Redefining Creativity: Applying Design Thinking in the Art Classroom
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Location
SUNY Buffalo State University
Publication Date
5-2024
Degree Name
Art Education (K-12), M.S.Ed.
Department
Art and Design Department
School
School of Arts and Sciences
Description
In my qualitative research study, my big idea was creativity. I specifically wanted to know how learning a design thinking process would impact fine art students’ creative confidence, because prior to my study, I found that a lot of my students would say things such as “I’m bad at art” and “I’m not an artist”, and I was curious about why they felt this way. I also wanted to know what the impact of learning a design thinking process would be on students’ understanding of creativity. My methodology was arts-based action research, and I used highly structured interviews, observations, student self-reflections, and student artworks as my data collection methods. I taught participants the Creative Design Thinking (CDT) process, which was adapted from the Henry Ford Learning Institute’s Design Thinking (HFLI DT) process. The main inductive themes I found in my data analysis were “frustration,” “uninspired,” “accomplished,” and “creative confidence.” I found that teaching visual arts students the CDT process positively affected their creative confidence by increasing their understanding of how the creative process works, which can help them in the future to feel accomplished when making art.
Cover Image (This is also my poster)
Redefining Creativity: Applying Design Thinking in the Art Classroom
SUNY Buffalo State University
In my qualitative research study, my big idea was creativity. I specifically wanted to know how learning a design thinking process would impact fine art students’ creative confidence, because prior to my study, I found that a lot of my students would say things such as “I’m bad at art” and “I’m not an artist”, and I was curious about why they felt this way. I also wanted to know what the impact of learning a design thinking process would be on students’ understanding of creativity. My methodology was arts-based action research, and I used highly structured interviews, observations, student self-reflections, and student artworks as my data collection methods. I taught participants the Creative Design Thinking (CDT) process, which was adapted from the Henry Ford Learning Institute’s Design Thinking (HFLI DT) process. The main inductive themes I found in my data analysis were “frustration,” “uninspired,” “accomplished,” and “creative confidence.” I found that teaching visual arts students the CDT process positively affected their creative confidence by increasing their understanding of how the creative process works, which can help them in the future to feel accomplished when making art.
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Comments
Advisor: Dr. Alexandra Allen, Assistant Professor of Art Education