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Rowan University Rowan Digital Works Theses and Dissertations 11-28-2012 Arts and education: an investigation into the impact of the arts academy on high school students Nigel Sangster Follow this and additional works at: https://rdw.edu/etd Part of the Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons Recommended Citation Sangster, Nigel, "Arts and education: an investigation into the impact of the arts academy on high school students" (2012). Theses and Dissertations.edu/etd/238 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Rowan Digital Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Rowan Digital Works. For more information, please contact graduateresearch@rowan.

ARTS AND EDUCATION: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPACT OF THE ARTS ACADEMY ON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS by Nigel Sangster A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership College of Education In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Doctor of Education at Rowan University March 2012 Dissertation Chair: James Coaxum, III, Ph. © 2012 Nigel Sangster Dedication To My Deceased Parents Harold Sangster & Volda Sangster And My Deceased Surrogate Mother Nestor Dick I deeply appreciate the sacrifices that my parents made to get me started on my educational journey. Without their investment in education, and the belief in me, leaving my homeland of Trinidad & Tobago would not have been realized. I dedicate homage to my surrogate mother to whom my parents had passed the torch and who has remained as the beacon that encouraged me to continue chasing after my dreams.

Acknowledgments This journey coming to an end is like the final act of an opera in which the music and the singers crescendo in contrapuntal harmony bringing the opera to a momentous and glorious finish. I give tribute and homage to both of my deceased parents, Harold and Volda Sangster, whose teachings formed the foundation of my present existence. I thank my daughter Nyeka ―Missy‖ Sangster, who is the ―apple of my eyes‖ for being patient as I shared my time between her and the doctoral program. To my sister Joy, I salute you for doing what big sisters do and that is, give encouragement and support.

To my brothers Roger and Leighton, I am gracious to you for being the pillars of support in times of uncertainty. I will be forever beholden to my very special friends and family, Dr. Deniese Cooper, Dr. Ruthie Cummings Hypolite, Dr.

Shelton Nicholls, Dr., and Gail Blache, who provided words of assurance and wisdom from the nascent stages of my journey to its completion. I would like to extend sincere gratitude to Dr. James Coaxum, my dissertation Chair, for his insightfulness, expediency, and unwavering support as I navigated my way through this journey. I also acknowledge my committee members, Dr.

Robert Campbell and Dr. Mark Raivetz, who provided me with plaudits that undergirded my confidence. I would be remiss without special recognition to Dr. Joanne Manning, who at the interview for acceptance to the doctoral program saw potential in me.

Finally, I would like to thank the teachers, administrators, parents, and students of Cooper Ruth Performing and Fine Arts School (pseudonym) who accommodated me and iv supported the mission of the research project. A special mention to Debra Boone and James Lemon of the same institution; I am eternally appreciative. v Abstract Nigel Sangster ARTS AND EDUCATION: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPACT OF THE ARTS ACADEMY ON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 2011/2012 James Coaxum, III, Ph. Doctorate in Educational Leadership The broad topical area of my research study involved an investigation of the impact of the arts academy on the students of Cooper Ruth Performing and Fine Arts Middle-High School (pseudonym), using both quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Being a proponent of the arts, one of the premises of my research was to bring about a greater sense of awareness in my school and school district, that the arts were not ―frills‖ in the educational processes of children (Perrin, 1994). Focus was given to various strands of the arts disciplines in my efforts to substantiate the significance of the overarching question of the research project. My methodological approaches revealed findings that supported the hypothesis. The data collection instruments comprised: survey questionnaire, student interviews, and observations to support the impact of the high school arts academy on the students it served.

Triangulation was utilized in an attempt to produce a study that was valid, reliable, and free of biases. In the findings analysis, a plethora of data from the various sources suggested that there were educational benefits to students being instructed in an arts academy. Moreover, there were data which favorably suggested that participation in a high school vi arts academy can influence the attitudes of students relative to their academics and the arts. The findings also suggested that participation in an arts academy engaged students in the arts.

The collected interview data also suggested that students have identified occasions in which the transference of concepts and applications of strategies were possible between the arts and academic disciplines. Research participants demonstrated that their confidence levels and self-discipline improved considerably and will continue to improve as they progressed through their artistic and academic endeavors. The research participants revealed that parental involvement was of great significance for their sustainability in the arts academy of Cooper Ruth Performing and Fine Arts School. There was the demonstration that student engagement has a powerful influence on their involvement in the arts academy.

The high levels of student engagement provided the vehicle for theatre arts students, for example, to tap into their critical thinking skill sets. The findings were authenticated by extant literature that supported the arts academy. vii Table of Contents Abstract. vi List of Tables.

xiii Chapter 1: Introduction .1 The Research Problem .1 The Importance of Arts Education .3 Impetus/Purpose of the Study .10 Significance of the Study .14 Chapter 2: Literature Review .17 Evolution of Arts Education .18 Towards National Standards for Arts Education .22 Research Conducted in the Arts .25 Eight models of the arts .25 Visual arts studies .28 Moving Towards Arts Integration and Interdisciplinary Approaches .30 The arts and academic integration .32 Approaches to enhancing arts education and successful collaborations .34 Linking the Arts to School Choice.36 The Framework of Arts Magnet Schools .38 viii Table of Contents (Continued) Arts magnet schools .40 Studies of Arts Magnet Schools .43 Benefits of Collaborative Arts Magnet Experiences .51 Chapter 3: Methodological Approach .55 Quantitative Design – Phase I .59 Cross-tabulation analysis .59 Chi-square statistic .60 Qualitative Design – Phase II .62 Focus group interviews .64 Qualitative Design – Phase III .66 Non-participation observations .67 Artifacts and documents .69 ix Table of Contents (Continued) Setting of the Research Vicinage .70 Cooper Ruth Performing and Fine Arts School .74 Chapter 4: Analysis of Demographic Information and Contingency Table Results .77 Summary of Data .84 Analysis of the Impact of the Arts on High School Students at Cooper Ruth Performing and Fine Arts.86 Relationship between student involvement in the arts and overall educational performance .87 Relationship between participation in the arts and student attitudes towards academics and the arts .89 Relationship between gender in specific arts disciplines and student academic performance .93 Relationship between participation in the arts and student engagement in the arts .96 Relationship between participation in the high school arts program and student pursuit of careers in the arts .97 Discussion Section: Quantitative Findings .104 x Table of Contents (Continued) Chapter 5: Qualitative Findings – Analysis of Interviews and Observations .106 Relationship Between Student Involvement in the Arts and Their Overall Educational and Academic Performance .108 Rudiments taught in the arts and educational development.108 Influence of the Arts on Student Academic Performance .113 Influence of the Arts on Critical Thinking Skills.122 Relationship Between Participation in the Arts and Student Engagement in the Arts .129 High levels of student engagement opportunities in the arts .129 Classroom environment promoting learning .138 Relationship Between Participation in the Arts and Student Attitudes Towards Academics and the Arts .143 Impact of the arts on student attitudes and behavior.143 Relationship Between Participation in High School Arts Program and Student Pursuit of Careers in the Arts .150 Impact of the arts on future aspirations.150 Non-arts careers inspired by the arts .154 Relationship Between Parent Involvement in the Arts and Student Educational Performance .157 Parents‘ influence on their children‘s educational performance.158 Discussion Section: Qualitative Findings .173 xi Table of Contents (Continued) Chapter 6: Summary, Reflection, and Conclusion.178 Implications for the Research .178 Implications for Future Research .182 Limitations of the Study.184 Validity and Reliability of the Study .186 Subjectivity and Generalizability.187 Strengths of the Study .188 Reflection of Leadership .202 Appendix A: Student Survey Questionnaire .210 Appendix B: Student Interview Questionnaire .215 Appendix C: Mission Statement of Cooper Ruth Performing and Fine Arts .217 Appendix D: Scene from Guys and Dolls.218 Appendix E: Participants are Minors .219 Appendix F: Student Writing Sample: ―BET Experience‖.220 Appendix G: Student Writing Sample: ―Things Learned in Vocal Music Class‖ .221 Appendix H: Student Writing Sample: ―Lift Every Voice and Sing‖ .222 Appendix I: Art Technique: Dot and Dip .223 xii List of Tables Table Page Table 1 High School Distribution of Arts Disciplines by Gender & Ethnicity .79 Table 2 High School Distribution of Performing & Fine Arts Disciplines .80 Table 3 A High School Distribution of Arts Disciplines by Gender & Ethnicity .81 Table 4 High School Educational Performance by Ethnicity & Gender .82 Table 5 High School Students‘ Distribution of GPA Scores by Educational Attainment of Parents .84 Table 6 Hours Spent on Arts Related Community Events & GPA .88 Table 7 Chi-Square Analysis .88 Table 8 Influences of Performing and Fine Arts on Students‘ Attitudes .90 Table 9 Hours Spent on Arts Related Projects and Attitudinal Variables .91 Table 10 Grade Point Average Scores in Arts Disciplines and Gender .94 Table 11 Chi-Square Tests – What is your gender? .95 Table 12 Student Participation and Engagement in the Arts .97 Table 13 Study after Graduation and Hours Spent on Arts Related Assignments .98 Table 14 Chi-Square Analysis .99 Table 15 Study after Graduation and Hours Spent on Arts Related Community Events.100 xiii Chapter 1 Introduction The Research Problem Arts education has become part of the national vision of what all students should know and be capable of doing. For instance, national standards for student achievement have been developed in the arts in a process that was similar to the standards developed for mathematics, language arts, science, history, and other subject areas (U. Department of Education, 2008a). According to the United States Department of Education (2008a) the arts are basic because they impart meaning on the world through movement, sound, color, and gesture – nonverbal techniques of communication essential to understanding.

The arts are basic in a solely educational sense because they are crucial to education reform since they are used as vehicles for providing meaning to learning. They are an important vehicle for learning the skills so prized by reformers in both education and business communities. These skills include problem solving, higher-order thinking, flexibility, persistence, and cooperation (U. Department of Education, 2008a, p.

Students throughout their lives will draw from artistic experiences, such as music, dance, theatre, and visual arts to become part of the human heritage of creativity. Although schools may have been established as performing and fine arts institutions, of which the academic disciplines are of critical importance for students‘ fulfillment of the requirements for high school graduation, the arts seem trite in the eyes of some skeptics, and in so doing are viewed as fluff (Rabkin & Redmond, 2006). The arts provide students with the impetus for exploring, interpreting, and reacting to a world 1 that can at times appear to be cruel, distant, and complicated (Nathan, 2008). Additionally, as stated by Nathan, the arts help individuals to create scenarios that go beyond their own realities, providing pathways to unexplored possibilities in their lives.