Chaos in the art room The journey of a curious graduate student, and her
Transcript
1. Chaos in the art roomThe journeyof a curiousgraduatestudent,
andherpenchant forchaos
2. It all began by asking thequestion,What is the value of
theaesthetic experience of makingart?MunsonBirdyanaOh,dear! down
went Alice after it, neveronce considering how in the worldshe was
to get out again.
3. I read and I read, and I drank them all in.What, you may
ask, is my answer, then?The value of the aesthetic experience of
making art is in theprocess. It requires us to be present,
intentional, focused andfully alive. By engaging and reckoning with
our material world,we are expressly human, yet also communing with
the Divinein the act of creation. It is mutual capture: the artist
capturinglife, as she, too, is captured.Early
BrainstormingSessionAlice came to a fork in the road. Which way do
Igo? Alice asked. That depends on where youwant to go, said the
cat. I dont exactly know,said Alice. Then it doesnt matter. said
the cat.
4. Have I gone mad?Asked Alice.Im afraid so, but letme tell
yousomething, the bestpeople usually are. The science of
unpredictability Applies to complex (non-linear) systems Weather
systems (Edward Lorenz asked, Does the flap of abutterflys wings in
Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?), thebrain, epidemics, crowds,
making art! Patterns and predictable behaviors Outcome is
unpredictable Properties of Chaos Initial Conditions minute
conditions/factors yield dramaticdifferences upon the outcome
Interconnectedness (networking, ecosystems), transitionbetween
order and disorder Emergent Properties Tolerance for Randomness
Feedback Loops Self-Organization self-directed Steering a hot air
balloonHow doyou mean?What exactly is chaos theory?
5. How can I apply chaos theory to art education?
Unpredictability The art room is unpredictable! The art room is a
complex system, making art is a dynamic process! Patterns how
materials are used, learner tendencies, routines, artistsblock,
flowing in the zone all patterns in chaos! Properties of Chaos
Initial Conditions (Neurodiversity!) the students, personalities,
strengthsand weaknesses, the environment, the lesson Emergent
Properties unexpected happenings, happy little accidents,tangents
Tolerance for Randomness following a new direction, student led
inquiry,being open to change, flexibility Feedback Loops from the
students, from the materials, from the world(news, happenings,
events, etc.) Self-Organization self-directed learning, autonomy,
stability Creativity the chaotic state of creative problem solving
and subsequentself-organization (divergent -> convergent
thinking)
6. What is my hypothesis?Integrating chaos theory and
neurodiversity in the pedagogy and curriculum willincrease student
engagement and creativity.What is being measured?How can we know
theyre learningauthentically? Emotional and Behavioral indicators
Engagement v. Disaffection Quality of artwork CreativityWhat is the
design?Two lessons were taught. First a non-linear,chaos friendly
art lesson. Then, a linear,teacher directed lesson.
Engagement,creativity, and preference were assessedduring both
lessons.The chief difficultyAlice found at firstwas in managingher
flamingo.
7. EvaluationQuasi-Experimental, Mixed-Methods ResearchThe
Quantitative Data Fig. 1 -Students were given a pre and post Likert
scaleassessment of the two lessons.Adapted from Schibeci, R.A.,
(2006) Fig. 2 Semantic Differential Assessment. Instructorsobserved
and evaluated students to assess their levelof engagement or
disaffection in both lessons.Adapted from Skinner, et al. (2010)
Fig. 3 - Artwork was evaluated (using semanticdifferential) on the
basis of Composition (Es&Ps),Aesthetics, Craftsmanship, and
Content Originality.Adapted from Candy, L., and Bilda, Z.
(2009)Figure 1Figure 3 Figure 2
8. Qualitative EvaluationFig. 4The students wrote a final
comparative evaluation of thetwo lessons. They chose which they
preferred andexplained why.The questions asked: Which art lesson
did you prefer andwhy? What did you like about the lesson
yourpreferred? Which of your artworks do you likebetter? Why? Which
of your artworks do you think ismore creative?
9. The Subjects:21 Students in an 8th grade highschool credit
art classL1 = Non-Linear, ChaosFriendly Outsider ArtLesson Outsider
Artists History of genre Exemplar artists Focus on selfexpression
Choice of exemplar artist Choice of materials Choice of technique
Include something thatrepresents selfJudith ScottGilles
TrehinHoward FinsterJoseph YoakumNo, no! The adventuresfirst,
explanations takesuch a dreadful time.
10. L1Artwork
11. L2 Artwork Linear teacherdirected1. SubtractiveDrawing2.
Underpainting3. Full colorpainting Focus on Value1.2.3.Mr.
Skeletony Bones
12. 45.040.035.030.025.020.015.010.05.00.0L1 Engagement
VDisaffectionL2 Engagement VDisaffectionEngagement V.
DisaffectionStudents, on average, scored higher (more engaged)
during theNon-Linear lesson (L1). There was an average decrease
inengagement from L1 to L2 of 16%. Hudson, Leanna, andHannahs
scores increased from L1 to L2. Gabby and Steviesscores remained
the same.
13. Artifact
Analysis60.050.040.030.020.010.00.0CarolineBeccaVanessaCaseyRyanHudsonSpencerLeannaAveriAngelicaKatyAmandaHannahGabrielleMeganAlenaNatalieAvianahLisaChristinaStevieAverageL1
Artifact AnalysisL2 Artifact AnalysisStudents, on average, created
higher quality artwork during the Non-Linear lesson(L1). There was
an average decrease in artwork quality from L1 to L2 of 9%.
Fivestudents scores increased from L1 to L2. Two students showed
significantincrease: Hudson and Hanna. Gabbys scores stayed the
same.
14. Engagement v. DisaffectionThe Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test
shows significance forboth sets at .05.Artifact AnalysisThe
hypothesis, that non-linear methods increase student engagement and
workquality is statistically supported in this experiment.
15. Case StudiesStudents performing better during the LINEAR
lesson (L2)#13 Hannah, F Linear Preference9pt. (29%) increase in
engagement, 14pt. (48% increase in work qualityLesson
1Engagement/Disaffection 31Art Analysis - 29Lesson
2Engagement/Disaffection 40Art Analysis - 431. Which art lesson did
you prefer? Why?The still life skeleton lesson because I enjoy
painting.2. What did you like about that lesson?Using all the
different colors and testing out theshading/shades.3. Which of your
artworks do you like better? Why?My skeleton painting because it
looks neater and more puttogether.4. Which of the artworks do you
think is morecreative?The outsider art because everyone got to go
their own#13 Hudson, M Non-Linear Preference2 pt. (5%) increase in
engagement, 12 pt. (33%) increase in work qualityLesson 1Lesson
2Engagement/Disaffection 38Engagement/Disaffection 40Art Analysis -
36Art Analysis - 481. Which art lesson did you prefer? Why?I
preferred the lesson on outsider art because I found itinteresting
to learn about people who had made art withoutany formal
training.2. What did you like about that lesson?Afterwards when
doing the project we had much more freereign over what supplies to
use. We were able to chooseour own mediums.3. Which of your
artworks do you like better? Why?I prefer my outsider art project
because of my use of color. Ienjoyed mixing together new shades
given the colors I had.4. Which of the artworks do you think is
more creative?I think my outsider art is more creative because of
mycolors.
16. Case StudiesStudents performing better during the
NON-LINEAR lesson (L1)#5 Ryan, M Non-Linear PreferenceLesson
1Engagement/Disaffection 40Art Analysis - 39 Lesson
2Engagement/Disaffection 21Art Analysis - 30#1 Caroline, F
Non-Linear Preference1. Which art lesson did you prefer? Why?I
preferred the outsider art lesson because I like having morefreedom
in art and it was a lot more exciting to create.2. What did you
like about that lesson?For the project I did I had mostly total
artistic freedom.3. Which of your artworks do you like better?
Why?The outsider art, because I had fun making it and it can
beinterpreted many different ways.4. Which of the artworks do you
think is more creative?The outsider art, because with the realism
lesson, you haveto follow what youre making.Lesson
1Engagement/Disaffection 38Art Analysis - 40Lesson
2Engagement/Disaffection 23Art Analysis - 351. Which art lesson did
you prefer? Why?I preferred the outsider art lesson because it gave
me morefreedom to do what made me happy.2. What did you like about
that lesson?It allowed us to explore different styles and artists
andmaterials, we could do what spoke to us. We were allowed todo
our own form of beauty.3. Which of your artworks do you like
better? Why?I liked my outsider art project better because messing
up couldalways be formed into something better because it was
myidea, no one elses. 4. Which of the artworks do you think ismore
creative?The outsider art because there was no set limitations such
asproportions and values and position.47.5% decrease in engagement,
23.1% decrease in workquality39.5% decrease in engagement, 12.5%
decrease in work quality
17. Case StudiesTwo students who performed better during the
NON-LINEAR lesson (L1)#4 Casey, F Non-Linear PreferenceLesson
1Engagement/Disaffection 40Art Analysis - 39Lesson
2Engagement/Disaffection 29Art Analysis - 35#15 Megan, F Non-Linear
Preference1. Which art lesson did you prefer? Why?I prefer the
outsider because it was better.2. What did you like about that
lesson?I liked that everyone had a different pattern or color in
theirprojects.3. Which of your artworks do you like better? Why?I
like the outsider art more because it was more me.4. Which of the
artworks do you think is more creative?I think both of them were
very creative and I like howeverybodys will turn out
different.Lesson 1Engagement/Disaffection 39Art Analysis - 35Lesson
2Engagement/Disaffection 29Art Analysis - 311. Which art lesson did
you prefer? Why?I preferred the outsider art lesson. I think that I
got morefreedom in that project and I just overall liked it
better.2. What did you like about that lesson?I liked how we got to
be creative with our project and none ofus had the exact same
idea.3. Which of your artworks do you like better? Why?I liked my
outsider artwork better. It has more color to it and Ilike how it
turned out better.4. Which of the artworks do you think is more
creative?I definitely think my outsider art is more creative. My
realismart is based off of a picture, which is fine, but I think
myoutsider art is more creative because it was non-objective.27.5%
decrease in engagement, 10.3% decrease in workquality25.6% decrease
in engagement, 11.4% decrease in work quality
18. < Non-Linear PreferenceLinear Preference >Post-Test
NarrativeAssessmentWordlesBegin at the beginning," the King
said,very gravely, "and go on till you cometo the end: then
stop.
19. Is there a relationship between the level of student
engagement and thequality of artwork?According to my research data,
there is a moderate positive correlation between quality ofartwork
and student engagement.X= engagement v. disaffection scoresResult
Details & Calculation Y= artifact analysis scoresX Values =
1326Mean = 31.571(X - Mx)2 = SSx = 1700.286Y Values = 1426Mean =
33.952(Y - My)2 = SSy = 1613.905X and Y CombinedN = 42(X - Mx)(Y -
My) = 927.143R Calculationr = ((X - My)(Y - Mx)) / ((SSx)(SSy))r =
927.143 / ((1700.286)(1613.905)) = 0.5597Meta Numerics
(cross-check)r = 0.5597The value of R is 0.5597. This is a moderate
positive correlation,which means there is a tendency for high X
variable scores gowith high Y variable scores (and vice versa).The
value of R2, the coefficient of determination, is
0.3133.http://www.socscistatistics.com/tests/pearson/Default2.aspx
20. CHAOS!with special education classesWHO'S BEEN PAINTING MY
ROSESRED? Someone will lose their head!
21. I can't go back to yesterday because I was a
differentperson then.