Cognition and Student Learning through the Arts

Abstract

An increasing number of recent research studies suggest connections between cognition, social and emotional development, and the arts. Some studies indicate that students in schools where the arts are an integral part of the academic program tend to do better in school than those students where that is not the case. This study examines home/school factors that contribute most to variance in student learning and achievement and the arts from over 8,000 students in grade 5.The findings suggest in-school arts programs may have less of an impact on student achievement than proposed by previous research. Cognition and Student Learning through the Arts 3For as long as humankind has been able to think logically, we have thought about thinking: What is it that enables us to learn and what is happening physiologically, psychologically, and educationally? As a modern society we have been trying for more than a hundred years to understand "how the brain works," and the renewed interest during the last thirty years in formalizing cognition has intrigued both practitioners and researchers who believe that there are positive effects on the academic achievement of students engaged in the arts. It has taken centuries for thinkers to uncover evidence of arts cognition, the "emotive" part of who we are. The objective of this research is to explore the relationships among school and home-based characteristics related to involvement in the arts and its impact on student learning. Background

Preschool teachers' skills in teaching music: two steps forward one step back

“…Thus, arts education 'for its own sake' is more seldom highlighted. In practice as well as in research, there is much attention paid on whether music provides cognitive and academic benefits for children, even if there are meta-analyses showing that many assumptions in this line of thinking are merely wishful thinking (Č rnčec, Wilson, & Prior, 2006;Melnick, Witmer, & Strickland, 2011). To claim that music is good for children's learning in mathematics, and language skills are often used to argue the importance of music in educational practices for children.…”

Noncognitive Factors in an Elementary School-Wide Arts Integrated Model

“…Hawai'i State Assessment (HSA) results for the 2012-2013 school year reveal Pomaika'i students outperformed those from neighboring elementary schools who would later attend the same middle school. Without controlling for countless variables such as family socio-economic status, level of parent education, or student involvement in extra-curricular activities, it is implausible to draw causal relationship between these academic achievements and involvement in arts integrated curriculum based on test scores alone (Melnick, Witmer, & Strickland, 2011). Winner, Goldstein, and Vincent-Lankrin (2013) suggest that, even though correlational data reveals how students who participate in a large number of arts courses have higher educational achievement (as measured by scores on verbal and mathematical tests), we cannot conclude that the arts are the cause of higher achievement.…”

High School Visual Arts and Student Civic Engagement

“…This is highlighted by art's ability to increase engagement in other subject areas, thus supporting those subjects and their goals for learning. Likewise, Melnick et al (2011) studied the academic advantage that the arts may provide to art students. It has been found that student success on academic tests tend to decrease when art programs are eliminated (Melnick at al., 2011).…”

“…Likewise, Melnick et al (2011) studied the academic advantage that the arts may provide to art students. It has been found that student success on academic tests tend to decrease when art programs are eliminated (Melnick at al., 2011). Melnick et al (2011) analyzed data of about 8,000 fifth graders who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K).…”

“…Although art education can hold numerous benefits for those that pursue it (Mitchell, 2015, Melnick, Witmer, & Strickland, 2011, the current standards movement has negatively affected the funding for art departments (Wexler, 2014). In addition to creating real anxiety and fear for young students, Wexler (2014) suggests that the corporate reform movement that has created such standards "is the final insult to our children and their future" (p. 60).…”