Marywood University. 3275700:193. (US)
Intervention: Arts integration on academic and non-cognitive outcomes Age: 5th grade (age 10-11)
This is a quasi-experimental study to test the effects of arts integration on the academic achievement (reading and maths), self-perception and the creativity of a sample of 158 grade 5 children. Participants were taken from 2 schools; one with a strong focus on the arts and humanities and one with no arts integration in the education setting as a control. Outcome
measures were assessed using standardized instruments (Torrance Test of Creative Thinking for creativity; Pennsylvania State System of Assessment on maths and reading) and a widely used Self Description Questionnaire for academic self-perception. Only children whose parents gave consent took the Torrance test of creativity and the self-perception tests. It is not clear what components of arts were taught in the school.
Analyses revealed that children in low art focus school (LAS) performed better on PSSA maths than children in high art focus school (HAS) High SES pupils in LAS did better than similar children in HAS
Low SES pupils in HAS schools did significantly better than similar children in LAS (indicating beneficial effects on low SES children). However, there
Children in LAS school with special needs also outperformed similar
children in HAS. Generally, children in HAS school did better in reading than children in LAS schools.
Low SES children performed better in reading in HAS school than those attending LAS.
Overall LAS children also performed better than HAS children on creativity test.
No difference in effects on SEN children.
HAS children scored higher on their perception of reading ability, while LAS children had higher perception of their maths ability than HAS children. LAS children also did marginally better on perception of school compared
to HAS children, although the difference was not significant.
The results suggest that any differences between children are largely due to differences between schools and hence the kind of children they take in. E.g. LAS schools tend to focus on intensive maths, while HAS school
focused on the arts and humanities. This is not indication of the effects of the programme – and should not be confused with programme effects.
Impact: No evidence of impact Evidence: Weak
Participation was voluntary and only 61% invited chose to take part (experimental n=104; control n=54). Groups were unbalanced, e.g. there were only 4 low SES children in the control group.
Convenience sample.
The two schools may differ in intake. Schools with a high focus in arts and humanities may take in children from higher income families where arts and culture are valued. There are significant differences between children in the two types of schools.
Although there is a higher percentage of pupils from the high arts focus schools on free/reduced lunch than in the low arts focus schools, children are already self-selected in participation.
There was no true counterfactual.
Better to have random assignment with pre and post-test comparisons. 23. Van Nuys, E. R. (1988) The influence of artistic training on selected cognitive
abilities: "Learning to Read Through the Arts Program" of the Guggenheim Museum. Ann Arbor, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey - New Brunswick. 8827368:288. (US)
Intervention: Guggenheim program – multi-art integration project
Age: 3rd and 4th grade (age 8-10)
122 third and 4th grade pupils’ artistic (imagery ability and art making) and cognitive abilities. Using the Guggenheim approach to integrating art in the curriculum, art lessons were conducted twice a week, each session lasting an hour. The duration of the intervention was 20 weeks. Visual art activities also include drama, music, dance and literature. A structured lesson plan was prepared for each lesson. Guggenheim directors visited schools to support the artists. Lesson objectives included integrating arts, promoting language acquisition, writing and expression of emotions and problem- solving activities. Teachers chose the subjects and topics in integrate art. Two classes from each grade were assigned to either 20-week of
intervention or control with no art instruction for the first 10 weeks. 50 experimental pupils; 72 control (9 pupils’ data were not available due to absences).
Cognitive and artistic abilities were assessed using 3 instruments: the Developing Cognitive abilities Test (DCAT), the Narrative Comprehension Imagery Assessment (NCIA) and the Rouse Scale of Art Products.
Assessments were carried out after 10 weeks, then the control pupils were introduced to the art programme. Some children in the experimental group continued for another 10 weeks. Pupils’ cognitive and artistic abilities were assessed again. Assessment of basic cognitive ability showed no effects of exposure to the Guggenheim programme. One Y4 experimental class made significant gains over control at the end of the 20-week intervention
(ES=0.6), while the other Y4 experimental class made less gains than the control (ES= -0.65). There were no differences in the gains made by control and experimental Y3 classes.
Measurements of comprehension imagery (NCIA) showed experimental classes outperformed control classes at the end of 10 weeks. However, differences narrowed at the end of 20 weeks when the control groups were also exposed to the intervention. Two of the control classes discontinued after the 10-week intervention. There was negative impact for one of the experimental classes. This suggests that the impact was not sustained. Children’s art productions were judged on the Rouse Scale. Results were similar to those of NCIA test. All groups made progress between pre- and post-tests, but only some experimental groups made bigger gains than others.
Impact: Mixed.
Positive effects on art ability.
Evidence: Weak
Small sample (only 8 classes) most of which had only 15 pupils. No random assignment; groups were different to begin with.
Children were predominantly White middle class – so the findings may not be generalized to disadvantaged children.
The classes selected were the more academically able pupils
Measurements of art productions were based on teacher judgements. Teachers were not blind to intervention, so this may influence judgements. There was no differentiation between the type of arts used nor the
lessons/subjects they were implemented.
The use of significant test for a small non-random sample was inappropriate.
24. Winner, E. and Hetland, L. (2000) The arts in education: evaluating the evidence for a causal link. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 34(3/4): 3-10. (US)
Intervention: Combination of arts forms (Effects of arts on learning in non-art
subjects
Age: Cross age
This was a meta-analysis of reviews covering a range of art forms in 188 studies. Winner and Hetland reported no reliable causal links between arts and verbal/maths scores and creative thinking, and between learning to play music and reading. There was also no evidence of causal effects of visual arts and reading and between dance and reading. They cautioned against the inclusion of arts based on the non-arts effects. Arts, they argued should be valued for their own right. No evidence of effect of arts integrated approach on improvements in academic subject (both
traditional and arts integrated approach led to similar improvements), so arts integrated approach is no more effective than traditional approach. However, they reported medium causal link between listening to music and spatial-temporal reasoning, large causal link between playing music and spatial reasoning, and medium causal link between classroom drama and verbal skills, recall of stories and oral understanding, oral language and writing.
Impact:
No causal link between integrated arts and academic outcomes (maths and verbal reasoning and creative reasoning).
Medium causal link between listening to music and spatial reasoning. Large causal link between playing music and spatial reasoning.
understanding, oral language and writing.
Evidence: Medium
Well-conducted meta-analyses of 188 studies
25. Catterall, J. S., Dumais, S.A., and Hampden-Thompson, G. (2012) The arts and achievement in at-risk youth: findings from longitudinal studies. Research Report #55. National Endowment for the arts: Washington. (US)
Intervention: Arts participation on academic and social achievements Age: High school to college
This report examined the academic and social outcomes of engagement in arts of teenagers and young people from low SES backgrounds to see if arts engagements are correlated with these outcomes. Using three longitudinal databases (National Educational Longitudinal Study; the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study and the Educational Longitudinal Study) the authors tracked the children and young people over time. Arts engagement
included courses in music, dance, theatre and visual arts, out-of-school arts activities as well as participation in arts activities outside school. Students’ arts engagements were ranked based on the frequency of participation and leadership in arts associations.
Socially and economically disadvantaged students with high levels of arts engagements were more likely to show positive outcomes in academic areas and also in civic behavioural measures. They were more likely to aspire to college, to attend a competitive college, obtain high grades and test scores than their peers with low levels of arts engagement. They were more likely to graduate and get a degree, belong to a club/society, engage in school or local politics and take part in civic or community volunteer work.
Impact: Positive relationship between arts participation and academic and wider
outcomes
Evidence: Weak
The correlational study cannot show causal effects. It can only be indicative.
The study design does not control for confounding variables which may explain differences in the students. Young people who are deeply engaged in the arts may be the aspirational ones who are motivated, generally interested in things around them and are persevering. These variables could be influences of home, school, neighbourhood, ethnicity and other psychosocial factors.
clear which art forms have the most impact.
26. Omniewski, R. (1999) The effects of an arts infusion approach on the