Introduction
Though often unrecognized, art is a discipline essential to the development of individuals in all levels of education. Literature reviews of psychological research papers have indicated strong links between art education and improved emotional and physical states, lowered stress, better memory, and increased social connectedness (University of Florida, 2021). Though such characteristics are vital to any individual, they are especially vital within the functions of education. If the most formative years of a person’s life can greatly benefit from such improvements, why isn’t art taken more seriously as a discipline? In the next few minutes, the vitality of art as an educational subject will be proven through scientific evidence that connects art to creative problem solving, increased teamwork, and achievements in one’s academic and personal life. Art education as a discipline can counteract the current gaps in education, not only in developing younger years but in higher education as well.
Lack of Engagement with the Unfamiliar and Inventive Solutions
Currently, modern education is experiencing a number of disadvantages, of which the lack of practical experience and interaction with the unfamiliar is the most prevalent. This can cause a detriment to the future of students as they find themselves unprepared and unequipped to solve problems in more innovative surroundings. Individuals may feel like they are not allowed to use inventiveness and interaction with unfamiliar concepts to reach desired outcomes without the intervention of art education. The collective reliance on tried and tested methods may be reliable but may also fall short in an ever-changing employment market and creates a need for inventive solutions and problem-solving. Art education drives a number of fundamentals that are inherently vital to improving one’s ability to overcome obstacles and explore the unknown. These are habits of improvement, understanding of social cultures and behavior, and embracing attitudes necessary for certain fields of interest. The current decline in art education and overall creativity can be attributed to the lack of focus it receives (Long et al., 2022). The needs of students that have been connected with art suffer as a result. Another common gap in modern education is the lack of practical experiences. Art education works to not only encourage students to engage with practicality and experimentation as artists but harness these skills for other subjects as well.
Art as a Compulsory Discipline
A variety of solutions exist in order to introduce art education to educational facilities and begin a process of improvement among students. It is essential for education leaders to understand art as a principle that encourages habit and behavior learning. The allowance of space and time for students to engage with creative materials and visual, audial, and other experimentation provides room for enhancing certain habits. These habits may directly relate to the other abilities students possess which can include personal and academic skills. This expansion into other subjects is vital as it allows for knowledge interconnectedness and greater critical thinking (Tantawy et al., 2021). Though it may initially seem to be only fundamental to younger learners, it is actually vital at all levels of education, especially in cases where students must engage with differing practices. The arts may be solitary activities, but within education settings, they are often acts of collaborative works. Teamwork training, especially in creative practices, is often understated and therefore not allowed to encourage full collaborative potential among students. This solution is the most efficient as it addresses the systematic issue that currently exists within general education.
Art and an Increase Engagement, Creativity, and Teamwork
The application of the aforementioned ideas can result in a number of essential improvements such as higher rates of academic and personal achievements, leadership development, and creative problem solving not only in art fields but in unrelated practices as well. Art education presents an interesting case as it involves both free expression and technical excellence. Music is of particular note as it has often been linked to improving memory, habits, and academic achievements, especially in fields like mathematics (Yadav & Kumar, 2021). The variety that art education represents is important to the understanding of identity for students as it proposes a space in which individuals may be able to find their strengths which can vary from expression to the quality of their technicality (Travis et al., 2020). Similarly, art discipline is often engaged with management and can therefore develop skills of leadership, time, and resource allocation. Students that engaged with art education would also more often score higher in other skills that have often been cited as essential including civic engagement and equitable opportunities.
While further engagement with the arts can encourage all the aforementioned benefits, a lack of exposure to the arts won’t result in a neutral experience but in a negative one. The exclusion of art practices can correlate with increased non-diversification in student experiences, tasks, and skills (Bloom & Dole, 2018). Similarly, the lack of art education makes barriers for those that would benefit from more specialized and creative careers or practices in the future. As a result, the installation of art education into all levels of education is crucial to maintaining necessary habits and opportunities.
Conclusion
Modern education is influenced by a variety of advantages and technological improvements but is lacking in practical experiences and engagement with unfamiliar themes. This can contribute to a variety of issues for students in later years and as such, art education is integral. Art education has the capability to encourage habit learning, creative problem solving, and collaborative practices that shape and foster skills that are vital even outside the art field. It is our role, as members of the educational field, to assure that all students can reach their goals with their abilities and determination. Without the use of art, it’s hard to see how this is possible. Though art has not disappeared from all education, its decline is noticeable and detrimental to the development of individuality and skilled people.
References
Bloom, L. A., & Dole, S. (2018). Creativity in education: A global concern. Creativity and Education, 5(1), 1-4. Web.
Long, H., Kerr, B. A., Emler, T. E., & Birdnow, M. (2022). A critical review of assessments of creativity in education. Review of Research in Education, 46(1), 288-323. Web.
Tantawy, M., Herbert, K., McNally, J. J., Mnegel, T., Piperopoulos, P., & Foord, D. (2021). Bringing creativity back to entrepreneurship education: Creative self-efficacy, creative process engagement, and entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 15(1). Web.
Travis, S., Stokes-Casey, J., & Kim, S. (2020). Arts education in action: Collaborative pedagogies for social justice. University of Illinois Press.
The University of Florida. (2021). The importance of art education in the classroom. Online Master of Arts in Art Education. Web.
Yadav, S., & Kumar, D. (2021). The importance of art education in school education. The Horizon – A Journal of Social Science, 7(1), 11-19. Web.