ARE 6746: Methods of Research
Ceramic Art Resources for the High School Classroom: A Thesis Proposal
ABSTRACT OF PROJECT
PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS
Ceramic Art Resources for the High School Classroom
By Jennifer Hansen
December 13, 2011
Committee Members: Craig Roland & Linda Arbuckle
Major: MA Art Education
My research is focused on the use and development of ceramics in the high school classroom. I am motivated by the lack of comprehensive resources available for educators interested in using clay in the classroom. I have searched the web and found incomplete, or difficult to navigate websites showing the lack of resources available. I aim to discover the specific needs of secondary art educators that relate to the use of clay as an art material through a partnership with educators who are inexperienced using clay in their classroom. With this information, as well as my own knowledge of the material and processes, I plan to design and create a website intended to educate teachers in the ceramics arts. This will include sections addressing why clay is an important material, ceramic history, teaching skills, themes matched with artists, clay in the classroom, using the kiln, enrichment, additional resources, and workshops. In addition to the written information will be photos, instructional videos, links to lessons, and potential resources. The pages will have images, videos, and links to important information. The outcome will be an informative, relevant and easy to navigate website. The website can be used to inform educators about the ceramic arts as well as processes to be used within the classroom. The product of this project is a resource readily available and useful in the classroom. This project is important to the field of art education because it will simplify what has been a time-consuming process that dissuades art educators from using clay.
Ceramic Art Resources for the High School Classroom
I am interested in the use of ceramic arts in the secondary art classroom. As a ceramics artist and educator, I have seen the frustrations of fellow teachers who do not understand the value and processes of using clay in the classroom. Since childhood, I have had a deep connection to the material but understand the concern that it can cause in the classroom, from the material itself to the firing process. I want to know, what is the advantage of using clay as an art material? Additionally, what specific resources and knowledge do educators need to understand and support the use of clay in the classroom? I intend to work with secondary art educators throughout the process of developing the resource and use their feedback to further guide my research.
Based on my prior experiences in the field of art education I have found that many educators choose not to use clay as an art material because they lack the knowledge or do not have adequate resources to guide them. The problem is that in a growing technological world, clay poses a messy problem that many educators choose to avoid. I have searched the web to inventory what resources currently exist. Although a variety of websites and videos are available they are spread out and not easily accessible. I desire to create a one-stop resource that provides all the basic information needed to use, fire, and glaze ceramics. The website will also provide links and additional resources to promote further development in the ceramic arts, for example, Penland School of Crafts where teachers can enroll in summer workshops.
The use of clay in the classroom is significant to the field of art education because, as Golomb (2004) states, when a child models with clay it is different from drawing, this distinct experience allows them to discover multiple sides of a three dimensional object. She indicates a need to allow children to experience clay as the development processes and stages are different from that of drawing.
I believe that students should be given the opportunity to use clay as an art material during their education. The purpose of this project is to find out what resources educators need to promote the use of clay in the classroom and to create a website that makes it easy for teachers to access, use, and implement. This website will be of benefit to educators everywhere who need direction in using clay as well as supplemental resources to be used in teaching.
Statement of the Problem
This project is focused around the lack of comprehensive information available to educators who desire to use clay as an art material. I have searched the web and found limited resources accessible to teachers. What I have found are pieces to a greater puzzle and many broken and missing links. I am interested in discovering what is needed to promote the use of clay in the classroom and compiling this information together into a website.
Importance of the Study
I believe this project is important to the field of art education because as we advance in the art of technology, it is easy to leave behind the messy and frustrating material, clay. It is of great importance that children are given the opportunity to form objects using clay as they learn about the representation of objects in three-dimensional space. Additionally, this project is significant because it will provide art educators with a resource that does not currently exist. It will bring together information needed to facilitate the use of clay in a clear and concise manner.
Supporting Literature
My review of literature includes texts in art education, ceramics and child development. Brown (1975, 1984), one of the first researchers of child development in clay, attempted to discover changes that took place in children’s development through sculpture. At the conclusion of the first study, she encouraged educators to use clay in the classroom and begin its use at a young age. At the time of her second study, her findings did not conclude anything more then the first, suggesting educators are not listening to research and still avoid using clay in the classroom.
Golomb (2004) suggests the importance of clay as an art material. Clay can to be formed in the round, attention can be given to all sides of the object being sculpted. It is different from drawing in that a two-dimensional surface can only create the illusion of space, depth, and form and can never reproduce the world in a direct way. Golomb (2004) conducted two studies, one with 300 hundred students the other with 109, in which participants were asked to create a sculptural representation of figures. She evaluated them based on posture, attention to multiple sides, and the manner the material was used. She discovered a difference in child development between the two-dimensional drawings and three-dimensional sculptures. One specific example states, “compared with the drawn human figure, the trend in modeling is toward an earlier differentiation of the trunk as a separate structure” (Golomb, 2002, p. 58). Warchowiak and Clements, authors of the bookEmphasis Art, support Golomb by dedicating a chapter to the importance and use of clay in the art classroom.
Many teachers and researchers advocate the use of clay for many different reasons. Walkup (2005) supports it for the enjoyment of teacher and student and Warick (2005) for the scientific knowledge that can be gained. Similansky, Hagan, and Lewis (1988) conducted a field based research project with 1,600 children using clay in the classroom. The results led them to believe that clay can help in the development of learning skills and allow for a different type of representation than drawing offers. Their book provides everything from teaching strategies to managing clay in the classroom.
Methods and Research Hypotheses
The primary objective of this project is to make the ceramic arts, as they pertain to the high school art classroom, more accessible to educators. At this time, the Internet is lacking adequate resources to inform secondary art educators. My research will fill this gap in relevant information needed to facilitate the use of clay in the classroom. I plan to use information gained through feedback from art educators when designing, creating, and using the webpage. I also plan to continue searching online and compiling resources that are available and consider how they might influence and improve my website. My research is focused on answering these questions: 1) How can I make the ceramic arts more accessible to art educators? 2) What does a ceramic resource need to include? 3) How can I create a resource that it is simple and exciting for the educator and the student? 4) How can I promote the use of this website in art education classrooms?
How can I make the ceramic arts more accessible to art educators? I can accomplish this with the creation of a ceramic resource. In a digital world where people no longer read from books because of inventions like the Kindle, it is important to consider the location of a ceramic resource. It would be best utilized in a place where people can easily access it on the Internet through the formation of a website resource for secondary art educators. Placed on the Internet, it will be accessible to a wider audience.
What does a ceramic resource need to include? Using my research of current resources that are available on the Internet as well as books and articles, I plan to gather relevant ideas and topics that are important to the use of clay in the classroom. I am addressing the lack of resources available on the Internet by attempting to fill the void that currently exists. In the development of the website I plan to work with art educators who are not familiar with ceramics. They will evaluate the site throughout its development based on their needs.
How can I create a resource that it is simple and exciting for the educator and the student? I plan to use a website to present the information for several reasons. The first is that the Internet makes it faster and easier for others to acquire the information I have provided. With the use of photos and videos, the information will be displayed in an exciting and easy to navigate website. A website would provide a digital space that is easily updated and changed.
How can I promote the use of this website in art education classrooms? Throughout the formation of the website I will be working with art educators who will provide feedback during different stages of its development. My hope is that these teachers will pass along the link to others who could benefit from this resource. After completion of the website I plan to send out the link and information about the project to several art teachers- past colleges, students, friends, and to post a link to it on the University of Florida Art Education community website. (http://ufare20.ning.com/) After completion of the project in lieu of a thesis I plan to write an article for an art education magazine that will also expose a large number of teachers to the resource and its potential benefit to their students.
Project Plan
Part 1: (December)
.Continue searching the Internet to see what ceramic art resources are available. What is missing?
.Continue researching the importance of clay in the classroom.
.Recruit secondary art teachers to participate. Role will include sharing their current use of clay in the classroom and testing site during and after development to give feedback.
.Conduct web research to identify useful webpage’s, links, and videos. To be include in my site.
.Decide what website provider I am going to use and set up an account.
.Decide on a domain name and purchase.
Part 2: (January)
.Designing, creating, and producing materials for webpage.
.Decide what is important to be included in the website
.Create necessary materials that will support the website. (Instructional videos, photos, etc.)
.Create a webpage using colleted resources.
Part 3: (February)
.Synthesize collected information from educators to directly inform the website changes.
Graduate School Committee 2012 Timeline
References
Brown, E. V. (1975). Developmental characteristics of clay figures made by children ages three through the age eleven.Studies in Art Education, 16(3), 45-53.
Brown, E. V. (1984). Developmental characteristics of clay figures made by children: 1970-1981. Studies in Art Education,26(1), 56-60.
Eisner, E., & Day, M. (2004). Handbook of research and policy in art education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Golomb, C. (2002). Child art in context: A cultural and comparative perspective. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Smilansky, S., Hagan, J., & Lewis, H. (1988). Clay in the classroom: Helping children develop cognitive and affective skills for learning. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publications, Inc.
Tillander, M. (2011). UFARE 2.0: UF Art Education faculty, alumni, students and friends. Retrieved from http://ufare20.ning.com/
Walkup, N. (2005). Not just clay. School Arts, 104(8), 30.
Warwick, S. (2005). The science of clay. School Arts, 105(3), 28-29.
Wachowiak, F., & Clements, R. D. (2001). Emphasis art: a qualitative art program for elementary and middle schools. New york: Longman.
ABSTRACT OF PROJECT
PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS
Ceramic Art Resources for the High School Classroom
By Jennifer Hansen
December 13, 2011
Committee Members: Craig Roland & Linda Arbuckle
Major: MA Art Education
My research is focused on the use and development of ceramics in the high school classroom. I am motivated by the lack of comprehensive resources available for educators interested in using clay in the classroom. I have searched the web and found incomplete, or difficult to navigate websites showing the lack of resources available. I aim to discover the specific needs of secondary art educators that relate to the use of clay as an art material through a partnership with educators who are inexperienced using clay in their classroom. With this information, as well as my own knowledge of the material and processes, I plan to design and create a website intended to educate teachers in the ceramics arts. This will include sections addressing why clay is an important material, ceramic history, teaching skills, themes matched with artists, clay in the classroom, using the kiln, enrichment, additional resources, and workshops. In addition to the written information will be photos, instructional videos, links to lessons, and potential resources. The pages will have images, videos, and links to important information. The outcome will be an informative, relevant and easy to navigate website. The website can be used to inform educators about the ceramic arts as well as processes to be used within the classroom. The product of this project is a resource readily available and useful in the classroom. This project is important to the field of art education because it will simplify what has been a time-consuming process that dissuades art educators from using clay.
Ceramic Art Resources for the High School Classroom
I am interested in the use of ceramic arts in the secondary art classroom. As a ceramics artist and educator, I have seen the frustrations of fellow teachers who do not understand the value and processes of using clay in the classroom. Since childhood, I have had a deep connection to the material but understand the concern that it can cause in the classroom, from the material itself to the firing process. I want to know, what is the advantage of using clay as an art material? Additionally, what specific resources and knowledge do educators need to understand and support the use of clay in the classroom? I intend to work with secondary art educators throughout the process of developing the resource and use their feedback to further guide my research.
Based on my prior experiences in the field of art education I have found that many educators choose not to use clay as an art material because they lack the knowledge or do not have adequate resources to guide them. The problem is that in a growing technological world, clay poses a messy problem that many educators choose to avoid. I have searched the web to inventory what resources currently exist. Although a variety of websites and videos are available they are spread out and not easily accessible. I desire to create a one-stop resource that provides all the basic information needed to use, fire, and glaze ceramics. The website will also provide links and additional resources to promote further development in the ceramic arts, for example, Penland School of Crafts where teachers can enroll in summer workshops.
The use of clay in the classroom is significant to the field of art education because, as Golomb (2004) states, when a child models with clay it is different from drawing, this distinct experience allows them to discover multiple sides of a three dimensional object. She indicates a need to allow children to experience clay as the development processes and stages are different from that of drawing.
I believe that students should be given the opportunity to use clay as an art material during their education. The purpose of this project is to find out what resources educators need to promote the use of clay in the classroom and to create a website that makes it easy for teachers to access, use, and implement. This website will be of benefit to educators everywhere who need direction in using clay as well as supplemental resources to be used in teaching.
Statement of the Problem
This project is focused around the lack of comprehensive information available to educators who desire to use clay as an art material. I have searched the web and found limited resources accessible to teachers. What I have found are pieces to a greater puzzle and many broken and missing links. I am interested in discovering what is needed to promote the use of clay in the classroom and compiling this information together into a website.
Importance of the Study
I believe this project is important to the field of art education because as we advance in the art of technology, it is easy to leave behind the messy and frustrating material, clay. It is of great importance that children are given the opportunity to form objects using clay as they learn about the representation of objects in three-dimensional space. Additionally, this project is significant because it will provide art educators with a resource that does not currently exist. It will bring together information needed to facilitate the use of clay in a clear and concise manner.
Supporting Literature
My review of literature includes texts in art education, ceramics and child development. Brown (1975, 1984), one of the first researchers of child development in clay, attempted to discover changes that took place in children’s development through sculpture. At the conclusion of the first study, she encouraged educators to use clay in the classroom and begin its use at a young age. At the time of her second study, her findings did not conclude anything more then the first, suggesting educators are not listening to research and still avoid using clay in the classroom.
Golomb (2004) suggests the importance of clay as an art material. Clay can to be formed in the round, attention can be given to all sides of the object being sculpted. It is different from drawing in that a two-dimensional surface can only create the illusion of space, depth, and form and can never reproduce the world in a direct way. Golomb (2004) conducted two studies, one with 300 hundred students the other with 109, in which participants were asked to create a sculptural representation of figures. She evaluated them based on posture, attention to multiple sides, and the manner the material was used. She discovered a difference in child development between the two-dimensional drawings and three-dimensional sculptures. One specific example states, “compared with the drawn human figure, the trend in modeling is toward an earlier differentiation of the trunk as a separate structure” (Golomb, 2002, p. 58). Warchowiak and Clements, authors of the bookEmphasis Art, support Golomb by dedicating a chapter to the importance and use of clay in the art classroom.
Many teachers and researchers advocate the use of clay for many different reasons. Walkup (2005) supports it for the enjoyment of teacher and student and Warick (2005) for the scientific knowledge that can be gained. Similansky, Hagan, and Lewis (1988) conducted a field based research project with 1,600 children using clay in the classroom. The results led them to believe that clay can help in the development of learning skills and allow for a different type of representation than drawing offers. Their book provides everything from teaching strategies to managing clay in the classroom.
Methods and Research Hypotheses
The primary objective of this project is to make the ceramic arts, as they pertain to the high school art classroom, more accessible to educators. At this time, the Internet is lacking adequate resources to inform secondary art educators. My research will fill this gap in relevant information needed to facilitate the use of clay in the classroom. I plan to use information gained through feedback from art educators when designing, creating, and using the webpage. I also plan to continue searching online and compiling resources that are available and consider how they might influence and improve my website. My research is focused on answering these questions: 1) How can I make the ceramic arts more accessible to art educators? 2) What does a ceramic resource need to include? 3) How can I create a resource that it is simple and exciting for the educator and the student? 4) How can I promote the use of this website in art education classrooms?
How can I make the ceramic arts more accessible to art educators? I can accomplish this with the creation of a ceramic resource. In a digital world where people no longer read from books because of inventions like the Kindle, it is important to consider the location of a ceramic resource. It would be best utilized in a place where people can easily access it on the Internet through the formation of a website resource for secondary art educators. Placed on the Internet, it will be accessible to a wider audience.
What does a ceramic resource need to include? Using my research of current resources that are available on the Internet as well as books and articles, I plan to gather relevant ideas and topics that are important to the use of clay in the classroom. I am addressing the lack of resources available on the Internet by attempting to fill the void that currently exists. In the development of the website I plan to work with art educators who are not familiar with ceramics. They will evaluate the site throughout its development based on their needs.
How can I create a resource that it is simple and exciting for the educator and the student? I plan to use a website to present the information for several reasons. The first is that the Internet makes it faster and easier for others to acquire the information I have provided. With the use of photos and videos, the information will be displayed in an exciting and easy to navigate website. A website would provide a digital space that is easily updated and changed.
How can I promote the use of this website in art education classrooms? Throughout the formation of the website I will be working with art educators who will provide feedback during different stages of its development. My hope is that these teachers will pass along the link to others who could benefit from this resource. After completion of the website I plan to send out the link and information about the project to several art teachers- past colleges, students, friends, and to post a link to it on the University of Florida Art Education community website. (http://ufare20.ning.com/) After completion of the project in lieu of a thesis I plan to write an article for an art education magazine that will also expose a large number of teachers to the resource and its potential benefit to their students.
Project Plan
Part 1: (December)
.Continue searching the Internet to see what ceramic art resources are available. What is missing?
.Continue researching the importance of clay in the classroom.
.Recruit secondary art teachers to participate. Role will include sharing their current use of clay in the classroom and testing site during and after development to give feedback.
.Conduct web research to identify useful webpage’s, links, and videos. To be include in my site.
.Decide what website provider I am going to use and set up an account.
.Decide on a domain name and purchase.
Part 2: (January)
.Designing, creating, and producing materials for webpage.
.Decide what is important to be included in the website
.Create necessary materials that will support the website. (Instructional videos, photos, etc.)
.Create a webpage using colleted resources.
Part 3: (February)
.Synthesize collected information from educators to directly inform the website changes.
Graduate School Committee 2012 Timeline
References
Brown, E. V. (1975). Developmental characteristics of clay figures made by children ages three through the age eleven.Studies in Art Education, 16(3), 45-53.
Brown, E. V. (1984). Developmental characteristics of clay figures made by children: 1970-1981. Studies in Art Education,26(1), 56-60.
Eisner, E., & Day, M. (2004). Handbook of research and policy in art education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Golomb, C. (2002). Child art in context: A cultural and comparative perspective. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Smilansky, S., Hagan, J., & Lewis, H. (1988). Clay in the classroom: Helping children develop cognitive and affective skills for learning. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publications, Inc.
Tillander, M. (2011). UFARE 2.0: UF Art Education faculty, alumni, students and friends. Retrieved from http://ufare20.ning.com/
Walkup, N. (2005). Not just clay. School Arts, 104(8), 30.
Warwick, S. (2005). The science of clay. School Arts, 105(3), 28-29.
Wachowiak, F., & Clements, R. D. (2001). Emphasis art: a qualitative art program for elementary and middle schools. New york: Longman.
