help identify knowledge gaps and strategies by taking a problem-based approach and applying a "complexity lens" to properly understand issues.
4) Crafting a complexity lens to analyze complex problems would require expertise from all fields and professions.
This document discusses several factors that can influence student academic performance based on a review of related literature. It discusses internal classroom factors like student competence, class size, and external factors like family problems. It also discusses how social interaction plays an important role in cognitive development according to Vygotsky. Several studies found attendance has a positive correlation with performance, though a causal relationship cannot be determined. Physical activity is important for health and may positively impact classroom behavior and performance. Emotions and motivation also influence learning.
This document outlines a project plan for a unit exploring nuclear physics and its impact on society. The unit aims to understand nuclear physics through studying its role in society and the world. It incorporates interdisciplinary subjects and connects with community experts. Students will learn about nuclear reactions, chain reactions, and how scientists developed an understanding of nuclear physics. They will explore how social standards influence science and consider ethics around the funding and applications of science. Assessments include labs, reflections, and a final project researching a historical figure involved in the Manhattan Project. The unit promotes critical thinking about the relationships between science, society, and social justice issues.
Self-Efficacy, Scientific Reasoning, and Learning Achievement in the STEM Pro...Nader Ale Ebrahim
The main goal of education is to prepare students for future job opportunities and civic responsibilities, and this is one of the biggest challenges in the 21st century. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Project-Based Learning (PjBL) prepare students to master their new role as a global citizen with greater responsibilities. This systematic review analyzed 265 papers that are related to the STEM PjBL. The papers were collected from well-known databases such as Web of Science® and SCOPUS by using the quality assessment and relevant criteria. This study inspected the top 48 distinguished papers by covering three dimensions, Search result, Subject, and Research methodology. STEM and PjBL come together, due to the natural overlap between the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and PjBL. The fully integrated STEM with PjBL can increase the effectiveness of teaching. Nonetheless, this inspection uncovered that previous research has not fully integrated STEM with PjBL. Thus, despite the wealth of existing research, there are still significant opportunities for future research on STEM PjBL in high schools to prepare students for 21st century challenges.
Futures, communication and social innovationMario Guillo
This paper presents the results of a comparative pilot study of images of the future in youngsters from 2 different European countries: Spain and Finland. The survey of two groups of university students -from both countries- tries to look into identified cultural values and the message sources that can influence the way we look at the (expected and desired) future.
The importance of this project, that has been developed using the web platform www.F212.org, a pilot project funded by FECYT (Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology), relies on the idea that communication and exchange of information about images of the future through social networks will empower new generations for facing the challenge of building a desired future.
Mapping the Domain of Subject Area Integration: Elementary Educators’ Descriptions and Practices..................... 1
Gustave E. Nollmeyer, Lynn Kelting-Gibson and C. John Graves
Improving Leadership Practice through the Power of Reflection: An Epistemological Study .................................. 28
Ann Thanaraj
Towards Actualising Sustainable Education Standards in Nigeria ............................................................................... 44
Dr. B. K. Oyewole and Dr. (Mrs.) F. M. Osalusi
Policy of Carrying Capacity and Access to University Education in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and the Way
Forward.................................................................................................................................................................................. 55
Dr (Mrs.) Chinyere Amini-Philips and Mukoro, Samuel Akpoyowaire
Who am I? Where am I Going? And which Path should I Choose? Developing the Personal and Professional
Identity of Student-Teachers ............................................................................................................................................... 71
Batia Riechman
Secondary Mathematics Teachers: What they Know and Don't Know about Dyscalculia ......................................... 84
Anastasia Chideridou–Mandari, Susana Padeliadu, Angeliki Karamatsouki, Angelos Sandravelis and Charalampos
Karagiannidis
Case Study – Results at Primary School Leaving Examination in a Rural District in Rwanda .................................. 99
Jan Willem Lackamp
Teacher Evaluation and Quality of Pedagogical Practices ............................................................................................ 118
Paul Malunda, David Onen, John C. S. Musaazi and Joseph Oonyu
Investigation Learners’ Performance in TOEFL Prior to their Participation in the TOEFL Enhancement Training
Program................................................................................................................................................................................ 134
Ardi Marwan, Anggita and Indah Anjar Reski
An effective education provides students opportunities to explore different fields of study to help them develop skills useful for themselves and society. Teachers should assist students in acquiring practical knowledge through hands-on learning and experimentation rather than just imparting facts. The document discusses using activities and labs to teach abstract atomic and molecular concepts, having students find patterns in the periodic table and build and compare molecules to understand properties of substances. The goal is for students to make their own connections and apply their learning to explain real-world phenomena through an active role in the learning process.
Science, technology and critical thinking by joshua amponsem.Joshua Amponsem
Science and its application evolved into technology but without critical thinking, these technological artifacts could destroy us. Read and get insight on the relation between science, technology and critical thinking.
Innovating Pedagogy Report 2017.
This series of reports explores new forms of teaching, learning and assessment for an interactive world, to guide teachers and policy makers in productive innovation.
This sixth report, produced por la Open university in collaboration with the Learning In a NetworKed Society (LINKS) Israeli Center of Research Excellence (I-CORE), proposes ten innovations that are already in currency but have not yet had a profound influence on education.
This document provides an overview of educational design research. It defines educational design research as a genre of research that aims to iteratively develop solutions to practical educational problems while also generating new scientific knowledge. This dual goal of improving practice and advancing theory distinguishes educational design research from other research approaches. The document traces the origins of educational design research to calls for educational research to produce usable knowledge and more ecologically valid methods. It clarifies the nature of educational design research and compares it to related approaches. Finally, it outlines some common characteristics and processes of conducting educational design research.
This document describes the process undertaken by The Catholic University of America to revise its conceptual framework for its teacher education programs. The original framework from the 1980s emphasized reflection and social justice but proved difficult for candidates to understand and apply. A doctoral student led the revision process. Rather than a patchwork update, a full reconceptualization was done. A new visual metaphor was chosen to make the framework's theoretical components more accessible while retaining their essence. The revision process clarified the framework's role in guiding all members of the teaching community.
This document discusses interdisciplinarity and challenges of interdisciplinary research. It provides examples of language barriers between disciplines in collaborative projects. It also addresses prerequisites for interdisciplinary collaboration like understanding each other's languages and setting specific goals. Challenges discussed include disciplinary mindsets, evaluating interdisciplinary work, and mismatches between new practices and traditional metrics. The document advocates for approaches like identifying shared mediating artifacts and facilitated dialogue to promote interdisciplinary discussions.
The document describes a 21st Century Skills Map created by The Partnership in cooperation with the National Science Teachers Association to illustrate the intersection between 21st Century Skills and the core subject of Science. The map was developed through extensive research and feedback from educators and business leaders. It provides examples of how skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication can be integrated into Science learning at various grade levels. The goal is to help students advance their learning in core subjects and prepare for the future.
This document discusses how a kindergarten teacher, Ms. Randall, assesses her students during a unit on conservation. She uses a formative assessment approach involving feeding up, feedback, and feed forward. She establishes the purpose of the unit to engage students and guide assessments. Through observation and student work, she provides feedback to understand student learning and inform next steps. Her assessment allows for adjustments to instruction to meet evolving student needs.
This paper examines the upcoming implementation of campus carry laws in Texas from an interdisciplinary perspective using law and engineering. It conducts a literature review on these two disciplines and how they relate to issues surrounding campus carry. The literature from law focuses on legal precedents that enabled campus carry and legal considerations, while engineering literature examines new technologies being developed to make guns safer, such as biometric identification. The paper aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of campus carry by integrating insights from law and engineering using Repko's 10-step process for interdisciplinary research.
Get Involved with The Art of Science Learning Harvey Seifter
The Art of Science Learning is led by Harvey Seifter and is an NSF-funded initiative that believes in using art to spark creativity in science education. It seeks to develop an innovative STEM workforce and encourages national involvement. There are opportunities to get involved such as volunteering to contribute to their ArtScienceMatchup community site or participating in their incubators located in several cities as mentors, fellows, advisors or volunteers.
The Art of Science Learning Incubator in ChicagoHarvey Seifter
Harvey Seifter is a New York executive who leads the National Science Foundation-funded program the Art of Science Learning (AOSL) as principal investigator and director. Through the project, Harvey Seifter and his team explore the intersection of STEM skills and creativity, and the way in which these can enhance workforce dynamics. Over the past two years, three AOSL incubators have opened in the cities of Chicago, San Diego, and Worcester, Massachusetts. The selection of Chicago as a site in 2013 reflected the city’s robust entrepreneurial community.
The document reports on ideas generated at three conferences focused on integrating art and science learning. Nearly 400 participants attended and provided ideas in brainstorming sessions. This report aims to categorize and summarize the most concrete and implementable ideas. Suggestions focused on developing communities of practice, changing policies to support creativity, cross-disciplinary programs and residencies, new teaching concepts, and raising public awareness of the value of arts in STEM education. The report analyzed thousands of ideas submitted and organized them into categories to help advance discussion and potential action.
As media evaluation for magazine question 1Abbi1995
This document summarizes how the media product, a magazine, uses and develops conventions from real music magazines like Billboard. Key conventions adopted from Billboard include placing the masthead in the center at the top, having the main artist image centered and filling the page, positioning the cover line in front of the image, and including page numbers by images. The contents page similarly uses dominant images, headings in colored boxes, and consistent fonts. Double page spreads follow conventions like a large headline image and pull quotes to draw readers in. Overall, the magazine takes established magazine conventions and applies them to develop a cohesive format.
A National Science Fair Exhibiting Support For The Knowledge EconomyJoe Andelija
This document summarizes a research article about a national science fair. The researchers analyzed data from successive versions of the science fair to understand how it functions within the school and broader societal context. Their analysis suggests the science fair serves to support the "knowledge economy" by benefiting those who control knowledge production and distribution, but it may not benefit all students equally. Specifically, the researchers found participation in the fair favors students from advantaged, resource-rich backgrounds, though these students do benefit from the experience. However, the science fair also benefits its sponsors who can use it for promotional purposes.
The Discovery Learning Space: Developing the Science Classroom of the FutureSEENET-MTP
The document discusses current trends in science education and ways to improve student interest in science. It argues that science education needs to shift from a deductive approach focused on memorization to an inquiry-based approach that emphasizes thinking scientifically. Recommendations include introducing problem-oriented and interdisciplinary fields of study, increasing collaboration between formal and informal education, and utilizing new technologies to enhance hands-on learning experiences.
ARTS Education E.CARROLL FINAL Capstone ReportErika Carroll
This document provides an introduction, methodology, and literature review for a research project on integrating arts into education. The introduction discusses benefits of arts in education like improved self-confidence and engagement. The methodology section outlines plans to review literature on impacts of arts on behaviors, comprehension, and self-esteem. It also describes plans to interview arts education professionals. The literature review highlights research finding positive connections between arts and emotional regulation, engagement, and comprehension for young children.
Investigating cognitive prosesses within a practical art contextekinrashid
This document summarizes a study that investigated the cognitive processes used by three students during a five-hour art-making activity. The researchers employed a phenomenological case study approach, observing the students, having them record their experiences, and conducting in-depth interviews. The study aimed to understand how students learn and apply knowledge during art-making and identify any cognitive processes unique to art. Several themes emerged from analyzing the student experiences and descriptions, including enjoyment guiding their techniques, using art as a form of learning, experimentation, creating realistic impressions using composition and color, and energetic versus contemplative working styles. The findings provide insights into the cognitive processes involved in art-making.
Futures, communication and social innovationMario Guillo
This paper presents the results of a comparative pilot study of images of the future in youngsters from 2 different European countries: Spain and Finland. The survey of two groups of university students -from both countries- tries to look into identified cultural values and the message sources that can influence the way we look at the (expected and desired) future.
The importance of this project, that has been developed using the web platform www.F212.org, a pilot project funded by FECYT (Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology), relies on the idea that communication and exchange of information about images of the future through social networks will empower new generations for facing the challenge of building a desired future.
Mapping the Domain of Subject Area Integration: Elementary Educators’ Descriptions and Practices..................... 1
Gustave E. Nollmeyer, Lynn Kelting-Gibson and C. John Graves
Improving Leadership Practice through the Power of Reflection: An Epistemological Study .................................. 28
Ann Thanaraj
Towards Actualising Sustainable Education Standards in Nigeria ............................................................................... 44
Dr. B. K. Oyewole and Dr. (Mrs.) F. M. Osalusi
Policy of Carrying Capacity and Access to University Education in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and the Way
Forward.................................................................................................................................................................................. 55
Dr (Mrs.) Chinyere Amini-Philips and Mukoro, Samuel Akpoyowaire
Who am I? Where am I Going? And which Path should I Choose? Developing the Personal and Professional
Identity of Student-Teachers ............................................................................................................................................... 71
Batia Riechman
Secondary Mathematics Teachers: What they Know and Don't Know about Dyscalculia ......................................... 84
Anastasia Chideridou–Mandari, Susana Padeliadu, Angeliki Karamatsouki, Angelos Sandravelis and Charalampos
Karagiannidis
Case Study – Results at Primary School Leaving Examination in a Rural District in Rwanda .................................. 99
Jan Willem Lackamp
Teacher Evaluation and Quality of Pedagogical Practices ............................................................................................ 118
Paul Malunda, David Onen, John C. S. Musaazi and Joseph Oonyu
Investigation Learners’ Performance in TOEFL Prior to their Participation in the TOEFL Enhancement Training
Program................................................................................................................................................................................ 134
Ardi Marwan, Anggita and Indah Anjar Reski
An effective education provides students opportunities to explore different fields of study to help them develop skills useful for themselves and society. Teachers should assist students in acquiring practical knowledge through hands-on learning and experimentation rather than just imparting facts. The document discusses using activities and labs to teach abstract atomic and molecular concepts, having students find patterns in the periodic table and build and compare molecules to understand properties of substances. The goal is for students to make their own connections and apply their learning to explain real-world phenomena through an active role in the learning process.
Science, technology and critical thinking by joshua amponsem.Joshua Amponsem
Science and its application evolved into technology but without critical thinking, these technological artifacts could destroy us. Read and get insight on the relation between science, technology and critical thinking.
Innovating Pedagogy Report 2017.
This series of reports explores new forms of teaching, learning and assessment for an interactive world, to guide teachers and policy makers in productive innovation.
This sixth report, produced por la Open university in collaboration with the Learning In a NetworKed Society (LINKS) Israeli Center of Research Excellence (I-CORE), proposes ten innovations that are already in currency but have not yet had a profound influence on education.
This document provides an overview of educational design research. It defines educational design research as a genre of research that aims to iteratively develop solutions to practical educational problems while also generating new scientific knowledge. This dual goal of improving practice and advancing theory distinguishes educational design research from other research approaches. The document traces the origins of educational design research to calls for educational research to produce usable knowledge and more ecologically valid methods. It clarifies the nature of educational design research and compares it to related approaches. Finally, it outlines some common characteristics and processes of conducting educational design research.
This document describes the process undertaken by The Catholic University of America to revise its conceptual framework for its teacher education programs. The original framework from the 1980s emphasized reflection and social justice but proved difficult for candidates to understand and apply. A doctoral student led the revision process. Rather than a patchwork update, a full reconceptualization was done. A new visual metaphor was chosen to make the framework's theoretical components more accessible while retaining their essence. The revision process clarified the framework's role in guiding all members of the teaching community.
This document discusses interdisciplinarity and challenges of interdisciplinary research. It provides examples of language barriers between disciplines in collaborative projects. It also addresses prerequisites for interdisciplinary collaboration like understanding each other's languages and setting specific goals. Challenges discussed include disciplinary mindsets, evaluating interdisciplinary work, and mismatches between new practices and traditional metrics. The document advocates for approaches like identifying shared mediating artifacts and facilitated dialogue to promote interdisciplinary discussions.
The document describes a 21st Century Skills Map created by The Partnership in cooperation with the National Science Teachers Association to illustrate the intersection between 21st Century Skills and the core subject of Science. The map was developed through extensive research and feedback from educators and business leaders. It provides examples of how skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication can be integrated into Science learning at various grade levels. The goal is to help students advance their learning in core subjects and prepare for the future.
This document discusses how a kindergarten teacher, Ms. Randall, assesses her students during a unit on conservation. She uses a formative assessment approach involving feeding up, feedback, and feed forward. She establishes the purpose of the unit to engage students and guide assessments. Through observation and student work, she provides feedback to understand student learning and inform next steps. Her assessment allows for adjustments to instruction to meet evolving student needs.
This paper examines the upcoming implementation of campus carry laws in Texas from an interdisciplinary perspective using law and engineering. It conducts a literature review on these two disciplines and how they relate to issues surrounding campus carry. The literature from law focuses on legal precedents that enabled campus carry and legal considerations, while engineering literature examines new technologies being developed to make guns safer, such as biometric identification. The paper aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of campus carry by integrating insights from law and engineering using Repko's 10-step process for interdisciplinary research.
Get Involved with The Art of Science Learning Harvey Seifter
The Art of Science Learning is led by Harvey Seifter and is an NSF-funded initiative that believes in using art to spark creativity in science education. It seeks to develop an innovative STEM workforce and encourages national involvement. There are opportunities to get involved such as volunteering to contribute to their ArtScienceMatchup community site or participating in their incubators located in several cities as mentors, fellows, advisors or volunteers.
The Art of Science Learning Incubator in ChicagoHarvey Seifter
Harvey Seifter is a New York executive who leads the National Science Foundation-funded program the Art of Science Learning (AOSL) as principal investigator and director. Through the project, Harvey Seifter and his team explore the intersection of STEM skills and creativity, and the way in which these can enhance workforce dynamics. Over the past two years, three AOSL incubators have opened in the cities of Chicago, San Diego, and Worcester, Massachusetts. The selection of Chicago as a site in 2013 reflected the city’s robust entrepreneurial community.
The document reports on ideas generated at three conferences focused on integrating art and science learning. Nearly 400 participants attended and provided ideas in brainstorming sessions. This report aims to categorize and summarize the most concrete and implementable ideas. Suggestions focused on developing communities of practice, changing policies to support creativity, cross-disciplinary programs and residencies, new teaching concepts, and raising public awareness of the value of arts in STEM education. The report analyzed thousands of ideas submitted and organized them into categories to help advance discussion and potential action.
As media evaluation for magazine question 1Abbi1995
This document summarizes how the media product, a magazine, uses and develops conventions from real music magazines like Billboard. Key conventions adopted from Billboard include placing the masthead in the center at the top, having the main artist image centered and filling the page, positioning the cover line in front of the image, and including page numbers by images. The contents page similarly uses dominant images, headings in colored boxes, and consistent fonts. Double page spreads follow conventions like a large headline image and pull quotes to draw readers in. Overall, the magazine takes established magazine conventions and applies them to develop a cohesive format.
A National Science Fair Exhibiting Support For The Knowledge EconomyJoe Andelija
This document summarizes a research article about a national science fair. The researchers analyzed data from successive versions of the science fair to understand how it functions within the school and broader societal context. Their analysis suggests the science fair serves to support the "knowledge economy" by benefiting those who control knowledge production and distribution, but it may not benefit all students equally. Specifically, the researchers found participation in the fair favors students from advantaged, resource-rich backgrounds, though these students do benefit from the experience. However, the science fair also benefits its sponsors who can use it for promotional purposes.
The Discovery Learning Space: Developing the Science Classroom of the FutureSEENET-MTP
The document discusses current trends in science education and ways to improve student interest in science. It argues that science education needs to shift from a deductive approach focused on memorization to an inquiry-based approach that emphasizes thinking scientifically. Recommendations include introducing problem-oriented and interdisciplinary fields of study, increasing collaboration between formal and informal education, and utilizing new technologies to enhance hands-on learning experiences.
ARTS Education E.CARROLL FINAL Capstone ReportErika Carroll
This document provides an introduction, methodology, and literature review for a research project on integrating arts into education. The introduction discusses benefits of arts in education like improved self-confidence and engagement. The methodology section outlines plans to review literature on impacts of arts on behaviors, comprehension, and self-esteem. It also describes plans to interview arts education professionals. The literature review highlights research finding positive connections between arts and emotional regulation, engagement, and comprehension for young children.
Investigating cognitive prosesses within a practical art contextekinrashid
This document summarizes a study that investigated the cognitive processes used by three students during a five-hour art-making activity. The researchers employed a phenomenological case study approach, observing the students, having them record their experiences, and conducting in-depth interviews. The study aimed to understand how students learn and apply knowledge during art-making and identify any cognitive processes unique to art. Several themes emerged from analyzing the student experiences and descriptions, including enjoyment guiding their techniques, using art as a form of learning, experimentation, creating realistic impressions using composition and color, and energetic versus contemplative working styles. The findings provide insights into the cognitive processes involved in art-making.
Arts And Learning A Review Of The Impact Of Arts And Aesthetics On Learning ...Angie Miller
This paper reviews research on the impact of arts and aesthetics on learning. It finds that while the learning sciences have traditionally focused more on STEM, the arts offer alternative methods of inquiry, representation, and understanding. The paper summarizes research showing cognitive, social, and transformative benefits of arts education. It argues that arts education research and learning sciences could inform each other, pointing to opportunities to study representations and simulations. The review adopts a feminist communitarian framework to celebrate community ties and understanding between fields.
The document discusses the history of art projects in schools and argues they have remained largely unchanged despite changes in art practices. It notes that traditional school art projects often do not allow for genuine creative expression or teach students about contemporary art. The author argues that art projects in schools should introduce students to a wide range of artistic techniques and practices to engage them in meaningful exploration and meaning making through discipline-based inquiry. Good art projects should not be recitations of themes or prescribed formulas, but should employ relevant contemporary artistic methods to investigate students' lives.
This document discusses issues with traditional art projects taught in schools. It summarizes Arthur Efland's 1976 work that identified distinct "school art styles" produced in schools that lacked creative expression and taught conventional, rule-based art. While art education has evolved, the types of projects taught have remained similar for decades. The document argues that art projects should encode complex aesthetic strategies and investigate meaningful topics, rather than symbolize predetermined themes or teach decontextualized skills. Good projects utilize skills and vocabulary authentically and engage students in authentic artistic processes rather than making facsimiles of art styles.
This document discusses issues with traditional art projects taught in schools. It summarizes Arthur Efland's 1976 work that identified distinct "school art styles" produced in schools that lacked creative expression and taught conventional, rule-based art. While art education has evolved, the types of projects taught have remained similar for decades. The document argues that art projects should encode complex artistic strategies, engage students in authentic artistic processes, and utilize skills and vocabulary in meaningful contexts, rather than symbolizing or being de-contextualized exercises. Good projects investigate topics rather than just illustrate themes, and reflect contemporary artistic practices.
This document summarizes a study examining arts integration practices at research universities. It utilized interviews with administrators, faculty, staff and students at 46 institutions to understand current approaches. The study found that arts integration occurred most often through course "fusion" that fully merged arts with other disciplines. It also found that participants frequently discussed issues of funding, promoting arts practices, navigating disciplinary hierarchies and assessing impacts. The study provides an overview of the landscape of arts integration in higher education as understood through the perspectives of interview participants.
This document summarizes an article about art teachers conducting action research. It discusses how three art teachers conducted educational action research projects for their Master's degrees. While art teachers are introduced to qualitative and quantitative research methods, they often choose action research due to their background in art and teaching. The document analyzes the differences between practitioner research in education and practice-based research in art, noting they use different methods and aims. It provides context on the development of art education and differences from other fields in its emphasis on studio practice and image-based learning outcomes.
This document discusses using a curriculum-driven approach to media literacy education in K-12 classrooms. It describes how Project Look Sharp at Ithaca College works with teachers to develop media literacy lessons that teach required curriculum content. An example is described where students learned about accurate representations of ants after seeing the movie Antz in their science class. The approach effectively increases student understanding and retention of curriculum topics while also teaching critical thinking skills. Incorporating media literacy into existing lessons allows teachers to address multiple standards and helps students see the relevance of what they are learning.
This document provides a summary of research on the benefits of arts education in afterschool programs. It finds that arts education in afterschool programs can help students in several ways: it reaches students in new ways and engages students who may not be engaged otherwise; it connects students to themselves, each other, and real-world experiences; and it provides learning benefits to both students and staff. Research also shows benefits such as improved academic achievement and engagement for students who participate in extracurricular activities like afterschool programs. Challenges to research in this area include the difficulty of controlling for other variables and the need for qualitative research methods.
This article discusses developing an art education curriculum to address contemporary social issues like discrimination, bullying, and violence. The researcher created an interdisciplinary art course for high school juniors and seniors that used artistic projects to examine these issues. Students devised and created individual and group projects both in and out of the classroom to bring awareness to these topics. The curriculum was developed with the belief that art can cultivate empathy and enable positive transformation. It emphasized socially engaged art over a sole focus on artistic techniques. Students participated in teaching and assessment to take responsibility for their learning. The researcher found this approach reduced problems and helped students understand course material through visual culture.
This document discusses using Activity Theory as a framework for understanding human-computer interaction, particularly in an educational context in South Africa. It first provides an overview of Activity Theory and its key concepts from Vygotsky and Engestrom. It then describes a case study where the author used an online questioning environment in a postgraduate education course to help students develop critical thinking skills. Activity Theory is proposed as a lens for analyzing how the introduction of this new computer-based tool transformed both the classroom activity system and the students' and instructor's roles within it. The document concludes by arguing Activity Theory is valuable for conceptualizing learning as a social process mediated by tools, rather than something that occurs solely in an individual's mind.
Implementing strategies in science teaching, Menelaos SotiriouBrussels, Belgium
The document summarizes a conference that took place in Brussels from October 24-26, 2014 to introduce creativity in science education. The conference aimed to help individual teachers become aware of weaknesses in their practice, be motivated to improve, and learn best practices. Objectives included proposing a methodology for introducing creativity and innovation in schools through teacher training and communities. The conference outlined learning activities like science cafes, science theater, and writing science operas that incorporate creative elements. Near future plans included teacher training workshops and an international conference in 2015.
See, Do, then Teach - To See, Show-Do with Feedback, Teach with Feedback-Refl...Poh-Sun Goh
Using Digital Repositories to Support Mastery Training and Deliberate Practice in Radiology Training and Medical Education Faculty Development
See also examples below:
http://www.ajnr.org/
(see Case Collections)
https://www.nejm.org/multimedia/images-in-clinical-medicine?query=main_nav_lg
(NEJM, see Images in Clinical Medicine)
http://casereports.bmj.com/collections/radiology2
http://www.radiologycases.com/index.php/radiologycases
https://radiopaedia.org/
This study investigated the effectiveness of using interactive multimedia (IM) versus traditional slide lectures for art history instruction. The study found that IM use led to higher-order understanding of works of art compared to slides alone. Students using IM accessed more dimensions of artwork and demonstrated better critical analysis abilities. While IM showed positive impacts, the study suggests multiple evaluation methods could provide a broader understanding of IM's effects on learning. Overall, the findings indicate IM offers new opportunities for students to learn and demonstrate understanding of art.
This document discusses using authentic performance tasks to assess student learning in secondary music appreciation courses. It advocates beginning with the end in mind by defining the understandings, skills, and knowledge students should demonstrate rather than focusing solely on content coverage. Authentic tasks require students to apply their learning to real-world problems in a meaningful way. The document provides an example unit plan template that demonstrates designing curriculum backwards from desired results and aligned assessments.
Science education research emerged as an independent field about 40 years ago, with the goal of improving science education practices. Early studies compared different teaching methods in classrooms but were difficult to replicate given variations in classrooms and students. This led to new areas of research examining social contexts and relationships between students and teachers. Experiments are important for science learning but connecting observations to inferences can be challenging in classrooms where students are given specific observations and inferences. Research also found students hold their own conceptions about scientific phenomena that are resistant to change. Cognitive science models see knowledge as networks that differ between experts and novices in a domain.
Similar to Art of Science Learning, Research Working Group Notes (20)
Art and America’s Future - an Inextricable LinkHarvey Seifter
The director and principal investigator of The Art of Science Learning, Harvey Seifter of New York, NY, directs an initiative that received a National Science Foundation grant to develop an arts-based innovation curriculum and implement it in three incubators. Harvey Seifter advocates for additional support for arts-based programs in America’s school system.
More than 25 years ago, then-United States Secretary of Education Richard Riley predicted that the jobs of the future will require people to work with technologies that have not yet been invented to solve currently unidentifiable problems. The trend has only accelerated into the 21st Century. Our global economy is changing, rapidly and profoundly.
If America wants to compete in this marketplace, the country has to revamp K-12 education to develop the next generation into creative minds. Education administrators, therefore, should develop curricula that emphasize both STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) and the arts.
Currently, vastly more of our national resources are channeled into math and science programs than into arts programs. This is unfortunate since research shows that arts programs lead to better academic outcomes overall. Many studies conducted by biochemist Robert Root-Bernstein and colleagues found a pattern that goes back hundreds of years - many of the great scientists, from Galileo to Einstein, were also poets, musicians, and writers.
The Art of Science Learning’s Innovative, Accessible CurriculumHarvey Seifter
New York, NY-based Harvey Seifter serves as president of Seifter Associates, where for more than two decades he has worked with clients in fostering creative leadership and brand innovation. Also serving as the Art of Science Learning (AoSL) director, Harvey Seifter informs an initiative that is funded by the National Science Foundation and actively explores ways in which the arts can be employed in strengthening STEM skills and creativity within a workforce context.
The Art of Science Learning Established Incubator in WorcesterHarvey Seifter
The Art of Science Learning (AOSL) established an incubator in Worcester, Massachusetts to use art-based education to enhance creativity and work performance. Led by an advisory council of educational, museum, business, and city government leaders, the incubator is anchored by the EcoTarium science museum. One of the incubator's first projects was a recurring community program called MASER that introduced the local community to regional and national education initiatives blending art and science.
What is the Purpose of Arts-Based Learning?Harvey Seifter
Arts-based learning incorporates a variety of artistic expressions like visual art, music, and dance to spur creativity and innovation. It focuses on the learning process rather than creating perfect art. Research shows arts-based education can take place in classrooms, studios, or museums and promotes creative thinking, problem-solving, and builds confidence as participants express emotions and skills.
Creating Futures That Work Aims to Enhance Workplace CreativityHarvey Seifter
Harvey Seifter, founder of Seifter Associates and co-founder of the new firm Creating Futures That Work, uses arts-based learning to advance business achievements and enhance workplace creativity. Creating Futures That Work partners artistic and scientific techniques to improve participants' creativity, resilience, empathy, and problem-solving skills. The firm assesses skills gaps, provides targeted training through experiential art activities, and re-assesses participants to measure the impact of the training.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing Summer SeminarHarvey Seifter
Harvey Seifter, an experienced arts education director, will lead a three-day summer seminar in Portland for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in July 2019 called "Innovation: A Journey through Art and Creativity." The workshops are designed to help nursing school administrators and faculty enhance leadership skills and innovative thinking through interactive sessions, team exercises, and networking opportunities while earning continuing education credits.
Harvey Seifter helps corporations succeed in STEM initiatives by showing them how to incorporate an arts perspective involving prototyping, rehearsals, spontaneity, empathy, and active listening. He presented a workshop emphasizing how arts-centered learning can exponentially accelerate business and technology. Experts note that without fostering widespread creativity and imagination, leaders lose the ability to innovate and instead repeat past successes and failures. The purpose of creativity is ultimately to solve problems, and it can help turn problems into opportunities.
How You Can Get Involved with The Art of Science Learning TodayHarvey Seifter
Harvey Seifter is the president of Seifter Associates and founder of The Art of Science Learning (AOSL) in New York. AOSL received funding from the National Science Foundation to study how arts can spark creativity in STEM fields. There are several ways for people to get involved with AOSL, such as contributing projects or lessons linking art and science to the ArtScienceMatchup website, collaborating on existing projects, or contacting AOSL incubators to discover opportunities.
Art-based Approaches to Employee EngagementHarvey Seifter
Harvey Seifter has promoted the benefits of art-based learning across many disciplines. As the founder and president of Seiter Associates, a consulting firm in New York, NY, that specializes in innovative leadership development practices, Harvey Seifter has helped clients incorporate art-based methodologies into their workforce development strategies.
The Pratt Institute’s Legends Scholarship BenefitHarvey Seifter
The director and principal investigator for the Art of Science Learning (AOSL) initiative, Harvey Seifter is an arts-based learning professional working in New York, NY. In addition to his role with AOSL, Harvey Seifter contributes to arts education through his position as a visiting associate professor at the Pratt Institute Graduate School of Art.
Arts based learning - gaining traction through coordinated conferencesHarvey Seifter
The document summarizes a 2012 evaluation report of three "Shaping the 21st-Century Workforce" conferences that explored using arts-based learning to improve STEM education. The conferences aimed to start a national dialogue on integrating arts into STEM education and advocated changing from a STEM to STEAM paradigm with hands-on, holistic learning. Participants felt the conferences changed their perception of arts-based learning from an abstract value to an actionable concept with community support. Presentations from the conferences are available on The Art of Science Learning website.
Using the Arts to Address Transportation in Worcester, MassachusettsHarvey Seifter
For 20 years, Harvey Seifter has been helping develop creative leaders and innovative strategies as the president of Seifter Associates in New York, NY. Harvey Seifter also leverages his expertise in innovation to serve as the director and principal investigator for a program funded by the National Science Foundation called The Art of Science Learning, which works to foster science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and professional STEM skills around the nation.
Using the Arts to Address Transportation in Worcester, Massachusetts
Art of Science Learning, Research Working Group Notes
1. Washington, D.C. (Smithsonian) Conference
From Notes by Martin Storksdieck
Cause versus Correlation
The research working group opened by examining one of the key issues for research in the field -
how to prove that arts engagement improves performance in STEM disciplines: what is causal
and what correlative. Clearly there is the need for a series of more sophisticated and developed
quantitative studies than have been conducted to date.
The group briefly considered a number of existing studies. The first was the seminal 2005 study
by John Osburn and Richard Stock of the CONNECT program, established in 1997 at the
Engineering School of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. The issue
was, in light of the 1986 Challenger explosion, due in part to mis-communication among NASA
employees and between NASA and MortonThiokol about the condition of the O-rings, how to
study the state of engineering graduate students‟ communication. The CONNECT program
worked on integrating dance, theatre, engineering, and music education through an infused
curriculum, with metrics designed from the outset. The study surveyed corporate recruiters to
compare the communication skills of the study group against a control group.
In any such study it‟s clearly critical to understand specifically what is being studied and what
the metrics are in order to be clear about claims made about the efficacy of the arts. The Osburn-
Stock study does justify the claim that applying arts-based approaches to education yields
measurable gains in communication skills. This is one of the few randomized control studies that
succeeds in demonstrating a causal relationship between the arts and a specific set of skills
(communication). Whether the arts contributed to the students becoming better engineers, we
don‟t know as it wasn‟t considered.
A good starting point for this group is to consider which studies can be recommended - and what
are some of the key data points that could help decision-makers understand the return on
investment.
Another key study was the 2002 study by Susan McMahon, Dale Rose and Michaela Parks of the
Basic Reading Through Dance program in the Chicago Public Schools, where first-graders were
taught basic reading concepts through movement. This was also a randomized study with a
control group (but it raises the question of when, in study design, randomization makes sense and
when it doesn‟t). Experience shows that principals and teachers should be involved in study
design.
A third study examined was a DoE-funded project at the Isabella Stewart gardener Museum in
Boston, Thinking Through Art (see the 2005 ILI Study of the project). This was an inquiry-based
2. program where 3-5th graders interacted with art (using wireless mics to record their
conversations in the galleries) to see how art museum programs can contribute to developing
target skills as well as improving non-art test scores. The study revealed no significant
differences between the experimental and control groups, but argues that tests did not measure
the critical-thinking skills developed by the project: observation, interpretation, flexible thinking,
association, etc.
One participant made an observation about the importance of communicating the key points of
such studies, as succinctly as possible: they often get lost in minutiae and bound by the language
of the research discipline.
Although much of the neuroscience research is still in its infancy, there was felt to be a need
(especially given Charles Limb‟s work and his presentation) for more neuroscience-based
studies.
It was felt that studies should take more of a systems-wide approach, especially looking at how
arts-in-science works across schools, museums, after-school programs, cultural organizations,
and more, and across different media.
One participant asked about how we would go about constructing a rationale for prioritizing the
kinds of studies needed.
There is, as ever, the problem of definition. Definitions (e.g., of science, art, technology) tend to
bind and narrow the work that can then be done. For example, some colleges offer “Arts and
Sciences” programs, but very often the “art” means modernist painting. Here for example “art”
could more helpfully be defined as “all representations of thought in all media.”
The San Francisco Unified School District (whose Arts Education Master Plan designs how to
integrate the arts into each student‟s daily curriculum) actively develops collaborations between
teachers and arts organizations.
Metrics: there is the question of how to measure the impact of arts ed programs. What exactly is
being measured? More research is needed on whether/how arts integration supports mastery in
another discipline (e.g. in the sciences). How do you converge the languages of arts and
sciences? What does it mean for learning? We know what happens in dual language learning, but
the result of combining language with other disciplines is not known.
There was some mention of the need to resurface the body of literature by practitioners about
programs that led to innovations, demonstrating the use of critical thinking skills.
3. One participant advised that when working with corporations to apply STEM knowledge, one
should ask the executives how it will be applied (e.g., what problems are there to solve?).
Research can be constructed around those requirements.
Mention was made of The Dana Guide to Brain Health (with a foreword by William Safire) that
details how the memorization of music or dialog suggests a cognitive ability transferrable to
math and science. A nice example, but correlative, not an example of causation.
The group then considered/examined a set of 20 claims that they (want to) make.
CLAIM 1: That arts activities create cognitive abilities that transfer to other disciplines.
CLAIM 2: That the most productive/creative people working in the arts and sciences make more
pervasive use of their brains and bodies - and are great pattern analyzers.
CLAIM 3: That arts education makes more proficient science students - and that a particular skill
in the arts can affect a particular skill in the sciences, (e.g. music and math).
Here, we could construct thousands of testable statements for specific combinations; for
example, triangulating using language arts, given its relationship to the arts and sciences.
CLAIM 4: That what students do in the sciences and arts can improve language arts skills. (D.C.
Study cited)
CLAIM 5: That mathematics is central to the sciences and to the arts.
As math is the science of pattern, it should always be included in the discussion. Usually we talk
about how the arts can help with the sciences, but it works the other way around too. One
example of this form of integrative thinking is the 1994 ArtsScience program, piloted in the
Cherry Creek School systems. The integrative approach is distinct from an interdisciplinary
approach. The trick is to allow multiple approaches to a set of similar practices in order to tap
into “metaskills.” This approach helps students and teachers understand that there are many
ways of representing information. The Polygon Blooms project (at Philadelphia’s Grover
Washington Jr. Middle School) is one successful example of an integrated program in which
artist and scientist co-teach. It’s not so much about transferring knowledge as about combining
them in a deep way.
CLAIM 6: That this is an integrative approach that is effective, exploring problems from
multiple perspectives. Consider who are the canonical figures in this field. Einstein, Freud?
CLAIM 7: That making scientific thinking visible will call art into play and that making artistic
thinking visible will call science into play.
4. CLAIM 8: That improvisational dance has a rich array of critical thinking skills, that will help
you become a much better thinker.
CLAIM 9: That merging the arts with the sciences supports and engages students to be more
successful in both disciplines. Students might be more likely to like science if they access it
through the arts, or vice versa, depending on the individual. This raises the question of how
performing arts, specifically improvisation, deepen hypothesizing and associative thinking.
CLAIM 10: That by learning a specific scientific or artistic skill-set in science, you are better
able to use them in the other skill-set.
CLAIM 11: That neurological changes realized through the arts or sciences apply to other
disciplines. For example, consider The Brain that Changes Itself on neuroplasticity. This could
help verify the neurological basis for change.
CLAIM 12: That there is a deep connection between the experience of doing the arts and the
acquisition of critical skills.
CLAIM 13: That integrated learning is a way of building skills and knowledge in the arts and the
sciences.
CLAIM 14: That practitioners can create better knowledge through the use of integration of art
and science. This leads to the questions of whether we can teach creativity or intuitiveness. That
which will allow people to respond to stimulus we don’t know about yet. The work of Livingstone
and Hubel, for example, considers how visual artists have intuited, centuries before scientific
proof, that vision is not image-based, but is created by proteins in the brain that build images of
what you (think you) see. Are there powers that artists tend to divine that have a scientific basis?
CLAIM 15: That art and science are linked in the manner of their production. One commented
that the conference outcomes appeared to be very verbally-bound, to the exclusion of numerical
or imagery-based approaches. The Metaphorming experience helped to move the approach away
from the verbal, helping to reveal ideas in a different light, but were then translated back into the
verbal. One commented that the metaphorming models helped change the way we see each
others’ ideas.
CLAIM 16: That we have the data from what has already been done to map the desired core
concepts and design ways to move forward.
5. CLAIM 17: That students‟ overall performance is better in those schools that have more arts
teaching. This raises the core causation v. correlation problem, as usually studies do not indicate
what the many other variables are when comparing different groups.
CLAIM 18: That when you make connections across disciplines you understand the content
more deeply, or you understand how we learn more deeply. This should lead to comparative
analyses of using 21st-century skills across different disciplines. It’s important to not just make
claims about all students, but to consider differences among them, in order to pinpoint who will
benefit. A given approach may work well for some and poorly for others. A strong effect on a
minority, say 10%, can disappear in the average effect on the majority. We also should consider
the progress of particular students - that is where the richness occurs in the mining of the data to
see how those students who did got from point A to point B. It’s also important to consider the
path of children over long periods of time, say 10 years, and how they got there.
Study: A longitudinal study is needed of a core group of students over time that considers lasting
impacts between control and study groups.
CLAIM 19: That the art-science process of critical thinking accelerates invention and innovation.
That is what companies want: getting an innovative, viable result through integrative thinking.
CLAIM 20: That students with an art and science background become better citizens.
Chicago (IIT) Conference
Notes by Rebecca Hernandez
An example was raised. After the Challenger explosion, Cooper Union felt some responsibility
because of their involvement in training scientists and engineers. The report that was created
before the explosion detailed that the Challenger shouldn't be launched in the kind of weather
that it took off in. But that information was buried deep into the report, in a footnote.
So Cooper Union felt that they needed to address the issues of how engineers communicate. And
in that educational experiment, they incorporated dance, music, and theatre in engineering
education.
Many participants wanted to know: what kinds of research are already out there?
Nick Rabkin outlined 3 or 4 broad research concepts:
6. Metacognitive research - metaphorming as an example. The meta cognitive processes that
we use in the arts and the sciences. Root-Bernsteins' research as another example.
Arts education's relationship to graduation
Ancillary skills research
Integrated curriculum research (the word "transfer" in education. You learn something in
one domain and you can transfer that knowledge to another domain).
This is an old idea in cognitive psychology, but it is apparently very difficult to prove. Example:
Reading in Motion, places artist in primary grades that teach art skills that are meant to
encourage students improvement in language skills
Todd - The Civil Society Institute - creativity: building and strengthening civil society. How
does creativity affect science, technology and civil society?
Researchers / research to investigate:
Sir Ken Robinson
Richard Desey (transfer)
Neuroscience
Conceptual blockbusting
Who are our audiences for research? We need to determine not only what we want to know but
what we want to do with that research. Like do we want to develop new programs?
Audiences:
Policy makers (public school)
Funders (informal education)
Board members (informal education)
Parents (Amy - parents think that math and science is primary in importance because the
schools tell them it is.)
Todd - In terms of lifelong learning, businesses don't care how something work as long as it does
work.
More research is needed to prove the learning gains in informal science environments. We
intuitively know that they work but we don't have research to back it up.
7. Are there particular questions that we want to answer?
How do you document?
How do we make a rubric out of those 5 elements of creativity so that we can judge creativity
(and show it to Arnie Duncan)
There is an issue of how we define creativity and art. They are being used interchangeably and
they don't mean the same thing. Not that the arts aren't creative but creativity in science doesn't
necessarily come from the addition of art. There is actually quite a lot of creativity inherent in the
sciences.
Should we compile the data from schools that have no art program? As a control group?
Someone was concerned that we're asking the wrong questions. We're automatically putting
ourselves in the position to defend ourselves. Why don't we just go ahead and do it and then do
the research. To answer that, some participants responded that they are doing that. they are
teaching art and science and they are now at the stage where they need the research because the
system won't allow it to happen.
One problem with the Chicago educational system: In CPS high schools, students need to choose
a track in 8th grade and there's no opportunity for them to do both science and art, and some get
stuck when they're halfway through and realize they made the wrong choice.
Todd: Maybe we should be looking at innovate thinkers' biographies.
What if we look at STEM being injected into the arts, rather than the other way around?
We need to think about different layers of research. There is the grassroots layer. There are
people that are working with children on a daily basis. We need many research projects. We'll
never agree on one approach. We need to get a channel of research to the grassroots level as well
as other administrative and policy levels.
Dave Becker - There are some research categories missing from Nick's original list:
Communities of practice research
Design-based research
Rebecca Hernandez - There are "communities of practice" research. That's the type of research I
conduct.
8. Marya Spont - Maybe we also need to think of a "stereotype threat." Has their been any research
done on wether there is a stereotype threat that discourages math and science students from
engaging in the arts?
What about the Montessori idea, that we should be instilling value systems? What are we
offering in building a larger vision of what we as a society want to become? What kinds of
human beings do we want to build and grow?
To build on that - there's a Bermuda triangle of education, textbook COs, testing COs, and
they're all in conflict
There is a link between the "what kinds of people do we want to create" and the metacognitive
research. This is less mundane than the content knowledge test but not quite as rigorous as the
Reggia Emilia approach.
How to incorporate drama into programming? It brings in emotions (and accessing emotions
helps with memory and learning). Where is the research on "play" and "fun"? Do you know what
we learn? We learn what we care about.
Lorena Walker - I'm coming from a different place. I'm trying science into the arts. Art helps
memory. There are 4 steps to remembering things: learn, repeat, _______, and teach. Kids love
making something and having this object that they're proud of. So proud of that they will show it
and teach it to others.
Process seems to be the place where science and art connect. Their line of inquiry is similar.
There are "parallel processes."
Example: a research project for crowdsourcing - ZOO, project that came out of a thesis from
Cambridge. Crowdsourcing was used to identify galaxies. Pamela Gay, astronomer, University
of Illinois is affiliated with this project.
Initiative for Innovative Computing - science visualization at UIC
Neuroscience - Is there research in neuroscience? Emilo Dino Yang, Antonio Dimasio,
"Descartes Error," "Looking for Spinoza," "What's wrong with Enlightenment and Post-
enlightenment?"
Daniel Shakter's work - elaborative and coding
Ken Wensen - applying information in different modalities
9. Mirror neurons research - MRI experiment with monkeys
Cognitive Language
George Laykoff and others' research - spatial metaphors, recommendation: journal of
aesthetic education
Raul Hoffman, scientist and writer
I teach science to art teachers - how can i use their skills to help them learn? - Open World
Learning (OWL)
Can we find a way to continue this connection? We have quite a lot of collective knowledge and
it would be a shame to end here? Can we start a Google doc? Yes. Many people thought that this
is a good idea.
San Diego (CalIT2) Conference
Notes by Suzy Szumowski
Led by Jeff Remmel
Goals: think about practical things that might be proposed as research projects -
General Questions
1) What do we want to know?
2) What are our key claims
3) Who are we trying to convince?
4) Evaluation Strategies?
Harvey Seifter- how does art of science learning relate to research—the heart of what AoSL is
trying to do. Perspective comes from marketplace.
Challenge: being in a world increasingly hyper specialized but advocate for something that
is very cross-disciplinary.
When talk about science conditioned to think of as separate from art. From experience in
marketplace, it is extraordinarily difficult to get arts-based learning into business. Because don‟t
have the tools that (quantitative, proof for basing legislative decisions on, justify from ROI
standpoint).
How do companies assess skills they are looking for (we have this data) We have correlative
data between interest in activity/engagement in art & high scientific achievement. In between all
that we have a blank canvas.
10. Filling that blank canvas is the goal here — fill it with data and compelling stories and
narratives. Emphasis on data. NSF wants an agenda. What do we think we can prove as the
value of applying arts based learning to science. Does arts-based learning education contribute
to the development of a science literate public? Do you actually advance the critical skills of an
innovative workforce? What are these data points? How are you going to go about proving it?
With who?
Goal: build on conversations in DC and Chicago. (what is research, what are we trying to do,
does it matter, forced us to be more articulate in purposes of AbSL in a way that will have
traction in marketplace. In Chicago conversation was: what types of research, what are the
questions?
Today‟s goal: what are we about in this research agenda. Designing experiments to get data.
Who might contribute to them (designing and carrying them out). Are there programs already in
process where measurements are already being conducted to get these data points? Are there
programs that could be adapted for this purpose? Is there already existing data that we can
repurpose/look at from a different angle? Hone in on the blank slate and try to fill it in.
Presentation by James Catterall - UCLA Research in roles of art and human development.
Centers for Research on Creativity
Art for Science‟s Sake; Science for Art‟s Sake. Creativity, Cognition, and School Contexts
James held up two pieces of fruit packing (for apples) = models for associative thinking—hard to
measure, sort of poorly defined; supposed to symbolize brain cortex. Any stimulus is broadly
processed in brain- seeks connections in deep corridors in brain. Making connections defines
understanding in the brain. Artist and scientists receive the same stimulus but make different
connections. If get scientist and artist to work together, you essentially link the two brain
networks; 2 people collaborating typically go way further than one person alone in solving a
problem b/c feedback between networks & interchange- can play off one another and prompt
new ways of thinking in each other.
Recently James has been thinking about creativity. Creativity is the top of our educational
agenda. We know we need more of it. It is the apex of both science and art. But how do we do
it? We would love for scientists and artists benefit from one another‟s ideas… but how? How
does it get played out? We‟ve seen the labs, which are fascinating places. It‟s one thing to say
it; it‟s another thing to do it. E.g.: bring art teachers into fold of science? It‟s hard enough to
find art teachers and keep them in schools. Hard to find elementary school teachers with training
in science or high school science teachers that are really good scientists.
We need a clearer discourse on creativity. Creativity training in schools is too short term/not
sustained- can‟t be a 15 week program in an English program, needs to be worked at over a long
period of time.
11. Not enough knowledge of how to pursue this mission. Visual arts class is not the same as
creativity. Technique and mimicry is not creativity. To teach things related to creative behavior
it needs to be explicitly incorporated eg. composing music. Same with science- generally
teaches teach a body of content to pass a test, not provide opportunities for creativity
development.
James‟s recent studies in the arts:
Research on academic and social effects of engagement in the arts
Research on Learning in the Arts; and how to assess artistic skills and expertise
Research on creativity and how to nurture creative skills and inclinations
Exploring the neuro-correlates of art creation and experience
Science and Structure
In the mid 80s James participated in a study looking at why some people go into hard science
and some don‟t. Hypothesis: some people steer clear b/c hard sciences are perceived as being
difficult. Found 6 bright young faculty (who weren‟t in hard science) and asked them why they
didn‟t go into science.
Listened to discussion by scientists about AIDS. Afterwards non-scientists asked if it was
difficult- James: hard to follow with lots of terms. Scientists say that once you can see through
all the structures and vocabulary, you can easily see the root of what is interesting. There is a
visual/structural element to many science problems that visual art can help solve.
Visual artwork in relation to a science art done by yourself can get you into a conversation about
what you‟re thinking about. Because you represent something but then you can reflect on that
representation and think about it and build off it. This is helpful b/c you didn‟t necessarily know
what you were going to feel before you built it. Even better- two people working on a science
problem w/visual art. Then you have two networks connected. Two people together can be
more productive than two people independently
Science and Play: play, conversation and learning
All learning should have a lot of play in it. Play is at the heart of research. Spielraum = german
word for play room. It‟s important to play.
Understanding Creativity- how to promote creative skills and creative dispositions. Besides
measuring and observing creativity—how do you promote skills and dispositions? James thinks
a creative disposition or inclination is the most important. Have to be inclined to do it; skills can
come ** this is what HTH founder said he looks for in teaching applicants
12. Creativity is important b/c it produces valuable, productive ideas (but valuable to who? To the
marketplace?, community?, individual?). But what is “new”? New on the planet? In the
marketplace? To the community? To the individual? Our focus is on the individual. Something
that is new and valuable to the individual. There‟s this idea that if you‟re gonna be creative it
has to be something that blows people brains away. Not true. Cognitive form of creativity
(having original ideas) is valuable! It just has to be new to you.
Assessing creative ideas and creative behavior- nurturing creativity through instruction in the arts
and sciences. Nurturing creativity in the workforce. Key assumption: sustained, explicitly
attention to creativity.
Implementation. Science and Art, Teachers and schools. The biggest caution in any of this is
how to implement it.
Art teachers with a science sensibility to classrooms (and science teachers who can think about
art) and try and really beef it up on a large scale.. like doing a project- faces really big
implementation hurdles. It‟s hard to get lots of people to change behaviors. It‟s easy to get a
handful of teachers to think about but hard to make a movement of it
How much do you think community development and creating a safe place in the classroom goes
into this?
A: in a classroom is the teacher accommodating to creative approaches/answers? If you bring
something up that isn‟t in the lesson plan, is the teacher ok with that? (esp. if it‟s wrong or off
topic)… if teacher‟s ok with that, then it‟s a safe place for creativity. Not only tolerance of
creative diversion but ENCOURAGING it
Q: We got a million dollars to do theater, dance, and visual art with kids (grades 3-5) in 5
schools each year for 3 years. Our approach is to find holes in learning and develop lesson plans
to fill these gaps with the arts. What are your recommendations for that?
J: You need to continue to support these schools after your intensive involvement is done.
Sustaining is critical. (RESPONSE: we wean them down from our support over 3 years, and by
the end the teachers are rearing to go and come up with their own arts-based learning
curriculums.) *caution if you are „cherry-picking the ready‟ schools for introducing the program
it might get harder down the road. Be wary of the criticism that you are selecting and respond
that there is nothing wrong with giving programs to those who want them.
Time will tell if it‟ll work out. Hard to say if a small pond that‟s deep is better or a lake that‟s
not so deep
Q; interested in assessment aspect of creativity. What is the applicability to elementary and
middle school kids? What can we do to measure growth over time? How can we demonstrate to
13. policy makers that this is valuable? What evidence can we give business people to push policy
makers with?
J: Creative processes vs. product of creativity. It‟s important to focus on the process b/c this will
develop creative dispositions. This can be assessed by 1.) how can we tell by WHAT the kids are
doing what they are thinking and how they are engaging in the creative process? Process
probably values more across different labs than do the final products. Who is to say which
process is more creative? Probably people who are knowledgeable about the efficiency or
astetics of the final products. If I were to evaluate 3rd graders‟ creativity, I would sit down with
the teachers and think about what sort of processes the teachers are trying to set in motion. It‟s
all very context dependent- which is totally different from standardized tests. Answer: it‟s
complicated but it‟s doable. If you are creating products you could judge those, but it takes a
human to look at them.
Q: What is researchable or what is provable? What is valid data?
J: if there are artists involved who are part of a program, you want them to be thinking more
scientifically and thinking about connections to science in their work. I think you can measure
change in a group of artists who come into a project and do an assessment of how their thinking
changed after cooperating with scientists and incorporating science into their art. And the same
thing with scientists incorporating art. I think you can spell out a set of things that might
characterize this type of learning. Observations, kids talking about their own learning… but not
a standardized test
Q: a game design methodology for graduate students… it‟s wonderfully creative but very hard to
assess. The measurement needs to come from depth of learning and strength of connections.
You have to understand the lesson outcome. The important part is measuring DEPTH of
learning. Can they make connections between different lessons. How do we dissect learning
outcomes. 2.) I‟ve observed that iterative process of video gamers is similar to those of „gifted
children‟. They are able to process problems and try solutions very rapidly games and failing
forward is a great place to push forward creative process and problem solving.
Q: measuring creative thinking is anyone‟s guess at this point. A rubric of how scientists think.
Pre- and post- assessments in classes using science/art co teaching vs. those that don‟t = 71%
increase in creative thinking. I‟m concerned about this erosion of creative process in curriculum
over time. How do we sustain this? Suggestion: internet = community to keep participants
involved? How much extra workload does this create?
J: web stuff tends to fall off. Share this pre/post assessment data with the group—Dennis Doyle
will send to Harvey
Alan Lightman‟s Einstein Dreams = wonderful narrative, beautiful explanation of physics.
14. Group discussion
We reiterated the “General Questions” to ground the group discussion.
1) What do we want to know?
2) What are our key claims
3) Who are we trying to convince?
4) Evaluation Strategies?
How does science and art help students communicate? One of the challenges is communicating
to different people. How does this affect professional development? Will this help teachers
understand the differences in how their students learn?
Teacher at school w/mission in integrated learning: there‟s a lot of info available for how to
teach this type of learning. We‟d be off base if we focus on recommendations on how to sustain
or come up with integration of science and art. That‟s not the problem. What holds teachers back
is how they are assessed and how they get funding. We are seeing erosion of funding for doing
this. Also a problem is that teachers are assessed on content learning, not process learning.
When teachers are measured by # they get on standardized test, there isn‟t a compelling reason
for teachers to do integrative teaching. How do we change the assessment of the TEACHERS to
value integrative learning? We need some research on how teachers can be
encouraged/supported to do this.
They have knowledge of how to do this, but they don‟t have the time or the money.
We need to be careful to stay away from this deficit problem. Part of it is the constraints being
put on teachers from outside. I know lots of teachers that spend a lot of time taking kids to
museums and come up with really creative lessons. That takes a lot of time and we are asking
teachers to decide whether they spend time with their families or their students. We need to look
at the societal impacts of these decisions as well. From a research perspective, we should
consider not only what‟s going on in schools for „whole‟ student learning but also broadly where
else in society we can push this initiative.
Suggestion: create a website where data we already have can be compiled
Service learning projects are amazing. Even small funding (Americorps) can make a huge
difference. Teachers seeking funding makes a HUGE difference. Look to universities, local
businesses.. get money from them… because it‟s not coming from the administrative budget.
How can we give policy makers the hardcore data they need? What do we need to give them?
Everyone knows the more constraints there are the worse the learning is (no child left behind =
fail). But how do we SHOW them this?
15. Teaching observation skills: ask kids to draw a flower. Asked how a scientist would look at the
flower, how an artists would look at a flower; and asked them to draw a flower again… and 2nd
drawings were amazing. Could see progression of what students were thinking- data is online
(qualitative). So you can get some (small scale) data.
**Pipeline: schools teach students workforce; workforce wants arts-based learning trained
students. But business hasn‟t stepped up to fund the front end of their pipeline. How can we
convince businesses that they should invest in this? We should research what we can do to
convince businesses to invest in this.
There‟s a lot of interest in science. Pairing art and science people is very appealing to people
evaluating grants. So we should think about that when applying for funding.
Giving abstract things a PURPOSE and giving an application for the skills we want to teach is
crucial for getting funding to support this training.
As this field grows we need to grow the assessment process, not try to shove it into an old
assessment process. Need to grow the whole field not just the parts. And when people get
interested they get together to make stuff- even outside of school (e.g. Blackrock and Burning
Man)
What are 2-3 research agendas we can create in the next 4-6 months?
1) A depot; a place to compile these discussions and include resources. A resource center
that collects all this stuff (projects people are doing, grants that have been given) without
having to look in a scattered way
A teacher thinks this already exists, and teachers already know how to do all this.
The real problem is teachers finding time to implement this, which is the political
structuring- that‟s what needs to be researched: how can we change requirements
for teachers? Also thinks that assessment systems already exist and no need to
reinvent the wheel.
2) We need to come up with significant narrative and qualitative assessments- not just runs
batted in, but how many shots were attempted.
3) Our measurements need to be something that policy makers think is valid.