A study of ninth-grade gifted students' attitudes toward art

Sally Marie Rice, Purdue University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of gifted ninth graders toward four aspects of the visual arts: (1) general experiences in the visual arts, (2) voluntary activities in the arts, (3) art abilities, and (4) the visual arts and artists in our culture. The research was undertaken in two phases. First, a sample of 100 gifted ninth graders were given the Eisner Art Attitude Survey, which includes four subsets reflecting the areas of investigation listed above. The second phase of the research consisted of interviews with a criterion-based sample of 16 subjects from the larger sample. The results of the survey were tabulated to give a general overview of the attitudes of the 100 gifted students. The interviews then provided a more in-depth, phenomenological look at the attitudes of the sample of 16 gifted students. Both the survey responses and the interview transcripts were organized into categories which allowed case and cross-case analysis, yielding theory-generating data about the attitudes of the gifted ninth graders studied. The participants in this research appeared to have overall positive attitudes toward their experiences in the visual arts, though these were narrow in scope. Less positive attitudes were expressed toward art experiences and art teachers in middle and high school settings, than toward elementary art experiences. Attitudes toward voluntary art activities were negative, including visiting art galleries or museums. Attitudes toward art abilities were positive, with most students expressing confidence. Attitudes toward artists and art in our culture were strongly positive, though these gifted students lacked actual knowledge of artists, art history, or aesthetics.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Smith, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Art education

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