The integration of arts-based instruction : creative pathways to learning

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Due to increased budget cuts, teacher layoffs, and a reduction in the quality of effective instruction and educational programming; there continues to be a national concern for the quality of education in urban schools. These factors have led to a negative impact on student achievement, attendance rate, discipline, graduation rate, and the overall learning environment particularly pertaining to high schools in the inner-city. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of combining interdisciplinary, integrated, Arts-Based Instruction into the core curriculum and the pedagogical practices of teaching. Does establishing a motivational learning environment that allows students to experience teaching and learning in a more creative, self-driven, and less structured setting increase student achievement and engagement? Does integrating the arts into the core disciplines of communication arts and science, thus developing pedagogical practices that combine creative activities with practical applications and analysis, result in the increase of student engagement and academic achievement more effectively than traditional approaches (Direct/Explicit Instruction)? Do the arts contribute to student success and engagement in the teaching/learning process? The results of this study revealed that interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning require expanded ways of thinking, learning, and comprehending that are required for higher-level functioning of the cognitive processes.