Marie's Final Words

In this class, I have learned a lot about research and how to apply it to art and art education. I feel like there’s still a lot to learn! For my pilot study, I called libraries in St-Johns County and researched the types of art programs they offer. I felt like I had included everything, but I guess not enough details (APA formatting of charts and tables…) Even though we think we understand, there’s still more to be learn. Maybe this class needs to be longer after all.

I learned to focus on one subject and not to be all inclusive in a research. That a research needs to be meaningful and reach other’s interests as well as my own. This class helped me defend my opinions and justify my research path. I also learn to find my own resources to comprehend a lesson’s topic and which might have helped some of my classmates as well; Patricia wrote on my week 3 discussion post about qualitative research: “You've done a nice job on breaking down the research types and making them understandable to me”.

I think this class helped me see ways in which I can research more about libraries and art; not only in the kinds of programs offered in libraries, but also how can the visual art help research in libraries. This week’s readings reminded me of Richardson’s article Poetics, Dramatics, and Transgressive Validity: The Case of the Skipped Line; visual arts, like literary arts can be used to express results of a research as well as be a tool for researchers during their research.

There are so many aspects of art and education that I’m interested in researching; I feel like it’s only the beginning.

Richardson, L. (1993). Poetics, dramatics, and transgressive validity: The case of the skipped line. Sociological Quarterly, 34(4), 695-710.

Ah Ha! My final reseach map!

It took me all semester to figure out my research path (better late than never I guess).  I've been trying to create a map from terminology so that I could understand the process and I have had no luck making it all click in my mind. So I decided instead to focus on what I understood and how that related to my specific research project. The resulting tree is what appeared.

Reflections

As I reflect on my research work, reading and blog responses, I have received a few responses that helped me narrow down my research. Being concerned with the children that are not interested in “making-art,” I wanted to know how art educators can reach these students.  After an discussion post, Marie asked, “Do you think that changing teacher’s approach to art education and interaction with their student might help art appreciation later on?” Interaction with children in the formative years is a perfect time to begin the dialogue of visual language. How am I currently speaking to my preschool students? Are my comments encouraging or merely complimentary?  I needed to do action research in order to improve my practice.

I learned that my writing skills are weak and I have to focus my mind. The more I read, the more ideas I glean and in turn, the more possibilities I see.  I didn't mind reading and responding to articles, but I felt pressure to seek out citations in my responses in order to validate my understanding or knowledge.

 Further investigation in early childhood development is my next step. In order to acknowledge literacy development in children, I must understand what literacy means.  To validate my practice (art education in young children), I need to research studies in cognitive development through the arts.

What is the most important single piece of knowledge gained? In order for my work with children to have a lasting effect for future teachers or parents, I need to conduct action research and validation through study and observation.  It’s not enough to say “children are becoming successful life long learners because they were involved with an arts-based preschool curriculum.” I must prove it.  I must research “how” this is done so others can have the option of using methods of teaching that I found successful.

What will I remember in a year?  I will remember that properly citing my research is important to validate and give credit where credit is due.  Citations are also important when I am researching an article for further investigation on a topic or theory. Writing clearly and focused is a skill that I need to develop.  How is this topic been research or written about in the past?  Who would find it important? Why is it relative to the current trends in art education? Where can this “new information” be utilized appropriately? It’s not enough to ask questions. I have to ask the appropriate questions to fully answer my research question.  Can I translate these questions into areas of research that relates to collecting data? There are so many questions and so little time to research the ever changing world of education.

All the classes I have taken these past two years have added in my ability to solve problems, think, reason and research.  There are multiple paths to discovery. My intention and motivation and purpose of the “big idea” is key to research.

I can’t say that I have changed my beliefs or values through this class. Although, I now believe that performing research for interpretation and analysis in written form is not my strength or interest. I felt confused and irritated with the language that writers used to describe their research and methodologies.  If art education research is to “inform” practitioners and colleagues, shouldn’t it be in the language of the reader?

 This class helped me narrow my research topic. The pilot project was the most effective way, I found, to confirm or negate my hypothesis. It was practical way to try out my idea of talking with a child. I discovered many things. For one, the student became more animated in her language, more creative and prolific in her painting.  Giving Abby my attention and “ear” inspired her to experiment with paints, think about her drawing and feel confident with her words.  Other children also became curious and wanted my ear. The next day Abby continued to show and talk about her finished artwork to other adults.  I now understand that a small idea contains many factors; I must break down the question, investigate the previous knowledge and practices, analyze and interpret the data, be fluid, be ethical and validate my facts.

I feel excited to talk about my project.  Others are curious with what I am consumed with and want to know more, which in turn helps me fine tune my approach. I am feeling more confident with the idea, but not in my writing.

The methodology I will use for the capstone project will be action research as art and art as research.  The Jeffers (1993) article confirms this.  During my independent study I will gather the data, and create an exhibit of voices and artwork.  This exhibit is the art with voices that I am researching (Jeffers, 1993).  The development of conversations with children and their art and its relationship to literacy serve as research. "To perform research is to carry out a critical intent as presented to an audience of peers and/or the public who share an interest in the research problem" (Rolling, 2010, p. 107).

The final exhibition of this research will function as an audio-visual that “might promote dialogue among teachers” and parents (p. 12), be informative and inspiring.

 I don’t feel I devoted enough time to participation on the discussion boards. It was a stretch of my time and mind to read and respond to the readings as well as the blogs.  As a class, we are all off conducting our own research. I didn’t feel I grew in the research process through the class discussions.  It may have helped me understand a few articles.  After digesting and responding to the readings I felt inadequate to actively participate in the discussions. I felt pressured to reply.  I gained more insight and inspiration through my colleagues at work.

I didn’t think about empirical research and hermeneutics prior to this class. I have always investigated and learned by reading, participating (doing), and discussing ideas. I now see that philosophy guides research. How do we proceed to research? What methods and methodology do I use?  What is truthful or meaningful, interpretation of data? There are many specific factors to consider in gathering and analyzing data for a particular “audience.”  At times I didn’t know were to begin.  What information is relevant to the research? Sometimes we don’t know until we begin.

Jeffers, C.(1993). Research as art and art as research: A living relationship. Art Education, 46(5), 12-17.

Moen, T. (2006). Reflections on the narrative research approach. International Journal of Qualitative

     Methodology, 5(4), 1-11.

Rolling, J.H.(2010). A Paradigm analysis of arts-based research and implications for education. Studies in Art Education, 

     53(2), 102-114.

Week 7 Class Reflection, Allison

When I first read the assignment to reflect on everything I learned this class, my head was swimming with not only answers but also questions. This has been a whirlwind class full of overwhelming assignments of deep-seated learning. So much so that I felt that I couldn’t stay afloat long enough to understand everything that was rushing at me. What do I really want to prove and how do I compose it into a concise, clear question? I first felt a supporting hand when I had my one-on-one talk with Leslie. With her help I began organizing, categorizing and clearing excess ideas. From that organization and weekly readings, my thesis question became clear. While reading Reflections on the narrative research approach, Moen (2006), I realized that everything she talked about she supported with information and explanations down to each word used. This made me re-evaluate the importance of finding and using the right words in my thesis question.

Personal influences or experiences outline our research. As we all begin to formulate our ideas we rely/ reflect on our own knowledge, insights and perceptions to help guide us. The personal connection is what engages us all in anything we do. Our research links us to our experiences as educators yet allows us to move away from the classroom and venture on an individual journey of discovery that can benefit both ourselves as teachers and the larger community of academics. Working in a school specifically for dyslexic students and having a dyslexic child myself, my passion for researching the relationship between art and dyslexia was inherent. What I was lacking was the knowledge to find, understand, integrate and substantiate the right information to formulate a sound and valid research.

Through the weeks, I have been reading and writing, although not actually comprehending how everything connected together to help my research happen. As I continued to read the weekly assignment, I would have flashes of clarity, yet they seemed to disappear as fast as they came. My ah-ha moment when everything became a bit clearer for me was just recently when I read two articles regarding case studies and action research. Techniques for art educators in architectural design research and evaluation by Guilfoil (1986) examined the techniques and approaches to data recording to solidify her students understanding of their learning environments. The students were collaboratively involved in the process. Knowing that my case study would include students’ participation, this article provided me with an understanding to move forward in my pilot study. Vanwynsberghe & Khan’s (2007) Redefining case study mapped out what was and was not a case study. This article was simple and clearly written which I appreciated whole-heartedly. The notion that a case study does not guide the research in effect it is the research that guides the study created a lucid moment for me. And finally, understanding what a portraiture case study sealed my research course.

Learning the APA style of writing seemed daunting. Michelle Tillander gave me great advice at the beginning of the course. She said to go out and buy a book that I could keep right in front of me rather than rely on the website. This was an incredible piece of advice. I have kept it right by my side and referred to it in a moments notice. I still make stupid mistakes, but my book is a most valuable part of my research. Keeping my reading reflections, my references and my proposal writings organized and categorized in a folder on my computer has allowed me to refer back to any of them easily. Recognizing and using the human resources around me has facilitated discussions and essential knowledge that has always been at my fingertips. It is easy for me to fall into my own routine and not push myself to gain new knowledge. This class and program has impelled me out of my comfort zone and given me the drive to do my homework, be prepared and always questions everything. Most importantly learned, a carefully studied, concise, consistent, related research earns recognition and merit. We will see how my research pans out in the next research class, my independent study class where I will be conducting my case study.

Guilfoil, J. K., (1986). Techniques for art educators in architectural design

research and evaluation. Art Education, 36(2), 10-12.

Moen, T. (2006). Reflections on the narrative research approach, International

Journal of Qualitative Methodology, 5(4), 1-11.

VanWynsberghe, R., & Khan, S. (2007). Redefining case study. International

Journal of Qualitative Methods, 4(6), 80-94.

Lesson Reflection Week 7

As an overall statement of what I have learned, it is simply that I don’t know enough about research (but I am better now). Initially, I began with the idea, that I must conduct surveys, observe, gather data, analyze it and be done with it. This is wrong. As with many other things there are many types of research that can be used. I reread all of my reading reflections. The recent ones are the ones that I began to make personal connections and figure out how I can use various types for my capstone project.

If it were not for the efforts of our instructor and some peers in this class, I would not have been able to make sense of the types of research I need to use for my capstone project. I met face to face with one classmate that helped me narrow the focus, emphasis and do ability of my project. Both she and the instructor have helped me understand what I really want to do. The question must be written well, specific and clear. What was an initial idea that made sense to me did not make any sense at all to the way it was written. For example, I asked two questions for my pilot study project and submitted them to three different people with differing backgrounds.

1. As an evaluator of an art teacher, what TWO types of evidence might you look for during an evaluation for Domain 2d; “Using assessment in instruction”?*

2. As an evaluator of an art teacher, what TWO types of evidence might you look for during an evaluation for Domain 2f; “Integrating content reading and writing instruction”?

My concern was that the questions were not written well. Two of the three people answered with answers that were structure they way I thought, but the other stated that she could not answer them the way they were worded. It did not make clear what I was asking. She said the “types of evidence” where unclear. She felt that I should state “types of lessons”. She was correct. I meant what type of lesson (that would have gatherable evidence). This is the strongest part of what I question; do I get so close to the research that I lose focus for others to interpret?

The single idea that I will remember for good is Action Research. This is what I have been doing as a teacher for 20 years, but have never learned what to call it. I always assumed it was professional development (although it is). There have been many types of Action Research I have conducted that used mixed methods of research (qualitative and quantitative) to arrive at how to teach better. These have not been formally documented, but I have always learned how to teach better from the results gathered.

Writing a good question to research is the skill that I have improved. If the question were ambiguous and not specific nor worded correctly, the data would not be true. Consequently, I can’t do this without the use of classmates, peers, colleagues or instructors. Questions must be analyzed and ‘checked’ to see if they are written clearly. In week 7’s readings, Keifer-Boyd’s (2007) analysis of Judy Chicago’s project of teaching emphasizes the need for peer and instructor input for personal growth. I am comparing our discussion boards and her group circle in which each person is expected to participate, but can pass and revisit later in the session. We have this peer support within this program to bounce ideas from. If you think of us as visual artists working together to focus on one show with each creating a piece of artwork, this is exactly how we can reflect and learn.

This biggest struggle with this class was the time allotted for the IRP. It was most difficult for me to “get into it”, however, what really happened is that getting into it made me understand what I was really doing for research. How I was going to conduct the research and how it would be presented. Once I began to be immersed in this project, I was focused and all of the readings, maps, ideas bounced around began to formulate and resonate with me. I still need to edit and refine, but I am much more comfortable in my ‘shoes’ now, but they are not a perfect fit yet.

Keifer_Boyd, K. (2007). From content to form: Judy Chicago’s pedagogy with reflections by Judy Chicago. Studies in Art Education, 48(2), 133-153

New and I think final research map

Week 7 Reflection

Meeting with Dr. Gates was crucial to my understanding of what method would guide my research and to understand that my project and research in Apalachicola, Florida is a case study. I am bounded to the school and writing about what happens at the school. I may actually be engaged in an Ethnographic case study and will read more on this subject so that I have a firm understanding. Ethnography is a type of Qualitative research.
At this moment I am defining the population and who are the participants, who am I collecting data from?
The limitations of my study are many. As an Ethnographic study I will be viewed as an outsider, I can only report on what they tell me, I don't really know what is "real" and given that I am spending a week on the project, I am studying one episode in a lengthy project.

Here is the abstract from my Research project Proposal 1st draft:

My area of research focuses on the influence of the arts on the recovery of struggling, rural communities. More specifically, how are projects that facilitate change created and maintained? Through the examination of current and past programs, and the investigation of relevant issues, I hope to answer the question: How have community-based arts projects influenced the health and well being of a community?

Economic struggles and cyclical poverty are persistent problems that plague a broad portion of our society. The New Deal, a series of economic programs implemented by the United States government between 1933 and 1936(Kennedy & Larkin, 2009) is one historical example of the ways in which the arts worked to elevate community and society at large. With this in mind, community-based art projects involve a broad spectrum of the community and provide a concrete example of the importance of art and art education for the health and well being of society. Through the examination of current and past programs, and the investigation of issues relevant to the problem question, I am exploring; access to resources, the sustainability and efficacy of programs, as well as making cross-cultural comparisons and feel that this research is timely and important given the current state of our economy, the lack of funding for art in the public schools, and the limited access to the arts in rural and impoverished communities. My research will help to define how the arts can help struggling communities for the art education community.

Kennedy, R. G., & Larkin, D. (2009). When art worked: The new deal, art, and

democracy. New York: Rizzoli International Publications Inc.

Here is an excerpt from one of my interviews for the pilot study that gave me an opportunity to practice the interview process and make sure my questions made sense to the interviewee.

Interview with Liz Gottlieb, November 27, 2011

1.Do you believe that the arts can empower struggling communities? If so, what have you observed? What are your beliefs?

Liz: “ I think that at the very least, art can reinforce people's hope and at the most it can be a source of education and enlightenment like the Diego Rivera murals, he basically told society about the struggles of the workers or for example, the WPA teaching people about the poor in rural areas. I think art can go a long way in educating society but I think it can restore hope and turn struggles, transform struggles into a work of inspiration for communities.”

2.Do you perceive the arts as helping or healing individuals and society? If so, how? Personal examples?

Liz: “Arts in medicine and working with people in the hospital but for me, personally, I was a social worker in New York and I became disheartened as social services were being slashed, a real sense of hopelessness with trying to help people in poverty but then Bread and Roses, an organization that was on the floor above me, were working with art to approach the same issues. They were educating through the arts the state of our society and celebrating people who were struggling through art, photography. With art you can never lose. Of art working, it helps people who are working for social justice…and in participating it gives a sense of pride and is great for anyone in need of uplifting.”

3.Do you see art as a resource for social change?

Liz: “ Yes in that it is a way to inspire people who want to work for the social good and can be a source of enlightenment and education.”

4.How might a community write their own stories of identity?

Liz: “ There is a beautiful example of this French photographer who took pictures of people’s eyes in the poorest area of Rio, horrible condition, thousands of people on this mountain looking down on Rio, pictures of these eyes blown up huge and then pasted to the buildings, so the whole city could see and this brought huge media attention to a population that was outside the radar… Unseen America is the same idea, as a whole made an effort to do the same thing, people invisible from society, or seen negatively and misrepresented in the media, unseen America had people take their own pictures of themselves in their communities and brought them into the community. Art really educates people about other people and educates the larger community and helps fight bigotry and ignorance.”

Liz Gottlieb works for the United Auto Workers Labor Union and is currently compiling a book of portraits of people from a broad range of society and profession. It is a book of autobiographies that tells the story of the American worker. I interviewed her in an effort to gain the perspective of someone who understands social issues and who believes in art's transformative power for the individual and society. The questions I compiled are questions that I seek to answer as I engage in research on the subject of art and healing, art and society and the role of community-based art projects in the health and well being of a community. Her answers help me to see the universality of the issue.

(2006). E. Cohen (Ed.), Unseen America (pp. 3-200). Harper collins Publishers, Inc.: New York.

Bread and Roses Cultural Project

http://webarchives.cdlib.org/wayback.public/NYUL_ag_2/20090728171616/http://www.bread-and-roses.com/