The impact of visual art instruction on student creativity

Jeanie S. Parker
Walden University

ABSTRACT
 This researcher examined the relationship between visual arts programs and creative
thinking skills of high school students taking a foundations of music course and an
introductory visual art course.

 A gap existed in the current literature concerning visual art experience and creativity
among high school students. This study was based upon the theories of Eisner,
Gardner, and Csikszentmihalyi concerning creativity and art experiences.

 This researcher used a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group design. A

convenience sample of 2 high school fine arts classes was comprised of 1 visual art
class and 1 foundations of music class, giving a sample of 50 high school students.
The visual art class was the treatment group that received visual art instruction. The
foundations of music class was the control group that received no visual art
instruction. Pre and post assessments were measured using the Torrance Tests of
Creative Thinking (TTCT) after 1 term of instruction. Data analysis using the t-test
showed that a statistically significant increase was found in creative thinking skills
among high school students with visual art experience. The findings could help
educational stakeholders to improve visual art curriculum and to seek funding for
visual art programs.
 The findings will lead to social change in high school art curricula as documented in
the current literature to a deeper understanding of the importance of teaching subjects
that encourage creative thinking at the high school level.
 Social change implications include:
 increased funding for visual art curriculum that will lead to positive social change by
enhancing student creativity;
 encouraging further research on the importance of creativity skills among high
school students; and
 increasing community awareness of the necessity of creative thinking in the global
economy and the value of visual art experience in helping students gain creativity
skills.