Patty's Personal Reflection

My research will take me into the classroom of AP art students, to observe and document their work as I try to answer how visual culture influences their perception of identity as created through their portfolios.  It is my wish to observe these students for a few weeks and take the role of the student, as they are the teachers teaching me what I need to know. I believe this research to be phenomenological. What I am trying to learn from them is deeply personal.  It is an essence of who they are and how that is reflected in their chosen medium.  What influences these choices? I think visual culture has some influence, but I am not sure just how much.  I hope that this exploration will be beneficial to my research, but also to the students.  I would like the students to understand how they form their ideas, and what influences them to make the artworks that they create.  I would also like the instructors of the school to understand how their students form ideas, so that their teaching practices can better benefit their students.  I am expecting this to be a pleasurable learning experience for the students, the class art instructor, and me. 

I wish that I could say I learned a great deal about research from this course, but that would not be true.  What I did learn is that research is more complicated than I ever thought, or so the academic writings would have me believe, and just when I thought I was beginning to understand, another method, methodology or approach came along to muddy the water.  I’m not sure why the selected readings for this course where chosen but they were, in most cases, difficult to understand.  Such as Beittel (1983), who seemed to be writing for the privileged few who could understand the language of research at a much higher level than the beginning researcher ever could. I felt he was pompous and he perpetuated the idea that art is too difficult to understand for the mere mortal. That being said, there were a few articles that were quite enjoyable, including Keifer-Boyd (2007).  As I return back to past posts on the discussion forum, I do not find them as helpful as they have been in other courses.  The ability to write freely, and from the heart, has been hindered by the need to write in technical terms.  It has been these forum “conversations” that have helped me greatly in past semesters.  I suppose this was the reason for the creation of this blog, but I do not feel it had the same impact.

As we near the end of this course, I still am having trouble organizing concepts in my mind. The various methods and approaches along with difficult terminology may have been better understood if an outline of terms, their definitions and some examples would have been provided at the beginning of the course, like a primer. Perhaps this course should not be condensed.  A sixteen-week course might give enough time for understanding to occur; or maybe it just delays the inevitable, that research is not to be understood until you are immersed in it.  What I do know is that peers can be a valuable resource to bounce ideas off of and to help you stay sane, and I’d like to thank my critical friend for that support. Without her I may have decided not to continue, finding the course too difficult and abstract for my need of the concrete.  She has helped me to focus and take the process step-by-step, and for that I am extremely grateful.

Earlier today I posted my final research map.  It is simple and focused, and concerns only the research I am about to undertake.  I needed to remove all other language that was not specific to my project and keep only what I know I will use in my research. This new map allows me to see completely the path I must take to complete my research project.

Beittl, K. R. (1983).  The phenomenology of the artistic image. Visual Arts Research, 9(2), 25-29.

Keifer-Boyd, K. (2007). From content to form: Judy Chicago’s pedagogy with reflections by Judy Chicago. Studies in Art Education, 48(2), 134-154.

Porter's Final Thoughts

Taking this class has been like riding a roller coaster. At first there was apprehension. What will the professor be like? How many assignments will we have per week? What will be expected? The unknown – it always makes me apprehensive. But then you get in your seat and begin that slow crawl up the first high embankment, and the feeling goes from apprehension to anticipation. You get to meet, or re-meet all the other students. You skim over the course schedule and go straight for the first lesson, because you want to get a head start. The first lesson is always the easiest, and then you are at the top of the hill and reality sets in.

I know, without a doubt, that this class pushed me further and harder than any other class I have taken. Even though it was intense, I can definitely say that I have learned more in this class than in any other class I have taken. Albeit, I would not want to repeat this insane schedule and feel strongly that this type of workload might be more of a deterrent to learning instead of the encouragement for which it was meant. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, as I desperately clung to my seat and tried to keep my hands and eyes inside the car at all times, and forced me to either sink or swim.

One critical realization that I have made during the course of this class is that research is not an individual endeavor. My feelings can be best said by the quote from Isaac Newton; “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” In other words, I can accomplish something that I could not do on my own, by the works, ideas, and thoughts of others. I started this search with my use of the studies of others before me. The wealth of knowledge that was found within journals, books, websites, and even magazines opened up my eyes, first of all, to a knew type of language that I am still learning.

At first I just tried to find articles that ‘matched’ my topic – how art councils can support town revitalization. These articles helped me to see how there were things missing from my initial research statement, as well as from the literature that I had investigated. Even though I found examples, such as those given by Stutman (2001) and Wallace (2011), which spoke of the arts changing communities, the programs used within these studies were quite different. What overarching issue linked these arts councils in their successful choices of programming?

The article by Guetzkon (2002) briefly touched on the topic of how relevant selection of programming would impact the effect of this programming on a community. The topic of relevant arts programming gained more traction with the additional information I learned from a study conducted by Kay (2005) that explored how arts programming was more effective when implemented and encouraged from within the community. The results of my pilot study indicated that a community art council’s intent to inspire their community is made possible through relevant and meaningful programming that considers the needs and desires of their community. All these factors have allowed me to discover that in order to revitalize a community, the focus of a community arts council should be on the needs and desires of their community in order to encourage community engagement through the vehicle of relevant arts programming.

There are two things about my participation in this class that I regret. One thing was being forced to answer and post my reflections so early due to my schedule. In some instances, I realized that my writings would have been totally different if I had been able to take more time, and possibly interact more with the other students within this class in order to gain a clearer focus of the questions that needed to be addressed. Of course, I could probably ‘work on’ my reflections FOREVER, and still not be totally satisfied with them, so maybe this was a blessing in disguise. My second regret was my lack of knowledge when we had to perform a critical review of our friend’s summary. I had no idea what half of the questions meant, much less how to answer them intelligently. If we were to perform the review today, I think I would do a much better job.

As I make my way down the last hill of our ride, I can say that I am looking forward to the normalcy and even the monotony that will be found, once again, in my everyday life. Just as with everything else that has touched my life, this class has left its imprint on me. When I started this class I thought that I just had to find some problem to ‘fix,’ but have come to realize that just fixing a problem is not enough. If that problem is not important to me, then what’s the point? I hope that by ‘standing on the shoulders of others’ I can help change the world positively at least a little, and eventually become a set of shoulders that maybe others can stand on.

Guetzkon, J. (2002, June). How the Arts Impact Communities: An Introduction of the Literature. Paper presented at the Taking the Measure of Culture Conference, Princeton University.

Kay, A. (2005). Art and community development: the role the arts have in regenerating communities. Community Development Journal, 35(4), 414-424.

Stutman, N. (2001). Art changes lives (Urban Art Trail). Letter Arts Review, 16(1), 24- 33.

Wallace, N. (2011). A theatrical ‘gumbo’s helps a small town stir its economy. Chronicle of Philanthropy, 23(7), 20.

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