Students learn to use tools and techniques for creating digital still or animated images. They also gain an understanding of how to evaluate artwork and how to communicate their work.
While previous studies have shown that visual arts education can improve academic performance, these results were based on correlational study designs. They did not control for baseline intellectual ability or socioeconomic status.
Increased Self-Confidence
The skills learned in art classes aren’t just about creating something physical; they also help students feel comfortable expressing themselves emotionally. As they learn to communicate their ideas with others, students gain confidence in their abilities and become more willing to take risks in other areas of their lives.
Creativity is an essential skill that students can bring to any field. The more creative a student is, the better they are at problem-solving. An arts education helps kids think outside the box and develop unique solutions to problems, which are necessary in any industry. Unfortunately, schools have increasingly focused on standardized tests in the last few decades, often reducing time spent on arts education.
In one study, researchers found that children who participated in visual art extracurriculars had higher academic scores than those who did not. The relationship was more robust when the researchers controlled for baseline intellectual score and socioeconomic status.
When deciding which high school to attend, be sure to consider whether the curriculum provides enough opportunities for kids to nurture their creativity. The best schools offer a variety of art forms, including painting, sculpture, drawing, and digital art. They will encourage kids to reflect on their experiences and feelings to express them visually. The arts also allow students to explore the world around them and discover how it is shaped by human imagination.
Communication Skills
In addition to developing their artistic skills, art school students learn how to communicate with others. They can express themselves clearly, which helps them in all aspects of life. This is especially true in work environments, where collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds is critical. Students also better understand how to respond to changes in a situation, which is beneficial no matter what type of career they choose.
In one longitudinal study, researchers surveyed seventh-graders for two years regarding their participation in music and visual arts extracurricular activities and school academic performance. They found that students who participated in visual arts high schools had a more positive impact on their academic scores than those who did not participate. They were also more likely to be enrolled in higher-level courses and perform well in these subjects. This was even the case after controlling for baseline intellectual skills and socioeconomic status variables.
Other studies have found that integrating arts education into classroom instruction can help boost student interest in the subject matter and even increase test scores. For example, pairing a history class with a live theater performance on the topic can significantly improve student engagement and comprehension. Moreover, research on the role of arts education in high school dropout prevention has shown that students who participate in the arts have higher aspirations for their future careers and are more likely to graduate from high school.
Creativity
Art is a discipline that requires students to work together as a team to accomplish goals. This teaches students that no person is better than anyone else and that working with people with different skill sets is essential to success. This is a crucial lesson that will carry with them no matter what career path they choose to follow.
Studying the arts also helps students to become more creative thinkers. This comes from artistic activities encouraging creativity and experimentation and simultaneously promoting communication and expressiveness.
In addition, studying the arts helps students to develop logical thinking skills. This is because art-based learning activities often require students to decide what colors to use in their paintings, what type of brush they need for a project, and how much time they will need to complete a piece.
Research has shown that this creative thinking can be applied to a variety of subjects. For example, an artist may need to decide on the best way to portray their subject matter based on their knowledge of the human body or the environment around them. These decision-making skills are transferable to other areas of life and can help students find solutions to problems that may arise in their future careers.
Critical Thinking Skills
Critical thinking is one of the most essential skills that art education teaches students. Whether they pursue careers in research, law, education, management, finance, or medicine, this skill will be invaluable. Art education helps build the foundation for critical thinking by teaching students to observe and analyze their world more intensely.
This process encourages students to question what they see and to make connections across disciplines. For example, when students learn about a sculpture, they can compare it to other artworks or objects, making connections first to themselves and then to the content.
This critical thinking extends beyond a single art class or field trip; it continues at home and in the classroom, as demonstrated by this study that found that children who participate in extracurricular visual arts activities have higher academic test scores and performance in their other classes than children who do not. Furthermore, this study also found that participation in visual arts is a stronger predictor of high academic performance than participation in sports and music clubs and non-participation in school club activities.
