Concept-Based Inquiry Into Art Making: The Possibility of Change Through Art.

This study explored the teaching methodology of a high school art teacher who utilizes concept-based inquiry in his classroom to engage his students in art making, and analyzed the influence this methodology had on his adolescent students. Its implementation combined an investigation into the nature of the experience with a mixed methodology case study, as well as individual case studies of four students. Initial investigations focused on varying theories and methods of adolescent development, artistic habits of mind and the influence of critical inquiry in the art classroom. The studies findings were discussed in relation to the works of researchers in art education and critical thinking, such as Eisner, Burton, Lampert, King, Gude, Winner and Hetland. This was a phenomenological study in which adolescent students participated in an art course utilizing concept-based critical inquiry, and data gathered in various forms including surveys, student writing, artwork, sketchbooks, interviews and field notes. Analysis of the data found that a high school art course designed to encourage concept-based inquiry through student-centered art making influenced the adolescents in terms of their critical thinking, their artistic growth, and sense of self. Results indicate that the students explored aspects of themselves, their connections with others, and their interaction with the world and, through this, gained insights into themselves, others and the world in which they live. The students also reported that the art class has positively influenced the way that they interact with the world. Findings from this study provide insight into better understanding how inquiry-based art teaching methodology influences the developing adolescent's sense of self, critical thinking skills and artistic development. This research reveals within inquiry-based art instruction a context that encourages, among other things, experimentation, risk taking, self-exploration, and reflection. Additionally, the results of this study suggest that the method of teaching art at the high school level should involve the prolonged in-depth inquiry into a certain topic or concept, which encourages students to develop critical thinking skills, artistic habits, and a reflective understanding of themselves and the world.