Developing Critical Thinking through the Arts

The purpose of this study was to prove to what degree using the arts could increase developing student critical thinking skills. The thesis is based on Paul, Elder, and Bartell assertion that intensive arts training, can prepare students for life and work by developing in them the general skills and attitudes, the habits of heart and mind they need to prevail in postmodern society no matter what career they chose. They continue that intensive arts training in high school increases, not decreases, options. The thesis explored that assertion by studying a program that provided a supplemental resource to non-arts courses to integrate the arts. The study analyzed data from teachers using the program throughout a three-year period. The study provides evidence that the arts, even when delivered as a supplemental resource within other non-arts courses, have impact upon developing student critical thinking skills. The consistency among teaching disciplines (arts and non-arts) in the integration of the arts and the differences among grade levels (secondary, middle, and elementary) suggest a deeper study could explore what are the unifying elements among disciplines and the factors causing differences among grade levels. Contains appendices.