The document summarizes chapters 1-3 of a thesis on transitioning from a discipline-based art education approach to a choice-based art education approach in a 4th grade classroom. It describes some issues with the discipline-based model, such as students lacking enjoyment, confidence, and engagement. It discusses how choice-based art education allows students more freedom and ownership over their creative process. The researcher aims to see how choice-based art education can better support students' intrinsic motivations and sense of autonomy through their action research in their own 4th grade classroom.

1. CHOOSING TO CHANGE:
DISCIPLINE BASED ART EDUCATION TO CHOICE BASED ART EDUCATION
Cristen Hess
Moore College of Art & Design
MA in Art Education with an Emphasis in Special Populations

2. Executive Summary of Chapters
I-III
Part I

3. • School administration enforced, strict rules and routines.
• Classroom control is enforced.
• I use to structure my curriculum around art history
content (DBAE).
• Assessment forms were in text/ quiz format.
• Students artwork reflected rubric criteria
• Student work looked like the teachers exemplar.
• When students walk into the classroom: supplies are
already on their desks.
• What is the problem?

4.  Students were FRUSTRATED with discipline based art education
 Students occasionally LACKED:
 Enjoyment
 Confidence
 Engagement
 Ability to set up their workspace and get materials
 Was a discipline based teaching approach is meeting all of my student’s needs?
 Gude (2010) quotes, “We must be willing to let go of some of the old familiar projects (and their
myriad variations) in order to make room for other sorts of projects and other kinds of art
experiences.” (p. 6)

5. Given that discipline based art education follows a teacher directed
pedagogy where students learn from the teachers ideas and strict
curriculum structure, Douglas and Jaquith (2009) suggest that choice based
art education refines curricula and classrooms while providing students
studio environments that support a student centered approach where
students are able to develop artistic behaviors, explore, experiment, and
make discoveries about their own interests and ideas, in what ways might
choice based art education best support students intrinsic motivations, and
ownership in a fourth grade art room?

6. Andrews study in 2005 called, "Art and Ideas”
• Transformed her classroom environment
• Let students make choices for their art projects
• As a result, students became more responsible for their
learning, more energetic, and enthusiastic about their
learning.
Engaging Learners through Artmaking, Choice Based Art
Education in the Classroom by Katheirne Douglas and Diane
Jaquith (2009) was a major contributing source.

7. Concept Map
1. Discipline based art education
2. Choice based art education
3. Student centered approaches that support intrinsic
motivation and ownership
Leslie Gates, “Rethinking Art Education One Choice at a Time”
Barbara Andrews, “Art, Reflection, and Creativity in the Classroom: The Student Driven Art Course”
Barbara Andrews, "Student Ownership: Learning in a Student-Centered Art Room”
Olivia Gude, “New School Art Styles”
Eric Booth “A recipe for artful Schooling”
All five of these articles are student centered approaches that support intrinsic
motivation and ownership.

8. Key Concepts that impacted my research:
Choice based art education
MY Focus = defining student’s artistic behaviors
Artistic Behaviors –teaches students to think and behave like real artists.
Use these studio habits:
1. Find an idea
2. Select materials to express the idea
3. Arrange workspace
4. Pace themselves
5. Create
6. Overcome obstacles
7. Return materials and tools to location
8. Discuss artwork and reflect on progress
To develop these artistic behaviors:
• problem finding (identify, research, visualize)
• problem solving (revise, ideas ponder)
• constructing knowledge (apply concepts to work)
• experimenting (play, improve, explore)
• working habits (plan, pace, engage, take risks),
• representing (observe, communicate, develop style)
• reflecting (question, interpret, assess, critique)
• connecting (make associations, develop empathy)
• valuing (open up to possibilities, make choices)

9. • Setting
• Title 1- Low income families
• Participants
• 8 students from 4th grade
• Researcher role
• Action researcher and data collector
• Ethical considerations
• Sensitive to the attitudes and orientation
of the participants
• Consent forms
Design of the Study

10. Case study:
1. Student sketchbook journal:
• Artist proposal- beginning a project
• Daily center record- during the project
• Artist statement- end of project
• Self assessment- reflection
2. Analyzing student’s artwork
Research Methods

11. • I collected data for my study by:
• Interviews
• Observations
• Artifacts
Andrews (2010) used observations as a part of her data collection in “Arts and Ideas.” She noticed
shifts in focus from the assignment or project to the student, a shift in the student and teacher
relationship, and a shift in the assessment process. (p. 42)
Data Collection

12. Organizing the data:
Sketchbooks-
• Daily center record- what centers do students use most (identify strengths, weaknesses interests)
• Proposal beginning of project- ( will measure intrinsic motivations)
• Artist statements end of project- (what did the student learn, what challenges did they face)
• Self Assessments- (will measure ownership)
Notes on observations
Interviews
Photographs
Methods of Analysis:
I organized data into spreadsheets to measure intrinsic motivation and evidence of student ownership.
Data Analysis

13. Chapter IV
Part II

14. Introduction to Data Collection Process Chapter 4
Data Collection and Organization
 1. I looked at each of the students sketchbook journals
 Artist proposal
 Artist statement
 2. Photo documentation
 Weekly photographs transferred into PowerPoint
 3. Note taking after each class
 Survey questions at the beginning and end of the study
 The questions asked students how they views themselves as artists and their overall
thoughts feelings and ideas about art class.
 Interview questions to measure intrinsic motivation and ownership
 4. Observation of student’s artistic behavior
 Used self assessment form
 Gave students self-assessment forms on 2/5, 3/5, 4/2, 4/13, and 5/4

15. Introduction to Data Collection Process Chapter 4
Researcher Role
 Setting: Charter School of New Castle, DE
 Time: 12 weeks from January 29th-May 4th (1 class per week for 50 min)
 Participants: 8 fourth graders
 New curriculum: choice based art education
 Interviewed students: I strove to make my classroom setting and
environment as comfortable as possible
 I would ask students question in large groups
 Relaxed environment (informal)

16. Original methodology plan- I planned to
interview the participant’s teachers.
During the study- I chose not to interview the
participant’s teachers.
 Child centered approach
 Some of the joys and frustrations about participants everyday lives were expressed in
their interviews and in their artwork
Introduction to Data Collection Process Chapter 4
Changes to Methodology

17. Data Presentation
Outline
Intrinsic Motivation
 1. Engagement-
 DEMONSTRATION TIME AND SHARE TIME-
 2. Big Ideas and Goal Setting-
 STRETCH AND EXPLORE and ENVISION AND
EXPRESS
 3. Shift in the Assessment Process-
 REFLECTION-
Ownership
 4. Confidence Increased-
 PERSERVERENCE, CRAFTSMANSHIP, EFFORT, and
FOCUS
 5. Shift in Teacher and Student Roles and
relationship-
 SOCIAL INTERACTION and PACE
 6. Shift in the classroom environment and
preparation-
 ORGANIZATION, WORKING STYLE and CLEAN UP

18. Data Presentation
Intrinsic Motivation
Engagement-
DEMONSTRATION TIME AND SHARE TIME-
Figure 1.1: Choice Based and Discipline Based Class
Structure Table
Figure 1.2: Demonstration and Share Time- Engagement
Self-Assessment To Measure Intrinsic Motivation.

19. Data Presentation
Intrinsic Motivation
Engagement-
DEMONSTRATION TIME AND SHARE TIME-
Student increased their engagement during art class!
Dall and Zan created 7 or more projects in a 12 week period.
Dall and Zan- worked on projects during recess.
Figure 2.1: Dall’s artwork on projects one, two, three and four
Figure 2.2: Dall’s artwork on projects five, six, and seven

20. Data Presentation
Intrinsic Motivation
Big Ideas and Goal Setting-
STRETCH AND EXPLORE and ENVISION AND EXPRESS
Students were asked interview questions regarding intrinsic
motivation and what drives them to produce art.
Figure 4: Intrinsic Motivation Table and Student Responses to
Measure Intrinsic Motivation

21. Data Presentation
Intrinsic Motivation
Big Ideas and Goal Setting-
STRETCH AND EXPLORE
refers to students willingness to take risks push themselves
more with ideas and challenges
ENVISION AND EXPRESS
Carrying out your OWN idea
Figure 6.1: Lew’s sport theme
big idea used throughout the
entire study he stretched and
explored his theme using many
different mediums while taking
risks exploring different
mediums.

22. Data Presentation
Intrinsic Motivation
Students self assess instead of
being graded by a DBAE rubric.
Appendix G: Shows the choice
based teacher and student
assessments. After each project I
would circle criteria giving
students a score of 1-4.
Figure 11: Discipline Based Art Rubrics
Shift in the Assessment Process-
REFLECTION- Students filled out self assessment
matrices on the following dates 2/5, 3/5, 4/2, 4/13,
5/4

23. Data Presentation
Intrinsic Motivation
Figure 13 shows an example of
students reflecting on their work.
The students want people to notice
special elements of their work when
they reflect on their project in an
artist statement. The students enjoy
having their accomplishment
recognized by others, which can
increase internal motivation.
Figure 13: Reflection artist statement
forms for the end of a student’s
project.
Shift in the Assessment Process-
REFLECTION-

24. Data Presentation
Ownership
Confidence Increased-
PERSERVERENCE, CRAFTSMANSHIP, EFFORT, and FOCUS
Confidence- Confidence is a feeling of trust in
one's abilities, qualities, and judgments.
Increase in student’s self-confidence.
Students were proud with the outcome of their
work!
.
Figure 14 asks students when they felt most
proud during their artmaking process, and
asked students what is the most enjoyable
means of making art.
Figure 14: Questions Regarding Ownership

25. Data Presentation
Ownership
Confidence Increased-
PERSERVERENCE, CRAFTSMANSHIP, EFFORT, and FOCUS
Figure 15 shows K’s artist
statement she filled out at the
end of the project. She
discussed the challenges of
sewing. She talked about how
the needle kept hurting her, but
she found other ways to hold
the needle and it didn’t matter
because she was determined to
keep working.
Figure 15: K’s Artist Statement
Supporting Perseverance and
Ownership

26. Data Presentation
Ownership
Confidence Increased-
PERSERVERENCE, CRAFTSMANSHIP, EFFORT, and FOCUS
Figure 16.3: Lew’s Artwork to Measure
Craftsmanship Levels
If we look at the artwork in Figure
16.3, you can see that Lew chose to
add a brand name and more details
in the football as opposed to the
orange basketball.
There is a noticeable difference
between his first and second project
you can see he added Wilson to the
football but didn’t add any text to the
basketball.

27. Data Presentation
Ownership
Confidence Increased-
PERSERVERENCE, CRAFTSMANSHIP, EFFORT, and FOCUS
Figure 16.2: Students Self-Assessment- Effort and
Focus bar Graph to Measure Ownership During
the Study on 3/5
Figure 16.4: Effort Table After the Study on 5/4
scale of 1-10 Students gave themselves a rating in
regards to effort at the end of the study when they
looked back at their effort over time.

28. Data Presentation
Ownership
Shift in Teacher and Student Roles and relationship-
SOCIAL INTERACTION and PACE
Students act as teachers and give each other feedback.
Students like hearing from each other.
Malone (1987) says that, “intrinsic motivation and
student ownership over learning can be increased in
situations where people gain satisfaction from helping
others.” (Malone, p.236)
In Andrew’s study- Students are elected to become the
instructors if they show excellent skill in a certain
medium or technique.
In Figure 17 Ava said, “I only had one problem that was
that all of my peers did not know a lot about sewing so I
had to stop my project to help them.”
Figure 17: Ava’s Artist Statement- Shift in Student
Teacher Roles and Relationships

29. Data Presentation
Ownership
Shift in Teacher and Student Roles and relationship-
SOCIAL INTERACTION and PACE
SOCIAL-Students work well independently
and they work well collaborating with each
other.
Figure 18 documents the score students
gave themselves at the end of each
project regarding their social efforts on a
scale of 1 -4.
This rubric information 1-4 matches the
same criteria located on the self-
assessment form I gave the students
located in Appendix G.
Figure 18: Social Collaboration Table

30. Data Presentation
Ownership
Shift in Teacher and Student Roles and relationship-
SOCIAL INTERACTION and PACE
PACE- Students demonstrated a
willingness to work on projects for many
weeks. Students became more aware of
time constraints and they pace their work
more appropriately through the 12 week
study.
The pie chart in Figure 19 shows that half
of the student’s finished five or more
projects in 12 weeks. This pie chart shows
how many students completed what
number of projects in a 12 week period.
Figure 19: Pace Pie Chart

31. Data Presentation
Ownership
Shift in the classroom environment and preparation-
ORGANIZATION, WORKING STYLE and CLEAN UP
Figure 20: Classroom Arranged Into Centers

32. Data Presentation
Ownership
Shift in the classroom environment and preparation-
ORGANIZATION, WORKING STYLE and CLEAN UP
ORGANIZATION- After choosing to
change I noticed that students were
more organized because they
independently knew where to find
things around the classroom.
2D work in folders
3D work in cubby
You can see an example of 3D cubby
storage in Figure 21.1.
Figure 21.2: Class Bin Storage Labeled
with Teacher’s Name

33. Data Presentation
Ownership
Shift in the classroom environment and preparation-
ORGANIZATION, WORKING STYLE and CLEAN UP
WORK STYLE- Students develop their own
style. Students understand that artists have
different styles of working and expression.
During several interviews students began to
have an understanding of what they were
good at, their strengths and weaknesses.
After interviewing several students they
shared with me the centers they liked most.
Figure 23 shows interview questions and
student answers in regards to the centers
they thought were most popular, more
enjoyable, challenging, and best at.
Figure 23: Center Questions

34. Data Presentation
Ownership
Shift in the classroom environment and preparation-
ORGANIZATION, WORKING STYLE and CLEAN UP
CLEAN UP- Students showed more
responsibility, independence and ownership
during clean up. The students would clean
their workspace with little reminders and they
would help each other clean up centers.
Choice cleanup was more manageable
because I labeled each bin. In Figure 24 you
can see the organization of supplies and
materials in clearly labeled and organized
bins.
Figure 24: Clean up and Organization to
Measure Students Ownership

35.  To code my data I used an assessment evaluation
matrices form
covers all themes and categories
Figure 25: Self-Assessment Form with Highlighted
Themes
 Constant Comparative Methods- revealed
information to be as I analyzed raw data with each
participant.
Data Analysis Chapter 4
Thematic Coding Strategy

36. How do the different data types connect?
All three data types connect because to explain each finding theme-
I used interviews observations and artifacts to strengthen each
theme.
As I began to chart students’ progress, I began to see students cared more about
their work and held themselves to a higher standard as they complete self
assessment forms.
Figure 26: Effort Raw Data
Figure 27: Effort Table Data
Data Analysis Chapter 4
Information Findings

37. Art and Ideas: I wanted to see more of a shift in the teacher and
student roles. I wanted to see the students act as teachers and
leaders and give each other feedback.
Tried to let the students be masters and answer each others
questions. students like hearing from each other and being
experts in one media or another. A sense of cooperation and
competition started to emerge. It was evident in the way the
participants socialized with each other.
Choice allows students to set up workspace and take control over
their environment. Once I changed the classroom environment the
students showed more ownership and control.
Initial Summary of Findings Chapter 4
Moments of Impact- A-Ha Moments

38. Andrews, B., H. (2005). Art, Reflection, and Creativity in the Classroom: The Student Driven Art Course. Art
Education, 58(4), 35-40.
Andrews, B., H. (2010). Student Ownership: Learning in a Student-Centered Art Room. Art Education. 63(4), 40-
46.
Dobbs, S. M. (1992). The DBAE Handbook: An Overview of Discipline Based Arts Education. Santa Monica, CA:
Getty Center for Education in the Arts.
Douglas, K. M., and Jaquith, D. B. (2009). Engaging Learners Through Artmaking: Choice-Based Art Education in
the Classroom. New York: Teachers College Press
Douglas, K. (2013). Regarding New School Art Styles: The project of Art Education. Art Education, 66, 53-54.
Gates, L. (2016) Rethinking Art Education Practice One Choice at a Time, Art Education, 69:2, 14-19.
Gude, O. (2013). New School Art Styles: The Project of Art Education. Art Education, 66(1), 6-15.
Schirrmacher, R. (2006). Inviting Creativity: The Teacher's Role in Art. Art and Creative Development for Young
Children 5th edition.

39. THANK YOU
Cris Hess crhess@moore.edu
“The goal of art teaching is to recognize the child- artist, who comes to the art class
with rich resumes and pockets filled with collections.” – George Szekeley