Critical inquiry: Understanding the concept and applying it in the classroom Geahigan, G. (1998). Critical inquiry: Understanding the concept and applying it in the classroom. Art Education, 51(5), Advisor ： Min-Puu Chen Presenter ： Kuei-Hui Hsiao Date ： May 11, 2009

1 、 Introduction Many educators believe that methods of inquiry derived from the discipline of art criticism can help students appreciate the visual arts.  There is, however, still confusion about what critical inquiry is and how it may be incorporated into classroom instruction. In this article, show how it differs from the critical procedures often recommended by educators, draw out implications of the inquiry process for teaching criticism, and suggest some basic instructional strategies for teachers.

2 、 Critical discourse and critical inquiry The approach proposed by Edmund Feldman (1967, 1970) is perhaps the most familiar and widely accepted. Inquiry into something and talking or writing about something appear to be different concepts. Inquiry means to investigate, to search for knowledge, information, and the like, while talking or writing refers to linguistic activity, to use of language. describinganalyzingevaluatinginterpreting (Feldman, 1967, 1970)

FIGURE 1.INQUIRY AND CRITICAL INQUIRY:A COMPARISON 不懂該藝術品之價值 意識到對藝術品理解的缺乏 提出可能的假設與建議 推論假設的結果 驗證假設 確定藝術品之價值 察覺問題之所在 確定問題的性質 提出可能的假設 推論假設的結果 驗證假設 結論

3 、 Critical inquiry and talk about art: What are the differences ? (1) In critical inquiry there is a focus on searching and finding as opposed to the presentation of critical findings through speech or writing. (2) Critical inquiry is a recursive, as opposed to a linear process. (3) Critical inquiry is not a procedure. A procedure implies a series of activities linked together in consecutive order. (4) Critical inquiry involves specialized knowledge and efforts to secure background information. (5) Critical inquiry is a communal endeavor.

4 、 A model of critical inquiry instruction (1) Personal response to works of art.  Students will come to sense the existence of problems when they are confronted by contrary opinions about a work of art, either their own or those of professional critics.  Teachers can also ask students to compare related works of art.  Finally, teachers can select provocative works for study. Works that challenge students’ beliefs and value systems will elicit their interest and attention.

4 、 A model of critical inquiry instruction (2) Student research activities.  Questions that arise about artists, their goals and intentions in making works of art, or about the context in which a work of art was made, often cannot be answered through careful scrutiny of the work alone.  It is better to have students acquire this knowledge through independent research projects.  Students may use the library or study background readings prepared by the teacher.

4 、 A model of critical inquiry instruction (3) Concept and skill instruction.  Teachers need to plan for acquisition of relevant concepts and skills.  Students need to be explicitly taught by showing examples and contrary instances of the concept exemplified in works of art, diagrams, or other visual aids.  Teachers need to provide verbal labels for concepts and opportunities for students to apply newly acquired concepts to works they are studying.

5 、 CRITICAL INQUIRY IN THE CLASSROOM: AN INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT  An actualunitofinstructionon2Oth-century abstract painting developed by a seventh-grade teacher illustrates this approach to art criticism instruction.  Students were confronted by problems of meaning and value, then asked to resolve these problems through thoughtful viewing, dialogue, and sustained reflection.  During the course of the unit, students could expand their background knowledge and learn relevant concepts and skills. This teacher did not ask students to follow some procedure for talking or writing about works of art.