Abstract
For many working in secondary education, it can be a challenge to break with students’ conceptions of what makes for good art, and what makes for strong projects. Furthermore, to develop growth in the arts requires pushing the boundaries of what students are used to. As such, this paper asks, how can art educators encourage their students to take risks? We draw on the hindrances encountered during their doctoral research project working with high school students’ tolerance for ambiguity and risk-taking in the art room. Rooted in critical pedagogy, the project mandated having senior art students create an artwork by being given little to no parameters outside of choosing one of three ambiguously worded prompts encouraging them to take a creative risk. The researcher hoped that encouraging, welcoming and supporting the students during this process without imposing the teacher’s traditional regulations or assessment methods would be a source of empowerment for the students, while revealing for them new perspectives on existing notions of what defines art. Students were on board with taking risks, experimenting with ideas, materials, and processes, and self-evaluating; however, the research exposed that students felt much unease and a need for conformity, which are at odds with stepping out of their comfort zones. Excerpts from transcripts of student interviews and recordings during art-making sessions, as well as examples of student artwork are shared.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Ambiguity, Risk, Visual Arts, High school, Comfort zone, Critical pedagogy
