DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING CREATIVE ARTS IN THE LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOLS: A CASE STUDY IN AGONA SWEDRU DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION ‘B’ SCHOOL by GODFRIED KOFI AMPEH (B.Ed Art Education) A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN ART EDUCATION Faculty of Art College of Art and Social Sciences ©July, 2011 DECLARATION I hereby declare that this submission is my own work towards the Masters of Arts in Art Education degree and that to the best of my knowledge, it contains no material previously published by another person or material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree of the university, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text for references. Godfried Kofi Ampeh (PG2279108) Candidate‟s Name & ID No. …………………. ………………... Signature Date Certified by: Nana Afia Opoku-Asare, Mrs. ………………… ……...………… Supervisor‟s Name Signature Date Certified by: Nana Afia Opoku-Asare, Mrs. ………………… ……..…..…….. Head of Department‟s Name Signature Date 1 ABSTRACT The research work was primarily geared towards enhancing the teaching and learning of the Creative Arts in Ghanaian primary schools. The problem of ineffective teaching of this new curriculum was identified through direct observation in the schools where I had worked as a teacher. Consequently, in–depth study proved that it was grave and needed a redress. Furthermore, in the researcher‟s advent to curb the problem of the study, an Action Research was embarked upon. Various research instruments were adopted to find the root cause and evaluate the various strategies to arrest the situation at hand. The instruments included observation, questionnaire and interview. Besides, varied related literature was reviewed to prove the work holistic. This convincingly increased the researcher‟s knowledge on the problem. Here, a number of strategies were embraced to rectify the problem. Detailed lesson notes were written to guide the sequence of events. Also, putting children at the centre of instruction, the activity method of learning was employed. Better still, relevant ample materials were provided to aid the understanding of the concepts. Consequently, it was realised that the activity method of teaching Creative Arts stood as the best. It was again observed that children from the first level through the other grades respond and grow in a program in which art fundamentals and techniques are taught sequentially and purposefully using relevant ample teaching and learning materials. The researcher assembled these materials for effective usage. Finally recommendations were made that, teachers must select appropriate topics for the different learning levels of the various grades, and use activity based methods with set achievable objectives and motivating pupils appropriately. Also teacher trainees must be given enough orientation in the subject, likewise regular in-service training should be organized to help classroom teachers to be abreast with new development and trends in the field. Other stake holders, the government, school administration and parents have to exercise their social responsibilities of providing all educational logistics needed for the realization of the goals of Creative Arts. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For the successful completion of this project work, I am indebted to a number of people who encouraged and assisted me in diverse ways in the study. First and foremost, my greatest acknowledgement goes to the Almighty God for protecting and sustaining me during the writing of this project work and my entire stay in the University. I am most indebted to my supervisor Mrs. Nana Afia Opoku-Asare whose valuable suggestions and comments enriched both the content and the style of this work. Without her contributions, suggestions and encouragement this work would not have been as it is now. My profound appreciation and gratitude also go to all the lecturers of Department of General Art Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, especially Dr. S. K. Amenuke, Dr.Mariama Ross, Dr. Kodwo Edusei and Dr. Joe Adu-Agyem. I acknowledge the authors whose works helped in this study as they were duly cited and acknowledged. I also thank and appreciate my wife Comfort Asem for her assistance and moral support which enabled me to undertake this course successfully. Finally, I wish to thank all my colleague researchers for their enormous assistance and contributions. Once again, I say thank you to all and God richly bless you all. G. K. A. 3 KNUST July, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration……………………………………………………................................. ii Abstract……………………………………………………….................................. iii Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………………. iv Table of Contents………………………………………………………………….. v List of Plates………………………………………………………………………..viii List of Tables……………………………………………………………………… x List of Figures…………………………………………………………………… xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview……………………………………………………….................... 1 1.2 Background to the Study……………............................................................ 1 1.3 Statement of the Problem……………………………………………........... 1 1.4 Objectives of the Study…………………………………………………...... 3 1.5 Research Questions…………………………………………………............ 3 1.6 Delimitation………………………………………………………………... 4 1.7 Limitation………………………………………………………………….. 4 1.8 Definition of Terms…………………………………………………………5 1.9 Abbreviations………………………………………………………………. 6 1.10 Importance of the Study……………………………………………………. 7 1.11 Organisation of the Rest of the Text……………………………………….. 7 4 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 Overview………………………………………………………………….. 8 2.2 Creativity……………………………………………………………………9 1 The Creative Process………………………………………………………..10 2 Fostering Creativity in Children………………………………………….... 11 2.3 Conditions for Creative Growth………………………………………… 12 2.4 Artistic Development and Growth in Children…………………………… 14 2.5 The Creative Arts………………………………………………………… 17 2.6 The Rationale for Creative Arts…………………………………………. 18 2.7 Creative Arts Syllabus for Teaching Primary Schools in Ghana………… 20 2.8 Primary School Teachers………………………………………………… 23 2.9 Good Teaching…………………………………………………………… 25 2.10 Effective Teaching of Creative Arts………………………………………. 27 2.11 Methods, Techniques and Strategies of Teaching……………………….. 28 2.12 Approaches to Creative Arts Teaching…………………………………… 30 1. Activity Method…………………………………………………………. 30 2. Experiential Approach…………………………………………………… 30 3. Discovery Learning……………………………………………………… 31 4. Demonstration …………………………………………………………….. 32 5. Lecturettes………………………………………………………………… 32 6. Cooperative Learning……………………………………………………. 33 2.13 Some Motivational Techniques Used in the Art Classroom………………. 34 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 5 3.1 Overview…………………………………………………………………… 36 3.2 Research Design……………………………………………………………. 36 3.3 Population for the Study…………………………………………………… 37 3.4 Sampling and Sampling Techniques……………………………………….. 38 3.5 Data Collection Instruments……………………………………………….. 38 3.6 Data Collection…………………………………………………………….. 41 3.7 Administration of Research Instruments………………………………….. 41 3.8 Data Collection Procedures…………………………………………………42 3.9 Intervention Project Strategy………………………………………………. 42 3.10 Teaching Strategies Identified for Intervention Lessons…………………... 43 3.11 Data Analysis Plan…………………………………………………………. 45 CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 4.1 Overview………………………………………………………………… 46 4.2 Results from Observation and Interview………………………………… 46 4.3 Interventional Teaching Strategies and Anecdotal Records of Class Activities……………………………………………… 52 CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Summary…………………………………………………………………… 92 1. Major Findings…………………………………………………………… 96 5.2 Conclusions………………………………………………………………… 97 5.3 Recommendations………………………………………………………….. 98 REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………100 6 Appendix A:……………………………………………………………………… 103 Appendix B:………………………………………………………………………..118 Appendix C: ………………………………………………………….....................122 Appendix D:………………………………………………………………………..123 LIST OF PLATES Plate 1: Drawing of doodles……………………………………………………… 54 Plate 2: Pupil colouring shapes in doodle……………………………………….. 54 Plate 3: Coloured shapes work…………………………………………………… 57 Plate 4: Pupils drawing…………………………………………………………… 59 Plate 5: Mixing of colour………………………………………………………… 61 Plate 6: Application of colour…………………………………………………… 61 Plate 7: Drawing of patterns……………………………………………………… 63 Plate 8: Colouring of repeated patterns…………………………………………. 63 Plate 9: Dipping string into the colour………………………………………….. 64 Plate 10: Arranging coloured string on one side of the paper……………………... 64 Plate 11: Sponge printing………………………………………………………... 66 Plate 12: Dabbing using a piece of foam……………………………………….... 68 Plate 13: Stencil print ……………………………………………………………. 68 Plate 14: Pupils rubbing paper against an object………………………………… 69 Plate 15: Printing with plantain stalk……………………………………………… 71 Plate 16: Pupil practicing basic dancing steps…………………………………… 72 7 Plate 17: Drumming to make rhythm………………………………………………. 73 Plate 18: Beating a gong-gong to create rhythm…………………………………… 73 Plate 19: Pupils clapping to make rhythm…………………………………………. 74 Plate 20: Taking instruction from the instructor before drumming……………….. 75 Plate 21: Beginning to drum……………………………………………………….. 75 Plate 22: Threading a needle……………………………………………………….. 77 Plate 23: Making simple stitches………………………………………………… 78 Plate 24: Finished simple stitches………………………………………………….