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Arts Integration to Enhance Learning Outcomes
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| Presenter(s):
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| Dawson Hancock, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, dhancock@uncc.edu
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| Abstract:
In 2009-2010, the ArtStart project in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, North Carolina helped classroom teachers, arts teachers, and teaching artists infuse the arts into 3rd and 4th grade curriculum. Conducted in 39 elementary classrooms, the project focused on arts infusion, classroom teacher/arts teacher collaboration, and arts application practices by fourteen visual and performing artists or arts organizations. Evaluators collected quantitative and qualitative data through direct observation of classroom activities, review of existing documents and information collected by classroom and arts teachers, surveys of ArtStart participants, and individual and group interviews of students, teachers, administrators, and teaching artists. This presentation's purpose is to discuss the evaluation findings related to the ArtStart project’s goals and to examine implications and lessons learned.
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The Potential for Arts-Informed Inquiry in Educational Program Evaluation
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| Presenter(s):
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| Michelle Searle, Queen's University at Kingston, michellesearle@yahoo.com
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| Abstract:
This qualitative case study examines the value of arts-informed inquiry within an evaluation of a school-based program, in one school board. In this study I adopted dual roles of evaluator and researcher to gather empirical evidence about the power of including the arts in the field of evaluation. Arts-informed inquiry is draws from creative strategies in the arts, but is not rooted in the arts. This research had 3 goals: (1) to understand in what contexts, and for what purposes it is appropriate to intentionally craft arts-informed inquiry as a feature of evaluation; (2) consider what the crafting of arts-informed inquiry in evaluation looks like; and (3) explore what evidence there is that arts-informed inquiry adds value to evaluative processes and outcomes. This study contributes theoretical implications for the field of evaluation as well as providing growing documentation about the role of qualitatively oriented, arts-informed inquiry.
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State of the Arts: Evaluation of a K-12 Arts Education Program
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| Presenter(s):
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| Janet Mahowski, University of South Florida, mahowskij@pcsb.org
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| Abstract:
The 2001 No Child Left Behind Act identified the arts among core academic subjects; requiring schools to enable all students to achieve in the arts and to reap the full benefits of arts education. Shortly after, the state of Florida followed suit and approved legislation to include arts as a core credit required for high school graduation, and grade level expectations for arts were adopted.
However, efforts to assess and reform our schools have focused on only four “core” subjects; reading, writing, math and science. Pressure on Florida’s schools to improve student performance in these areas is intense. As school districts respond to these challenges, it becomes necessary to evaluate how these demands are affecting arts education.
This is an evaluation of the K-12 arts education program within one Florida school district. It was conducted by capturing data from each school site and utilizing data analysis techniques to gain an overview of the arts program.
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