| Session Title: Multi-year Evaluation of the Arts Education Reform Efforts in South Carolina |
| Multipaper Session 370 to be held in Versailles Room on Thursday, November 8, 11:15 AM to 12:45 PM |
| Sponsored by the Evaluating the Arts and Culture TIG |
| Chair(s): |
| Ching Ching Yap, University of South Carolina, ccyap@gwm.sc.edu |
| Discussant(s): |
| Ken May, South Carolina Arts Commission, mayken@arts.state.sc.us |
| Abstract: The multi-year Arts Education Research Project seeks to track the progress and evaluate effects of arts education reform efforts in various schools that received assistance from the Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project. These schools were committed to developing arts programs based on the ABC blueprint that is based on the belief that the arts are an indispensable part of a complete education because quality education in the arts significantly adds to the learning potential of all students. The annual objectives of the Arts Education Research Project varied from (a) documenting arts instructions, (b) determining the effects of increased, modified, or integrated arts instruction, and (c) identifying potential influences that promote, inhibit, or sustain changes in schools that implemented arts reform. This session will include three papers that discuss several key findings of the project and the ongoing effort of developing instruments that measure arts integration. |
| Summary of Five-Year Evaluation in Arts Education Reform Effort |
| Ching Ching Yap, University of South Carolina, ccyap@gwm.sc.edu |
| In the first years, the evaluation of arts education reform efforts for the Arts Education Research Project was based on (a) observations of arts classes (music, visual arts) and general education classes (ELA, Science, and Math), (b) surveys of teachers, parents, and students, and (c) interviews of teachers and administrators. This paper highlights the major findings including the challenges encountered by teachers and schools in implementing arts reform. The evaluators recommended schools and stakeholder consider (a) leadership and advocacy, (b) realistic and endorsed expectations, (c) mutual respect and appreciation across disciplines, (d) resources, (e) communication and feedback when implementing and evaluating arts reform efforts. Finally, the evaluators recommended using student arts achievement results and developing arts integration evaluation tools in addition to observations and interviews to investigate the effects of arts reform efforts. |
| Implications of Arts Programming Characteristics on Student Achievement |
| Leigh D'Amico, University of South Carolina, kale_leigh@yahoo.com |
| Pu Peng, University of South Carolina, lemonpu@yahoo.com |
| The objective of this evaluation project was to compare arts programming and implementation strategies for ABC schools with disparate arts and non-arts achievement levels. Although the majority of the ABC schools demonstrated success in increasing communication among non-arts and arts teacher, enhancing the curriculum using arts-based strategies, and improving student arts and non-arts achievement, a small percentage of schools did not realize their student achievement goals. This presentation will include details regarding the evaluation strategies employed and findings of this evaluation project. In general, the evaluators identified (a) teacher quality, (b) support of arts programming by non-arts teachers and administrators, (c) level of arts integration, and (d) arts-based extracurricular opportunities as arts programming areas that may affect student arts and non-arts achievement. By increasing the awareness of areas that impact arts program implementation, schools can address opportunities and challenges in their arts efforts that allow students to reach maximum potential. |
| Developing Arts Integration Evaluation Tools |
| Christine Fisher, Winthrop University, fisherc@winthrop.edu |
| Varied levels of arts integration effort were observed at ABC schools due to individualized five-year arts strategic plans written based on schools' unique needs with regard to school environment, budgeting, and student population characteristics. In an effort to clarify the definitions for and identify levels of arts integration efforts, the ABC project initiated a task force to develop evaluation instruments to communicate with teachers and administration. The first instrument, Essential Elements for Arts Infusion Programming Survey, was designed to inform schools on missing elements needed for arts infusion after using Opportunity-to-Learn Standards. The Arts Infusion Continuum was developed to inform schools regarding best practice in arts integration effort. This paper will present the development process of these two instruments and the initial validation study conducted. |