What is authentic art integration and how can it impact student engagement, academic achievement and the ability to transfer learning to other subject areas?

Seminar Title

What is authentic art integration and how can it impact student engagement, academic achievement and the ability to transfer learning to other subject areas?

Art Integration

2nd Grade

Elementary

Art

Science

What is authentic art integration? Have you ever heard of it? Can it really improve student engagement, academic achievement and the ability to transfer learning to other subject areas? Through my research, I learned about a number of integration methods, frameworks, and programs. What I found to be most important was planning with colleagues in order to truly integrate subject areas. If you have a strong integration team then I do believe improvements in many areas are possible. If art integration is something you are curious about come and join our discussion.

What is authentic art integration and how can it improve student engagement, academic achievement and the ability to transfer learning to other subject areas? The question guiding my research is have we, as an arts integration school, been providing authentic art integration to our students? Is this integration improving student engagement, academic achievement and the ability to transfer learning to other subject areas? A review of literature provided insights into three arts integration programs and information on what a school needs to be truly integrated. As a result of my literature review, I decided to work directly with the second-grade team to authentically integrate their fall concept of balance into my art curriculum. To assess achievement, pre and post surveys of my students were given along with two student interviews per classroom. Transfer of learning or true integration into the second-grade classrooms was measured through a survey of second-grade teachers. Another survey on art integration was given to the entire teaching staff to find out how art integration was working for them. I also kept a daily log of each students level of engagement. Through my research, I learned the importance of planning cooperatively with colleagues to provide students the most authentic integration possible. By working together we can increase student interest and engagement in art class and in the second-grade classrooms. It has also increased my understanding of the importance of assessment in providing the proof that art integration is working. As a result of this research, I have decided to work cooperatively with at least one grade level team per semester in order to incorporate their concept into my curriculum and continue to increase student engagement, achievement, and provide the most authentic integration possible.