Journaling for Critical Thinking

This thesis describes a pretest - posttest study to increase the effectiveness of art journals at the high school level. The targeted population consisted of students in the ninth through twelfth grades in a middle class community, located in central Virginia. The visual art students were involved in the journaling (art workbook, sketchbook) process as a part of their curriculum. Following a pretest students were surveyed and adjustments were made from their input to make the art journals more effective. Often students were not picking up instructional cues introduced through demonstrations and art history integrated into the class structure. The researcher was concerned about the impact of standardized testing and the effect it was having on critical thinking. He hypothesized improved journaling techniques would facilitate the connection between class participation and student art projects.A review of the solution strategy revealed a need to adjust the number of pages required, provide more visual cues for research, and offer alternative two-dimensional design strategies. While these changes were made, the assessment tool was maintained as a consistent standard of measurement. Post intervention data indicated that adjustments to the journaling process significantly improved student's effective involvement and their scores.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Art Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Art Education

Year dc:date.available

2006

Author dc:creator

• Terrell, Paul E., Jr.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. David Burton

• Virginia
• journal
• sketchbook
• high school
• visual art
• class participation
• Art Education
• Education

Statement dc:rights

• © The Author

Identifier

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1341

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-2340