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.rowan.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. 238. https://rdw.rowan.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 [email protected]. 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.D. © 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. Muller St. Pre, M.D., 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.D. 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 ..............................................................................................7 Research Questions ............................................................................................................10 Significance of the Study ...................................................................................................10 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................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 ..............................................................................................................26 Musical 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 .........................................................48 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................51 Chapter 3: Methodological Approach ................................................................................53 Introduction ........................................................................................................................53 Research Design.................................................................................................................55
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