Connections

I made this image this morning to visually illustrate the connections of the different professional development programs and how I categorize their implications to my teaching practice. It is nice to be able to view these connections in this way. It provides another perspective of which to understand how these professional developments are connected and which characteristics they share.

An interesting observation that I had in looking at this image was how the learning strategies seemed to have more key components making more connections than the teaching methods. I think this is because the characteristics I listed were generally aimed at student learning. The images I created for these professional developments were very illustrative in nature as I intended them to be images I could use with my students as visual aids. The teaching methods were professional developments that presented information that was aimed improving my lessons and practices. The images created for these professional development concepts were more personally relevant images that might not communicate specific meaning to anyone other than myself. It is amazing that to me that these approaches were generated unconsciously. Yet, in reflection, they make perfect sense for what I wanted to communicate. 

Thinking Maps Final

As I stated in the previous post, working with the information from this professional development with arts-based research provided a fun, creative opportunity for me to work with my understanding of thinking maps to plan how I can continue to utilize this learning strategy in my classroom. Planning out a way to further apply thinking maps and allow my students to become more familiar with them provided and interesting challenge that could be investigated through arts-based research. I developed a series of images that could be used to generate a better connection between the learning strategy and my students. Continued interaction with the professional development allowed me to continue to reflect on the application possibilities and further ingrain this learning tool into my practice.

Each drawing in the image is representative of one of the eight different thinking maps. As I used thinking maps throughout the year, my students and I would refer to different maps with nick names. The circle map became the doughnut because that was the basic structure in the map. I think it will be fun to use these images in relation with the different maps next year.

Thinking Maps

Thinking Maps are visual patterns based on different thought processes. They are a clear example of arts-based research. Through thinking maps, students can visually and creatively express knowledge through the use of differently designed presentations. A great characteristic of using thinking maps is their ability to be used across subjects.  From art to science, the same learning benefits apply. By applying the maps across the curriculum, integrated thinking is encouraged through the use of similar thinking strategies.

The thinking maps professional development was one that was administered in multiple meetings. Three meetings were required to complete the training. Each map and its unique learning attributes were discussed giving a thorough explanation of the benefits of using the maps in our lessons. Along with the training was an extensive follow up requirement. The teachers were required to immediately show evidence of implementing the maps in the classroom with an example of each map and the lesson it was taught with.

I really embraced the thinking maps and used them almost every class period as a activating strategy as the students entered the room, or as a summarization activity. Due to my confident command of thinking maps and the importance they had to my lesson plans, I wanted to create an image that was more reflective of the familiarity that my students had for these maps. In this frame of thinking, I wanted to create an icon for each map that I could use in my lessons as another way of connecting my students to these maps. So if we are working through a power point, the students would see an image and know that I want them to create a bubble map or a brace map based on the icon. I think this will prove to be a fun, creative way to connect the students with the maps. 

Webb's Depth of Knowledge Final

As I mentioned in my previous post, I changed the direction of what I wanted to create in this image in response to Webb's Depth of Knowledge model. As reaching a level of higher order thinking (HOT) is the goal that we should be guiding our students to achieve, I wanted to create an image that not only reflects this intensified cognitive ability but showing it as a physical response of activating that ability.

I started with a straight self portrait and then altered that image to illustrate what I think utilizing higher order thinking looks like. I wanted to create an oracle/soothsayer type of appearance that shows an individual in a higher state of being. According to Webb's model, the fourth level is an extended application of higher order thinking. As teachers attempt to provide this type of learning experience to their students, I think we are in fact creating and nourishing an advanced conscious ability within these individuals. 

The use of arts-based research on this particular topic was relevant for this professional development because the use of artistic practices, when used to research a specific topic, activates and utilizes extended thinking. Ironically, I have worked on this cycle of arts-based research longer than any other due to my reinterpretation of how I wanted to represent my understanding and the influenced I received from reading an article on the importance of continued questioning through artistic practice. I think this continued reflection showed me the true value of this style of research as it challenged me to reevaluate and focus my understanding several times throughout the process. 

Change of Plans

I decided to change the direction of the image I wanted to create for my reflection on Webb's depth of knowledge model. I was inspired by reading an article by UCF associate professor Carla Poindexter. Carla was my painting professor while I attended UCF and is a very influential person in my identity as an artist and an art educator. 

Here is a link to her article:  http://today.ucf.edu/ucf-forum-art-is-always-a-series-of-questions-to-contemplate-not-solve/

Prof. Poindexter's article was a commentary on her experience of working on a project where students from UCF's school of science and school of visual arts collaborated to produce a science related art assignment. She described how the aims of the project quickly evolved from a students understanding a basic concept, to one with much greater significance due to the type of meaning that was being generated by the collaboration. Her description of the students going beyond illustrating concepts to producing works that were "developed by the hearts and minds of the individual artists".

Reading the article made me want to work differently on this image as I have already produced work in this project that was more illustrative in presentation. While I think these images and the knowledge I gained from creating them achieved the effective professional learning that is at the heart of this project, I wold like to experiment more with other types of design and creative process as I did in the Summary cycle. 

I did a few new sketches to based on this new direction I wanted to take. I wanted to create an image that more directly shows how I think of higher order thinking, as if it is a different state of being. While I think it could be described as such on a conscious level, I wanted to depict it as a physical state as well. 

I decided to work with my own image so as to make this a self portrait because my understanding of high order thinking is precisely what I am attempting to create through this capstone project.

The next professional development I chose to work with in my capstone project focused on Webb’s depth of knowledge process. The professional development program took place in my school’s media center. The duration of the professional development was about an hour in length and required a lesson plan showing evidence of applied higher order thinking methods to be turned in as a follow up exercise.

Notes on Depth of Knowledge

The professional development explained that curricular elements may be categorized based on the cognitive demands required to achieve the correct response. Webb’s model is composed of four levels of increasing cognitive ability. Recalling and reproducing information is the first level in the model. Level two is working with skills and concepts such as comparison and classifying. Level three is short term strategic thinking such as charting or analyzing data and predicting outcomes. The last level is extended thinking which employs such processes as reflection and synthesis.

During the presentation of the material, my notes were focused on capturing the main concepts of the model and providing a good explanation of each level of the Webb model. My imagery was influenced on the idea of creating depth and showing that each level reaches to a further level from the first requiring more effort to be reached. The metaphor of the ocean seemed to be an appropriate comparison to include in my notes.

In thinking of the final image I wanted to create, I went through several ideas before I was able to settle one that I felt was the most accurate representation of my understanding of Webb’s model. I started by considering the different levels as similar to the evolution process in that a more complex mind is needed to utilize the deeper levels. I made some sketches of monkeys that I thought might work for the imagery, but I did not feel that this was the best metaphor to use in the image. I changed my mind to use the ages of man to represent the different levels of cognitive ability. As I was reading about the different levels, the different abilities reminded me of education. As you grow and learn, more difficult tasks are provided to continue to challenge your intellect. I made a few sketches of this idea and settled on a composition that I felt would lend itself most accurately to the concept. 

Summary

I decided to create an artist’s book that summarized my life journey metaphorically by depicting my life from my hometown to the town I currently live in. The book was made with pen, tape, color pencil, and marker. I used the theme of water to represent the process of making choices and following paths that have eventually lead me to my current state. Water has specific meaning along with the image of a water pump as they relate to my hometown. I depicted the different choices and obstacles that are faced in life as the different barriers and obstructions that alter the path of the water. However, the water still finds a place to accumulate. I believe this is to be an appropriate summary of the way I visualize my life’s journey. It shows understanding and provided me with an opportunity to creatively reflect on the voyage.

I enjoyed working with the information more conceptually in this application of arts-based research. While the process was similar, it provided a experience that was based more on the comprehension of the material than on the material itself. While I think the application of ABR was appropriate and meaningful in the previous applications in creating a more developed understanding of the specific practice I was working with, this form of  application created a more personal experience as it produced a more intuitive reflection of the meaning of summarizing and how it can be accomplished. 

Understanding the importance of summary is a key component to teaching. Using art to create a personal representation of what summarizing is, even in a metaphorical variety, provided me with a deeper conceptual meaning and appreciation of this element on student learning. It provided a physical artifact that I can connect with and continue to reflect upon. It is a constant reminder of the importance of this element to my teaching practice. As suggested by the PD itself, this could be used in my room as a constant reminder for the need to stop and summarize and allow the students to reflect on what we have discussed. 

Working with Summary

The next PD that I chose to review with arts-based research covered the importance of summary within a lesson. As summarizing is generally thought to be done at the end of a lesson, this teaching method promoted summarizing at multiple times throughout the lesson. According to the PD, summarizing shows evidence of understanding, gives the students’ time to think about the newly attained knowledge, and transfers the knowledge into long term memory. An important aspect of successful summarization was identified as using academic language within the content of the summary to instill the intellectual aspect of the lesson. It was suggested by the instructor of the PD that it might even be useful to hang a sign in the classroom as a signal to remind the teacher to stop and summarize from time to time.

In reflecting on this practice, I began to consider how to better plan my lessons in an attempt to allocate specific periods of summary and summarizing activities. It appeared to me that art education as it currently stands is pretty effective at this learning strategy. Most of the concepts require a certain amount of time to experiment and apply new elements and principles before attempting to use them conceptually. Working in such a way is very accepting of constant reflection and summary. The importance of summary was also highlighted in previous PD’s that we had completed (Cornell Notes and Marzano’s Vocab.) as well as more intense PD’s that we were currently working through.

The notes that I took during the PD presentation are shown here:

I started sketching out ideas similar to the one’s that I produced in the Cornell Notes  and Marzano’s Vocabulary projects where I was trying to illustrate what I thought were the key concepts of the PD practice. Because the importance of summary was an integral aspect of other PD’s, I decided to work more conceptually with this concept I make an image that was much more personal yet still communicated the essence of the PD.  The idea of an artist’s book seemed to be an appropriate way to visualize the idea of summarizing in an attempt to demonstrate understanding.

These are the sketches I developed during this stage of the process:

Thoughts, questions, and concerns...

At the stage of the project, I am ever more eager to continue to research the concepts and practices highlighted by the professional development programs that I completed over the past year. This has always been my goal for this project, to use my love of creating and using art to add significant meaning to these programs in an effort to improve my professional knowledge and practice as an art educator. I want to be the best teacher I can and I acknowledge the importance of a continual push for self improvement. A critical part of that characteristic is self reflection. Where can I improve? What can I change to make myself better? Am I making the right choices that lead to the appropriate actions?

I think this is a good place to ask these same questions of my current process or using arts-based research.

I have created an enhanced understanding of these practices by applying artistic practices. I believe this is an unavoidable consequence of genuine arts practices. Regardless of subject matter or content, diving into your creative imagination to create visual meaning that presents information to others and yourself, produces a personal connection with that subject. Drawing an image of a plant cell provides the artist with insights into the structure and arrangement of all the cell's features and characteristics. A heightened familiarity of the forms and how the relate to one another is produced. Is it any different from the understanding that could be created from reading and seeing a visual representation of these concepts. I believe it absolutely does. Being the creator of such an image forces the artist to be concerned with detail. Construction of the image creates a mental awareness that is unique to this process. The knowledge that is created can then be transferred to other principles and connected to other meanings creating a grander understanding that is constructed through multiple points of view. The more legs that support the table, the more sturdy it becomes.

Are there ways of which I can improve my process? I think it could be beneficial to work through research such as this with another art educator. Having multiple perspectives, ideas, and images to work with would continue to raise questions and new insights. Unfortunately, with the circumstances of my current situation this is not possible. However, I do plan to share this research my schools professional development coordinator during the coming schools years to gain her perspective one my work. I think another improvement to judge the effectiveness of the process will be in evaluating what effect it has in the classroom with my students.

Marzano's Vocab Final

The final image created was much like the Cornell Notes image in that it is very illustrative. While this strategy is focused on teaching vocabulary to students, I thought it would also be beneficial as an aide for students to understand the process of learning and utilizing new terms. I feel that this is an image that I could use in my classroom as a reminder to the importance of not only explaining new terms to students, but also providing situations where they engage and interact with the terms in an effort to truly instill the words in their personal vocabulary. 

Using artistic practices in this capacity has certainly enhanced my familiarity and understanding of this teaching practice. Through the construction of imaginative insight, the key influences of this practice are more pronounced than before I chose to continue my research of the subject beyond what was asked of me. Using design elements and principles  to construct an image that both organizes and defines the practice, in a manner that is able to be interpreted and understood by others, created a heightened comprehension within my own understanding of the concept.  This is such a great benefit of arts-based research. The characteristic of enhanced professional learning through challenging one's self to creatively construct visual meaning. The highest order of thinking must be wielded in order to pull off such a task. 

I also feel that at this point in the process, their is no definitive ending to the process. Creating one image produces ideas of content that should be created in additional images. I could see combining the influences of these first two professional development programs into a representation of how my teaching practice is evolving and improving through this style of research following my professional developments. 

Second ABR Cycle: Marzano Vocabulary

The second professional development program that I chose to apply arts-based research too was on the topic "Marzano Vocabulary". This is a teaching strategy aimed at effectively presenting vocabulary so that students understand and utilize the terms. Comprehension of vocabulary was explained to be a key element of students understand the concepts and meanings of the lesson material and would lead to better test scores. The teaching strategy consisted of a six step process that include three steps for teaching the terms and three steps of engaging the students with the words. All teachers were expected to use the methods covered in their classes. The professional development took place in the schools media center. It was a 45 minute session that took place at the end of the work day.

As this professional development was aimed at specifically improving students' learning, I wanted to be able to fully utilize this professionally approved practice. Vocabulary is an essential part art education. Many terms that students are introduced to are foreign words and concepts that students have never heard of. Understanding and using these terms as they relate to the concepts is an essential part of an art class.

The notes that I took during the PD session were focused on understanding the steps. I wanted to further explore how they related to my teaching practice.

While completing a possible sketch of how I wanted to depict the importance of this process, I wanted to include imagery that reflects the idea of a progressive process that one moves through. I think this is the key feature of this process. Instead of students looking at vocabulary as a process of reading and memorizing definitions, they should understand that it is a more complex process of correlating the new term with their current knowledge to make a connection. Students then need to use and work with the terms regularly to truly understand their meaning. I wanted the image to reflect this progressive idea so I included a step motif in the background. I also wanted the entire image to resemble a page of a calender again as a means of suggesting that over time, meaning will be developed. 

I planned on this image resembling the Cornell Notes image in that it will hopefully be a useful image that I can share with my students. Again, at this point, enhanced familiarity has been gained by creatively working with the information, even at this early point in the process.

Cornell Notes Final

The final for this arts-based research image came out very illustrative. While contemplating how I wanted this image to be composed, they idea of having it available for my students seemed very appropriate as this professional development program dealt with a concept that was to be taught directly to the students. With this in mind, I kept picturing this image as a poster that could be hung in my room or printed as a handout for the students. I also thought it would be good to show students more about what we as teachers do as an effort to learn and improve our lessons and practices. I think it can be good for the students to understand the additional work that you do in an effort to help them understand the material. 

I wanted the final image to reflect the structure of the Cornell Notes process itself. I included the two black ribbons as a means to break up the space just as in the notes. I even tried to replicate the appropriate information in the sections. I included images with each step of the process that were meant to represent each step. Reflect has a mirror, Reduce has an apple that a slice has been removed. 

I think it is important to really consider the meaning and purpose of the professional development so that the image can reflect on that purpose. I really think this image will be useful in my classes. I will have to remember to consider the format in response to type of image created for the following images.

I really feel that my connection to this material has been dramatically energized by working with information using artistic practices. I am certainly more familiar with it by organizing it and composing it in such a way as to make it relate able to my students. Although I certainly committed far more time than was required by the professional development program, my comprehension of the material  has been enhanced greatly due to the additional research of power points and online resources in an effort to make a more meaningful illustration. 

First ABR cycle: Cornell Notes

The first professional development program I completed, that was focused on student learning, presented to me the method of taking notes called Cornell Notes. This was presented as tool that we as teachers were to teach our students and encourage them to utilize regularly. This program was administered to the entire faculty in an approximately 45 minute session at the end of the work day on September 7, 2011. As this was the first time I was introduced to the topic, I founded it very interesting and a  learning method that could really benefit any student. As part of the program, the teachers were required to present a mini lesson to a partner based on an article of their choice. The student in the scenario, was to take "Cornell Notes" based on what was taught to them by their partner. The rolls were then reversed, allowing for the other partner to complete the note taking process. The session was completed and follow exercise was assigned that required the teachers to teach their students the Cornell Notes method and then teach a curriculum lesson where the students were required to take Cornell Notes. A copy of the lesson plan and a student example of their notes were to be submitted as part of completing the professional development program.

My use of ABR started with the notes that I took while present at the professional development session. I have always included images, (sketches and doodles), in the notes that I take as a means of connecting with information on a more personal level. I aimed at taking note of the important characteristics that Cornell Notes process gave to students and the keys to using it accurately.

Now in considering how ABR can further add meaning and enhance my professional learning on this topic, I made sketches and looked to discover the most influential characteristics that can be used in my class and as part of my curriculum. I am looking to accurately present the process in the images and highlight the most beneficial qualities. This further investigation has certainly increased my familiarity and understanding of the topic beyond what was required by the professional development program alone. 

I feel that the final image could be a useful asset in my classroom, not only for myself as a reminder of the skill, but also for my students as a way to visually see the method and become more familiar themselves with the process. 

What is Arts Based Research?

What is art’s based research?

 I define art’s based research as using artistic practices and thinking to visually work through and reflect upon information, producing a broader, more meaningful understanding of the research phenomenon. In other words, using and making art to better understand something.  

In most every instance, a visual representation of the topic being discussed adds to the comprehension that is created by the individual. I believe the being the creator of that visual representation creates even far deeper understanding of the topic. Working with information in a creative way creates an enhanced personal familiarity of the information that is difficult to replicate. The use of the highest order of thinking is required to accomplish such a task.

My exploration of the characteristics of arts based research has led me to create visual work based on a variety of topics. I can certainly testify that my understanding of the topics that my work was based on was always enhanced by working with the information creatively. I feel that creating some sort of visual understanding helps to further expand the knowledge developed.  To me, it presents a new perspective of which to interact and reflect on the information.

These are some examples of my experience of arts based research.

These first two images were created due to an investigation into the history of color theory and who the main contributors to our current understanding of color.

This image was created as a visual representation of my personal art education timeline.

These two images were created as a visual understanding of the art education historical figure, Walter Smith. These images were meant to highlight some of his major contributions and philosophies he had in the field of art education.

Introduction

My name is Kyle Waldrep and I am an artist, art educator, and graduate student. I teach high school art and I am currently enrolled at the University of Florida, seeking my master’s degree in art education. My years at UF have culminated into the creation of a capstone project, of which this blog is an integral element.

In my research, my goal has been to investigate and explain the benefits of using arts based research as a tool to improve active learning. Specifically, leaning in reference towards the professional development programs I have taken as part of being a first year art educator. My belief is that using the production methods and aesthetic principles of visual art to investigate, research, and reflect upon a given topic provides a deeper conceptual understanding of that topic.

This blog has been created as tool to document how I have used arts based research to enhance my professional learning towards concepts covered in different professional development programs that I have participated in. Through this platform, I will be able to post sketches and images created from my interpretation of the different professional development programs and their key concepts. This will also allow me to investigate the topic more thoroughly and contemplate different meanings such as classroom implementation. I will also post my reflections of how I personally feel my understanding of the concepts has been enhanced due to the implementation of the arts based research methods.

My hope for this account is that it may become a useful tool for the continued increase in relevance and respect that arts based research has recently gained in the educational research field. Hopefully my efforts will present evidence that arts based research provides unique characteristics of intellectual learning through broadened knowledge perspectives.