Journal for Learning through the Arts

Musical Bridges Around the World’s Musical Sprouts program is a free education and art performance program with the goal of introducing arts-integrated and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) curricula to under-resourced students. The current study is a 3-year longitudinal study evaluating the impact of the Musical Sprouts program on STEAM learning outcomes and social emotional learning (SEL). Utilizing a mixed methods and iterative research design, this study evaluated the impact of the program on the content knowledge, cultural awareness, and SEL among elementary-aged students. Research components and data collection were administered and collected virtually using a pre and post survey in a classroom setting, and comparisons were made between treatment and control schools. Results suggested a statistically significant improvement in content knowledge and SEL outcomes for students in the program. Implications demonstrate that introduction of arts and culture into classroom curricula have a positive impact on educational attainment and emotional competency. Further research will continue to explore the positive impact of arts integration and STEAM with continuous improvements based on an ever-changing climate in the community.

Interpersonal and communications skills (ICS) are an ACGME core competency and key attribute of effective physicians that leads to better health outcomes and increased patient satisfaction. Nevertheless, ICS remains an area of difficulty for many medical students and physicians; a problem that can be remedied by early and sustained opportunities for practicing communication. This long-range study investigates how a baccalaureate experience at the intersection of arts and health impacts the ICS of future healthcare professionals. A quantitative and qualitative self-evaluation of ICS skills was administered to individuals who completed Connections and are currently working in and/or enrolled in a post-graduate program in the healthcare field. Connections is a community-engaged course in which undergraduates facilitate therapeutic interactions with art for a range of patient groups. 81% of respondents reported improvements in the practice of active listening, 100% reported an increased ability to paraphrase, and 81% identified improved ability to pose open-ended questions. Overall, 76% responded that the ICS-building methods used in Connections are useful in their graduate program or career. Course structure and teaching methods are shared in this study so experiential learning practices in the arts can be replicated to provide opportunities for future healthcare professionals to build their ICS.

This case study examined four Australian Year 12 students’ use of visual literacy to create bodies of artwork. They used the Australian literacy constructs, the frames – subjective, structural, cultural, and postmodern, and the conceptual framework – artwork, artist, world, and audience, to inform their thinking. The students used visual literacy differently to (a) read/decoded/interpreted visual statements, (b) wrote/encoded/created visual statements, in, following the art teacher’s graphic and written prompts (Avgerinou & Pettersson, 2011). Three students (c) thought visually and deliberately planned artwork to speak to an audience, using visual process diaries (VPDs) and artists’ statements that combined images and texts. The study concluded (1) Teaching visual literacy skills is essential. (2) Visual literacy skills take time to develop. (3) Visual literacy skills involve metacognition. (4) Conveying visual messages through artforms is best accomplished with developed skills in the medium or artform. (5) Visual literacy skills benefit from students’ research, analysis, and interpretation of artworks to increase critical understanding. Visual literacy is culturally situated. (6) Visual literacy skills involve an awareness of audiences and a need to communicate ideas. (7) The conceptual framework, rather than the frames, provided a point of dialogue and focus within VPDs, artwork, and writing.

This action research project examined the effectiveness of choice-based learning in a K-12 art classroom in a small rural school with approximately 300 students, transitioning from kindergarten to advanced placement high school art. The intervention involved implementing a choice-based learning intervention and gathering data through surveys, pictures, and observations. Results from 127 students indicated that high school students preferred choosing from two project guidelines and enjoyed the freedom to choose their medium, leading to deeper creative thinking and engagement. Elementary students favored step-by-step guidance but also enjoyed creating their own versions of projects, increasing overall engagement. The study suggests that choice-based art education enhances creativity and engagement across all K-12 levels, but further research is needed to assess long-term impacts and applicability in other school districts.