Writings
Pictures from the Course Process/Structure by Dr. Burton, Spring 2025
Statement on the Importance of Arts in Education
*I wrote this statement for a project within the course of Curriculum Design instructed by Dr. Bildenstein during the Fall semester of 2024
Visual Arts are a critical component of student education, capable of organizing ideas, translating emotions into various forms of expression, and nurturing understanding of collective human experience. As Burton (2024) points out in her lectures, art is fundamentally "a way to construct meaning in the world," opening channels to different kinds of knowing and sensory ways of accessing information. In Visual Arts education, as demonstrated by Gross and Gross (2016), students engage with materials they can manipulate to build visual literacy that accesses universal meanings. While cultivating humanistic views on life in general, it encourages students to respect different viewpoints and ways of thinking, generating compassion among peers and for people worldwide (Eisner, 2002, pp. 70–92).
This perspective aligns with Noddings' (2013) ethic of care framework, which exalt that education must be grounded in caring relationships and responsive teaching. Burton (2024) reinforces this notion, noting that art education makes a difference in children's lives precisely because it is "ethical and caring." Through art education, students develop not only their creative abilities but also their capacity to care for ideas, their own work, the planet, and others (Noddings, 2013, pp. 87-88).
An example from Darling-Hammond et al. (1995) illustrates this concept through the story of Akeem, a student whose experience shows the impact of Visual Art in education. In a classroom that included activities like painting, working with clay, and constructing with materials, Akeem found opportunities to thrive when traditional forms of academic expression had excluded him. His teacher understood and demonstrated to students that other forms of knowledge and creativity mattered. This exemplifies Burton's (2024) definition of a good teacher as one who "understands factors that both support and inhibit development" while recognizing that children's development is linked to their own growth.
This hands-on experience allows students to understand that communication extends beyond verbal and written forms into visual expression, supporting what Greene (2005) describes as constructivist perspectives in art education that lead students to "look for keys to unknown doors" (p. 37).
The integration of Visual Arts with other disciplines, particularly in STEAM education, opens students' minds to multiple strategies for problem-solving. As Hayes-Jacob (1989) says, "in the real world, subjects do not exist in isolation, but rather we encounter problems and situations in which we must gather data from all our resources" (p. 1). This interdisciplinary mindset is increasingly recognized by universities and research institutions that include artists on scientific teams to encourage innovative thinking.
Burton (2024) expresses that art education creates opportunities for students to explore their vulnerability by sharing their inner world through personal expression - where there are no right or wrong answers. Through collaborative projects, students learn to take creative risks and accept multiple solutions, cultivating mutual understanding and recognition of our shared humanity. The article by Gross and Gross (2016) provides a practical example through their STEAM club project, where students combined artistic expression with technology and engineering to create interactive sculptures. This integration demonstrated how "STEAM education opens the door to integrate design thinking as part of the K-12 educational experience" (p. 42), preparing students for a 21st-century workplace that demands both creativity and technical skills.
Moreover, as Efland, Freedman, and Stuhr (1996) argue, this integrated approach to art education focuses on the strengths and knowledge students bring to the classroom while enabling them to make meaning of the social and cultural worlds they inhabit. Burton (2024) further reinforces that art serves as a vital form of expression, especially for students with disabilities, providing them with an essential way to engage with and be present in the world. The Visual Arts thus serve not just as a subject area but as a fundamental mode of learning and understanding that enriches all aspects of education.
References:
Burton, J. M. (2024, September 9). Why are arts important? [Lecture notes].
Darling-Hammond, L., Falk, B. F., & Ancess, J. (1995). Authentic assessment in action: Studies of schools and students at work. Teachers College Press.
Eisner, E. W. (2002). The arts and the creation of mind (1st ed.). Yale University Press. https://doi.org/10.12987/9780300133578
Freedman, K. (2003). Teaching visual culture: Curriculum, aesthetics, and the social life of art. Teachers College Press.
Greene, M. (2005). Releasing the imagination: Essays on education, the arts, and social change.
Noddings, N. (1984). Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Noddings, N. (2005). The challenge to care in schools : an alternative approach to education (Second edition). Teachers College Press. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=979857