10 Salient Studies on the Arts in Education

A fine arts education — including music, theater, drawing, painting, or sculpture — whether in practice or theory, has been a function of any well-rounded curriculum for decades — merely that may exist changing. Many schools today are cutting back or eliminating their art programs due to budget constraints. Information technology is estimated that by the end of this twelvemonth, more than 25% of public high schools volition have completely dismantled them. These stats aren't only bad news for teachers working in the arts, such equally those at traditional schools for trip the light fantastic toe or online colleges for photography. Numerous studies done over the by decade have demonstrated the amazing benefits of such an integral educational activity facet. Students who don't have access to art classes may non only miss out on a key artistic outlet, but might too confront greater difficulty mastering cadre subjects, college dropout rates and more disciplinary bug.

Yous don't have to take our discussion for it — y'all tin can read the studies yourself. Hither, we've listed some of the biggest on the arts in education conducted over the past decade. Taken on by research organizations, higher professors and school districts themselves, the studies reveal the power of art to inspire, motivate and educate today's students. And, of form, demonstrate what a disservice many schools are doing by undervaluing such an integral function of their education and development.

  1. A 2002 report by the Arts Instruction Partnership revealed that schoolchildren exposed to drama, music and dance are ofttimes more than proficient at reading, writing, and math.

    While school districts might exist tempted to think the arts a frivolous role of the educational system, this report suggests otherwise. It looked at over 62 different studies from 100 researchers, spanning the range of fine arts from trip the light fantastic toe to the visual arts. In 2002, it was the kickoff study of its kind to look at the impact of art on academic operation. Using this information, researchers determined that students who received more than arts education did better on standardized tests, improved their social skills and were more motivated than those who had reduced or no access. While researchers at the AEP admitted that art isn't a panacea for what ails struggling schools, the study led them to believe it could be a valuable asset for teaching students of all ages — peculiarly those in poor communities or who need remedial didactics. With so many online colleges for blueprint options, students in every demographic can pursue a higher education. An updated written report with consistent results was conducted by the same researcher in 2010.

  2. The 2006 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum study on fine art education showed a link betwixt arts instruction and improved literacy skills.

    The report was the result of a airplane pilot program through the Guggenheim chosen Learning Through Art, which sent artists into schools to teach students and help them create their own masterpieces. Kids who took part in the plan performed better on six different categories of literacy and disquisitional thinking skills than those who did not. While students did better on an oral examination, they did not on standardized, written literacy tests — a disparity researchers said could exist because they did non emphasize written advice in the plan. Programme organizers believe the improvements were the result of students learning valuable disquisitional thinking skills while talking most fine art, which could then be applied to agreement and analyzing literary materials. Students could even take these skills further at online colleges for creative writing or circulate journalism.

  3. In 2007, Ellen Winner and Lois Hetland published a study stating the arts don't actually improve academic performance, simply it shouldn't matter.

    Winner and Hetland caput upward an arts education programme called Projection Zilch at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and so they are by no means opponents of artistic expression. However in their 2000 study, they found little academic improvement in math, science, and reading in their arts pedagogy program enrollees. While the backlash from their report was swift and brutal, the researchers stuck by their findings. And for good reason. They believe information technology shouldn't matter whether or not art courses better exam scores or grades, and that fine art pedagogy should garner support for what it offers on its own merit — not in relationship to annihilation else. Regardless, their report did reveal that arts teaching has some larger benefits which tin't be easily quantified through test scores. Namely, it helps students amend visual analysis skills, larn from mistakes, exist creative and brand better critical judgments.

  4. A 2005 report past the Rand Corporation called "A Portrait of the Visual Arts" argues that fine art education does more just give students a artistic outlet. It can really help connect them to the larger world, ultimately improving community cohesion.

    A bold exclamation, but non ane without merit. Students from lower income families oftentimes get trivial exposure to the arts if they are not provided by schools. The report shows that arts education can help close the gap between socioeconomic groups, creating a more than level playing field between children who may not be exposed to these enrichment experiences exterior of school and some of their more privileged peers.

  5. Teachers and students alike do good from schools that accept strong fine art climates, a 1999 written report called "Learning In and Through the Arts" demonstrated.

    People have been so wrapped up in showing how arts teaching benefits students, many haven't stopped to consider how it also impacts educators. The report studied students at 12 New York, Connecticut, Virginia and South Carolina schools to compile their results. Not only were students at schools with high levels of art education earning college scores on critical thinking tests, merely teachers also seemed happier. Part of the increase in their satisfaction was a upshot of their charges, who were found to be generally more cooperative and expressive and enjoy a improve rapport with educators. That wasn't all, yet, as teachers at schools that emphasized arts teaching enjoyed greater job satisfaction, were more interested in their work and probable to be innovative and pursued personal development experiences. It's not a trivial finding, as what is good for instructors is often very skillful for their students likewise. This is something those at online colleges for education should continue in mind.

  1. The Center for Arts Pedagogy published a report in 2009 that suggests arts education may better graduation rates.

    Taking a expect at the role of arts education in New York public schools, this report found that schools with the everyman access too had the highest dropout rates. Conversely, those with the highest graduation rates besides had the greatest access to arts education and resources. While there are undoubtedly a number of other factors that play into graduation rates, the research in this report and others like it (most notably The Role of the Fine and Performing Arts in High School Dropout Prevention, which you lot can read here) has institute that many at-adventure students cite participation in the arts as their reason for staying. Participation in these activities has a quantifiable bear upon on levels of delinquency, truancy and academic operation.

  2. A 2011 report called "Reinvesting in Arts Education" found that integrating arts with other subjects can help raise achievement levels.

    Arts education may not merely help enhance test scores, merely besides the learning procedure itself, every bit a recent written report revealed. This study on the Maryland schoolhouse system found that skills learned in the visual arts could help meliorate reading and the counterparts fostered in playing an musical instrument could be practical to math.  Researchers and school officials believe that arts instruction can exist a valuable teaching reform tool, and classroom integration of creative opportunities could exist key to motivating students and improving standardized test scores. Taking it a step further, online colleges in Maryland, for example, are creating post-secondary instruction opportunities for students in the land.

  3. A study of Missouri public schools in 2010 found that greater arts teaching led to fewer disciplinary infractions and higher attendance, graduation rates and examination scores.

    Using data submitted by the state's public schools, the Missouri Department of Education and the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education compiled this report. They plant that arts education had a significant effect on the academic and social success of their students. Those with greater arts participation were more probable to come to class, avoid existence removed and graduate. Additionally, they demonstrated greater proficiency in mathematics and communication. Many have aspired to online colleges in Missouri, or other states. Similar studies of other statewide education systems have discovered nearly identical results.

  4. In "Neuroeducation: Learning, Arts and the Encephalon," Johns Hopkins researchers shared findings showing that arts education can help rewire the brain in positive ways.

    While proponents of arts educational activity have long asserted that creative training can assist develop skills translating into other areas of academics, petty research had been done to investigate the scientific component. Aspects of training in the arts, similar motor command, attention and motivation, were studied by researchers who participated in the report, with some interesting results. In one four-year study, students undertaking regular music training were found to have changes in their brain structures helping them transfer their motor skills to similar areas. Another constitute students motivated to exercise a specific art form and spent time with focused attending increased the efficiency of their attention network equally a whole, even when working in other areas of study — and it improved their fluid IQ scores. Other studies reported similar scientific findings on the arts' impact on the brain, showing that sustained arts teaching is can be essential part of social and intellectual evolution.

  5. A 2009 survey, part of the "Nation's Report Card: Arts 2008" report, institute that access to arts education opportunities hasn't changed much in a decade.

    Many of the issues that plagued arts didactics programs in schools x years ago are still major problems today, this survey revealed. Eye school students across the nation oasis't seen an increase in admission to music and visual arts education, and their agreement of its tenets remains low — especially in certain disenfranchised socioeconomic and racial groups. Many believe the numbers are even worse today, as the survey was conducted prior to the economic woes that have paralyzed many schools systems in recent years. Equally in 1997, the 2008 survey showed that but 47% of students had access to visual arts education, and just 57% to music education. The survey attempted to look at theater and dance programs, just since so few schools offer them, they were dropped from the report.