ANALYZING CHILDREN’S RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL ARTWORKS Ph.D. DISSERTATION IN ARTS AND CULTURE KOFI ASANTE-KYEI

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY Environmental artworks regarded as one of the forms of communication, educational powers as social, creative, and cultural texts in children (Pauly, 2003) Outdoors- sculptures, statues, murals, etc. Indoors - paintings, prints, drawings, etc. Visual images possess inherent qualities that can be useful in teaching and learning Creative Arts

In 2007, Creative Arts subject was introduced to the Basic School curriculum- to foster creativity, exhibit their inherent skills, and make pupils understand their environment (Anamuah-Mensah,2002)

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Although visual images are regarded as one of the forms of communication, their huge educational powers as social, historical, and cultural text is largely ignored in schools especially, among children (Pauly,2003: Tarvin, 2001). OUTDATED

It appears no attention has been in basic schools. Children learn better when they are able to express their emotions or release emotional tensions through environmental artworks (Potter, 2007) It appears no attention has been in basic schools. Conduct study into children’s reactions and understanding to environmental artworks displayed on Takoradi Polytechnic’s main campus. What then comes to mind is whether the Christian religion has influenced the Denkyira culture to the extent that the rites of passage observed by the Denkyira have lost value or grounds or are there any ways that some of the Christian traditions can be fused or merged into the Denkyira culture for peaceful co-existence of the members of the Christendom and traditional Denkyira culture as we live in a contemporary world in the twenty first century?

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To assess pupils’ reactions and understanding to environmental artworks. To evaluate how environmental artworks influence children’s creative skills and aesthetic development. To identify the various ways by which creative art teachers can use environmental artworks for effective creative arts teaching and learning in basic schools.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS How do environmental artworks create emotions in children? What qualities are inherent in environmental artworks that influence children’s creativity? What is the role of the creative art teacher in promoting children’s communication through environmental artworks to enhance effective teaching and learning?

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK This study is based on the socio-cultural theories of children’s learning and development. Learning is a part of social events and it occurs as a child interacts with people, objects and events in the environment (Vygotsky, 1986).

Children become essential cultural learners when guided by the participation of adults(teachers and parents) (Rogoff, 1990). Children within 9 to 14 years are more sensitive to work of art and pay attention to details on physical environment (Hurwitz & Day, 2001; Schirrmacher, 1998).

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Approach the qualitative research Type – Case Study

Population for the Study Pupils and Creative art teachers within the catchment area of T-Poly Population Sample Pupils 52 Creative art Teachers 4 Total = 56

Creative Art Teachers Pupils Male 2 25 Female 27 Total 4 52

SAMPLING TECHNIQUES Purposive sampling: used to select 4 creative art teachers and 10 environmental artworks (4-paintings, 3-murals, 2-sculptures and 1-ceramic art) Convenient sampling: used to select 2 out of the 10 basic schools within the catchment area of T-Poly.

DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS Observation - Interviews (semi-structured) Review of reports, Documents and artworks. Interviews for the rituals involved in the rites of passage Observation for how the rituals and rites are performed

DATA ANALYSIS PLAN The research questions were used as themes for discussing the data gathered. Relevant responses and observation were then grouped into categories that reflect the research questions . The categorization generated more themes that guided the study. The facts and meanings gathered were related to the literature reviewed to draw conclusions. Pictures were used to give more details and discussed .

PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSIONS OF FINDINGS Objective 1: pupils’ reactions and understanding to environmental artworks. (Visual Images Documented)

Environmental Artwork 1: Fig.1 Fishing scene painting.

Environmental Artwork 2: Fig. 2 Art industry painting  

Environmental Artwork 3 Fig. 3 Traditional music and dance painting.

Environmental Artwork 4 Fig. 4 Human health mural.

Environmental Artwork 5: Fig. 5 “Music makers mural”

Envronmental Artwork 6 Fig. 6 Royalhood mural

Environmental Artwork 7: Fig. 7 Environmental awareness painting

Environmental Artwork 8: Fig. 8 Student statue.  

Environmental Artwork 9 Fig. 9 Okro vase

Environmental Artwork 10 Fig. 10 Cattle sculpture

Groupings of Environmental Artworks B Student statue Royalhood mural Human health mural Environmental awareness Fishing scene Art industry Traditional music and dance Metal sculpture Okro vase “Music makers” mural

Statistics on Environmental Artworks observed by the pupils Total Student statue 23 Royalhood mural 29 52 Human Health mural Env. awareness Fishing scene 28 Art industry 24 Traditional music and dance 30 Metal sculpture 22 Okro vase 27 “Music makers” mural 25

Research Question 1 : How do environmental artworks create emotions in children?. The following are examples of emotions found excitements mood - Plate 1: pupils interactions with artwork 7.

excitements mood Plate 2: pupils interactions with artwork 10.

excitements mood Plate 3: pupils interactions with artwork 10.

excitements mood Plate 4: pupils interactions with artwork 8.

excitements mood Plate 5: pupils interactions with artwork 5.

excitements mood Plate 6: pupils interactions with artwork 9.

The following are examples of emotions of disinterested mood found Plate 7: pupils interactions with artwork 4.

disinterested mood Plate 8: pupils interactions with artwork 4.

Disinterested mood Plate 9: pupils reactions with artwork 4

Identified themes of Creative Qualities in environmental artworks Research Question 2 : What qualities are inherent in environmental artworks that influence children’s creativity? Identified themes of Creative Qualities in environmental artworks development of language and communication skills, learning about other subjects, express identity, relationship and emotions

Research Question 3: What is the role of the creative art teacher in promoting children’s communication through environmental artworks to enhance effective teaching and learning? Identified themes of roles of creative art teacher in promoting environmental artworks The value of children’s basic drawing in relation to environmental artworks 2.The people recognize the rites of passage as important ways by which gender roles are assigned to the individuals as these are taught explicitly or indirectly in their culture with the focus of bringing honour to the individual whosoever go through the rites successfully

Facilitating children’s involvement to observe environmental artworks Facilitating children’s observation of environmental artworks

CONCLUSIONS . Environmental artworks influence children’s level of interest and enjoyment.

CONCLUSIONS (cont’d) Children’s responses to the environmental artworks were culturally inclined to their communities. Pupils were able to appreciate environmental artworks. This promotes self-identity, development of creativity, artistic languages and aesthetics skills.

RECOMMENDATIONS Pupils interactions with environmental artworks should be given prominence by the CRDD of GES. It should make Visual Art subject examinable. This promotes children’s social, creative and communicative skills as well as cognitive development.

RECOMMENDATIONS (cont’d) -Artists should be encouraged to mount educative artworks, on the compounds of basic schools so that they could serve as means of interactions during art lessons in order to enhance intellectual and creative abilities in children.

RECOMMENDATIONS (cont’d) - Creative Art teachers should periodically organize educational trips for pupils to visit art galleries, public places and other recreational centres where environmental artworks are found so that the artworks could influence their level of interest and enjoyment.

Organized bodies like Ghana Art Teachers Association (GATA) should try and organize periodic workshops and seminars for creative art teachers at the basic school level to sensitize them on the benefits that could be derived from allowing pupils to interact with environmental artworks.

FURTHER RESEARCH It is also recommended that further research should be conducted into children’s drawings as a form of art activity to find out pupils’ reactions and understanding about their own artworks as a contribution to academic potentials of the pupils.

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