William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
Content
NATIONAL FORUM OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION JOURNAL VOLUME 25, NUMBER 3, 2008-2009
THE VALUE OF FINE ARTS EDUCATION: A STUDENT-CENTERED ANALYSIS
Scott Allen Spring Independent School District Spring, Texas Stacey L. Edmonson Sam Houston State University Alice Fisher Sam Houston State University
ABSTRACT Significant research does not exist to show if students perceive that there are academic benefits to participating in programs and courses in the arts. After conducting numerous searches of dissertation abstracts from 1982 to 2006, we were unable to find any that focused on student perceptions of benefits gained through being involved in fine arts during high school. This study used a qualitative approach to gain an understanding of how participation in fine arts during high school impacted a sample of high school students from three school districts in North Houston. In order to accomplish this, we had to find the voices of those students. For this reason, we used criterion sampling to determine what students perceived the academic benefits of involvement in the fine arts during high school to be. Students shared feelings and opinions that resonated the perceptions that they had gained academic benefits, as well as life lessons, from participation in the arts during high school. Students from eight high school campuses in Districts A, B, and C completed the online Fine Arts Participation Survey (FAPS). Eighty-one percent of student participants strongly agreed or agreed they had gained academic benefits from being enrolled in fine arts courses for at least three years during high school.
The Value of Fine Arts Education: A Student-centered Analysis
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F
ine arts were a major part of curriculum and extracurricular activities in schools across the United States. Research has shown that children responded to the arts in an uninhibited, innocent, and honest manner, especially in the earlier grades. For example, Sautter (1994) suggested that children have the need to sing without care, move to music, and spontaneously create original songs with words of their own. In Sautter’s study, one could observe very young children for a short time to see responses to art experiences. Children were able to make up stories, cheers, songs, and games during play, all the while building social interaction skills. Children were able to naturally integrate the arts into their play. In schools, even the very early grades utilized the arts, specifically music, as tools to enhance learning and instruction. Sautter wrote: Curiously, the visual arts and music are already used successfully in preschool and kindergarten to help young children read and count; they are used extensively in the primary grades…By the fourth grade, most schools have reduced the art experiences available to their students. By junior high, many schools have isolated the arts from other learning projects by relegating them to special art periods held in separate art rooms; others have set aside a specified hour with a visual arts or music teacher who visits the classroom. (p. 433) Significant research does not exist to show if students perceive that there are academic benefits to participating in programs and courses in the arts. After conducting numerous searches of dissertation abstracts from 1982 to 2006, we were unable to find any that focused on student perceptions of benefits gained through being involved in fine arts during high school. If educators and institutions were to offer such studies and programs to students, it is important to look at the academic benefits that resulted from participation in them. To learn if students did benefit academically, why not ask the students who are involved in the fine arts activities? As students enrolled in the fine arts for at least three years during high school, what were their
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perceptions? Did students who participated in high school fine arts programs perceive that they gained academic benefits resulting from that experience? Theoretical Framework Based on a search of dissertation abstracts from 1982 to 2006, there was not a strong literature base regarding student perceptions of academic benefits from involvement in fine arts in high schools. However, Howard Gardner (1982) proposed that children from age two to seven mastered symbols in their individual culture. As children mastered language(s), linguistic symbols were the most notable. Children utilized symbols such as body movement, hand gestures, pictures, clay figures, numbers, and music as they developed. “And by the age of five or six, children not only can understand these various symbols, but can often combine them in the ways adults find so striking” (Gardner, 1982, p. 88). However, as students matured and continued to participate in the fine arts, it appeared that little research had been done to ask these students how they had benefited academically from their involvement in fine arts programs or courses. Schools must do what is best for students if success is the desired outcome. This brought about the re-examination of practices in schools and classrooms across the country (Indicator, 2006). Educational reform has been a highly debated topic in the United States for many years. Criticism of educational practices has forced educators to continually re-evaluate methods and curricula in an effort to answer the educational dilemma: How do educators best prepare students to become productive and positive contributors to society? This question had been answered numerous ways in the past few years. Most often the answers were found within the realm of curriculum design. Should the emphasis be on the basics? Were reading, writing, and arithmetic the only courses needed for a student to succeed? Could technology be the current solution for education concerns? What should be taught in the schools? What individual
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courses contributed significantly to the quality of a student’s overall education? One area of study focused on the inclusion of fine arts in the educational curriculum. One popular concept was the focus on fine arts in schools, both in courses of study and extracurricular activities. Prior research showed that some educators believed that extracurricular activities, including the fine arts, were an essential part of a school’s educational program. Ramsey (1981) wrote: Contrary to the thinking of some educational purists, the school’s activity program is not the frosting on the cake—rather it is an essential part of the texture of the school. For some students it is the only thing that makes sense in the school. (p. 208) Joekel (1985) similarly wrote that student activities programs, including the arts and athletics, were an integral part of the education process. He stated that such activities should operate in harmony with other parts of the total curriculum by providing significant learning experiences for students in addition to helping them develop values. Joekel (1985) continued: Student activities are the practical extension of the school curriculum. They have traditionally provided students with avenues for expression and relevant experiences. They are not at odds with academic pursuits. They serve as auxiliary laboratory for such curricula—and more. (p. 3) According to Efland (1995), it is critical that educators present a balanced curriculum, one in which the arts and sciences were represented equally. He wrote: When the arts are found to be strong, it is likely that the total program has quality as well. Conversely, if strength in the arts and humanities is lacking, other parts of the program are equally wanting. The quality of the arts is a
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barometer that serves to indicate the levels of economic support for the school program. (p. 46) The College Board collected and compiled profiles of high school students in 1987, 1988, and 1989. The information demonstrated that: students who take arts courses tend to have higher scores on the SAT than those who do not. Moreover, the more arts courses a student takes, generally speaking, the higher his or her scores. (Hanna, 1992, p. 603) For the 1999 school year, the College Board reported that there was a difference in the scores of students who participated in visual arts coursework as opposed to those who did not experience arts coursework. Students who experienced courses such as art appreciation, studio work, and art design showed an average score 47 points higher on the mathematics and 31 points on the verbal sections of the college entrance test than students who did not experience the same classes. Similar evidence was found in scoring for students involved in photography and film work. The data for the year 2000 showed corresponding results (Jensen, 2001, p. 61). Statistics from the College Board showed that students scoring 30% to 40% higher on SAT tests in mathematics and English were the same students who had been involved in fine arts programs. The Board reported that students with four or more years of involvement with the arts scored significantly higher on SAT than students with less involvement in the fine arts (Horn & Seider, 1992; Rashmussen, 1998). Significance of the Study Schools across the country spent millions of dollars on fine arts programs for students (Arts Council of England, 1998). The findings of our research to determine whether or not fine arts programs
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provided academic benefits to students could have several important implications for individual schools, school districts, school policy makers, and funding of fine arts programs. In most high schools, there are discretionary funds that can be allocated by principals and upper level administrators. Thus, the results of this study could be helpful and relevant to school administrators as they fund fine arts programs rather than other school programs. This study has the potential to impact the hiring and staffing of teaching and support staff positions. If fine arts classes contribute to improved academic achievement, more instructional and noninstructional positions could be created. It is also possible that counselors who view this study as significant could channel more students into the fine arts classes instead of perhaps only placing students who show a definite interest in fine arts. Finally, the acknowledgment and support that fine arts programs receive from communities might also be affected by the results of this study, if results show a positive impact on academic benefits to students. If a community highly valued fine arts, then the support that individual programs receive from local businesses might increase the popularity of the programs as well as generate financial support.
Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to determine what students perceived to be the academic benefits from involvement in the fine arts during high school. We examined data to find if there was reason to believe that students who were involved in high school fine arts demonstrated a higher level of academic achievement on the Texas Assessments of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), and the American College Test (ACT) than other students in the three school districts studied.
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Selection of Participants Criterion sampling was used for this study. “Criterion sampling works well when all individuals studied represent people who have experienced the phenomenon” (Creswell, 1998, p. 188). The researchers contacted the directors of fine arts in the three school districts that participated in the research to find our participants. School Districts A, B, and C were the focus of this study. The criteria for selecting these districts included: (a) evidence of fine arts programs, courses, and activities; (b) representation of a diverse population of students; (c) evidence of a diverse socioeconomic status; and (d) the geographic location of the schools within each of the districts. There were a total of eight high school campuses within the three districts. District A had two high school campuses, District B had five high school campuses, and District C had one high school campus. We asked the fine arts directors of each district to contact and set up meetings with the fine arts teachers at each high school in the districts so that we could explain our study and what was needed for the research to be valid and useful. A letter of explanation was distributed to teachers. Once the teachers agreed, consent forms and a letter of explanation of the study were given to teachers to be disseminated to juniors and seniors who were currently enrolled in fine arts courses. Those students who returned letters of consent were given a letter that explained the research in further detail and listed the Internet link for the online survey. The return of the consent form by students indicated consent to participate in the study and permission to include their responses in our research. There was a section on the consent form asking if the student would also be willing to take part in a focus group. A random sample of students from each high school was made from those indicating they would take part in such a group by selecting five to six students from each campus using a random, blind draw. It should be noted that District B was not willing to allow students to participate in focus groups. The online survey focused on high school experiences in the fine arts and the perceptions students had indicating that those
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experiences were beneficial in academics. The survey determined how many semesters students were enrolled in fine arts courses and the extent of extracurricular fine arts activities during high school years. Students selected for the focus groups had a variety of experience in both high school courses and extracurricular involvement. My goal was to have at least 150 surveys completed online. A total of 187 students completed the survey. From those, five to six students at each high school in Districts A and C were chosen to participate in the focus group through a blind drawing. After the initial contact, we worked with the participants in order to set dates, times, and locations to conduct the focus groups. To maintain confidentiality, names of all participants were changed. Demographic information for each of the district and campus participants is reported in Tables 1, 2, and 3. Table 1 District A Demographics District A High School Demographics
n African-American Hispanic White Native American Asian-Pacific Islander Total Economically Disadvantaged Limited English At-Risk District A 7,574 35% 32% 27% < 1% 5% 100% 53 14 41 Campus 1 3,146 23% 22% 55% < 1% 3% 100% 32 2 54 Campus 2 4,338 49% 29% 14% < 1% 8% 100% 48 5 56
Table 2 District B Demographics District B High School Demographics
Dist. B Camp 3 Camp 4 Campu 5 Camp 6 Camp 7
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n African American Hispanic White Native American AsianPacific Isl. Total Econom. Disadv. Limited English At-Risk
13,656 32% 67% 6% < 1% 2% 100% 78% 27% 65%
2191 25% 66% 6% < 1% 3% 100% 71% 10% 70%
715 46% 40% 11% < 1% 4% 100% 55% < 1% 41%
2196 18% 76% 6% None 1% 100% 69% 9% 74%
2372 51% 41% 4% < 1% 4% 100% 62% 8% 63%
2187 45% 39% 13% < 1% 4% 100% 61% 8% 58%
Table 3 District C Demographics District C High School Demographics
n African-American Hispanic White Native American Asian-Pacific Islander Economically Disadvantaged Limited English At-Risk District C 5,041 8% 24% 67% < 1% < 1% 50% 11% 46% Campus 8 1,438 7% 20% 72% < 1% < 1% 37% 5% 48%
Instrumentation Four instruments were used in this study: (a) Fine Arts Participation Survey (FAPS), which we developed specifically for this study, (b) Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), American College Test (ACT), and Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) data, (c) a questionnaire we developed for focus groups with students, and (d) a fine arts profile sheet we developed for this research that was completed by the fine arts directors in each district. We paid attention
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to construct validity, internal validity, external validity, and reliability when designing these instruments (Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2003). The FAPS, and the fine arts information sheet were all developed after gathering possible questions from members of Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Educational Theatre Association (TETA), Texas Speech Communication Association (TSCA), Texas Art Education Association (TAEA), and Texas Dance Educators Association (TDEA). After the instruments were designed, all three were submitted for review and critique to 15 members of the organizations above, as well as 11 students from a current Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Educational Leadership Doctoral cohort. Thirteen of the members of the educator associations and six members of the SHSU cohort returned feedback and suggestions. The final version of the FAPS was administered to five fine art students. The responses of these individuals were reviewed to determine if further revisions needed to be made. This process helped establish face validity with the FAPS. Data Collection Data collection was completed in the following manner. First, the Fine Arts Participation Survey (FAPS) online survey link was given to students enrolled in fine arts courses in the three districts studied. We contacted the directors of fine arts in the three school districts that participated in the research to find my participants. We asked the fine arts directors of each district to contact and set up meetings with the fine arts teachers at each high school in the districts so that we could explain my study and what was needed for the research to be valid and useful. Once the teachers agreed, consent forms and a letter of explanation of the study were given to teachers to be disseminated to juniors and seniors who were currently enrolled in fine arts courses. Those students who returned letters of consent were given a letter that explained the research in further detail and listed the Internet link for the online survey. The return of the consent form by
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students indicated consent to participate in the study and permission to include their responses in my research. The FAPS was distributed to junior and senior students over the age of 18 who had been involved in fine arts courses for at least three years during high school. The students were asked to go online to complete the survey during a designated class period or at home. The data gathered from students examined the perceptions among high school students involved in the fine arts regarding academic benefits from that involvement. Part of the consent form that students completed asked students if they were willing to participate in a focus group to gather further data about perceptions of the academic benefits of being involved with fine arts during high school. In addition, extracurricular participation information obtained through FAPS and data supplied by the school districts being researched were gathered. This information was used to compare and contrast the participation rates of students in each district on the different campuses. It also proved to be useful in providing information on the types of fine arts programs and courses offered in each district. Fourth, the SAT, ACT, and TAKS data were collected from high schools of sampled students. These data helped determine if students who participated in the fine arts scored higher on standardized tests than the average score of all students on each campus studied. Next, focus groups with students identified from the returned consent forms were conducted. A one-hour focus group was held on the three high school campuses in District A and District C during the school day. District B declined to participate in a focus group. A list of questions was used to gain perceptions and input from the students who participated. The focus groups were recorded on a compact disc and then transcribed. These sessions gave more insight into the student perceptions of the academic benefits gained from participating in fine arts programs and classes in high school. Finally, information about the fine arts programs offered in each district was collected from fine
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arts directors in each district sampled to compare and contrast the fine arts programs offered in each of the three districts. Researcher bias is again mentioned because one researcher was formerly a fine arts teacher in a district close to those that participated in the study. He brought to the study a background of teaching the arts in public schools. “This focus on the researcher’s self as an integral constructor of the social reality being studied is called reflexivity” (Gall et al., 2003). We controlled for researcher bias by attempting to not make assumptions and quick conclusions and by following the advice of Altheide and Johnson (1994), who expressed the need for sensitivity to a setting’s multivocality. Data Analysis After completing the focus groups, we employed a constantcomparative method of analysis; we then went through each transcript and identified and categorized themes and patterns looking for key issues, recurrent events, or comments in the data that became categories of focus (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003). As these themes emerged, we used a method of coding the themes and patterns to pinpoint information in the transcriptions. After organizing the information, we compiled the students’ comments on themes that emerged during each focus group. Glasner (1978) noted that “although you can talk about the constant comparative method as a series of steps, it all goes on at once, and the analysis keeps doubling back to more data collection and coding” (p. 118). Our goal was to understand each participant’s perception of the impact that having a high school fine arts background had on his or her academic career and the benefits that resulted from that experience. We asked similar questions within each focus group in order to compare the participants’ answers. Based on the tone of previous interviews with high schools students, we believed that the information provided by students was the true perception of their high
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school experience and fine arts backgrounds. In order to protect the identity of each interviewee, the names were changed. Results This study centered on two main research questions: 1. What did students perceive the academic benefits of involvement in the fine arts during high school to be and did other students who participated in fine arts share those perceptions?
2.
Did students who participated in fine arts perform better academically than non-participating students, as measured by TAKS, ACT, and SAT?
Students from eight high school campuses in Districts A, B, and C completed the online Fine Arts Participation Survey (FAPS). One hundred eighty-three students classified as juniors and seniors who had been enrolled in fine arts courses for at least three years completed the FAPS. Students who participated in the FAPS were enrolled in a variety of fine arts courses with emphases in different areas. Eight-one percent of student participants strongly agreed or agreed they had gained academic benefits from being enrolled in fine arts courses for at least three years during high school. Student participation by district and campus as well as participant ethnicity may be found in the Appendix. Students who participated in the FAPS were enrolled in a variety of fine arts courses with emphases in different areas. Thirty-three students (18% of participants) were enrolled in theatre arts courses. Fifteen students (8% of participants) were enrolled in dance courses. Thirty students (16% of students) were enrolled in choir courses. Twenty-eight students (15% of participants) were enrolled in art courses. Thirty students
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(16% of students) were enrolled in band courses. One student (1% of participants) entered a response of other for the area of focus. Fifty students (27% of participants) were enrolled in more than one course in the area of theatre arts, dance, band, art, or choir. Eighty-two percent of these students (n=153) had earned four or more credits in fine arts courses Overall Themes As we listened to the students who participated in the three focus groups in District A and District C, we heard similar themes emerge from the discussions. Several students talked about becoming better students because of the math skills they gained from being involved in music classes. One student shared: In my opinion, fine arts classes made me better at math and as I got better at math it made sight reading skills for choir and band stronger. Reading and sight reading just kind of went together, then you add in the element of mathematics. I definitely benefited from being in fine arts. Becoming more confident was a trait that was discussed time and again by students during the three focus groups. The chance to perform in front of others made students more at ease with being around large groups of people and feeling comfortable with themselves. One student commented that fine arts “gave me the confidence to know that I could achieve my goals.” Another listed having pride because of the skills she learned in fine arts classes. Students discussed learning time management skills from fine arts classes and activities. “The ability to get projects and performances together for classes forced me to be organized,” said one student. Another participant talked of having lengthy schedules for rehearsals and practices. He said that having to be responsible and mature enough “to be where I was supposed to and ready to work, taught me a lot.” One student put it simply:
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I think participating in fine arts activities gave me a reason to come to school and a reason to want to succeed. Before I was in choir I didn’t care as much about school or my academics. Another student echoed this idea, explaining that fine arts participation teaches you discipline and you have to get good grades to participate in the fun things like choir and drama. It’s a lot of hard work in music…you have to practice. You have to be successful in your academic classes because you want to be able to go on and participate in the productions, pop show and things like that. Fine arts taught me discipline…turn in papers on time and make sure everything was correct. The concept of problem solving was mentioned in all three focus groups. One student gave the example of gaining problem solving skills in a theatre arts course. “Fine arts helped me become more creative and think differently about some things than I would have before. So it helped me see things in a different way.” She continued, “I took on different personas when I was in a show. You are asked to think of what the character’s motives are.” Others agreed with her in all the focus groups that problem solving was something gained through fine arts classes. Thirteen of the 16 students listed tolerance as a benefit. Students talked about seeing differences in other people and learning to accept those differences. That tolerance “helped me get along with others in my classes, which helped me to succeed.” In all of the focus groups, students mentioned growing socially, emotionally, and mentally. There was common agreement by students in all three focus groups that ultimately these areas helped them to be more successful academically. When asked if academic benefits were gained from participation in fine arts in high school, 12 of the 16 students answered, “Yes.” Furthermore, students agreed that participation in
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fine arts benefited them academically in many ways. As one student made the following statement: I think fine arts and academics fit together like a puzzle and after being involved with both of them for a long time you can’t have one without the other. They are both very important. Fine arts helps your academic life and your academic life helps your fine arts. This student continued by describing how the arts and academic performance were interrelated: It gets you motivated to do homework and study. It’s like the arts and the academics complement each other. There is a definite relationship between the two. I cannot imagine having made it through high school without dance and theatre. Other benefits discussed by students included higher level thinking skills, effective communication skills, goal setting and working as a team. For example, one student described how fine arts had helped him mature: My participation in fine arts has contributed to my academic success by giving me the confidence to know that I can achieve my goals. Leadership qualities come out because you are around all different kinds of people. So many different directors…and you just go through all these levels. You just get a different respect for the different kinds of people out there. Another student also described the sense of belonging and community that participation in the arts afforded him: It’s seriously a community. It’s kind of hard to explain this to people who don’t have the same enthusiasm for what you do. It’s like they just don’t really get it. People that are in theatre get it. It’s like you have that common ground. My experiences
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in theatre were definitely the most important part of my high school experience. This sense of camaraderie was echoed by another student when he said Being in the band and having the directors that we have, we have a big thing about promptness and maturity and responsibility. We have a big thing about working together and I think that is probably the biggest thing I have learned is you have to work together to achieve a goal and everybody has to be on the same page. Promptness, getting there and doing things on time…that’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned. Summary of Test Scores Participant passing rates on the TAKS in the 11th grade in the areas of English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and the passing rate for all tests were averaged and then compared to the campus passing rates in each area. The mean scores for the SAT and the mean scores for the ACT for participants in this study were averaged and compared with the mean ACT and mean SAT scores for the campuses. For the TAKS data, on only one campus was there a higher passing rate for the campus than for the study participants’ average passing rate. On that one campus, the higher passing rate for the campus occurred in only one test area. For English language arts, the participant average passing rate was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. In the area of mathematics, the participant average passing rate was higher than the campus passing rate on seven campuses. On Campus 4, the participants’ average passing rate was one percent lower than the campus passing rate. For science, the participant average passing rate was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. In the area of social studies, the participant average passing rate was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. For the composite passing rate on all tests, the
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participant average passing rate was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. For the mean SAT scores, the participant mean SAT score was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. For the mean ACT scores, the participant mean ACT score was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. These data show that students who have participated in fine arts activities for at least three years during high school, score higher on the TAKS, SAT, and ACT tests than in general. In summary, TAKS, SAT, and ACT scores and passing rates for the state, the eight campuses studied, and averages for participants were compared. In all but one case, the average participant scores and passing rates were higher than the scores and passing rates for the campuses studied. The data showed that students who participate in fine arts during high school score better on the TAKS, SAT, and ACT than students who do not participate in fine arts courses and activities in high school. Implications The results of this study have strong implications for the educational field. Assuming that the perceptions of the three districts studied represented a cross-section of the general student population, this study could impact the amount of funding a high school fine arts program receives. In most districts, there are discretionary funds that could be allocated by upper level administrators. Based on the results of this study, administrators could recognize a need to increase funding for fine arts programs. This study could also impact the hiring and staffing of teaching and paraprofessional positions. If students were encouraged to enroll in fine arts courses, the need for additional staffing in the fine arts classrooms on campuses would increase. It was shown through my study that fine arts classes and activities are a way to improve student academic achievement. The individual responses of
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participants in this study demonstrated that students who participate in fine arts during high school perform better on the TAKS test, ACT and SAT than students who were not involved in fine arts. If students perform better academically, they would value school more. Participation in the fine arts encourages students to perform better, not just because they value school more, but also because they feel valued themselves. Students perceived a sense of responsibility to the programs and their peers maintain a higher performance academically in order that to remain eligible for continued participation and competition. This could only increase the success of students on campuses across the state. Finally, the acknowledgement and support that fine arts programs and activities received from the community could be affected by the results of this study. If a community values fine arts highly, then the support that arts programs in schools received from local businesses could increase the popularity of the programs as well as the possible financial augmentations. Recommendations for Future Direction The results of this study showed that high school students who participated in fine arts courses and activities in high school perceived they had gained academic benefits from that participation. The average TAKS passing rates, SAT mean scores, and ACT mean scores for students participating in this study were higher than the scores for the overall campuses those students attended. This suggests that students who participated in fine arts courses and activities for at least three years during high school performed better on the TAKS, SAT, and ACT tests than those students who did not. Conclusions The results of this study of three suburban school districts in North Houston suggests that there are student perceptions that all students would benefit academically if they were required to take at least three years of fine arts classes in order to graduate. There would seem to be a strong connection between the language arts portion of
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the TAKS test and involvement in fine arts. It could be assumed that students who consistently participated in fine arts classes may have developed better verbal and linguistic skills than students not enrolled in fine arts classes. The nature of fine arts classes was to help students better demonstrate ideas, feelings, and emotions through expressive use of their body and creative skills. This training could be beneficial to students in the form of written expression through TAKS writing and also help students in the reading portion of the TAKS. When exploring the effects of various educational initiatives and reforms, researchers look to standardized test scores and other statistical data for evidence of increased student achievement. Is it possible that valuable information which points to higher student engagement and increased student achievement could be found by talking directly with the students whom researchers claimed they are trying to assist? Student perceptions are strong and most of the time accurate. Statements such as the ones we gathered during focus groups and taken from surveys completed by students spoke quite clearly for themselves.
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REFERENCES Altheide, D.J. & Johnson, J.M. (1994). Criteria for assessing interpretive validity in qualitative research. In N.K. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds.) Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 485-499). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Arts Council of England, Policy Research and Planning Department. Research Report Number 13, International Data on Public Spending on the Arts in Eleven Countries. March 1998, 1-13. Bogdan, R.C. & Biklen, S.K. (2003). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theories and methods. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Creswell, J.W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Efland, A.D. (1995). Teaching and learning the arts in the future. Columbus Ohio: Ohio State Press. Gall, M.D., Gall, J.P., & Borg, W.R., (2003). Educational research and introduction (7th Ed.). New York: Longman Publishers. Gardner, H. (1982). Frames of mind (10th Ed.). New York: Basic Books, A Division of Harper Collins Publishers. Glasner, B. (1978). Theoretical sensitivity: Advances in the methodology of grounded theory. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press. Hanna, J.L (1992). Connections: Arts, academics, and productive citizens. Phi Delta Kappan, 601-607. Horn, M. & Sieder, J. (1992, March 30). Looking for a renaissance. U.S. News and World Report, 26-27. Indicator: Research and best practices. (2006). Retrieved January 13, 2006 from North Central Regional Educational Laboratory Web site:
http://www.ncrel.org/engauge/framewk/vis/research/visrespr.htm
Jensen, E. (2001). Arts with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
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Joekel, R.G. (1985). Student activities and academic eligibility requirements. NASSP Bulletin 69 (483) (October), 3. Ramsey, R.D. (1981). Educators’ discipline handbook. West Nyack, NY: Parker Publishing Company. Sautter, R.C. (1994). An arts education school reform strategy. Phi Delta Kappan, 75(6), 19-24.
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Appendix High School Student Participation by District and Campus District A A B B B B B C Campus 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Number of Students 31 35 12 24 14 35 17 18 Percentage of Participants 16% 19% 6% 13% 8% 19% 9% 10%
Participant Ethnicity Ethnicity White Hispanic African American Asian Other Number of Participants 68 49 59 8 2 Percentage of Participants 36% 26% 32% 4% 1%
THE VALUE OF FINE ARTS EDUCATION: A STUDENT-CENTERED ANALYSIS
Scott Allen Spring Independent School District Spring, Texas Stacey L. Edmonson Sam Houston State University Alice Fisher Sam Houston State University
ABSTRACT Significant research does not exist to show if students perceive that there are academic benefits to participating in programs and courses in the arts. After conducting numerous searches of dissertation abstracts from 1982 to 2006, we were unable to find any that focused on student perceptions of benefits gained through being involved in fine arts during high school. This study used a qualitative approach to gain an understanding of how participation in fine arts during high school impacted a sample of high school students from three school districts in North Houston. In order to accomplish this, we had to find the voices of those students. For this reason, we used criterion sampling to determine what students perceived the academic benefits of involvement in the fine arts during high school to be. Students shared feelings and opinions that resonated the perceptions that they had gained academic benefits, as well as life lessons, from participation in the arts during high school. Students from eight high school campuses in Districts A, B, and C completed the online Fine Arts Participation Survey (FAPS). Eighty-one percent of student participants strongly agreed or agreed they had gained academic benefits from being enrolled in fine arts courses for at least three years during high school.
The Value of Fine Arts Education: A Student-centered Analysis
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F
ine arts were a major part of curriculum and extracurricular activities in schools across the United States. Research has shown that children responded to the arts in an uninhibited, innocent, and honest manner, especially in the earlier grades. For example, Sautter (1994) suggested that children have the need to sing without care, move to music, and spontaneously create original songs with words of their own. In Sautter’s study, one could observe very young children for a short time to see responses to art experiences. Children were able to make up stories, cheers, songs, and games during play, all the while building social interaction skills. Children were able to naturally integrate the arts into their play. In schools, even the very early grades utilized the arts, specifically music, as tools to enhance learning and instruction. Sautter wrote: Curiously, the visual arts and music are already used successfully in preschool and kindergarten to help young children read and count; they are used extensively in the primary grades…By the fourth grade, most schools have reduced the art experiences available to their students. By junior high, many schools have isolated the arts from other learning projects by relegating them to special art periods held in separate art rooms; others have set aside a specified hour with a visual arts or music teacher who visits the classroom. (p. 433) Significant research does not exist to show if students perceive that there are academic benefits to participating in programs and courses in the arts. After conducting numerous searches of dissertation abstracts from 1982 to 2006, we were unable to find any that focused on student perceptions of benefits gained through being involved in fine arts during high school. If educators and institutions were to offer such studies and programs to students, it is important to look at the academic benefits that resulted from participation in them. To learn if students did benefit academically, why not ask the students who are involved in the fine arts activities? As students enrolled in the fine arts for at least three years during high school, what were their
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perceptions? Did students who participated in high school fine arts programs perceive that they gained academic benefits resulting from that experience? Theoretical Framework Based on a search of dissertation abstracts from 1982 to 2006, there was not a strong literature base regarding student perceptions of academic benefits from involvement in fine arts in high schools. However, Howard Gardner (1982) proposed that children from age two to seven mastered symbols in their individual culture. As children mastered language(s), linguistic symbols were the most notable. Children utilized symbols such as body movement, hand gestures, pictures, clay figures, numbers, and music as they developed. “And by the age of five or six, children not only can understand these various symbols, but can often combine them in the ways adults find so striking” (Gardner, 1982, p. 88). However, as students matured and continued to participate in the fine arts, it appeared that little research had been done to ask these students how they had benefited academically from their involvement in fine arts programs or courses. Schools must do what is best for students if success is the desired outcome. This brought about the re-examination of practices in schools and classrooms across the country (Indicator, 2006). Educational reform has been a highly debated topic in the United States for many years. Criticism of educational practices has forced educators to continually re-evaluate methods and curricula in an effort to answer the educational dilemma: How do educators best prepare students to become productive and positive contributors to society? This question had been answered numerous ways in the past few years. Most often the answers were found within the realm of curriculum design. Should the emphasis be on the basics? Were reading, writing, and arithmetic the only courses needed for a student to succeed? Could technology be the current solution for education concerns? What should be taught in the schools? What individual
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courses contributed significantly to the quality of a student’s overall education? One area of study focused on the inclusion of fine arts in the educational curriculum. One popular concept was the focus on fine arts in schools, both in courses of study and extracurricular activities. Prior research showed that some educators believed that extracurricular activities, including the fine arts, were an essential part of a school’s educational program. Ramsey (1981) wrote: Contrary to the thinking of some educational purists, the school’s activity program is not the frosting on the cake—rather it is an essential part of the texture of the school. For some students it is the only thing that makes sense in the school. (p. 208) Joekel (1985) similarly wrote that student activities programs, including the arts and athletics, were an integral part of the education process. He stated that such activities should operate in harmony with other parts of the total curriculum by providing significant learning experiences for students in addition to helping them develop values. Joekel (1985) continued: Student activities are the practical extension of the school curriculum. They have traditionally provided students with avenues for expression and relevant experiences. They are not at odds with academic pursuits. They serve as auxiliary laboratory for such curricula—and more. (p. 3) According to Efland (1995), it is critical that educators present a balanced curriculum, one in which the arts and sciences were represented equally. He wrote: When the arts are found to be strong, it is likely that the total program has quality as well. Conversely, if strength in the arts and humanities is lacking, other parts of the program are equally wanting. The quality of the arts is a
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barometer that serves to indicate the levels of economic support for the school program. (p. 46) The College Board collected and compiled profiles of high school students in 1987, 1988, and 1989. The information demonstrated that: students who take arts courses tend to have higher scores on the SAT than those who do not. Moreover, the more arts courses a student takes, generally speaking, the higher his or her scores. (Hanna, 1992, p. 603) For the 1999 school year, the College Board reported that there was a difference in the scores of students who participated in visual arts coursework as opposed to those who did not experience arts coursework. Students who experienced courses such as art appreciation, studio work, and art design showed an average score 47 points higher on the mathematics and 31 points on the verbal sections of the college entrance test than students who did not experience the same classes. Similar evidence was found in scoring for students involved in photography and film work. The data for the year 2000 showed corresponding results (Jensen, 2001, p. 61). Statistics from the College Board showed that students scoring 30% to 40% higher on SAT tests in mathematics and English were the same students who had been involved in fine arts programs. The Board reported that students with four or more years of involvement with the arts scored significantly higher on SAT than students with less involvement in the fine arts (Horn & Seider, 1992; Rashmussen, 1998). Significance of the Study Schools across the country spent millions of dollars on fine arts programs for students (Arts Council of England, 1998). The findings of our research to determine whether or not fine arts programs
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provided academic benefits to students could have several important implications for individual schools, school districts, school policy makers, and funding of fine arts programs. In most high schools, there are discretionary funds that can be allocated by principals and upper level administrators. Thus, the results of this study could be helpful and relevant to school administrators as they fund fine arts programs rather than other school programs. This study has the potential to impact the hiring and staffing of teaching and support staff positions. If fine arts classes contribute to improved academic achievement, more instructional and noninstructional positions could be created. It is also possible that counselors who view this study as significant could channel more students into the fine arts classes instead of perhaps only placing students who show a definite interest in fine arts. Finally, the acknowledgment and support that fine arts programs receive from communities might also be affected by the results of this study, if results show a positive impact on academic benefits to students. If a community highly valued fine arts, then the support that individual programs receive from local businesses might increase the popularity of the programs as well as generate financial support.
Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to determine what students perceived to be the academic benefits from involvement in the fine arts during high school. We examined data to find if there was reason to believe that students who were involved in high school fine arts demonstrated a higher level of academic achievement on the Texas Assessments of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), and the American College Test (ACT) than other students in the three school districts studied.
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Selection of Participants Criterion sampling was used for this study. “Criterion sampling works well when all individuals studied represent people who have experienced the phenomenon” (Creswell, 1998, p. 188). The researchers contacted the directors of fine arts in the three school districts that participated in the research to find our participants. School Districts A, B, and C were the focus of this study. The criteria for selecting these districts included: (a) evidence of fine arts programs, courses, and activities; (b) representation of a diverse population of students; (c) evidence of a diverse socioeconomic status; and (d) the geographic location of the schools within each of the districts. There were a total of eight high school campuses within the three districts. District A had two high school campuses, District B had five high school campuses, and District C had one high school campus. We asked the fine arts directors of each district to contact and set up meetings with the fine arts teachers at each high school in the districts so that we could explain our study and what was needed for the research to be valid and useful. A letter of explanation was distributed to teachers. Once the teachers agreed, consent forms and a letter of explanation of the study were given to teachers to be disseminated to juniors and seniors who were currently enrolled in fine arts courses. Those students who returned letters of consent were given a letter that explained the research in further detail and listed the Internet link for the online survey. The return of the consent form by students indicated consent to participate in the study and permission to include their responses in our research. There was a section on the consent form asking if the student would also be willing to take part in a focus group. A random sample of students from each high school was made from those indicating they would take part in such a group by selecting five to six students from each campus using a random, blind draw. It should be noted that District B was not willing to allow students to participate in focus groups. The online survey focused on high school experiences in the fine arts and the perceptions students had indicating that those
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experiences were beneficial in academics. The survey determined how many semesters students were enrolled in fine arts courses and the extent of extracurricular fine arts activities during high school years. Students selected for the focus groups had a variety of experience in both high school courses and extracurricular involvement. My goal was to have at least 150 surveys completed online. A total of 187 students completed the survey. From those, five to six students at each high school in Districts A and C were chosen to participate in the focus group through a blind drawing. After the initial contact, we worked with the participants in order to set dates, times, and locations to conduct the focus groups. To maintain confidentiality, names of all participants were changed. Demographic information for each of the district and campus participants is reported in Tables 1, 2, and 3. Table 1 District A Demographics District A High School Demographics
n African-American Hispanic White Native American Asian-Pacific Islander Total Economically Disadvantaged Limited English At-Risk District A 7,574 35% 32% 27% < 1% 5% 100% 53 14 41 Campus 1 3,146 23% 22% 55% < 1% 3% 100% 32 2 54 Campus 2 4,338 49% 29% 14% < 1% 8% 100% 48 5 56
Table 2 District B Demographics District B High School Demographics
Dist. B Camp 3 Camp 4 Campu 5 Camp 6 Camp 7
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n African American Hispanic White Native American AsianPacific Isl. Total Econom. Disadv. Limited English At-Risk
13,656 32% 67% 6% < 1% 2% 100% 78% 27% 65%
2191 25% 66% 6% < 1% 3% 100% 71% 10% 70%
715 46% 40% 11% < 1% 4% 100% 55% < 1% 41%
2196 18% 76% 6% None 1% 100% 69% 9% 74%
2372 51% 41% 4% < 1% 4% 100% 62% 8% 63%
2187 45% 39% 13% < 1% 4% 100% 61% 8% 58%
Table 3 District C Demographics District C High School Demographics
n African-American Hispanic White Native American Asian-Pacific Islander Economically Disadvantaged Limited English At-Risk District C 5,041 8% 24% 67% < 1% < 1% 50% 11% 46% Campus 8 1,438 7% 20% 72% < 1% < 1% 37% 5% 48%
Instrumentation Four instruments were used in this study: (a) Fine Arts Participation Survey (FAPS), which we developed specifically for this study, (b) Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), American College Test (ACT), and Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) data, (c) a questionnaire we developed for focus groups with students, and (d) a fine arts profile sheet we developed for this research that was completed by the fine arts directors in each district. We paid attention
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to construct validity, internal validity, external validity, and reliability when designing these instruments (Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2003). The FAPS, and the fine arts information sheet were all developed after gathering possible questions from members of Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Educational Theatre Association (TETA), Texas Speech Communication Association (TSCA), Texas Art Education Association (TAEA), and Texas Dance Educators Association (TDEA). After the instruments were designed, all three were submitted for review and critique to 15 members of the organizations above, as well as 11 students from a current Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Educational Leadership Doctoral cohort. Thirteen of the members of the educator associations and six members of the SHSU cohort returned feedback and suggestions. The final version of the FAPS was administered to five fine art students. The responses of these individuals were reviewed to determine if further revisions needed to be made. This process helped establish face validity with the FAPS. Data Collection Data collection was completed in the following manner. First, the Fine Arts Participation Survey (FAPS) online survey link was given to students enrolled in fine arts courses in the three districts studied. We contacted the directors of fine arts in the three school districts that participated in the research to find my participants. We asked the fine arts directors of each district to contact and set up meetings with the fine arts teachers at each high school in the districts so that we could explain my study and what was needed for the research to be valid and useful. Once the teachers agreed, consent forms and a letter of explanation of the study were given to teachers to be disseminated to juniors and seniors who were currently enrolled in fine arts courses. Those students who returned letters of consent were given a letter that explained the research in further detail and listed the Internet link for the online survey. The return of the consent form by
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students indicated consent to participate in the study and permission to include their responses in my research. The FAPS was distributed to junior and senior students over the age of 18 who had been involved in fine arts courses for at least three years during high school. The students were asked to go online to complete the survey during a designated class period or at home. The data gathered from students examined the perceptions among high school students involved in the fine arts regarding academic benefits from that involvement. Part of the consent form that students completed asked students if they were willing to participate in a focus group to gather further data about perceptions of the academic benefits of being involved with fine arts during high school. In addition, extracurricular participation information obtained through FAPS and data supplied by the school districts being researched were gathered. This information was used to compare and contrast the participation rates of students in each district on the different campuses. It also proved to be useful in providing information on the types of fine arts programs and courses offered in each district. Fourth, the SAT, ACT, and TAKS data were collected from high schools of sampled students. These data helped determine if students who participated in the fine arts scored higher on standardized tests than the average score of all students on each campus studied. Next, focus groups with students identified from the returned consent forms were conducted. A one-hour focus group was held on the three high school campuses in District A and District C during the school day. District B declined to participate in a focus group. A list of questions was used to gain perceptions and input from the students who participated. The focus groups were recorded on a compact disc and then transcribed. These sessions gave more insight into the student perceptions of the academic benefits gained from participating in fine arts programs and classes in high school. Finally, information about the fine arts programs offered in each district was collected from fine
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arts directors in each district sampled to compare and contrast the fine arts programs offered in each of the three districts. Researcher bias is again mentioned because one researcher was formerly a fine arts teacher in a district close to those that participated in the study. He brought to the study a background of teaching the arts in public schools. “This focus on the researcher’s self as an integral constructor of the social reality being studied is called reflexivity” (Gall et al., 2003). We controlled for researcher bias by attempting to not make assumptions and quick conclusions and by following the advice of Altheide and Johnson (1994), who expressed the need for sensitivity to a setting’s multivocality. Data Analysis After completing the focus groups, we employed a constantcomparative method of analysis; we then went through each transcript and identified and categorized themes and patterns looking for key issues, recurrent events, or comments in the data that became categories of focus (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003). As these themes emerged, we used a method of coding the themes and patterns to pinpoint information in the transcriptions. After organizing the information, we compiled the students’ comments on themes that emerged during each focus group. Glasner (1978) noted that “although you can talk about the constant comparative method as a series of steps, it all goes on at once, and the analysis keeps doubling back to more data collection and coding” (p. 118). Our goal was to understand each participant’s perception of the impact that having a high school fine arts background had on his or her academic career and the benefits that resulted from that experience. We asked similar questions within each focus group in order to compare the participants’ answers. Based on the tone of previous interviews with high schools students, we believed that the information provided by students was the true perception of their high
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school experience and fine arts backgrounds. In order to protect the identity of each interviewee, the names were changed. Results This study centered on two main research questions: 1. What did students perceive the academic benefits of involvement in the fine arts during high school to be and did other students who participated in fine arts share those perceptions?
2.
Did students who participated in fine arts perform better academically than non-participating students, as measured by TAKS, ACT, and SAT?
Students from eight high school campuses in Districts A, B, and C completed the online Fine Arts Participation Survey (FAPS). One hundred eighty-three students classified as juniors and seniors who had been enrolled in fine arts courses for at least three years completed the FAPS. Students who participated in the FAPS were enrolled in a variety of fine arts courses with emphases in different areas. Eight-one percent of student participants strongly agreed or agreed they had gained academic benefits from being enrolled in fine arts courses for at least three years during high school. Student participation by district and campus as well as participant ethnicity may be found in the Appendix. Students who participated in the FAPS were enrolled in a variety of fine arts courses with emphases in different areas. Thirty-three students (18% of participants) were enrolled in theatre arts courses. Fifteen students (8% of participants) were enrolled in dance courses. Thirty students (16% of students) were enrolled in choir courses. Twenty-eight students (15% of participants) were enrolled in art courses. Thirty students
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(16% of students) were enrolled in band courses. One student (1% of participants) entered a response of other for the area of focus. Fifty students (27% of participants) were enrolled in more than one course in the area of theatre arts, dance, band, art, or choir. Eighty-two percent of these students (n=153) had earned four or more credits in fine arts courses Overall Themes As we listened to the students who participated in the three focus groups in District A and District C, we heard similar themes emerge from the discussions. Several students talked about becoming better students because of the math skills they gained from being involved in music classes. One student shared: In my opinion, fine arts classes made me better at math and as I got better at math it made sight reading skills for choir and band stronger. Reading and sight reading just kind of went together, then you add in the element of mathematics. I definitely benefited from being in fine arts. Becoming more confident was a trait that was discussed time and again by students during the three focus groups. The chance to perform in front of others made students more at ease with being around large groups of people and feeling comfortable with themselves. One student commented that fine arts “gave me the confidence to know that I could achieve my goals.” Another listed having pride because of the skills she learned in fine arts classes. Students discussed learning time management skills from fine arts classes and activities. “The ability to get projects and performances together for classes forced me to be organized,” said one student. Another participant talked of having lengthy schedules for rehearsals and practices. He said that having to be responsible and mature enough “to be where I was supposed to and ready to work, taught me a lot.” One student put it simply:
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I think participating in fine arts activities gave me a reason to come to school and a reason to want to succeed. Before I was in choir I didn’t care as much about school or my academics. Another student echoed this idea, explaining that fine arts participation teaches you discipline and you have to get good grades to participate in the fun things like choir and drama. It’s a lot of hard work in music…you have to practice. You have to be successful in your academic classes because you want to be able to go on and participate in the productions, pop show and things like that. Fine arts taught me discipline…turn in papers on time and make sure everything was correct. The concept of problem solving was mentioned in all three focus groups. One student gave the example of gaining problem solving skills in a theatre arts course. “Fine arts helped me become more creative and think differently about some things than I would have before. So it helped me see things in a different way.” She continued, “I took on different personas when I was in a show. You are asked to think of what the character’s motives are.” Others agreed with her in all the focus groups that problem solving was something gained through fine arts classes. Thirteen of the 16 students listed tolerance as a benefit. Students talked about seeing differences in other people and learning to accept those differences. That tolerance “helped me get along with others in my classes, which helped me to succeed.” In all of the focus groups, students mentioned growing socially, emotionally, and mentally. There was common agreement by students in all three focus groups that ultimately these areas helped them to be more successful academically. When asked if academic benefits were gained from participation in fine arts in high school, 12 of the 16 students answered, “Yes.” Furthermore, students agreed that participation in
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fine arts benefited them academically in many ways. As one student made the following statement: I think fine arts and academics fit together like a puzzle and after being involved with both of them for a long time you can’t have one without the other. They are both very important. Fine arts helps your academic life and your academic life helps your fine arts. This student continued by describing how the arts and academic performance were interrelated: It gets you motivated to do homework and study. It’s like the arts and the academics complement each other. There is a definite relationship between the two. I cannot imagine having made it through high school without dance and theatre. Other benefits discussed by students included higher level thinking skills, effective communication skills, goal setting and working as a team. For example, one student described how fine arts had helped him mature: My participation in fine arts has contributed to my academic success by giving me the confidence to know that I can achieve my goals. Leadership qualities come out because you are around all different kinds of people. So many different directors…and you just go through all these levels. You just get a different respect for the different kinds of people out there. Another student also described the sense of belonging and community that participation in the arts afforded him: It’s seriously a community. It’s kind of hard to explain this to people who don’t have the same enthusiasm for what you do. It’s like they just don’t really get it. People that are in theatre get it. It’s like you have that common ground. My experiences
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in theatre were definitely the most important part of my high school experience. This sense of camaraderie was echoed by another student when he said Being in the band and having the directors that we have, we have a big thing about promptness and maturity and responsibility. We have a big thing about working together and I think that is probably the biggest thing I have learned is you have to work together to achieve a goal and everybody has to be on the same page. Promptness, getting there and doing things on time…that’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned. Summary of Test Scores Participant passing rates on the TAKS in the 11th grade in the areas of English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and the passing rate for all tests were averaged and then compared to the campus passing rates in each area. The mean scores for the SAT and the mean scores for the ACT for participants in this study were averaged and compared with the mean ACT and mean SAT scores for the campuses. For the TAKS data, on only one campus was there a higher passing rate for the campus than for the study participants’ average passing rate. On that one campus, the higher passing rate for the campus occurred in only one test area. For English language arts, the participant average passing rate was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. In the area of mathematics, the participant average passing rate was higher than the campus passing rate on seven campuses. On Campus 4, the participants’ average passing rate was one percent lower than the campus passing rate. For science, the participant average passing rate was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. In the area of social studies, the participant average passing rate was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. For the composite passing rate on all tests, the
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participant average passing rate was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. For the mean SAT scores, the participant mean SAT score was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. For the mean ACT scores, the participant mean ACT score was higher than the campus passing rate on all eight campuses. These data show that students who have participated in fine arts activities for at least three years during high school, score higher on the TAKS, SAT, and ACT tests than in general. In summary, TAKS, SAT, and ACT scores and passing rates for the state, the eight campuses studied, and averages for participants were compared. In all but one case, the average participant scores and passing rates were higher than the scores and passing rates for the campuses studied. The data showed that students who participate in fine arts during high school score better on the TAKS, SAT, and ACT than students who do not participate in fine arts courses and activities in high school. Implications The results of this study have strong implications for the educational field. Assuming that the perceptions of the three districts studied represented a cross-section of the general student population, this study could impact the amount of funding a high school fine arts program receives. In most districts, there are discretionary funds that could be allocated by upper level administrators. Based on the results of this study, administrators could recognize a need to increase funding for fine arts programs. This study could also impact the hiring and staffing of teaching and paraprofessional positions. If students were encouraged to enroll in fine arts courses, the need for additional staffing in the fine arts classrooms on campuses would increase. It was shown through my study that fine arts classes and activities are a way to improve student academic achievement. The individual responses of
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participants in this study demonstrated that students who participate in fine arts during high school perform better on the TAKS test, ACT and SAT than students who were not involved in fine arts. If students perform better academically, they would value school more. Participation in the fine arts encourages students to perform better, not just because they value school more, but also because they feel valued themselves. Students perceived a sense of responsibility to the programs and their peers maintain a higher performance academically in order that to remain eligible for continued participation and competition. This could only increase the success of students on campuses across the state. Finally, the acknowledgement and support that fine arts programs and activities received from the community could be affected by the results of this study. If a community values fine arts highly, then the support that arts programs in schools received from local businesses could increase the popularity of the programs as well as the possible financial augmentations. Recommendations for Future Direction The results of this study showed that high school students who participated in fine arts courses and activities in high school perceived they had gained academic benefits from that participation. The average TAKS passing rates, SAT mean scores, and ACT mean scores for students participating in this study were higher than the scores for the overall campuses those students attended. This suggests that students who participated in fine arts courses and activities for at least three years during high school performed better on the TAKS, SAT, and ACT tests than those students who did not. Conclusions The results of this study of three suburban school districts in North Houston suggests that there are student perceptions that all students would benefit academically if they were required to take at least three years of fine arts classes in order to graduate. There would seem to be a strong connection between the language arts portion of
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the TAKS test and involvement in fine arts. It could be assumed that students who consistently participated in fine arts classes may have developed better verbal and linguistic skills than students not enrolled in fine arts classes. The nature of fine arts classes was to help students better demonstrate ideas, feelings, and emotions through expressive use of their body and creative skills. This training could be beneficial to students in the form of written expression through TAKS writing and also help students in the reading portion of the TAKS. When exploring the effects of various educational initiatives and reforms, researchers look to standardized test scores and other statistical data for evidence of increased student achievement. Is it possible that valuable information which points to higher student engagement and increased student achievement could be found by talking directly with the students whom researchers claimed they are trying to assist? Student perceptions are strong and most of the time accurate. Statements such as the ones we gathered during focus groups and taken from surveys completed by students spoke quite clearly for themselves.
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REFERENCES Altheide, D.J. & Johnson, J.M. (1994). Criteria for assessing interpretive validity in qualitative research. In N.K. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds.) Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 485-499). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Arts Council of England, Policy Research and Planning Department. Research Report Number 13, International Data on Public Spending on the Arts in Eleven Countries. March 1998, 1-13. Bogdan, R.C. & Biklen, S.K. (2003). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theories and methods. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Creswell, J.W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Efland, A.D. (1995). Teaching and learning the arts in the future. Columbus Ohio: Ohio State Press. Gall, M.D., Gall, J.P., & Borg, W.R., (2003). Educational research and introduction (7th Ed.). New York: Longman Publishers. Gardner, H. (1982). Frames of mind (10th Ed.). New York: Basic Books, A Division of Harper Collins Publishers. Glasner, B. (1978). Theoretical sensitivity: Advances in the methodology of grounded theory. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press. Hanna, J.L (1992). Connections: Arts, academics, and productive citizens. Phi Delta Kappan, 601-607. Horn, M. & Sieder, J. (1992, March 30). Looking for a renaissance. U.S. News and World Report, 26-27. Indicator: Research and best practices. (2006). Retrieved January 13, 2006 from North Central Regional Educational Laboratory Web site:
http://www.ncrel.org/engauge/framewk/vis/research/visrespr.htm
Jensen, E. (2001). Arts with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
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Joekel, R.G. (1985). Student activities and academic eligibility requirements. NASSP Bulletin 69 (483) (October), 3. Ramsey, R.D. (1981). Educators’ discipline handbook. West Nyack, NY: Parker Publishing Company. Sautter, R.C. (1994). An arts education school reform strategy. Phi Delta Kappan, 75(6), 19-24.
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Appendix High School Student Participation by District and Campus District A A B B B B B C Campus 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Number of Students 31 35 12 24 14 35 17 18 Percentage of Participants 16% 19% 6% 13% 8% 19% 9% 10%
Participant Ethnicity Ethnicity White Hispanic African American Asian Other Number of Participants 68 49 59 8 2 Percentage of Participants 36% 26% 32% 4% 1%
