Ways of Knowing: Exploring Artistic Representation of Concepts by Timothy J. Duggan 56 fall 2007 • vol 30, no 4 Exploring Artistic Representation of Concepts Teachers have the ability to give stu- to deeper and more satisfying under- students can develop talent in creative dents opportunities to produce alterna- standing of concepts, as well as the areas, giving occasion for feedback in tive, artistic responses to concepts they opportunity to develop abilities in the area of expression. Realizing these learn in school. Such opportunities the chosen artistic form and to receive benefits for gifted students, teachers may be used to foster specific talents feedback on the artistic products. With may be willing to expand their rep- and to provide expanded perspectives this in mind, products that the stu- ertoire of assessment tools to include for thinking about schoolwork. When dents are invited to produce in order artistic options. a student writes a poem for a character to demonstrate their understanding of Teachers in all grade levels and sub- in an assigned story, creates a draw- essential concepts learned in school can ject areas easily can generate opportu- ing to illustrate an event in history, and should vary. According to Howard nities for students to produce creative or writes a skit to clarify a scientific Gardner, whose theory of multiple responses to school topics, whether idea, the classroom becomes a more intelligences (1983) supports a dif- those opportunities stand in the stead interesting space, and students think ferentiated approach to instruction, of a traditional assessment, or whether in new ways. For gifted children, such students should be offered options for they require students to produce work opportunities can mean the differ- assessment, even within the structure beyond the traditional assessment. ence between an enriched, challeng- of discipline-based course offerings. In Such opportunities increase engage- ing experience and just another dull Intelligence Reframed (1999), Gardner ment and lead to innovative expres- day in class. Differentiated instruction asserted that a common curriculum sions of understanding. Informal or can provide the context for artistic rep- and differentiated assessment are not formal preassessment can help teachers resentations of knowledge that show mutually exclusive: to identify artistic inclinations in their many ways of knowing and engage students, and specific learning profiles gifted students in meaningful learn- All young people should study for gifted students can help teachers ing construction. the history of their country, the make informed choices when consider- According to popular models of principles of algebra and geom- ing alternative, artistic work products differentiated instruction (Roberts etry, and basic laws that govern to suggest. & Inman, 2007; Tomlinson, 1999; living and nonliving objects. A Although artistic representations VanTassel-Baska & Stambaugh, commitment to some common of knowledge may be seen as merely 2006), teachers can differentiate con- knowledge does not mean that “play” to those not used to address- tent, process, and products to meet everyone must study these things ing problems inherent in an artistic the needs of academically diverse in the same way and be assessed approach, evidence indicates that cre- learners. Differentiating content and in the same way. (p. 152) ative production provides the kind of process often requires modifications in mental challenge and “ill-structured teacher input and instructional strate- Many teachers are hesitant to differ- problems” (Sternberg & Lubart, 1991) gies. Differentiating products that the entiate student work products because that children need to develop as cre- students produce to demonstrate their they perceive an increased workload ative thinkers. Furthermore, providing understanding, however, often will of having to evaluate those products outlets to “display . talents through force the issue of differentiated pro- against a set of criteria developed with performance, exhibition, and publica- cess and content without the teacher’s conventional assessments in mind, tion” (Robinson, Shore, & Enerson, input. By making the choice to, say, such as tests and/or essays. But, for 2007, p. 48) is considered best prac- write a poem about a science concept, gifted students, the opportunity to tice in gifted education. Robinson the student engages in a different pro- exercise individuality and creativity in et al. (2007) recently reaffirmed the cess of learning by linking references the design and development of novel importance of the arts in curriculum to the concept with poetic diction, products demonstrating understand- and called for schools to infuse the and may be led to explore dimensions ing of school concepts serves three arts into traditional classrooms early of the science concept not otherwise functions. First, students can give and often. They also claimed that stu- covered in the standard content. what Wiggins and McTighe (1998) dents must be taught “to recognize and Engaging in the processes associ- call “evidence of understanding” of clarify problems and new ideas, reorga- ated with artistic production requires the target concepts. Second, students nize knowledge, purposely seek alter- increased time and focused attention can approach school work indepen- natives, evaluate ideas and solutions, to learning material, which often leads dently or collaboratively, and finally, and monitorcontinued their onown page activity” ?? (p. gifted child today 57 Exploring Artistic Representation of Concepts tunities for students to create artistic responses to demonstrate knowledge. What significant and Teachers can examine their current assessment practices and look for areas where alternatives may be infused. For specific benefits for example, Carri Hales, a science teacher in Yankton, SD, exercised such flex- gifted students may be ibility in studying the periodic table of elements with her ninth graders. She gained from the process assigned each student to present one element to the class, and to include of representing school- details of its discovery, its history, and its properties. She gave them the option encountered concepts to present the element through a poster, a poem, or through other choices. One artistically? of her students, Cody Perk, created a poem to show his knowledge of radon (see Figure 1). 83). Attempting to produce an artistic practices with artistic alternatives, we Cody’s poem could be assessed for response to an abstract concept from should ask the following questions: what it reveals of his knowledge of the core school subjects provides such How many options do we (currently) Radon, which was Ms. Hales’ primary a challenge. give students to demonstrate their concern. But, the poem also afforded If students are encouraged to seek understanding of what they learn in Cody an opportunity to practice and such possibilities of creative produc- school? How can we benefit from tion, and to think about their learn- broadening the possibilities for rep- develop his poetic craft, and thus Ms. ing in novel ways, they will be in good resentation of concepts in the school Hales could comment on the poem, company. Phillip Frank, in writing setting? How do we foster and develop or, if she felt unqualified to offer feed- about Albert Einstein (as quoted in our students’ creativity through our back, an English teacher in the school Gardner, 1991), said, assignments and our assessments? How could have provided such feedback can our students benefit from exam- based upon commonly accepted crite- When Einstein had thought ining the different perspectives from ria of poetics. Teachers in schools who through a problem, he always which they encounter problems and develop these alternative assignments found it necessary to formulate develop solutions? How can artistic are engaging in best practice for stu- this subject in as many different representations of concepts promote dents like Cody who need and deserve ways as possible and to present it collaboration between students? What something more than multiple-choice so that it would be comprehen- significant and specific benefits for unit tests. Cody’s fellow students then sible to people accustomed to gifted students may be gained from have the benefit of hearing his poem different modes of thought and the process of representing school- read to the class, and Cody doesn’t with different educational prepa- encountered concepts artistically? have to restrict his drive to create lit- rations. He liked to formulate Certainly, students with identified erary art to only his creative writing his ideas for mathematicians, for strengths in artistic areas benefit from class. experimental physicists, for phi- increased opportunities to practice Even agencies outside of the class- losophers, and even for people and develop those talents within the room can encourage artistic production without much scientific think- context of school assignments, because within the classroom. In a recent schol- ing, if they were at all inclined to they otherwise are confined to only the arship contest for the South Dakota think independently. (p. 247) time typically allotted for study and Governor’s Camp and Ambassadors practice of the arts. of Excellence Camp, two summer When we begin to consider the Theoretically, any unit of study in programs for middle and high school possibility of infusing our assessment any school subject can provide oppor- gifted