Developing complex knowledge: * Lessons from looking at art Shari Tishman Harvard Project Zero January 30, 2009

Beginning at the end: 2 claims Looking at art teaches thinking Looking at art can inform instructional design

Agenda 1.Research background 2.Explore an image 3.Complex knowledge – what it is, conditions that encourage its development.

The Harvard Art Museums With renovation at hand and new construction ahead, the museums look ahead to an expanded educational mission. The study centers as inspiration

The Agnes Mongan Center for the Study of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs The Fogg, 1 st floor

Busch - Reisinger Study Room BRM, 3 rd floor

What do people learn in study centers? How do they come to learn it?

Several strands of research Review of existing studies and documents –Interviews with staff involved in study centers (curators, others) –Visitor observations and interviews in the study centers- experts and novices. –Interviews with faculty from Harvard and other local institutions—users and non-users

A study center can be anywhere… The study center mindset: Expectation of extended time, deep looking, open- ended inquiry, own impressions as a source of information.

Look at an image

What do people learn in study centers?

Materials and methods History, cultural contexts, interpretive perspectives Artistic and creative processes Personal knowledge and connections metacognitive knowledge (knowledge about knowledge and thinking) In study centers, people inquire and learn about many different kinds of things. Complex knowledge Inquiry and understanding across multiple dimensions

Why should we care about teaching skills related to the development of complex knowledge? Why is art especially suited to developing skills involved in pursuing complex knowledge?

How do people learn in study center settings? Some important conditions - Cognitive framing - Cognitive directions

Time Expectations –taking time –deep looking –own impressions as source of information. Framing the experience Raffaele da Montelupo, Italian (c ) Torso Studies Drawing. Brown ink and traces of red chalk on cream antique laid paper, attached to cream antique laid paper.

Four cognitive directions Directing the experience Picasso, Studies of a Rooster, c Drawing, Colored chalk on beige antique laid paper John Cage, Concert for Piano and Orchestra, Solo for Piano, Drawing, Black ink and graphite on cream translucent vellum paper

What do we know? 1. Look long Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres Portrait of Mme. Ramel, Drawing. Graphite and white chalk on tan wove paper Look wide Look deep, look for details Look again Describe Bracket conclusions, interpretations

What do we know? 2. Ask questions, seek puzzles Paul Klee, Landscape wagon No Ask lots of questions Ask different kinds of questions Look for puzzles, tensions, surprises

What do we know? 3. Explore comparisons, connections, juxtapositions Max Beckmann, Sleeping girl Explicitly reach for connections backwards and forwards Create juxtapositions Explore comparisons, metaphors, analogies

What do we know? 4. look for complexity Kandinsky, Composition 1922 Look for layers, hidden factors, layers, multiple dimensions, causal complexity, functional complexity, interpretive complexity, multiple perspectives and narratives

The Importance of cognitive emotions Surprise Beauty, aesthetic appreciation Curiosity distaste, discomfort

Looking at art (with a study center mindset) teaches thinking by encouraging the pursuit of complex knowledge. Summary: Lessons from looking at art If complex knowledge is your teaching goal, looking at art has lessons for instructional design: - cognitive framing - cognitive directions

For a full report of the research: * Sofonisba Anguissola, (c ) Three Sisters Playing Chess.

Image activity / 3 sisters Activity: (10-15 minutes) 1. Take a minute to look quietly at the image. Start by letting your eyes wander. Then mentally note 10 or so things you observe. After a minute (I’ll give the signal) turn to your neighbor and share some of your observations. Identify something you observed but didn’t notice right away. Take some comments 2. Look again at the image. What questions can you ask? Think about different kinds of questions. Look for puzzles, surprises.