Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing

It Best
Art and music are key to student development.
By Fran Smith
JAN UA RY 28, 200 9

"Art does not solve problems, but makes us aware of their existence," sculptor Magdalena
Abakanowicz has said. Arts education, on the other hand, does solve problems. Years of
research show that it's closely linked to almost everything that we as a nation say we want for
our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement, social and emotional
development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity.
Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical
thinking, and verbal skill. Arts learning can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence,
and teamwork. A 2005 report by the Rand Corporation about the visual arts argues that the
intrinsic pleasures and stimulation of the art experience do more than sweeten an individual's
life -- according to the report, they "can connect people more deeply to the world and open them
to new ways of seeing," creating the foundation to forge social bonds and community cohesion.
And strong arts programming in schools helps close a gap that has left many a child behind:
From Mozart for babies to tutus for toddlers to family trips to the museum, the children of
affluent, aspiring parents generally get exposed to the arts whether or not public schools provide
them. Low-income children, often, do not. "Arts education enables those children from a
financially challenged background to have a more level playing field with children who have had
those enrichment experiences,'' says Eric Cooper, president and founder of theNational Urban
Alliance for Effective Education.
It has become a mantra in education that No Child Left Behind, with its pressure to raise test
scores, has reduced classroom time devoted to the arts (and science, social studies, and
everything else besides reading and math). Evidence supports this contention -- we'll get to the
statistics in a minute -- but the reality is more complex. Arts education has been slipping for
more than three decades, the result of tight budgets, an ever-growing list of state mandates that
have crammed the classroom curriculum, and a public sense that the arts are lovely but not
essential.
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This erosion chipped away at the constituencies that might have defended the arts in the era of
NCLB -- children who had no music and art classes in the 1970s and 1980s may not appreciate
their value now. "We have a whole generation of teachers and parents who have not had the
advantage of arts in their own education,'' says Sandra Ruppert, director of theArts Education
Partnership (AEP), a national coalition of arts, business, education, philanthropic, and
government organizations.

The Connection Between Arts Education and Academic Achievement

Yet against this backdrop, a new picture is emerging. Comprehensive, innovative arts initiatives
are taking root in a growing number of school districts. Many of these models are based on new
findings in brain research and cognitive development, and they embrace a variety of
approaches: using the arts as a learning tool (for example, musical notes to teach fractions);
incorporating arts into other core classes (writing and performing a play about, say, slavery);
creating a school environment rich in arts and culture (Mozart in the hallways every day) and
hands-on arts instruction. Although most of these initiatives are in the early stages, some are
beginning to rack up impressive results. This trend may send a message to schools focused
maniacally, and perhaps counterproductively, on reading and math.
"If they're worried about their test scores and want a way to get them higher, they need to give
kids more arts, not less," says Tom Horne, Arizona's state superintendent of public instruction.
"There's lots of evidence that kids immersed in the arts do better on their academic tests."
Education policies almost universally recognize the value of arts. Forty-seven states have artseducation mandates, forty-eight have arts-education standards, and forty have arts
requirements for high school graduation, according to the 2007-08 AEP state policy database.
The Goals 2000 Educate America Act, passed in 1994 to set the school-reform agenda of the
Clinton and Bush administrations, declared art to be part of what all schools should teach.
NCLB, enacted in 2001, included art as one of the ten core academic subjects of public
education, a designation that qualified arts programs for an assortment of federal grants.
In a 2003 report, "The Complete Curriculum: Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign
Languages in American's Schools," a study group from the National Association of State Boards
of Education noted that a substantial body of research highlights the benefits of arts in
curriculum and called for stronger emphasis on the arts and foreign languages. As chairman of
the Education Commission of the Statesfrom 2004 to 2006, Mike Huckabee, then governor of
Arkansas, launched an initiative designed, according to commission literature, to ensure every
child has the opportunity to learn about, enjoy, and participate directly in the arts.
Top-down mandates are one thing, of course, and implementation in the classroom is another.
Whatever NCLB says about the arts, it measures achievement through math and language arts
scores, not drawing proficiency or music skills. It's no surprise, then, that many districts have
zeroed in on the tests. A 2006 national survey by the Center on Education Policy, an
independent advocacy organization in Washington, DC, found that in the five years after

enactment of NCLB, 44 percent of districts had increased instruction time in elementary school
English language arts and math while decreasing time spent on other subjects. A follow-up
analysis, released in February 2008, showed that 16 percent of districts had reduced
elementary school class time for music and art -- and had done so by an average of 35 percent,
or fifty-seven minutes a week.
Some states report even bleaker numbers. In California, for example, participation in music
courses dropped 46 percent from 1999-2000 through 2000-04, while total school enrollment
grew nearly 6 percent, according to a study by the Music for All Foundation. The number of
music teachers, meanwhile, declined 26.7 percent. In 2001, the California Board of
Education set standards at each grade level for what students should know and be able to do in
music, visual arts, theater, and dance, but a statewide study in 2006, by SRI International, found
that 89 percent of K-12 schools failed to offer a standards-based course of study in all four
disciplines. Sixty-one percent of schools didn't even have a full-time arts specialist.
Nor does support for the arts by top administrators necessarily translate into instruction for kids.
For example, a 2005 report in Illinois found almost no opposition to arts education among
principals and district superintendents, yet there were large disparities in school offerings
around the state.

Reviving Arts Education

In many districts, the arts have suffered so long that it will take years, and massive investment,
to turn things around. New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has made arts education a
priority in his school reform plans, and the city has launched sweeping initiatives to connect
more students with the city's vast cultural resources. Nearly every school now offers at least
some arts instruction and cultural programming, yet in 2007-08, only 45 percent of elementary
schools and 33 percent of middle schools provided education in all four required art forms,
according to an analysis by the New York City Department of Education, and only 34 percent of
high schools offered students the opportunity to exceed the minimum graduation requirement.
Yet some districts have made great strides toward not only revitalizing the arts but also using
them to reinvent schools. The work takes leadership, innovation, broad partnerships, and a
dogged insistence that the arts are central to what we want students to learn.
In Dallas, for example, a coalition of arts advocates, philanthropists, educators, and business
leaders have worked for years to get arts into all schools, and to get students out into the city's
thriving arts community. Today, for the first time in thirty years, every elementary student in
the Dallas Independent School District receives forty-five minutes a week of art and music
instruction. In a February 2007 op-ed piece in the Dallas Morning News, Gigi Antoni, president
and CEO of Big Thought, the nonprofit partnership working with the district, the Wallace
Foundation, and more than sixty local arts and cultural institutions, explained the rationale
behind what was then called the Dallas Arts Learning Initiative: "DALI was created on one
unabashedly idealistic, yet meticulously researched, premise -- that students flourish when
creativity drives learning."

The Minneapolis and Chicago communities, too, are forging partnerships with their vibrant arts
and cultural resources to infuse the schools with rich comprehensive, sustainable programs -not add-ons that come and go with this year's budget or administrator.
In Arizona, Tom Horne, the state superintendant of public instruction, made it his goal to provide
high-quality, comprehensive arts education to all K-12 students. Horne, a classically trained
pianist and founder of the Phoenix Baroque Ensemble, hasn't yet achieved his objective, but he
has made progress: He pushed through higher standards for arts education, appointed an arts
specialist in the state Department of Education, and steered $4 million in federal funds under
NCLB to support arts integration in schools throughout the state. Some have restored art and
music after a decade without them.
"When you think about the purposes of education, there are three," Horne says. "We're
preparing kids for jobs. We're preparing them to be citizens. And we're teaching them to be
human beings who can enjoy the deeper forms of beauty. The third is as important as the other
two."
FR AN SMITH IS A CONTRIBUTING EDITOR FOR EDUTOPIA.

10 Salient Studies on the Arts in Education

A fine arts education including music, theater, drawing, painting, or sculpture whether
in practice or theory, has been a part of any well-rounded curriculum for decades but
that may be changing. Many schools today are cutting back or eliminating their art
programs due to budget constraints. It is estimated that by the end of this year, more than
25% of public high schools will have completely dismantled them. These stats arent just
bad news for teachers working in the arts, such as those at traditional schools for dance
or online colleges for photography. Numerous studies done over the past decade have
demonstrated the amazing benefits of such an integral education facet. Students who dont
have access to art classes may not only miss out on a key creative outlet, but might also
face greater difficulty mastering core subjects, higher dropout rates and more disciplinary
problems.
You dont have to take our word for it you can read the studies yourself. Here, weve
listed some of the biggest on the arts in education conducted over the past decade. Taken
on by research organizations, college professors and school districts themselves, the
studies reveal the power of art to inspire, motivate and educate todays students. And, of
course, demonstrate what a disservice many schools are doing by undervaluing such an
integral part of their education and development.

1. A 2002 report by the Arts Education Partnership revealed that schoolchildren

exposed to drama, music and dance are often more proficient at reading,
writing, and math.

While school districts might be tempted to think the arts a frivolous part of the
educational system, this report suggests otherwise. It looked at over 62 different
studies from 100 researchers, spanning the range of fine arts from dance to the
visual arts. In 2002, it was the first report of its kind to look at the impact of art on
academic performance. Using this data, researchers determined that students who
received more arts education did better on standardized tests, improved their social
skills and were more motivated than those who had reduced or no access. While
researchers at the AEP admitted that art isnt a panacea for what ails struggling
schools, the study led them to believe it could be a valuable asset for teaching
students of all ages especially those in poor communities or who need remedial
education. With so many online colleges for design options, students in every
demographic can pursue a higher education. An updated report with consistent
results was conducted by the same researcher in 2010.

2. The 2006 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum study on art education showed a

link between arts education and improved literacy skills.
The study was the result of a pilot program through the Guggenheim called
Learning Through Art, which sent artists into schools to teach students and help
them create their own masterpieces. Kids who took part in the program performed
better on six different categories of literacy and critical thinking skills than those who
did not. While students did better on an oral exam, they did not on standardized,
written literacy tests a disparity researchers said could exist because they did
not emphasize written communication in the program. Program organizers believe
the improvements were the result of students learning valuable critical thinking
skills while talking about art, which could then be applied to understanding and
analyzing literary materials. Students could even take these skills further at online
colleges for creative writing or broadcast journalism.

3. In 2007, Ellen Winner and Lois Hetland published a study stating the arts dont
actually improve academic performance, but it shouldnt matter.
Winner and Hetland head up an arts education program called Project Zero at the
Harvard Graduate School of Education, so they are by no means opponents of
creative expression. Yet in their 2000 study, they found little academic improvement
in math, science, and reading in their arts education program enrollees. While the
backlash from their report was swift and brutal, the researchers stuck by their
findings. And for good reason. They believe it shouldnt matter whether or not art
courses improve test scores or grades, and that art education should garner
support for what it offers on its own merit not in relationship to anything else.
Regardless, their study did reveal that arts education has some larger benefits

which cant be easily quantified through test scores. Namely, it helps students
improve visual analysis skills, learn from mistakes, be creative and make better
critical judgments.

4. A 2005 report by the Rand Corporation called A Portrait of the Visual Arts
argues that art education does more than just give students a creative outlet. It
can actually help connect them to the larger world, ultimately improving
community cohesion.
A bold assertion, but not one without merit. Students from lower income families
often get little exposure to the arts if they are not provided by schools. The report
shows that arts education can help close the gap between socioeconomic groups,
creating a more level playing field between children who may not be exposed to
these enrichment experiences outside of school and some of their more privileged
peers.

5. Teachers and students alike benefit from schools that have strong art climates,
a 1999 study called Learning In and Through the Arts demonstrated.
People have been so wrapped up in showing how arts education benefits students,
many havent stopped to consider how it also impacts educators. The report studied
students at 12 New York, Connecticut, Virginia and South Carolina schools to
compile their results. Not only were students at schools with high levels of art
education earning higher scores on critical thinking tests, but teachers also seemed
happier. Part of the increase in their satisfaction was a result of their charges, who
were found to be generally more cooperative and expressive and enjoy a better
rapport with educators. That wasnt all, however, as teachers at schools that
emphasized arts education enjoyed greater job satisfaction, were more interested
in their work and likely to be innovative and pursued personal development
experiences. Its not a trivial finding, as what is good for instructors is often very
good for their students as well. This is something those at online colleges for
education should keep in mind.

1. The Center for Arts Education published a report in 2009 that suggests arts
education may improve graduation rates.
Taking a look at the role of arts education in New York public schools, this report
found that schools with the lowest access also had the highest dropout rates.
Conversely, those with the highest graduation rates also had the greatest access to
arts education and resources. While there are undoubtedly a number of other
factors that play into graduation rates, the research in this study and others like it
(most notably The Role of the Fine and Performing Arts in High School Dropout
Prevention, which you can read here) has found that many at-risk students cite
participation in the arts as their reason for staying. Participation in these activities
has a quantifiable impact on levels of delinquency, truancy and academic
performance.

2. A 2011 study called Reinvesting in Arts Education found that integrating arts
with other subjects can help raise achievement levels.
Arts education may not just help raise test scores, but also the learning process
itself, as a recent study revealed. This report on the Maryland school system found
that skills learned in the visual arts could help improve reading and the counterparts
fostered in playing an instrument could be applied to math. Researchers and
school officials believe that arts education can be a valuable education reform tool,
and classroom integration of creative opportunities could be key to motivating
students and improving standardized test scores. Taking it a step further, online

colleges in Maryland, for example, are creating post-secondary education

opportunities for students in the state.

3. A study of Missouri public schools in 2010 found that greater arts education led
to fewer disciplinary infractions and higher attendance, graduation rates and
test scores.
Using data submitted by the states public schools, the Missouri Department of
Education and the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education compiled this report. They
found that arts education had a significant effect on the academic and social
success of their students. Those with greater arts participation were more likely to
come to class, avoid being removed and graduate. Additionally, they demonstrated
greater proficiency in mathematics and communication. Many have aspired
to online colleges in Missouri, or other states. Similar studies of other statewide
education systems have discovered nearly identical results.

4. In Neuroeducation: Learning, Arts and the Brain, Johns Hopkins researchers

shared findings showing that arts education can help rewire the brain in positive
ways.
While proponents of arts education have long asserted that creative training can
help develop skills translating into other areas of academics, little research had
been done to investigate the scientific component. Aspects of training in the arts,
like motor control, attention and motivation, were studied by researchers who
participated in the report, with some interesting results. In one four-year study,
students undertaking regular music training were found to have changes in their
brain structures helping them transfer their motor skills to similar areas. Another
found students motivated to practice a specific art form and spent time with focused
attention increased the efficiency of their attention network as a whole, even when
working in other areas of study and it improved their fluid IQ scores. Other
studies reported similar scientific findings on the arts impact on the brain, showing
that sustained arts education is can be essential part of social and intellectual
development.

5. A 2009 survey, part of the Nations Report Card: Arts 2008 report, found that
access to arts education opportunities hasnt changed much in a decade.
Many of the problems that plagued arts education programs in schools ten years
ago are still major issues today, this survey revealed. Middle school students across
the nation havent seen an increase in access to music and visual arts education,
and their understanding of its tenets remains low especially in certain
disenfranchised socioeconomic and racial groups. Many believe the numbers are

even worse today, as the survey was conducted prior to the economic woes that
have paralyzed many schools systems in recent years. As in 1997, the 2008 survey
showed that only 47% of students had access to visual arts education, and just
57% to music education. The survey attempted to look at theater and dance
programs, but since so few schools offer them, they were dropped from the study.

Why is visual art so important in a school's curriculum as a learning activity?

Why is visual art so important in a school's curriculum as a learning activity?
Download Answers

Asked on February 27, 2011 at 2:54 AM by dalzelm

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6 Answers | Add Yours

litteacher8 | High School Teacher | (Level 3) Distinguished Educator

Posted on March 1, 2011 at 1:18 PM
Studying visual art is crucial for a child's development. The many skills that can be
gained from studying art include spatial skills, creativity and art appreciation. If
children never get exposure to these things, they are missing out on a large part of the
human experience.
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mwestwood | College Teacher | (Level 3) Distinguished Educator

Posted on February 27, 2011 at 1:54 PM
Studies have shown that students engaged in any of the fine arts begin to learn better in
their academic courses. Another reason that visual arts is important is that such a course
appeals to students who have artistic talent that is not tapped in any of their classes.
When they can come to a class in which they are good at something, there is a
confidence in themselves that develops. For, they have found, at last, meaningful
activity for them.
Art, like music, is creative and, thus, satisfying to the soul. Some people have musical
talent and prefer music, but for others who have no talent in music, there may be an
opportunity for them in learning and bettering themselves in art if it is offered in
schools. Classes such as fine arts are often the only reason some students bother
coming every day. Of course, exposure to all the fine arts teaches young people art

appreciation and music appreciation, qualities that will bring them enjoyment in years to
come.
like 1dislike 0

Ashley Kannan | Middle School Teacher | (Level 3) Distinguished Educator

Posted on February 27, 2011 at 5:47 AM
There is much to indicate that visual art, and the arts as a whole, are vital to students'
learning. Part of this resides in the fact that art is so wide open in terms of subjectivity.
Its expansive nature and scope afford it an opportunity for students' experiences and
voices to be integrated into the paradigm of learning. When other subjects are
constricted to a great extent by standards and standardized approaches to learning,
student voices can only be validated in this context. Visual art is subjective and not
standardized, affording it a greater opportunity to pull more students into the process of
learning and appealing to those who might not find their voice in other settings. For
example, visual art construction can help in understanding in spatial relationships,
geometric construction, and proportionality in a manner that might be more appealing
than the traditional mathematics based instruction of such topics. As more schools
begin to experience the pang of losing art in the educational setting, it is dawning on
many that there is a significantly harmful element the loss of this realm.

Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 15, Issue 2, Article 12 (Dec.,
2014)
Saroja DHANAPAL, Ravi KANAPATHY and Jamilah MASTAN
A study to understand the role of visual arts in the teaching and learning of science

Previous Contents Next

Literature review
This section provides an in-depth review of the literature based on the
research topic carried out by the researcher. A description on related learning
theories introduced by famous educationists is also included to explain the
role of visual arts in the learning curriculum of schools today. The various
positive developments in children are further illustrated in relation to the
teaching and learning of both subjects; visual arts and science.
The curriculum
When it comes to teaching and learning, curriculum is always linked as the
connection of subjects, where it allows educators to incorporate their teaching
and learning methodologies to what is supposed to be taught to the respective
age groups of children. Addison and Burgess highlight that learning does not
take place in a vacuum. The ethos of the school, its rules, regulations, shared
values, the individual beliefs and interests of teachers all form part of the
pupils curriculum (2007:69). The curriculum illustrates the aims and learning
objectives of the content that all children should learn throughout the
academic year. Educators abide by the curriculum as it is designed based on
the various policies and framework introduced by authorities. Many studies
have been carried out on the teaching and integration of art education in
schools for the betterment of all children. Al-Amri (2011), a member of the
International Advisory Committee for Arts Education, UNESCO, mentions
that the trends of art education have constantly been changing directions due
to several factors. These factors may include the national or school policies,
results of studies carried out by experienced educationists, school environment
and so on. He believes that art education needs to be much more
comprehensive today as it particularly promotes young learners development
in creativity. This is supported by Trilling and Fadel (2009) who claim that
creativity and innovation are the two key skills that ought to be developed
among young leaners in the 21st century. Previously, the significance of arts
education was emphasized in the Asia and Pacific Regional Conference,
stating that we achieve a peace and sustainable development by accomplishing
quality arts education (UNESCO, 2006). Arts education has shown integral

outcomes as it allows equal opportunities for cultural and artistic activities.

Hence, UNESCO aims to ensure arts education gets privilege and obtains a
central place in all educational programs and activities worldwide as it ... is a
key to training generations capable of reinventing the world that they have
inherited (Bokova, 2012).
The arts and science integration
Friedman says that, the secret sauce comes from our ability to integrate art,
music, and literature with the hard sciences (2008:2). This integration
currently plays a major role in education. Researches show that these
conversions in education greatly affect students academic results as they get
to develop their visual-spatial abilities, reflection, and experimentation skills
as well. It is seen that when schools give more importance to mathematics and
science, students are limited to developing only certain skills. Leaders such as
Obama agree with the integration of arts education as he states that, in
addition to giving our children the science and math skills they need to
compete in the new global context, we should also encourage the ability to
think creatively that comes from a meaningful arts education (2013, cited in
National Art Education Association, 2013:3). Nunan described the term
creativity as the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality
(2009:12). Naiman (2013), founder of Creativity at Work, adds on that
thinking and producing are the two key processes involved in creativity.
Greene (2007) explains that arts inspire and allow imagination producing a
different reality for children. Imagination is more important than
knowledge because knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand,
while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to
know and understand. (Einstein cited in Nunan, 2009:11). Through their own
creativity, children learn to bring out innovative ideas developing various
cognitive skills and understanding the world in a whole different way.
In order to fulfil the requirements of the curriculum, it is important for art
teachers to be professional who understand how to deliver the various skills to
children. Many researches like Pearson (2001), Bracey (2003) and Hedges &
Cullen (2005) agree that teachers need to understand the theoretical tools and
have a sufficient background of art education to ensure children attain the
knowledge of art (cited in UNESCO, 2006). The Road Map for Arts
Education conference by UNESCO summarized,
Learning in and through the arts (Arts Education and Arts-inEducation) can enhance at least four of these factors: active
learning; a locally-relevant curriculum that captures the interest
and enthusiasm of learners; respect for, and engagement with,

local communities and cultures; and trained and motivated

teachers. (2006:6)
Arts integration promotes the child-centred pedagogical approach towards
teaching and learning as it calls for hands-on tasks linked to other subjects
ensuring the learning of maximum skills. The Primary Years Programme
(PYP) of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) consists of one
Transdisciplinary and one Stand-Alone unit. This means that the first one
encourages the integration of all subjects while teaching a particular subject
whereas the latter means that the respective subjects need to be taught on their
own without incorporating other subjects. During the stand-alone unit,
teachers focus on teaching only important art skills or genres whereas
teaching and learning is combined with the unit of inquiry in the
transdisciplinary unit (International Baccalaureate Organisation, 2010). This
integration with the central idea also allows teachers to provide a profound
understanding of art and the world though art (Immanuel Primary School,
2009).
Visual arts and science are linked fundamentally as they both promote
discovery learning (Alberts, 2010). The integration allows students to attempt
artistic science projects that enhance their imagination, higher-order thinking
skills, creativity and knowledge on both art and science. These projects
provide outstanding opportunities for students to discover and explore the
world on their own. It also encourages them to pursue their scientific
inquiries in which arts is embedded, and work on both art and science
disciplines simultaneously (Inan, 2009:1379). For example, the Reggio
Emilia-inspired preschool shows that the science projects are not only visually
done well but also full of science facts, childrens reflections and in-depth
thinking (Inan, 2009). Inan reviews that their creativity skills and discoveries
are guided with their inquiries and questions, which become the seeds of long
term projects (2009:1378).
Social development
Visual arts allow children to develop their social skills as they share and
explain their beautiful artwork with their classmates and teachers (National
Art Education Association, 1994). The different elements of visual arts enable
children to develop confidence, communication skills, an understanding of
how they learn and most importantly the art of expressing themselves. Selfexpression promotes the freedom for all children as they are given the
opportunity to imagine and express their emotions (Efland, 2004, cited in
Tsimboukidou, 2010). As they become more expressive, their language skills
improve as they use different words to share their feelings and art creations.

Additionally, visual art lessons allow learners to engage with people by

communicating through images (Kear & Callaway, 2000). They develop
metalanguage as they discuss their different art and design experiences and
write them down as reflections (Bloomfield, 2000).
Social development through visual arts education also means that children get
familiarised with the diverse cultures and artwork from different time periods.
They understand the uniqueness of diverse people and stimulate their minds to
look at the world differently (Bullard, 2013). The Road Map of Arts Education
(2006) conference listed two effects caused by arts integration. Firstly, the
demand for professional art teachers having knowledge of diversity rises.
Secondly, the various historical and cultural art programmes and activities are
easily organised and carried out in educational premises and organisations. As
past researches suggest, one factor affecting positive arts integration would be
ones environment (Nunan, 2009). Childrens creativity gets stimulated though
an inviting and resourceful surrounding where they enjoy exploring their art
skills by integrating them into different subjects like science.
Cognitive development
Among all the different skills, educationists emphasize extensively on
childrens cognitive development that is affected by not only the curriculum
used but also how the different subjects are taught in classrooms. The
integration of visual arts into the teaching and learning of science show
positive improvements in childrens thinking skills, reasoning abilities and
organization levels (Riley, 2012). These improvements could be made with
teachers continuous effort of practising a teaching method that increases
active student engagement during lessons. Edwards and Springate (1995)
confirm that children learn better when the facilitators revisit and revise their
lessons often. This becomes easier when the child-centred pedagogical
approach is practised as it allows active learning to take place through sharing
and gaining knowledge from one another. According to Vygotsky (1978),
expertise in art education is essential for individuals to work actively and
develop higher psychological functions or in other words, the processes
stated in Blooms (1956) taxonomy; analysis, synthesis and evaluation (cited
in White, 2012). Children develop these skills when science activities are
carried out using the integration approach in which teachers encourage them
to use the elements of visual arts to understand the science topics better. The
Primary School Curriculum developed by the National Council for
Curriculum and Assessment explain that the visual arts curriculum presents a
range of activities in perceiving, exploring, responding to and appreciating the
visual world (1999:8).

The World Conference on Arts Education summarized that the teaching and
learning of arts is recognized as a means of achieving one of UNESCOs
central educational goals: quality education (UNESCO, 2006:6). The arts
education framework includes the Arts in Education (AiE) approach which
uses the arts as a tool for equipping students with knowledge and skills
across the curriculum to stimulate cognitive development and to encourage
innovative and creative thinking (UNESCO, 2006:5). The Roadmap for Art
Education by UNESCO in 2006 highlights the importance of visual arts
integration in the other subjects curriculum as its learning relates to the
modern worlds requirements. The integrated curriculum will then naturally
prepare children for the future they will be living in.
Emotional and physical development
Studies have proved that arts education connects children to their cultural
background cultivating ... a sense of creativity and initiative, a fertile
imagination, emotional intelligence and a moral compass, a capacity for
critical reflection, a sense of autonomy, and freedom of thought and action
(UNESCO, 2006:4). Emotional development plays an important role in the
decision-making abilities and affects how children give ideas and carry out
their actions. Many like Damasio believe that arts education sustains a
peaceful culture as it provides a balance between cognitive and emotional
development (2013, cited in Bullard, 2013). Art is a form of language, a
communication technique whereby children having difficulty in speaking are
allowed to express their deepest emotions openly (Nunan, 2009). Together
with enhancing the childrens conversation and discussion abilities, it also
affects their emotional development as they are able to understand their
perceptions and feelings as well (Dickinson, 2005).
Besides emotional development, arts education also enhances physical
development as movement is part and parcel of art activities. According to
Burrill, movement is the foundation for learning and development (2010:1).
Among the activities employed to enhance movement during lessons, teachers
may include art making in which movement is fundamental (Burrill, 2010).
Alberts (2010) lists various ways in which visual arts could be integrated
especially during the teaching and learning of science. Teachers organise
various hands-on tasks in which learners are given opportunities to explore,
discover and create themselves, promoting their cognitive skills (Burrill,
2010). Research shows that art and science are two subjects that complement
each other [as] art projects turn science concepts that may or may not work in
an experiment into something hands-on and visual (Collins, 2013).

Children tend to correlate the difficult science facts and concepts with visual
representations that aid in easier understanding and long-term memory
(Dickinson, 2005). Facilitators encourage the visual arts and science
integration in several ways such as creating mobiles, sculptures, 3D models,
crafts, drawings and paintings in order to boost the understanding of the
concepts learnt in science (Alberts, 2010). UNESCO adds on that arts
education contributes to an education which integrates physical, intellectual,
and creative faculties and makes possible more dynamic and fruitful relations
among education, culture, and the arts (2006:5).
It has been argued that students learn better when they are given different
opportunities to express their knowledge (Sawyer, n.d.). Many students might
feel comfortable with drawing out particular science topics discussed in class.
Others might want to paint or even make models based on the science topics.
This makes learning the hard sciences fun and interactive during lessons.
Children are motivated to enjoy and inquire more about science as they get a
chance to interact with their classmates during the activities too. Bloomfield
too mentions that the creative arts permit individual children to conceptualise
and understand their strength areas to compensate or overcome weakness in
other areas (2000:108). Among the various impacts of visual arts, motivating
and upholding their interest is significant to ensure quality education is taking
place. Teaching strategies are vital in bringing big changes in children as they
ensure childrens self-esteem is always improved (Dickinson, 2005).
Over the past 10 years prominent theorists and practitioners such as Catterall
(1998), Eisner (1998) and Gardner (1999) have begun to argue that the arts are
integral to the education of the "whole child" (cited in Gullat, 2008:1). Art
and design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual tactile
and sensory experiences and a unique way of understanding the world (DfEE,
1999, cited in Addison & Burgess, 2007:306). Hence the integration of visual
arts and science is a necessary change in todays curriculum.

I M P O RTA N C E O F T H E V I S U A L A RT S I N E D U C AT I O N
By M. LoParco by Dryden Art School.

Importance of the Visual Arts in Education

Today more than ever the arts are needed by our young people as a forum for safe
expression, communication, exploration, imagination, and cultural and historical
understanding. See how Arts to Grow aligns with this statement.
Below are a list of reasons why the visual arts are so important at each grade level:
Brain research confirms that Arts education strengthens student problem-solving
and critical thinking skills, adding to overall academic achievement, school success,
and preparation for the work world.
Art classes provide students a chance to develop cognitive and creative skills, and
to develop their imaginations.
For some students Art is their motivation for coming to school and an area where
they have success or excel, providing an important balance in their total
educational experience.
The arts teach our students to be more tolerant and open through multicultural
and historical perspectives and through their involvement in the creative process
itself.

HomeLive & LearnBooks & The Arts

10 Reasons Why Arts in Education is So

Important for Kids
Lauren Martin

January 24, 2014

Books & The Arts , Live & Learn

4 Comments
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Where have the arts in education gone? Over the past several years weve all seen
the trend of schools cutting the arts from their curriculum. Music, art, theatergone
for so many.

Theres no doubt that the arts are fun for kids. Diving into those finger paints and
making a beautiful picture to hang on the fridge is awesome. Acting in a play is
exhilarating. But the arts also help kids develop on many fundamental levels.
Here are the top 10 ways that the arts help kids learn and grow:
1. Creativity. This may seem like a no-brainer, but the arts allow kids to express
themselves better than math or science. As the Washington Post says, In an arts
program, your child will be asked to recite a monologue in 6 different ways, create a
painting that represents a memory, or compose a new rhythm to enhance a piece
of music. If children have practice thinking creatively, it will come naturally to them
now and in their future career.
2. Improved Academic Performance. The arts dont just develop a childs
creativitythe skills they learn because of them spill over into academic
achievement. PBS says, A report by Americans for the Arts states that young
people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each
week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for
academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award
for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.
3. Motor Skills. This applies mostly to younger kids who do art or play an
instrument. Simple things like holding a paintbrush and scribbling with a crayon are
an important element to developing a childs fine motor skills. According to
the National Institutes of Health, developmental milestones around age three
should include drawing a circle and beginning to use safety scissors. Around age
four, children may be able to draw a square and begin cutting straight lines with
scissors.
4. Confidence. While mastering a subject certainly builds a students confidence,
there is something special about participating in the arts. Getting up on a stage and
singing gives kids a chance to step outside their comfort zone. As they improve and
see their own progress, their self-confidence will continue to grow.
5. Visual Learning. Especially for young kids, drawing, painting, and sculpting in
art class help develop visual-spatial skills. Dr. Kerry Freedman, Head of Art and
Design Education at Northern Illinois University says, Children need to know more
about the world than just what they can learn through text and numbers. Art
education teaches students how to interpret, criticize, and use visual information,
and how to make choices based on it.

6. Decision Making. The arts strengthen problem solving and critical thinking
skills. How do I express this feeling through my dance? How should I play this
character? Learning how to make choices and decisions will certainly carry over
into their education and other parts of lifeas this is certainly a valuable skill in
adulthood.
7. Perseverance. I know from personal experience that the arts can be
challenging. When I was trying to learn and master the clarinet, there were many
times when I became so frustrated that I wanted to quit. But I didnt. After practicing
hard, I learned that hard work and perseverance pay off. This mindset will certainly
matter as they growespecially during their career where they will likely be asked
to continually develop new skills and work through difficult projects.
8. Focus. As you persevere through painting or singing or learning a part in a play,
focus is imperative. And certainly focus is vital for studying and learning in class as
well as doing a job later in life.
9. Collaboration. Many of the arts such as band, choir, and theater require kids to
work together. They must share responsibility and compromise to achieve their
common goal. Kids learn that their contribution to the group is integral to its
successeven if they dont have the solo or lead role.
10. Accountability. Just like collaboration, kids in the arts learn that they are
accountable for their contributions to the group. If they drop the ball or mess up,
they realize that its important to take responsibility for what they did. Mistakes are
a part of life, and learning to accept them, fix them, and move on will serve kids well
as they grow older.
Is your student looking to become more involved in the arts? Not only do K12
online public schools offer their students art and music courses, K12 has individual
art classes for purchase. For more information on K12 and our programs that
encourage student involvement in the arts, you can contact our enrollment team at
(877) 895-1754 or elect to receive a free info kit.

The importance of providing quality art

education for all students
11/27/2011
art education
F. ROBERT SABOL, Ph.D. President,
National Art Education Association

Art is one of the universal languages all human beings understand and use to
communicate. We use art to understand who we are, our places in the world, and the
meaning of our lives. We use art to express ourselves and to speak to others across
time and place. Human beings have an essential drive to create and understand visual
imagery. This drive is one of the basic traits that make us human. The power of the
visual arts to enrich human experience and society is recognized and celebrated
throughout the world.

Art and the visual arts are part of the historical record of every culture and historical period
known to human beings. It may be said that all we know about some past civilizations is
found entirely in the record of art and artifacts their people left behind. The visual arts have
been used to capture and express a wide array of values, beliefs, and ideas embraced by
people from around the world and from every period of history. The visual arts have been
used to educate, persuade, commemorate, and problem solve. In fact daily we are
dependent upon the visual arts to make sense of the world in which we live.
We continuously are inundated with innumerable visual images and messages on
television, computers, digital communications devices, and in the printed media.
Neuroscience has shown that a significant portion of the human brain is devoted to
understanding visual stimulation and to decoding visual messages we receive through our
sense of vision. We do this by using all of our higher order thinking skills, memory, and
education. In our contemporary society, the visual arts and dependence upon visual
imagery is essential in communicating and understanding information we need to live our
lives. In order to fully understand visual imagery and its meaning, it is essential that all
people receive an arts infused education. Such an education enables people to become
informed citizens, critical thinkers, creative problem solvers and productive members of
society.

At a time of economic challenge for our country, many school districts have been forced to
make difficult decisions that have decreased or eliminated visual arts education from our
schools. Despite a growing body of evidence suggesting that students who have had
instruction in the visual arts perform higher on standardized tests and other measures of
educational performance than those who have not had such instruction, art education
programs continue to be overlooked for the contributions they make in producing the
highest quality of education we seek for all of our children.
One of the hallmarks of quality visual arts education is its focus on creativity. Students in art
classrooms at all instructional levels are routinely called upon to use their creativity to solve
problems and to express their ideas. Art teachers are steeped in the knowledge and skills
that foster creativity and they use the visual arts curriculum to enable their students to
explore their own creative powers. Nurturing and developing students creative capacities
are vitally important for advancement in the workforce and for maintaining Americas
leadership role in the world.
The National Art Education Association (NAEA), over its 65 year history, has championed
the cause of visual arts education. As the professional association for art educators, it has
worked actively to ensure that quality visual arts education is provided in every school and
for every student. Indeed the mission of the NAEA is to: ...advance visual arts education to
fulfill human potential and promote global understanding. This mission is supported by a
vision for art education in which there is equity and access for students of all ages to art
education programming in order to benefit from comprehensive, balanced, and sequential
learning in the visual arts, which is led and taught by qualified teachers who are certified in
art education. In order to achieve this mission, the NAEA has contributed to a number of
recent national initiatives that promise to enhance visual arts education in all schools.
After the Partnership for 21st Century Skills identified its list of skills and competencies for
curricula in schools, the NAEA and the other professional associations for music, dance,
and theatre collaborated to craft the 21st Century Skills Arts Map. This map includes
examples of how the 21st century skills are taught and utilized in arts education
classrooms. Art educators utilize these skills in a full range of learning experiences and skill
development at all instructional levels.
With the emergence of Common Core Standards movement, it became clear that revision
of current national arts standards was necessary. Comprehensive rigorous curriculum
standards are essential for insuring that students receive well-balanced and meaningful
education in the arts.
The NAEA, in collaboration with professional arts education associations and other stake
holding arts organizations, developed the National Consortium for Core Arts Standards
(NCCAS). The NCCAS is in the process of reviewing the national standards for each of the

fine arts disciplines. The next generation of national standards will detail rigorous
curriculum content for comprehensive education in each of the fine arts disciplines. The
new standards will reflect the contemporary and future needs of arts education
programming in schools. Under the guidance of the NCCAS, new national arts education
standards will be released in the near future.
The NAEA realizes its responsibility for providing current research about the field of art
education. One of the goals of the NAEA is to conduct research and generate knowledge
that enriches and expands visual arts education. An example of how the NAEA has
achieved this goal is found in a recently released study, No Child Left Behind: A Study
of Its Impact on Art Education (Sabol, 2010). The full report is available on the NAEA
website (arteducators.org). This exhaustive study, that included findings from over 3,200
art educators, examined the impact the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA),
commonly known as No Child Left Behind, has had on art education programming in public
schools from pre-K through 14, in the areas of staffing, funding, curriculum, instruction,
assessment, workloads, and scheduling.
Findings from this study have been examined by educational leaders and national decision
makers in their efforts to understand the areas of need and change that will be necessary
under the coming reauthorization of the ESEA. The Presidents Committee on the Arts and
Humanities, in its recent publication, Reinvesting in the Arts: Winning Americas
Future through Creative Schools, (www.pcah.gov) cited the study as it put forward
its plan for enhancing arts education programs in the United States. These and other
studies supported by the NAEA and the National Art Education Foundation have been
instrumental in providing evidence to support decision making relative to art education
programming in local communities and states.
From these brief examples of how the NAEA has proactively pursued its mission, it is clear
that supporters of arts education are being guided by the best interests of the students in
our schools and our nation. Art educators are acutely aware of the roles they play in
providing a comprehensive education for all students and they are committed to working to
insure that the creative and artistic needs of all students are maintained as part of the core
of learning in all schools and in all communities.
A comprehensive balanced education must include education in the arts and it must be
understood that the future of the United States is dependent, to a significant degree, upon
the knowledge, skills and experiences an education in the arts provides.
Robert Sabol, Ph. D., is a Professor of Visual and Performing Arts and Chair of
the Department of Art and Design at Purdue University. Dr. Sabol also is the
President of the National Art Education Association. He has published numerous

articles, book chapters, and books about art education policy, assessment,
multiculturalism, curriculum, and gifted education and he has received grants
from the USDOE, the National Endowment for the Arts, and other foundations in
support of his research. He has received a number of awards in recognition of
his teaching and research. For more information, visit www.arteducators.org.