1. Importance of
Arts in Education

2. Hypotheses, Methods, & Demographics
Will students involved in Will serious arts
Are there academic skills
the arts, in general, do involvement over
developed through arts
better in school than extended periods of time
education?
those who are not? impact future success?
2 yr. study 2 yr. National Educational 2 yr. Longitudinal case
Longitudinal Study (NELS) study: Young Talented
Methods: Paper & pencil Program (funded by
inventories, Torrance Test Methods: Data collected Champions of Change)
of Creative Thinking, Self- from Stand. Tests, panel
Disc. Q’s, Environmental studies & observations Methods: Interviews, field
Q’s, Teacher Perception obs., student self-concept
Scale, Arts background scales & examination of
Q’s, Interviews and Obs. awards/records
25,000 American students in
grades 8, 10, & 12
2,046 public elementary and 23 students from 10 varying
middle school students from Population restricted to Low New York City Schools
4-8th grade SES students (elementary-adult)
28 schools involved/12 11/males/12 females
extensively/4 case studies 16 AA/5 Latinos/2
Took place in NY, CT, VA & SC Caucasians/ Urban Disadv.

3. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
• What type of arts program is being
offered?
• What is the background of the
student? (i.e. SES, cultural etc.)
• What is the background of the
teacher?
• Are those who are involved in the arts
successful because those who are
successful involve themselves in the
arts?

4. Studies
• Learning In and Through the Arts Involvement in the Arts & Success in
Study Secondary School Study
Broad spectrum study Narrow spectrum study
Based on numerical and qualitative data Participants were categorized by
(measuring length and range of arts socioeconomic status (SES). Four categories
involvement) they categorized students into 2 are as follows:
groups: Low SES Low arts High SES Low arts
Upper ¼= High Arts Group/ Lower ¼= Lower Low SES High arts High SES High arts
Arts Group
1 portion of the study only focused on low SES
Outcomes: High arts group scored higher than groups to eliminate “outside influences” such
low arts group in creativity and self- as family support/opportunities
perceptions.
Outcomes: High arts groups had favorable
outcomes over low arts groups
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY&feature=related

5. Torrance Test of Creative Thinking
Measures:
• Creativity
• Fluency
• Originality
• Elaboration
• Resistance
to closure

6. Examples:
15 out of 20 (age 9)
Expresses emotion-
Recognizing that a
shark can be “fierce” is
A mature concept for a
child
17 out of 20 (age 11) Earning a
lot of points for
elaborateness, expressiveness,
vividness, and resistance to
premature closure.

7. Results from Torrance Test of Creative Thinking
Creative Thinking Abilities
(Burton, Horowitz & Abeles)
Torrance Test of Creative Thinking
40
30
20 High Arts Group
Low Arts Group
10
0
Creativity Fluency Originality Elaboration Resistance to
Index Closure

8. Perceptions of Self as a Learner Questionnaire Results
40
30
20 High Arts Group
Low Arts Group
10
0
Acadmic General School Reading Math

9. NELS Comparative Study Results
(Catterall, Chapleau, & Iwanaga)
Grade 8 Academic Performance All Students Low SES Students
High Arts Low Arts High Arts Low Arts
Earning mostly A’s & B’s in English 79.2% 64.2% 64.5% 56.4%
Score in top 2 ¼ on stand. tests 66.8% 42.7% 29.5% 24.5%
Dropping out by grade 10 1.4% 4.8% 6.5% 9.4%
Bored in school ½- most of the time 42.2% 48.9% 41.0% 46.0%
Grade 10 Academic Performance
Score in top 2 ¼ on stand. Tests 72.5% 45% 41.4% 24.9%
Score in top 2 ¼ in Reading 70.9% 45.1% 43.8% 28.4%
Score in top 2 ¼ in History/Geo 70.9% 46.3% 41.6% 28.6%
Grade 10 Attitudes & Behaviors
Considers community service 46.6% 33.9% 49.2% 40.7%
important-very important

10. Young Talent Program
• Elementary, Middle, and High School
• Progressive- Beginning in school and finishing
voluntarily
• 3 stages: Novice, Emerger, and Expert (based on
ability)
• Data collected though: Interviews, observations, &
collection of stand. Test scores (plus self concept
scales)

11. You Can Help Too!
http://www.ccmsings.org/musicprograms/singforsuccess.php