I am disappointed by the amount of information about creating functional interdisciplinary curriculum I could find (not as much as I had imagined). While most sources tout project based learning as the solution to disciplinary boundaries, by seeing these strategies first hand as a student, I understand that not always can high schoolers be trusted to self direct their learning. I believe that in order to get students excited about having ideas and performing well academically/artistically, interdisciplinary curriculum should begin very early in a child's life. Unfortunately, I am yet to find research that supports this belief.
As a result, my questions this week pertain to the best means to get children genuinely interested in interdisciplinary curriculum. Is there a way to get students excited about project based learning? How can schools find a balance between allowing interdisciplinary exploration and encouraging high performance?
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Monday, December 16, 2019
W11P2: Integrating the Arts
In order to best implement interdisciplinary curriculum, teachers should allow students to draw connections between subjects on their own, and communicate with teachers in other disciplines to design communication that incorporates ideas from multiple areas. It is also important that teachers allow students to direct their own projects, where students can demonstrate understanding in the way that they have interpreted the material, and come up with creative perspectives on the class material.
It is also important that teachers encourage interdisciplinary, arts inclusive learning from a young age in order for project based learning to work. This is because student's first must be excited to learn and have developed an understanding of what excites them as learners.
It is also important that teachers encourage interdisciplinary, arts inclusive learning from a young age in order for project based learning to work. This is because student's first must be excited to learn and have developed an understanding of what excites them as learners.
Monday, December 9, 2019
W11P1: Integrating the Arts
Notes from "Interdisciplinary to Transdisciplinary: An Arts-Integrated Approach to STEAM Education" by Christine Liao
The rhetoric of STEM education starts with the belief that
future economic growth and innovation in the United States relies
on STEM fi elds, yet the number of students pursuing studies in
these areas is decreasing (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.).
Th e promise that STEM holds for the future is based on the idea
that STEM fi elds drive critical innovation and that innovation, in
line with early- to mid-20th-century notions, is explicitly tied to
economics (Godin, 2008).
One of the strongest arguments for STEAM derives from the
view that creativity is the most important ability in the 21st century
(Trilling & Fadel, 2009).
Some educators argue that increasing the number of school
hours dedicated to STEM subjects will not foster students’ interest
and ability in STEM fi elds. Th erefore, they call for an integrated
approach to STEM education as most applicable to the real world
(Honey, Pearson, & Schweingruber, 2014).
An integrated
approach to STEM education emphasizes that at least two STEM
subjects be used in concert to construct applications, especially
those with real-world implications.
education. In Bequette and Bequette’s
(2012) view, art and design educators should communicate with
their peers in STEM fields to determine how to integrate art with
STEM to create a STEAM curriculum.
Their view on STEAM education is expressed
through creating a class environment where students learn
through creative problem solving. This viewpoint also corresponds
with problem-based integrated STEM education.
Another view
takes the communication between art and STEM educators to a
transdisciplinary space (Guyotte, Sochacka, Costantino, Walther,
& Kellam, 2014) where the focus is applications to social practices.
Silverstein and Layne
(2010) define arts integration as “an approach to teaching in which
students construct and demonstrate understanding through an
arts form. Students engage in a creative process which connects an
art form and another subject area and meets evolving objectives
in both” (para. 1). This definition recognizes the importance of
creative production and promotes hands-on learning through
artmaking.
Bringing STEAM directly into the individual teacher’s classroom
is an easier starting point than executing a larger-scale project in
the current general and curricula environments of many schools.
Art educators can begin to implement STEAM education
through an arts-integrated approach, such as the focal
example described in this article. Ulbricht’s (1998) guidelines
for interdisciplinary art education “emphasize art’s unique
perspective and [that it should] not become a handmaiden
for other disciplines.” Further, Ulbricht specifi es that “new
understandings [should be] developed as a result of connections”
and that interdisciplinary art education should be “concerned
with important social and personal issues” and “organized
around important themes.” And, finally, that “art study should be
collaborative” (pp. 16–17).
The rhetoric of STEM education starts with the belief that
future economic growth and innovation in the United States relies
on STEM fi elds, yet the number of students pursuing studies in
these areas is decreasing (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.).
Th e promise that STEM holds for the future is based on the idea
that STEM fi elds drive critical innovation and that innovation, in
line with early- to mid-20th-century notions, is explicitly tied to
economics (Godin, 2008).
One of the strongest arguments for STEAM derives from the
view that creativity is the most important ability in the 21st century
(Trilling & Fadel, 2009).
Some educators argue that increasing the number of school
hours dedicated to STEM subjects will not foster students’ interest
and ability in STEM fi elds. Th erefore, they call for an integrated
approach to STEM education as most applicable to the real world
(Honey, Pearson, & Schweingruber, 2014).
An integrated
approach to STEM education emphasizes that at least two STEM
subjects be used in concert to construct applications, especially
those with real-world implications.
education. In Bequette and Bequette’s
(2012) view, art and design educators should communicate with
their peers in STEM fields to determine how to integrate art with
STEM to create a STEAM curriculum.
Their view on STEAM education is expressed
through creating a class environment where students learn
through creative problem solving. This viewpoint also corresponds
with problem-based integrated STEM education.
Another view
takes the communication between art and STEM educators to a
transdisciplinary space (Guyotte, Sochacka, Costantino, Walther,
& Kellam, 2014) where the focus is applications to social practices.
Silverstein and Layne
(2010) define arts integration as “an approach to teaching in which
students construct and demonstrate understanding through an
arts form. Students engage in a creative process which connects an
art form and another subject area and meets evolving objectives
in both” (para. 1). This definition recognizes the importance of
creative production and promotes hands-on learning through
artmaking.
Bringing STEAM directly into the individual teacher’s classroom
is an easier starting point than executing a larger-scale project in
the current general and curricula environments of many schools.
Art educators can begin to implement STEAM education
through an arts-integrated approach, such as the focal
example described in this article. Ulbricht’s (1998) guidelines
for interdisciplinary art education “emphasize art’s unique
perspective and [that it should] not become a handmaiden
for other disciplines.” Further, Ulbricht specifi es that “new
understandings [should be] developed as a result of connections”
and that interdisciplinary art education should be “concerned
with important social and personal issues” and “organized
around important themes.” And, finally, that “art study should be
collaborative” (pp. 16–17).
Sunday, December 1, 2019
W10P3: Interdisciplinary Students
I am still working my way through the paper about STEAM curriculum that I have been working with for the past few weeks. I am a huge fan of this article because it provides ample citations and statistics in order to support its claims about interdisciplinary education benefiting students. I think specifically my focus this week on the way that music and arts education benefits students allowed me to reflect on my own advantages as a result of my education being supplemented by artistic pursuits.
I hope that the rest of the article will explain a process by which American schools can better incorporate arts and music into CORE curriculum, or how to prepare teachers to educate interdisciplinarily, as I believe this information would strengthen my presentation significantly.
I hope that the rest of the article will explain a process by which American schools can better incorporate arts and music into CORE curriculum, or how to prepare teachers to educate interdisciplinarily, as I believe this information would strengthen my presentation significantly.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
W10P2: Interdisciplinary Students
Implementing interdisciplinary curriculum is uniquely able to prepare students for the true challenges they face later in life as part of the American workforce. By encouraging students to work between disciplines, sharing ideas across classrooms, and open their minds to new educational opportunities, they acquire some of the most in demand skills of today's day and age, like communication, creativity, leadership, and citizenship.
Today's educational system binds children to clearly defined subjects and allows for little exploration, that which helps to establish a passion for learning. All the while, only the most affluent students benefit from arts training in the form of expensive private music lessons or arts training. Incorporating arts training into base curriculum enables students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to develop the same advantages in schools, and provides underprivileged students greater opportunity for success in the future. At risk youths subjected to interdisciplinary curriculum demonstrated significant increase in participation in school sports and government, volunteering, and academic performance all associated with the arts training they were provided with.
Today's educational system binds children to clearly defined subjects and allows for little exploration, that which helps to establish a passion for learning. All the while, only the most affluent students benefit from arts training in the form of expensive private music lessons or arts training. Incorporating arts training into base curriculum enables students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to develop the same advantages in schools, and provides underprivileged students greater opportunity for success in the future. At risk youths subjected to interdisciplinary curriculum demonstrated significant increase in participation in school sports and government, volunteering, and academic performance all associated with the arts training they were provided with.
W10P1: Interdisciplinary Students
Minneapolis public schools partnered math with the arts to
improve achievement. Ingram and Riedel (2003) reported findings for “Arts for Academic
Achievement (AAA)”, an organization dedicated to showing the power of arts on standard
core subjects (p. 1). Including 45 schools, grades three through five, and lasting almost four
years, the AAA produced considerable gains. Most notably, the authors reported the biggest
strides were those garnered by disadvantaged children.
This program impacted all students regardless of socioeconomic status, community, parental involvement, or previous education; no student suffered from an arts integrated curriculum (Ingram and Riedel).
However, current paradigms call for the arts in modern classrooms (Eisner, 2004). In order to pay tribute one may reference the skilled by calling them an artist at their craft. Education can learn from what art teaches individuals. The result of aesthetic experiences may be transferrable to all disciplines. Eisner identifies six major advantages of artistic rationalization. Trust in one’s self to make intuitive judgments, visualization, understanding and expressing in an alternative construct, resourcefulness, satisfaction in engagement, and bridging concepts are important principles education can learn from the arts (Eisner)
Despite logistical and systemic concerns, holistic education has been a persuasive factor in the debate for effectiveness in arts integration (Gullat, 2008). Sousa and Pilecki decree the purpose of STEAM academies is better preparation of students for life after school (2013). As teachers become more competent in crossing curriculums, they will be more involved with strategies such as project-based learning and inquiry driven instruction to implement arts during other content (Kilinc, 2010). Arts-based education has the potential to expose teachers to more innovative instructional activities. Project-based and twenty-first century learning allow students to remain product-focused, creating solutions to challenging problems that require students to design, analyze, create, and present findings while reflecting on their own self-discovery (Kilinc, 2010).
Multidisciplinary inclusion is a staple of current educational reform (Meagher, 2006). Advocates for cross-curriculum instruction argue that teacher morale and student achievement can be improved by planning across disciplines. However, many teachers misunderstand the true benefits and practices involved (Meagher, 2006).
Teachers are often secluded from one another, physically and departmentally, making it more difficult to coordinate high functioning interdisciplinary lessons (Combs & White, 2000). Educational leaders are beginning to realize the importance of an integrative curriculum by restructuring school systems to accommodate teacher collaboration and planning, shifting the “emphasis from helping individual teachers improve instruction to helping teams of teachers ensure that students achieve the intended outcomes” (DuFour, 2002, p. 13).
The work conducted by Catteral et al. (2012) found at-risk youth participating in integrated and/or extracurricular arts programs outperformed their counterparts in mathematics. These students were five times more likely to participate in other school activities, such as athletics or journalism, and arts involved students were eager to engage in civic responsibilities. For example, students took “an interest in current affairs, as evidenced by comparatively high levels of volunteering, voting, and engagement with local or school politics” (p. 18).
More impressing, arts involvement enables at risk students to outperform students of a high socioeconomic status (SES) (Catteral et al., 2012).
In processing the work, engineers displayed a backwards design approach, labeled “teleological” (Fantauzzacoffin et al., 2012, p. 2). Artists approached scholarly tasks with an open-ended path, guided by experiment and impulse called “stochastic” (p. 2). Engineers worked with the end in mind, charted a stable route to completion, and relied on predictable outcomes. Artists tended to indulge a creative process, yielding emergent results, and remained adaptable in uncertainty (Fantazzacoffin).
Van der Veen’s (2012) study was driven by ambition to “promoting at least a more equitable gender balance in the physics community in future generations” (p. 359). The task was finding a medium that could improve instruction and bridge gender gaps. Van der Veen (2012) decided to integrate “Maxine Greene’s Aesthetic Education” to “humanize the teaching and learning of physics” (p. 359). The author aimed to instill imagination and innovation into abstract topics of study while not forgoing heightened academic computations.
Van der Veen noted several advantages to merging arts and science. First, “incorporating arts-based learning strategies of Aesthetic Education can help reduce barriers presented by language” (p. 363). The author clarifies that physics and the formal language involved can become a social barrier to minority groups of certain cultures. Science is a language that can remain unilaterally interpreted, but introducing art for reflection and response can aid in translating cultural barriers. Therefore, “the language of the arts can provide a means of helping students visualize the relationships in the physical world that are described by mathematics” (p. 364).
Resources, space, and expertise are universally shared amongst the students. It was found that through “creating an environment in which students must work with colleagues who come from other, very different disciplines, the students are forced to make design compromises that consider factors beyond their own area of expertise” (p. 3E-5). These tough conversations lend to unconventional solutions that otherwise may not have been reached. The objective is for engineering students to ensnare the creative spirit and vision of artists. For artists, they look to gain an in depth knowledge of more technical aspects of academia. Together they will learn to discuss and share their expertise with a layperson, demonstrating an acute understanding of subject matter.
This program impacted all students regardless of socioeconomic status, community, parental involvement, or previous education; no student suffered from an arts integrated curriculum (Ingram and Riedel).
However, current paradigms call for the arts in modern classrooms (Eisner, 2004). In order to pay tribute one may reference the skilled by calling them an artist at their craft. Education can learn from what art teaches individuals. The result of aesthetic experiences may be transferrable to all disciplines. Eisner identifies six major advantages of artistic rationalization. Trust in one’s self to make intuitive judgments, visualization, understanding and expressing in an alternative construct, resourcefulness, satisfaction in engagement, and bridging concepts are important principles education can learn from the arts (Eisner)
Despite logistical and systemic concerns, holistic education has been a persuasive factor in the debate for effectiveness in arts integration (Gullat, 2008). Sousa and Pilecki decree the purpose of STEAM academies is better preparation of students for life after school (2013). As teachers become more competent in crossing curriculums, they will be more involved with strategies such as project-based learning and inquiry driven instruction to implement arts during other content (Kilinc, 2010). Arts-based education has the potential to expose teachers to more innovative instructional activities. Project-based and twenty-first century learning allow students to remain product-focused, creating solutions to challenging problems that require students to design, analyze, create, and present findings while reflecting on their own self-discovery (Kilinc, 2010).
Multidisciplinary inclusion is a staple of current educational reform (Meagher, 2006). Advocates for cross-curriculum instruction argue that teacher morale and student achievement can be improved by planning across disciplines. However, many teachers misunderstand the true benefits and practices involved (Meagher, 2006).
Teachers are often secluded from one another, physically and departmentally, making it more difficult to coordinate high functioning interdisciplinary lessons (Combs & White, 2000). Educational leaders are beginning to realize the importance of an integrative curriculum by restructuring school systems to accommodate teacher collaboration and planning, shifting the “emphasis from helping individual teachers improve instruction to helping teams of teachers ensure that students achieve the intended outcomes” (DuFour, 2002, p. 13).
The work conducted by Catteral et al. (2012) found at-risk youth participating in integrated and/or extracurricular arts programs outperformed their counterparts in mathematics. These students were five times more likely to participate in other school activities, such as athletics or journalism, and arts involved students were eager to engage in civic responsibilities. For example, students took “an interest in current affairs, as evidenced by comparatively high levels of volunteering, voting, and engagement with local or school politics” (p. 18).
More impressing, arts involvement enables at risk students to outperform students of a high socioeconomic status (SES) (Catteral et al., 2012).
In processing the work, engineers displayed a backwards design approach, labeled “teleological” (Fantauzzacoffin et al., 2012, p. 2). Artists approached scholarly tasks with an open-ended path, guided by experiment and impulse called “stochastic” (p. 2). Engineers worked with the end in mind, charted a stable route to completion, and relied on predictable outcomes. Artists tended to indulge a creative process, yielding emergent results, and remained adaptable in uncertainty (Fantazzacoffin).
Van der Veen’s (2012) study was driven by ambition to “promoting at least a more equitable gender balance in the physics community in future generations” (p. 359). The task was finding a medium that could improve instruction and bridge gender gaps. Van der Veen (2012) decided to integrate “Maxine Greene’s Aesthetic Education” to “humanize the teaching and learning of physics” (p. 359). The author aimed to instill imagination and innovation into abstract topics of study while not forgoing heightened academic computations.
Van der Veen noted several advantages to merging arts and science. First, “incorporating arts-based learning strategies of Aesthetic Education can help reduce barriers presented by language” (p. 363). The author clarifies that physics and the formal language involved can become a social barrier to minority groups of certain cultures. Science is a language that can remain unilaterally interpreted, but introducing art for reflection and response can aid in translating cultural barriers. Therefore, “the language of the arts can provide a means of helping students visualize the relationships in the physical world that are described by mathematics” (p. 364).
Resources, space, and expertise are universally shared amongst the students. It was found that through “creating an environment in which students must work with colleagues who come from other, very different disciplines, the students are forced to make design compromises that consider factors beyond their own area of expertise” (p. 3E-5). These tough conversations lend to unconventional solutions that otherwise may not have been reached. The objective is for engineering students to ensnare the creative spirit and vision of artists. For artists, they look to gain an in depth knowledge of more technical aspects of academia. Together they will learn to discuss and share their expertise with a layperson, demonstrating an acute understanding of subject matter.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
W9P3: Impacts of Interdisciplinary Curriculum
I love the article I am reading with all of my being. It is full of genuine research (no phenomenological studies here!) and has provided me with the psychological data I have been asking for since the beginning of this semester. I also think that this paper's focus on interdisciplinary curriculum as it relates to creativity and polymathy has encouraged me to push my presentation more in the direction of education (Ms. Dunley will be happy to hear).
As I finish this article in the next 1-2 week I hope it will tie up some loose ends by specifying action steps that schools and teachers can take to implement interdisciplinary curriculum. It would also be nice to have some documentation of long term effects of STEAM.
As I finish this article in the next 1-2 week I hope it will tie up some loose ends by specifying action steps that schools and teachers can take to implement interdisciplinary curriculum. It would also be nice to have some documentation of long term effects of STEAM.
W9P2: Impacts of Interdisciplinary Curriculum
There are conclusive psychological benefits to the implementation of arts into STEM curriculum. One such benefit is the ability of the arts to establish freedom and creativity within traditional learning. This freedom has been shown to contribute to students deriving more joy from their studies, and developing a lifelong love of learning. By mingling arts and sciences together, educators can create more polymaths who have established a passion for learning through the incorporation of the arts into their schoolwork.
There are also several quantitatively proven associations between students focusing more on artistic endeavors and the acquisition of various academic skills. Arts training is correlated with advanced capabilities to learn quickly in other domains. Fine arts education also increases students' personal motivation, memory, cognitive manipulation, and computational abilities. Additionally, musical training can significantly increase geometric reasoning and spatial understanding among students.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
W9P1: Impacts of Interdisciplinary Curriculum
https://search.proquest.com/openview/d4dadbab54198740e20fd2bf013ed5d4/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y p.14
In the long run, America’s true competitive edge is not its technical prowess but its creativity, its imagination, its inventiveness, its people’s capacity to devise new solutions, to innovate, to invest new organizational as well as technological forms, and to eke productivity gains out of what others see as static situations. (Finn & Ravitch, p. 7, 2007)
In what Gardner identified as “profile of intelligences,” individuals apply one or several combinations of intelligences to complete tasks, conceptualize or problem solve, and explore understanding across domains (Gardner, 2011). Concepts embedded in arts integration and creativity are referenced as a method for students to explore deeper understanding by accessing various intelligences (Russel-Bowie, 2009)
Regarding education, Sternberg (1999; 2003) argues equilibrium must exist between students’ “analytical,” “creative,” and “practical abilities.”
Wooten (2008) believes that involvement with or implementation of the arts can provide joy, excitement, and happiness in learning. Development of a love for learning can have a profound effect on a student’s education (2008)
In 2008, the Dana Arts and Cognition Consortium reported findings from neuroscientific research inquiring into the “possible causal relationships between arts training and the ability of the brain to learn in other cognitive domains” (Gazziniga, 2008, p. v). The Consortium published empirical data, based on research conducted by several U.S. universities, that links arts to motivational factors, cognitive manipulation, computational abilities, sequential learning, memory, and personal attitudes (Asbury & Rich, 2008).
Several consistencies were established between arts and learning including increased pupil self-efficacy and attitudes. Betts (2006) concluded that arts led to student confidence increasing the likelihood of those students to take educational risks.
Characteristics such as self-motivation are especially important when looking at the concerns of modern economist relating to global competition (Friedman & Mandelbaum, 2011). As Friedman and Mandelbaum (2011) conclude, lifelong learning is paramount when technologies are constantly updating. Tomorrow’s workers must eagerly crave knowledge in an effort to not be outmoded (2013). Research on the effect of crosscurriculum strategies and arts on student learning can better prepare a classroom of lifelong learners by increasing their organizational management, technological use, and ability to make the globalized connections needed to better understand a rapidly approaching modern age (Meagher, 2006).
Specifically, natural curiosities prevail with arts. As a result of curiosity, interest is more likely to develop and concludes with higher student motivation. An increase in motivation will improve student attention and eventual cognition of tasks.
Interestingly, when the researchers simulated focused attention produced by the arts, the portion of the brain associated with conflict resolution became increasingly active (Posner et al.). Interpersonal skills and communicating with others is often a desired byproduct of working with the arts and has been identified as a twenty-first century skill for student success (Wilson & Conyers, 2013).
a significant correlation between spatial understanding and geometric reasoning in students with music training was exhibited. The author clarifies, “our experiments provide evidence for an association between music and geometry only when training in music is intensive and prolonged” (p. 47). Furthermore, the study suggests that various art forms may have specific influences over different mathematical computations. For example, students with a strong visual arts background outperformed musicians on the geometry portions but underperformed on problems requiring more precise calculations (Spelke).
through page 31
In the long run, America’s true competitive edge is not its technical prowess but its creativity, its imagination, its inventiveness, its people’s capacity to devise new solutions, to innovate, to invest new organizational as well as technological forms, and to eke productivity gains out of what others see as static situations. (Finn & Ravitch, p. 7, 2007)
In what Gardner identified as “profile of intelligences,” individuals apply one or several combinations of intelligences to complete tasks, conceptualize or problem solve, and explore understanding across domains (Gardner, 2011). Concepts embedded in arts integration and creativity are referenced as a method for students to explore deeper understanding by accessing various intelligences (Russel-Bowie, 2009)
Regarding education, Sternberg (1999; 2003) argues equilibrium must exist between students’ “analytical,” “creative,” and “practical abilities.”
Wooten (2008) believes that involvement with or implementation of the arts can provide joy, excitement, and happiness in learning. Development of a love for learning can have a profound effect on a student’s education (2008)
In 2008, the Dana Arts and Cognition Consortium reported findings from neuroscientific research inquiring into the “possible causal relationships between arts training and the ability of the brain to learn in other cognitive domains” (Gazziniga, 2008, p. v). The Consortium published empirical data, based on research conducted by several U.S. universities, that links arts to motivational factors, cognitive manipulation, computational abilities, sequential learning, memory, and personal attitudes (Asbury & Rich, 2008).
Several consistencies were established between arts and learning including increased pupil self-efficacy and attitudes. Betts (2006) concluded that arts led to student confidence increasing the likelihood of those students to take educational risks.
Characteristics such as self-motivation are especially important when looking at the concerns of modern economist relating to global competition (Friedman & Mandelbaum, 2011). As Friedman and Mandelbaum (2011) conclude, lifelong learning is paramount when technologies are constantly updating. Tomorrow’s workers must eagerly crave knowledge in an effort to not be outmoded (2013). Research on the effect of crosscurriculum strategies and arts on student learning can better prepare a classroom of lifelong learners by increasing their organizational management, technological use, and ability to make the globalized connections needed to better understand a rapidly approaching modern age (Meagher, 2006).
Specifically, natural curiosities prevail with arts. As a result of curiosity, interest is more likely to develop and concludes with higher student motivation. An increase in motivation will improve student attention and eventual cognition of tasks.
Interestingly, when the researchers simulated focused attention produced by the arts, the portion of the brain associated with conflict resolution became increasingly active (Posner et al.). Interpersonal skills and communicating with others is often a desired byproduct of working with the arts and has been identified as a twenty-first century skill for student success (Wilson & Conyers, 2013).
a significant correlation between spatial understanding and geometric reasoning in students with music training was exhibited. The author clarifies, “our experiments provide evidence for an association between music and geometry only when training in music is intensive and prolonged” (p. 47). Furthermore, the study suggests that various art forms may have specific influences over different mathematical computations. For example, students with a strong visual arts background outperformed musicians on the geometry portions but underperformed on problems requiring more precise calculations (Spelke).
through page 31
Sunday, November 10, 2019
W8P3: Interdisciplinary Curriculum
This week was nice. I found another well written article that I am a huge fan of with tons of relevant information regarding integrating the arts into STEM fields. More so I am a fan of the fact that this article references several concrete studies based on scientific evidence as opposed to generalized conclusions. At this point there are a couple of directions I could take my final presentation in and I hope to decide over the next few directions on a thesis. Nevertheless I am confident that I have more than enough information regardless of where my research goes.
Next week I will continue to read through this article about STEAM curriculum and I hope that it will go into greater detail regarding the benefits observed when children are subjected to STEAM curriculum. I am quite sure it will considering I only managed to get through the introduction (as I said there is A LOT of info in this one)
Next week I will continue to read through this article about STEAM curriculum and I hope that it will go into greater detail regarding the benefits observed when children are subjected to STEAM curriculum. I am quite sure it will considering I only managed to get through the introduction (as I said there is A LOT of info in this one)
W8P2: Interdisciplinary Curriculum
Empirically, the United States' approach to education has been to specialize its STEM students using almost exclusively STEM focused curriculum in hopes of propelling the country's scientific prowess. However, compared to other nations that utilize more interdisciplinary curriculum, the US has begun to lag behind.
STEAM is a new movement designed to incorporate the arts into students' academics. This contemporary approach to learning is based on the idea that today's students need both natural and creative intelligence in order to be competitive in STEM as it exists in current times. Additionally, there is a belief that integrating STEAM into US curriculum would first, provide a creative outlet for STEM students, second, help to recruit more creatively oriented students into engaging with STEM fields, and third, help students to derive joy from their learning.
The dynamics of juxtaposing artistic, abstract learning with scientific, logical learning makes students more open to developing innovative and diverse solutions to today's most complex issues. By changing US curriculum to give more attention to the arts and how they interact with other areas of knowledge, the United States would significantly increase its capability to serve as the global leader for scientific progress.
STEAM is a new movement designed to incorporate the arts into students' academics. This contemporary approach to learning is based on the idea that today's students need both natural and creative intelligence in order to be competitive in STEM as it exists in current times. Additionally, there is a belief that integrating STEAM into US curriculum would first, provide a creative outlet for STEM students, second, help to recruit more creatively oriented students into engaging with STEM fields, and third, help students to derive joy from their learning.
The dynamics of juxtaposing artistic, abstract learning with scientific, logical learning makes students more open to developing innovative and diverse solutions to today's most complex issues. By changing US curriculum to give more attention to the arts and how they interact with other areas of knowledge, the United States would significantly increase its capability to serve as the global leader for scientific progress.
W8P1: Interdisciplinary Curriculum
https://media.proquest.com/media/pq/classic/doc/3646206431/fmt/ai/rep/NPDF?_s=5X7LeQr%2BgXBdLq75plLfnymOnyo%3D
https://search.proquest.com/openview/d4dadbab54198740e20fd2bf013ed5d4/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
A major premise driving arts reform and STEAM lies in the hope that creativity may deepen understanding of other subjects (Jones, 2010). Many critics of art-based reforms argue the superfluous nature of aesthetics in the classroom (Annis, 2013). It has long been accepted that arts are something extra, a task to explore after core subjects have been reviewed. Sciences and arts have long been isolated from one another
As it stands, traditional STEM education prepares students for highly technical jobs by a highly technical means in hopes that the United States workforce can propel its economic and political prowess back to dominance (ASHE, 2011). However, this push has grown stagnant. While graduation rates of STEM candidates have grown over the past decade, the quality of STEM employees has faced scrutiny and the U.S. continues to lag behind other international powers with regards to scientific, mathematical, or technological advances.
Integrated Curriculum: This instructional strategy allows students to implement several ideas or concepts from multiple subjects of study for an understanding of the underlying concepts
Arts: “arts” refers to those creative in nature: music, dance/movement, imagery, visual arts, literature, drama, and play or humor or any activity relating to such subjects and “arts consumption. These arts “are process oriented, emotionally sensitive, socially directed, and awareness focused” (Gladding, 1992, p.ix)
STEAM: STEAM is a contemporary movement to introduce Art into the marriage of STEM. Journals and literature are dedicated solely to the topic of STEAM and the power of arts in education. The principles driving STEAM reside in the belief that students need both a natural and creative view of the world to compete in the global market of the twenty-first century (Sousa & Pilecki, 2013).
Historically speaking, “journal articles dating back as early as 1959 identify creativity as being essential to the competitiveness and national security of the United States” (Wallace et al., p. 3E-1, 2010).
Creativity is often linked to art in research studies and journals. Going beyond the cognitive power of the arts, it is believed that participating in art, music, dance, poetry, etc. may provide more creative outlets for STEM students, serve as a viable recruiting tool for future students into technical fields, and derive joy from the learning experience (Welch, 2011). Art and its creative processes may allow students to explore and unlock multiple intelligences
The clash of arts (abstract) and math/science (literal) creates a dynamic collaboration worth analyzing. Many advocates for STEAM deem this interaction necessary for students to “embrace innovative, alternative views, minority influence, or diversified solutions that may be required to effectively address complex issues” (Kawaski & Toyofuku, p. 2, 2013).
In the long run, America’s true competitive edge is not its technical prowess but its creativity, its imagination, its inventiveness, its people’s capacity to devise new solutions, to innovate, to invest new organizational as well as technological forms, and to eke productivity gains out of what others see as static situations. (Finn & Ravitch, p. 7, 2007)
scholars agree multifaceted approaches to intelligence constitute a constructivist dynamic in learning. One is not restricted to genetic inheritance, but can build knowledge through experiences, openness to adapt, and through formal and informal interactions in a variety of settings (Pea, 1993; Sternberg, 1999; Sternberg, 2003; Wilson & Conyers, 2013)
. Be it “language, logicalmathematical analysis, spatial representation, musical thinking, the use of the body to solve problems or to make things, an understanding of other individuals, and an understanding of ourselves,” everyone varies in their abilities across these intelligences
8 intelligences
Linguistic intelligence (“word smart”)
Logical-mathematical intelligence (“number/reasoning smart”)
Spatial intelligence (“picture smart”)
Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (“body smart”)
Musical intelligence (“music smart”)
Interpersonal intelligence (“people smart”)
Intrapersonal intelligence (“self smart”)
Naturalist intelligence (“nature smart”)
https://search.proquest.com/openview/d4dadbab54198740e20fd2bf013ed5d4/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
A major premise driving arts reform and STEAM lies in the hope that creativity may deepen understanding of other subjects (Jones, 2010). Many critics of art-based reforms argue the superfluous nature of aesthetics in the classroom (Annis, 2013). It has long been accepted that arts are something extra, a task to explore after core subjects have been reviewed. Sciences and arts have long been isolated from one another
As it stands, traditional STEM education prepares students for highly technical jobs by a highly technical means in hopes that the United States workforce can propel its economic and political prowess back to dominance (ASHE, 2011). However, this push has grown stagnant. While graduation rates of STEM candidates have grown over the past decade, the quality of STEM employees has faced scrutiny and the U.S. continues to lag behind other international powers with regards to scientific, mathematical, or technological advances.
Integrated Curriculum: This instructional strategy allows students to implement several ideas or concepts from multiple subjects of study for an understanding of the underlying concepts
Arts: “arts” refers to those creative in nature: music, dance/movement, imagery, visual arts, literature, drama, and play or humor or any activity relating to such subjects and “arts consumption. These arts “are process oriented, emotionally sensitive, socially directed, and awareness focused” (Gladding, 1992, p.ix)
STEAM: STEAM is a contemporary movement to introduce Art into the marriage of STEM. Journals and literature are dedicated solely to the topic of STEAM and the power of arts in education. The principles driving STEAM reside in the belief that students need both a natural and creative view of the world to compete in the global market of the twenty-first century (Sousa & Pilecki, 2013).
Historically speaking, “journal articles dating back as early as 1959 identify creativity as being essential to the competitiveness and national security of the United States” (Wallace et al., p. 3E-1, 2010).
Creativity is often linked to art in research studies and journals. Going beyond the cognitive power of the arts, it is believed that participating in art, music, dance, poetry, etc. may provide more creative outlets for STEM students, serve as a viable recruiting tool for future students into technical fields, and derive joy from the learning experience (Welch, 2011). Art and its creative processes may allow students to explore and unlock multiple intelligences
The clash of arts (abstract) and math/science (literal) creates a dynamic collaboration worth analyzing. Many advocates for STEAM deem this interaction necessary for students to “embrace innovative, alternative views, minority influence, or diversified solutions that may be required to effectively address complex issues” (Kawaski & Toyofuku, p. 2, 2013).
In the long run, America’s true competitive edge is not its technical prowess but its creativity, its imagination, its inventiveness, its people’s capacity to devise new solutions, to innovate, to invest new organizational as well as technological forms, and to eke productivity gains out of what others see as static situations. (Finn & Ravitch, p. 7, 2007)
scholars agree multifaceted approaches to intelligence constitute a constructivist dynamic in learning. One is not restricted to genetic inheritance, but can build knowledge through experiences, openness to adapt, and through formal and informal interactions in a variety of settings (Pea, 1993; Sternberg, 1999; Sternberg, 2003; Wilson & Conyers, 2013)
. Be it “language, logicalmathematical analysis, spatial representation, musical thinking, the use of the body to solve problems or to make things, an understanding of other individuals, and an understanding of ourselves,” everyone varies in their abilities across these intelligences
8 intelligences
Linguistic intelligence (“word smart”)
Logical-mathematical intelligence (“number/reasoning smart”)
Spatial intelligence (“picture smart”)
Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (“body smart”)
Musical intelligence (“music smart”)
Interpersonal intelligence (“people smart”)
Intrapersonal intelligence (“self smart”)
Naturalist intelligence (“nature smart”)
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
W7P3: The Polymathic Personality
I hated the article I read this week. Part of the problem with finding articles to use in my research is that many of the authors who write about polymathy consider themselves polymaths and display a clear, self entitled, bias in their writing that is insufferable to read. I'm also eager to get my hands on some concrete data to support all of these psychological studies with little grounding that are driving me crazy.
Next week I would like to learn more about curriculum that caters to more interdisciplinary learning.
Also, even though my edX class won't let me back in, here's a picture of a squirrel that I drew.
Next week I would like to learn more about curriculum that caters to more interdisciplinary learning.
Also, even though my edX class won't let me back in, here's a picture of a squirrel that I drew.
W7P2: The Polymathic Personality
Polymathy stems from two foundational goals. The first is to acquire as much breadth and richness of knowledge as possible, and the second to maximize their own potential to shape the world by means of solving problems. While ordinary learners may compartmentalize their pursuits into professional focuses and avocational hobbies, polymaths go out of their way to integrate all of their pursuits and knowledge. This is a result of the fact that interdisciplinary approaches are becoming more relevant to today's problems. Polymaths understand this and seek to develop a broader understanding of the world as a whole in hopes of being able to comprehend larger scale ideas, the likes of which they tend to be most curious about.
By far the most important aspect of polymathy is the idea that their learning is fueled by creativity. The desire to build new bridges between different ideas in order to create novel solutions is deeply creative and also enables polymaths to complete their second goal of building a toolkit of knowledge with which they can better solve problems.
Furthermore, there are three stages defined within the life cycle of a successful polymath that enable them to achieve success in multiple disciplines. The first stage being developing the personality traits necessary to become a polymath. In this stage, a learner develops creativity and curiosity and eagerly explores all possible disciplines, all the while drawing up grand, occasionally unachievable, plans to cure the world of all ailments. During the second stage, a learner will deepen their understanding of the world. Although a polymath never stops learning, this is the foundational stage during which they acquire the skills and knowledge they need to proceed into the third stage. During this last stage, a polymath begins to utilize the skills they have learned. All of the knowledge and skills they acquired in stages 1 and 2 come together and the polymath begins to achieve at a higher level and make valuable contributions to society.
By far the most important aspect of polymathy is the idea that their learning is fueled by creativity. The desire to build new bridges between different ideas in order to create novel solutions is deeply creative and also enables polymaths to complete their second goal of building a toolkit of knowledge with which they can better solve problems.
Furthermore, there are three stages defined within the life cycle of a successful polymath that enable them to achieve success in multiple disciplines. The first stage being developing the personality traits necessary to become a polymath. In this stage, a learner develops creativity and curiosity and eagerly explores all possible disciplines, all the while drawing up grand, occasionally unachievable, plans to cure the world of all ailments. During the second stage, a learner will deepen their understanding of the world. Although a polymath never stops learning, this is the foundational stage during which they acquire the skills and knowledge they need to proceed into the third stage. During this last stage, a polymath begins to utilize the skills they have learned. All of the knowledge and skills they acquired in stages 1 and 2 come together and the polymath begins to achieve at a higher level and make valuable contributions to society.
W7P1: The Polymathic Personality
https://www.academia.edu/37288514/Polymathy_A_New_Outlook
https://www.academia.edu/11357695/Artistic_Scientists_and_Scientific_Artists
Some people possess a personality, i.e., a set of motivational, emotional and cognitive patterns, that can be intimately associated with the undertaking of a polymathic life project
A person with a polymathic personality places cardinal value upon and is driven toward two principal goals: (i) the development of a conscience with as much richness of knowledge and experience as possible and (ii) exercise one’s potential agency to enhance and transform the world.
Polymathic people also tend to see beyond the vocation-avocational dichotomy. While some non-polymathic people may compartmentalize their activities between vocational and avocational — the former being useful while the latter being peripheral and alienated from one’s professional realm —, polymathic people will instead seek to integrate their “bewildering miscellany of activities” (cf. R. Root-Bernstein et al. 1995, p. 131) into successful and effective “networks of enterprise” (see Gruber 1988, 1989).
The polymathic pursuit entails a constant process of encodement, reencodement and sophistication of sets of mathemata across different domains, which contrasts with the behavior of other types who do not venture much outside their primary domain (specialists) or who seek breadth but not so much depth of knowledge (dilettantes). By delving into diverse fields and making the brain cope with lots of new information often, polymathic people may have access to unique opportunities to improve their productivity and efficiency, especially regarding general learning, creativity, and resource (e.g., time, information) management
Biographic and historiometric studies show that outstandingly creative people tend to be also unusually polymathic (see R. Root-Bernstein et al., 1993, 1995, 2008). Thus, it can be posed that polymathic behavior may play a prominent role for people who pursue particularly disruptive kinds of goals, such as pioneering a new discipline or challenging the assumptions of an existing field.
The first stage, polymathic antecedents, refers to personality characteristics, aptitudes, and behavioral tendencies that are primordial elements in a polymathic life project. The second stage, polymathic mediators, refers to stores of mathemata and procedural skills that are acquired and developed along a person’s life; they are pivotal for one’s progress toward polymathic goals. The third stage, polymathic achievements, refers to attainments and outcomes that represent the pinnacle of the polymathic development; they include valuable personal achievements as well as the generation of valuable contributions to society
https://www.academia.edu/11357695/Artistic_Scientists_and_Scientific_Artists
Some people possess a personality, i.e., a set of motivational, emotional and cognitive patterns, that can be intimately associated with the undertaking of a polymathic life project
A person with a polymathic personality places cardinal value upon and is driven toward two principal goals: (i) the development of a conscience with as much richness of knowledge and experience as possible and (ii) exercise one’s potential agency to enhance and transform the world.
Polymathic people also tend to see beyond the vocation-avocational dichotomy. While some non-polymathic people may compartmentalize their activities between vocational and avocational — the former being useful while the latter being peripheral and alienated from one’s professional realm —, polymathic people will instead seek to integrate their “bewildering miscellany of activities” (cf. R. Root-Bernstein et al. 1995, p. 131) into successful and effective “networks of enterprise” (see Gruber 1988, 1989).
The polymathic pursuit entails a constant process of encodement, reencodement and sophistication of sets of mathemata across different domains, which contrasts with the behavior of other types who do not venture much outside their primary domain (specialists) or who seek breadth but not so much depth of knowledge (dilettantes). By delving into diverse fields and making the brain cope with lots of new information often, polymathic people may have access to unique opportunities to improve their productivity and efficiency, especially regarding general learning, creativity, and resource (e.g., time, information) management
Biographic and historiometric studies show that outstandingly creative people tend to be also unusually polymathic (see R. Root-Bernstein et al., 1993, 1995, 2008). Thus, it can be posed that polymathic behavior may play a prominent role for people who pursue particularly disruptive kinds of goals, such as pioneering a new discipline or challenging the assumptions of an existing field.
The first stage, polymathic antecedents, refers to personality characteristics, aptitudes, and behavioral tendencies that are primordial elements in a polymathic life project. The second stage, polymathic mediators, refers to stores of mathemata and procedural skills that are acquired and developed along a person’s life; they are pivotal for one’s progress toward polymathic goals. The third stage, polymathic achievements, refers to attainments and outcomes that represent the pinnacle of the polymathic development; they include valuable personal achievements as well as the generation of valuable contributions to society
Monday, October 14, 2019
W6P3: Contextualizing Polymathy
This week's learning answered some questions I'd had earlier about what creates a polymath. My reading delved into a phenomenological study of several polymaths in order to draw conclusions about the upbringings and lives of these interdisciplinary learners. I was planning on continuing my edX course this week, but it seems I no longer have access to it which is kind of inconvenient. Regardless, I was planning on directing my learning more in the direction of this independent research I'm doing on polymathy so I am not too distressed about losing access to my course. I hope it's ok if I modify my studies in this way.
I'm approaching the end of this big study I've been reading the past few weeks, and I'm very happy with everything I've learned from it. I expect that the rest of the book will tie up some loose ends and then in the next weeks I will try to find some scientific literature that makes a direct connection between art and science because that's what I was most interested in when I chose this as my topic. My questions this week are about the advantages of studying art and science and I hope I will be able to find a similarly comprehensive studies about them.
I'm approaching the end of this big study I've been reading the past few weeks, and I'm very happy with everything I've learned from it. I expect that the rest of the book will tie up some loose ends and then in the next weeks I will try to find some scientific literature that makes a direct connection between art and science because that's what I was most interested in when I chose this as my topic. My questions this week are about the advantages of studying art and science and I hope I will be able to find a similarly comprehensive studies about them.
W6P2: Contextualizing Polymathy
Although a polymath is merely defined as "an individual whose knowledge spans a significant number of subjects" there are many traits that contribute to the development of a polymath. They are inherently voracious learners, their desire to learn extends beyond any one subject and they are eager to explore all of the knowledge the world has to offer. Because of their desire to learn, polymaths are usually passionate readers, because reading enables them to independently study anything and everything that interests them. Curiosity is an essential aspect of polymathy.
Those who become polymaths usually fail to "fit into a box", and refuse to specialize themselves to a single area of study. Depending on their upbringing, this means that polymaths can occasionally do rather poorly in school sometimes even opting out of a college education. This is due to their rejection of today's specialization driven society. Interdisciplinary learners are reluctant to assign themselves to a single major, and can often take to designing their own. Similarly, many polymaths find careers as entrepreneurs because of the freedom such an occupation grants them to explore different interests.
Some individuals are naturally more inclined to be polymaths, but upbringing plays a significant role in developing a passion for learning, that which leads to interdisciplinary pursuits. Families that encourage children to try new things and don't steer them away from subjects they may believe are less important are more likely to raise polymaths as children.
One advantage of having a wide skill set is that it enables an individual to better connect with a broader range of people. Polymaths can better relate to more people quite simply because they are more likely to share interests with other people.
Finally, polymathy can become an investment in terms of both time and money. There are instances where polymathy emerges out of necessity, where an individual raised in a lower class acquires a wide skill set in order to survive. But more commonly, polymaths invest significant time and money into sating their curiosity.
Those who become polymaths usually fail to "fit into a box", and refuse to specialize themselves to a single area of study. Depending on their upbringing, this means that polymaths can occasionally do rather poorly in school sometimes even opting out of a college education. This is due to their rejection of today's specialization driven society. Interdisciplinary learners are reluctant to assign themselves to a single major, and can often take to designing their own. Similarly, many polymaths find careers as entrepreneurs because of the freedom such an occupation grants them to explore different interests.
Some individuals are naturally more inclined to be polymaths, but upbringing plays a significant role in developing a passion for learning, that which leads to interdisciplinary pursuits. Families that encourage children to try new things and don't steer them away from subjects they may believe are less important are more likely to raise polymaths as children.
One advantage of having a wide skill set is that it enables an individual to better connect with a broader range of people. Polymaths can better relate to more people quite simply because they are more likely to share interests with other people.
Finally, polymathy can become an investment in terms of both time and money. There are instances where polymathy emerges out of necessity, where an individual raised in a lower class acquires a wide skill set in order to survive. But more commonly, polymaths invest significant time and money into sating their curiosity.
W6P1: Contextualizing Polymathy
To someone with polymathic tendencies, the idea of focusing in a single area feels like an impossibility—simply not an option—too uncomfortable
A polymath needs a variety of experiences to be happy, and if they cut out part of who they are, it feels like something is missing
several participants credited their polymathy, to some extent, to random encounters—chance meetings where opportunities presented themselves, and the polymath chose to pursue them, thus broadening their base of experiences, knowledge, and skills. Of course, accepting these opportunities involves a relatively high level of openness to experience.
In some ways, some polymaths’ identity was not something they thoughtfully created or even purposefully forged with forethought; it was dependent on meeting people who made introductions, opened doors, and planted seeds. But it also required an openness to pursue opportunities when they presented themselves. And so it appears that polymathy identity and the construct of openness to experience are, in fact, strongly linked.
the bottom line regarding polymathy identity is that it develops through social comparison, by not truly fitting in with any other single group.
Career preparation starts in school, and several polymaths talked about the disconnect between educational values in their youth, and career expectations in adulthood. A few different interviewees mentioned how confusing it was to be raised as a child who was encouraged to explore and try different things—to explore broadly, to then get to a certain point in their schooling – or be out of school – and feel pressure to pick one career area and specialize
critical thinking goes hand in hand with being polymathic, making connections across different parts of the brain.
In a study of polymaths, several participants reported having found ways to integrate their interests in both the arts and sciences/STEM into a unique career path
one of the great strengths that a polymath develops as a result of their polymathy is an ability to connect with many different types of people. The rationale participants gave for this was that essentially a polymath has a broad base of experience and knowledge, which makes it easier to find common ground with people,
Interviewed polymaths reported that job rotations to learn multiple skill sets is something that would appeal to them—and this is something that organizations might consider to attract and develop more polymaths. Job rotations would allow for the curiosity in polymaths to be satiated and for them to have a sense of continual learning and growth in their skill sets—something of value to a polymath or really anyone with a sense of curiosity or a growth mindset.
1. First, the impact of polymathy on one’s career trajectory is significant (whether positively or negatively)
2. Second, for polymaths, a narrow, focused, specialized career would not fit for them, though the idea of specialization is commonly the dominant message people hear about how to advance and succeed professionally. One respondent said that such a circumstance be “horrifying.” Even having to focus on the same type of task all day is something polymaths may try to avoid, preferring instead, variety. So, whether on a daily basis, or a career-long basis, variety is important for all polymaths.
3. Third, organizations who want to leverage the full skill set of polymaths should give them freedom, flexibility, and leeway in their work to allow the polymath to add value using their strengths. One person called it “unleashing” their talent on the job. Micromanaging was mentioned several times as something that a 125 polymath would have trouble dealing with and which would severely stunt the ability of a polymath to make the greatest contribution possible.
4. Four, polymaths who could not find the right job working for someone else often ends up creating their own job as an entrepreneur. To avoid workplace difficulties, a number of polymaths interviewed as part of this research became entrepreneurs in order to be able to combine their skill sets in unique ways, with some degree of freedom and autonomy. Becoming an entrepreneur is fraught with risk and challenges to overcome, though; it is not necessarily an easy route either. Others were able to find employers who give them enough flexibility in their roles to be able to enjoy the job enough to stay for a while. In fact, some interviewees were in jobs they were not happy in, and shared that they were looking for alternate employment opportunities.
Many different polymaths had parents who would actively teach their kids about various subjects or get involved if the child showed interest in learning about something in particular. In this way, parents sometimes took an active role in helping explore the child’s curiosity. In other cases, the parents simply allowed the child to explore independently.
If there is a single essence of polymathy, it would be that they are very strong learners. But more than just being capable of learning, they have an apparent appetite for it.
one way to improve the educational system would be to make subjects that are taught more interdisciplinary instead of being discrete stand-alone topics; making more connections between what a student is being taught would be useful in terms of helping gain a deeper level of understanding and breaking down the siloes between subject areas
Polymaths exhibit, overall, a deep curiosity and love of learning; much of this learning was self-directed.
Polymathy and learning are inseparable. And most of the time, there was no one to tell a polymath – especially as an adult—what to learn or how to learn it.
A phenomenological study by Angela Cotellessa revealed 13 themes consistent between polymaths
1. Theme One: Polymaths Define Themselves as Experts Across Disparate Disciplines
2. Theme Two: Polymath Identity Emerges from Not Fitting in A Box
3. Theme Three: Being Polymathic Impacts One’s Social Experiences
4. Theme Four: Polymaths Have Difficult Career Choices
5. Theme Five: Financial Resources Can Both Hinder and Promote Polymathy
6. Theme Six: Polymaths are Shaped by Their Families
7. Theme Seven: Polymaths Are Voracious Learners
8. Theme Eight: Polymaths are Quite Confident but May Also Experience “Imposter Syndrome”
9. Theme Nine: Polymaths Self-Identify as Highly Creative
10. Theme Ten: Polymaths Cannot Be Happy as Narrow Specialists
11. Theme Eleven: Effective Polymaths are Effective Time Managers
12. Theme Twelve: Polymathy is Due to Both Nature and Nurture but Polymathic Excellence Requires a Level of Effort and Attention
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
W5P3: Burdens of Creativity
This week I continued to read through the book "In Pursuit of Polymaths: Understanding Renaissance Persons of the 21st Century", and was once again thrilled with the sheer amount of research contained within it. I finished chapter 2 of the novel, which focused largely on the place of polymathy in today's society, and provided insight into the negative aspects of polymathy. This information is important and helped me to develop a deeper understanding of the societal impact of interdisciplinary learning. I believe that understanding the negatives can help to contextualize the positives.
The book has also allowed me to analyze the way that I learn. I believe a great deal of the information I've read applies to me as a learner, because I am also curious about multiple areas of study and enjoy connecting my skills across different fields. The information I've learned explains why I became so interested in synthetic biology after my GT ELS class last year, because synthetic biology draws from all areas of STEM and is inherently interdisciplinary.
My hope is that the rest of the book explains how one develops the traits of an interdisciplinary learner. I am also interested in how an individual's creativity quotient is calculated, and if there is any correlation between CQ and IQ.
The book has also allowed me to analyze the way that I learn. I believe a great deal of the information I've read applies to me as a learner, because I am also curious about multiple areas of study and enjoy connecting my skills across different fields. The information I've learned explains why I became so interested in synthetic biology after my GT ELS class last year, because synthetic biology draws from all areas of STEM and is inherently interdisciplinary.
My hope is that the rest of the book explains how one develops the traits of an interdisciplinary learner. I am also interested in how an individual's creativity quotient is calculated, and if there is any correlation between CQ and IQ.
W5P2: Burdens of Creativity
Polymathy, the ability to excel in skill, knowledge, or talent, across multiple different areas, is driven by curiosity and creativity. Although there are quantitative benefits to pursuing success in these multiple areas, there are also important qualitative negatives to acknowledge. Firstly, there is increased effort required to obtain varied skill sets. It takes significantly more work to master two disciplines than it does to master one. Those who have the dedication to master multiple areas are also usually out of place in the specialization driven-society observable in the modern world. Most jobs are not designed to cater to a person with multiple interest, thus, polymaths can often feel constrained by traditional employment.
Also important to note, is that in the past, polymaths have been far easier to come across. During the renaissance, there was quite simply less knowledge to obtain, so it was relatively easy to "master" everything known about a subject. Groundbreaking discoveries were more common, and jobs were less specialized, granting polymaths like Leonardo Da Vinci the freedom to express their curiosity and potential to the fullest. Nowadays, there is enough information that it has become almost impossible to learn everything about a single subject, let alone multiple. In diverting their focus, today's interdisciplinary learners are less likely to truly master any one subject. Each pursuit serves as a minor distraction that detracts from the individuals ability to make significant impacts in a single field. Still, interdisciplinary learning is advantageous because it builds a creativity that drives individuals towards success and allows for unique problem solving capabilities.
Also important to note, is that in the past, polymaths have been far easier to come across. During the renaissance, there was quite simply less knowledge to obtain, so it was relatively easy to "master" everything known about a subject. Groundbreaking discoveries were more common, and jobs were less specialized, granting polymaths like Leonardo Da Vinci the freedom to express their curiosity and potential to the fullest. Nowadays, there is enough information that it has become almost impossible to learn everything about a single subject, let alone multiple. In diverting their focus, today's interdisciplinary learners are less likely to truly master any one subject. Each pursuit serves as a minor distraction that detracts from the individuals ability to make significant impacts in a single field. Still, interdisciplinary learning is advantageous because it builds a creativity that drives individuals towards success and allows for unique problem solving capabilities.
W5P1: Burdens of Creativity
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331210839_In_Pursuit_of_Polymaths_Understanding_Renaissance_Persons_of_the_21st_Century
Polymaths are driven by curiosity; curiosity defines what it is polymaths do. In fact, in more recent times, the idea of “CQ,” has emerged which stands for curiosity quotient, similar to IQ (intelligence quotient) (White, 2009)
These types of people are more likely to have high levels of knowledge acquisition over their lifetimes and that level of expertise means they may interpret complex situations into familiar ones. So, individuals with high CQs are often very adept at producing simple solutions to complex problems (Chamorro-Premuzic, 2014)
Curiosity is associated with higher academic performance (Von Stumm, Hell, and Chamorro-Premuzic, 2011). People who are highly curious engage in deep learning and may be intrinsically motivated (have an internal locus of control) to study subjects beyond what is even required—beyond simple compliance; this intrinsic motivation may come from the values they hold, their upbringing, culture, etc
Self Actualization: “the full use and exploitation of [one’s] talents, capacities, potentialities, etc.” (Maslow, 1970, p. 150)
there are drawbacks to being a multi-disciplinary expert. Obviously, one drawback is the amount of time and resources it takes to become expert in multiple fields (Terjesen and Politis, 2015)
multi-disciplinary experts tend to publish less and be less visible (Leahey, 2007). As a result, multi-disciplinary scholars may have a harder time gaining legitimacy (Terjesen and Politis, 2015).
Another downside is the difficulty involved in learning vast amounts of disparate information (Jones, 2009). “If knowledge accumulates as technology advances, then successive generations of innovators may face an increasing educational burden." (Jones, 2009, p. 283). It is significantly more difficult to master multiple fields today than it was in the past due to the increased amount of information known by mankind.
Polymaths may be viewed negatively as well, given the society we live in tends to value single-discipline expertise (Terjesen and Politis, 2015)
polymathy “may be a vice as much as a virtue in this age of specialization” (Robinson, 2006, p. 409).
People with high creativity can become dissatisfied and frustrated if jobs are mechanical or unchallenging
Creativity is important to consider when studying polymaths because it relates to the ability to do divergent thinking (Gibson, Folley, and Park, 2009)
in recent years, efforts have been underway to understand how to develop capabilities to be innovative so that such educational interventions can be implemented for gifted children so that they will grow into adult innovators (Shavinina, 2013)
46-90
Polymaths are driven by curiosity; curiosity defines what it is polymaths do. In fact, in more recent times, the idea of “CQ,” has emerged which stands for curiosity quotient, similar to IQ (intelligence quotient) (White, 2009)
These types of people are more likely to have high levels of knowledge acquisition over their lifetimes and that level of expertise means they may interpret complex situations into familiar ones. So, individuals with high CQs are often very adept at producing simple solutions to complex problems (Chamorro-Premuzic, 2014)
Curiosity is associated with higher academic performance (Von Stumm, Hell, and Chamorro-Premuzic, 2011). People who are highly curious engage in deep learning and may be intrinsically motivated (have an internal locus of control) to study subjects beyond what is even required—beyond simple compliance; this intrinsic motivation may come from the values they hold, their upbringing, culture, etc
Self Actualization: “the full use and exploitation of [one’s] talents, capacities, potentialities, etc.” (Maslow, 1970, p. 150)
there are drawbacks to being a multi-disciplinary expert. Obviously, one drawback is the amount of time and resources it takes to become expert in multiple fields (Terjesen and Politis, 2015)
multi-disciplinary experts tend to publish less and be less visible (Leahey, 2007). As a result, multi-disciplinary scholars may have a harder time gaining legitimacy (Terjesen and Politis, 2015).
Another downside is the difficulty involved in learning vast amounts of disparate information (Jones, 2009). “If knowledge accumulates as technology advances, then successive generations of innovators may face an increasing educational burden." (Jones, 2009, p. 283). It is significantly more difficult to master multiple fields today than it was in the past due to the increased amount of information known by mankind.
Polymaths may be viewed negatively as well, given the society we live in tends to value single-discipline expertise (Terjesen and Politis, 2015)
polymathy “may be a vice as much as a virtue in this age of specialization” (Robinson, 2006, p. 409).
People with high creativity can become dissatisfied and frustrated if jobs are mechanical or unchallenging
Creativity is important to consider when studying polymaths because it relates to the ability to do divergent thinking (Gibson, Folley, and Park, 2009)
in recent years, efforts have been underway to understand how to develop capabilities to be innovative so that such educational interventions can be implemented for gifted children so that they will grow into adult innovators (Shavinina, 2013)
46-90
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
W4P3: Orgins of Polymathy
I could not be happier with my research this week. I came across a 288 page research paper containing plenty of credible citations to studies regarding polymathy, and the sheer amount of of information in the document meant I could only discuss 45 pages of it in this weeks blogs. I am excited to see how the rest of the article expands upon its topics like polymathy and interdisciplinary learning as I continue reading it. It was also nice that the paper validated a lot of my instincts about how cultural shifts since the renaissance have made it more difficult to achieve interdisciplinary success in the same way that the most famous polymaths did.
I hope that as I continue reading, I will find more information about the neuroscience aspect, although I have my doubts that there is any information about the brains of polymaths because I have been looking all week. Besides that, I hope the paper specifically goes into the benefits of studying visual arts because that is what my edX course is about and I don't want my independent research to diverge to far from the course I'm taking.
I hope that as I continue reading, I will find more information about the neuroscience aspect, although I have my doubts that there is any information about the brains of polymaths because I have been looking all week. Besides that, I hope the paper specifically goes into the benefits of studying visual arts because that is what my edX course is about and I don't want my independent research to diverge to far from the course I'm taking.
W4P2: Orgins of Polymathy
The idea of polymathy, maintaining intellectual pursuits across several distinctly different disciplines, was largely introduced during the renaissance. During this period of time, artists and scientists like Leonardo Da Vinci were encouraged to explore interdisciplinary, and largely successful due to the amount of information there was yet to be discovered during that time period.
In modern society, it has been made increasingly difficult to emulate the successes of the most famous polymaths. This is due to a shift towards careers and education systems that favor specialization. The industrial revolution popularized the "assembly-line" mentality in which each individual is to become a specialist in a very particular niche, instead of gathering a range of skills in different areas.
However, there are still quantifiable benefits to polymathy in today's world. Interdisciplinary learning teaches important problem-solving skills, and also allows its participants to hone their creativity. Complexity theory claims that modern problems are inherently interdisciplinary and will require interdisciplinary solutions, thus there is still a significant role for polymaths in the workforce. On top of that, polymathy can to an extent be taught. People begin to specialize themselves in school, as a result of curriculum that pushes students to excel academically rather than explore areas like the arts. Although some students are inherently more curious, and naturally interdisciplinary learners, varying the subjects taught in school and emphasizing interdisciplinary learning has been proven to increase polymathy in students.
In modern society, it has been made increasingly difficult to emulate the successes of the most famous polymaths. This is due to a shift towards careers and education systems that favor specialization. The industrial revolution popularized the "assembly-line" mentality in which each individual is to become a specialist in a very particular niche, instead of gathering a range of skills in different areas.
However, there are still quantifiable benefits to polymathy in today's world. Interdisciplinary learning teaches important problem-solving skills, and also allows its participants to hone their creativity. Complexity theory claims that modern problems are inherently interdisciplinary and will require interdisciplinary solutions, thus there is still a significant role for polymaths in the workforce. On top of that, polymathy can to an extent be taught. People begin to specialize themselves in school, as a result of curriculum that pushes students to excel academically rather than explore areas like the arts. Although some students are inherently more curious, and naturally interdisciplinary learners, varying the subjects taught in school and emphasizing interdisciplinary learning has been proven to increase polymathy in students.
W4P1: Orgins of Polymathy
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Angela_Cotellessa/publication/331210839_In_Pursuit_of_Polymaths_Understanding_Renaissance_Persons_of_the_21st_Century/links/5c6c5cc4299bf1e3a5b633b4/In-Pursuit-of-Polymaths-Understanding-Renaissance-Persons-of-the-21st-Century.pdf
pages 1-46
J. H. Van’t Hoff had a hypothesis that “the greatest scientists, unlike their less able colleagues, displayed their imaginative ability outside of science as well as within it”
Polymath(s) or polymathy: The word polymathḗs, equivalent to polymaths in English, first appeared around the year 1615 in Greece, with poly meaning “many” and mathḗs deriving from the word manthánein which means to learn; so a polymath is someone with many learnings (Dictionary.com). The term ‘polymath’ has been in use since the Renaissance and refers to very learned scholars who were distinguished not only by their unique genius in particular fields of interest, but also by their noteworthy ability to traverse different fields of specialization and to sometimes see their interconnections (MacLachlan, 2009). A similar 24 notion, multi-disciplinarity, draws upon knowledge from different disciplines (Choi and Pak, 2006). Polymaths who pursue different areas of knowledge tend to understand things more broadly, developing an appreciation for a variety of different fields, and also are able to enjoy the experiences afforded to them across those various fields (Lang, 2014).
There is some evidence to indicate that polymaths become that way due, in part, to their environment. For instance, a number of studies have shown that there is little correlation between creativity and being innately gifted or talented; instead, the studies indicate that creative people are more broadly trained, have more avocational interests, and show increased abilities in those interests than the average individual does (RootBernstein, 2015).
Given it seems possible that polymathy may be fostered in individuals—rather than simply being an inborn trait—it is worth understanding the phenomenon even more, since there can be great benefits to polymathic thinking and skills.
The renaissance encouraged interdisciplinary study, they “took pleasure in wide-ranging, learned discourse and what they called ‘improvement’” (Ross, 2011, p. 412). In contrast, today's society is one that emphasizes specialization, partially because of how wide the expanse of human knowledge has become, and partially due to the systematic, assembly line approach to work introduced by the industrial revolution.
“The university institution is largely monolithic and path-dependent, perpetuating discipline-based scholarship and sometimes creating new niches that are even more specialized. Such hyper-specialization expands exponentially, often without an integrative moment” (Terjesen and Politis, 2015, p. 151)
Most academic journals also lack multi-disciplinarity, and if they do, it tends to be in fields that are different but closely related, like accounting and finance (Terjesen and Politis, 2015). As a general rule—whether inside academia or not—disciplinary specialization is common in our time (Ross, 2011). It is somewhat counterintuitive that this would be the case given the myriad examples throughout history of polymaths’ extraordinary contributions to the world
Leonardo da Vinci "was able to jump between all of these fields to make valuable contributions when they were still young sciences…he bridged the gap from one profession to another when it suited his curiosity and his insights.” (Smith, 2014, p. 58-59)
Although the dominant paradigm we currently experience in the 21st century is focused on singular discipline-based scholarship, the problems of the world require more multi-disciplinary approaches to solve them (Terjesen and Politis, 2015)
Some examples 45 of problems that will need multi-disciplinary solutions include addressing “sustainable development challenges such as climate change, widespread poverty, and gender inequality…cancer, terrorism, unemployment, AIDS, cybersecurity, and sustainable energy” (Terjesen and Politis, 2015, p. 152-153)
Complexity Theory: problems are more than a sum of their parts and naturally contain aspects from more than a single area of study, thus, an understanding of all of the systems behind a problem is required to solve it.
Multi-disciplinarity provides benefits to society as well as individuals (Terjesen and Politis, 2015). For example, generalists are better at forecasting what will happen in the future (Tetlock and Gardner, 2015)
Individuals can also experience professional and personal benefits from being polymathic. For example, researchers who are too specialized are less likely to get promoted (Leahey et al., 2010), whereas those who work in various disciplines tend to 46 receive more citations (Leahey, 2007)
Multi-disciplinarity also gives way for new linkages and creativity to emerge; indeed, knowledge in one discipline can often inspire or be applied to other disciplines (Terjesen and Politis, 2015)
the most successful scientists, including 4 different Nobel laureates, tended to be engaged in the fine arts or an avocation around crafts when compared to their less successful counterparts (Root-Bernstein, Bernstein, & Garnier, 1995)
pages 1-46
J. H. Van’t Hoff had a hypothesis that “the greatest scientists, unlike their less able colleagues, displayed their imaginative ability outside of science as well as within it”
Polymath(s) or polymathy: The word polymathḗs, equivalent to polymaths in English, first appeared around the year 1615 in Greece, with poly meaning “many” and mathḗs deriving from the word manthánein which means to learn; so a polymath is someone with many learnings (Dictionary.com). The term ‘polymath’ has been in use since the Renaissance and refers to very learned scholars who were distinguished not only by their unique genius in particular fields of interest, but also by their noteworthy ability to traverse different fields of specialization and to sometimes see their interconnections (MacLachlan, 2009). A similar 24 notion, multi-disciplinarity, draws upon knowledge from different disciplines (Choi and Pak, 2006). Polymaths who pursue different areas of knowledge tend to understand things more broadly, developing an appreciation for a variety of different fields, and also are able to enjoy the experiences afforded to them across those various fields (Lang, 2014).
There is some evidence to indicate that polymaths become that way due, in part, to their environment. For instance, a number of studies have shown that there is little correlation between creativity and being innately gifted or talented; instead, the studies indicate that creative people are more broadly trained, have more avocational interests, and show increased abilities in those interests than the average individual does (RootBernstein, 2015).
Given it seems possible that polymathy may be fostered in individuals—rather than simply being an inborn trait—it is worth understanding the phenomenon even more, since there can be great benefits to polymathic thinking and skills.
The renaissance encouraged interdisciplinary study, they “took pleasure in wide-ranging, learned discourse and what they called ‘improvement’” (Ross, 2011, p. 412). In contrast, today's society is one that emphasizes specialization, partially because of how wide the expanse of human knowledge has become, and partially due to the systematic, assembly line approach to work introduced by the industrial revolution.
“The university institution is largely monolithic and path-dependent, perpetuating discipline-based scholarship and sometimes creating new niches that are even more specialized. Such hyper-specialization expands exponentially, often without an integrative moment” (Terjesen and Politis, 2015, p. 151)
Most academic journals also lack multi-disciplinarity, and if they do, it tends to be in fields that are different but closely related, like accounting and finance (Terjesen and Politis, 2015). As a general rule—whether inside academia or not—disciplinary specialization is common in our time (Ross, 2011). It is somewhat counterintuitive that this would be the case given the myriad examples throughout history of polymaths’ extraordinary contributions to the world
Leonardo da Vinci "was able to jump between all of these fields to make valuable contributions when they were still young sciences…he bridged the gap from one profession to another when it suited his curiosity and his insights.” (Smith, 2014, p. 58-59)
Although the dominant paradigm we currently experience in the 21st century is focused on singular discipline-based scholarship, the problems of the world require more multi-disciplinary approaches to solve them (Terjesen and Politis, 2015)
Some examples 45 of problems that will need multi-disciplinary solutions include addressing “sustainable development challenges such as climate change, widespread poverty, and gender inequality…cancer, terrorism, unemployment, AIDS, cybersecurity, and sustainable energy” (Terjesen and Politis, 2015, p. 152-153)
Complexity Theory: problems are more than a sum of their parts and naturally contain aspects from more than a single area of study, thus, an understanding of all of the systems behind a problem is required to solve it.
Multi-disciplinarity provides benefits to society as well as individuals (Terjesen and Politis, 2015). For example, generalists are better at forecasting what will happen in the future (Tetlock and Gardner, 2015)
Individuals can also experience professional and personal benefits from being polymathic. For example, researchers who are too specialized are less likely to get promoted (Leahey et al., 2010), whereas those who work in various disciplines tend to 46 receive more citations (Leahey, 2007)
Multi-disciplinarity also gives way for new linkages and creativity to emerge; indeed, knowledge in one discipline can often inspire or be applied to other disciplines (Terjesen and Politis, 2015)
the most successful scientists, including 4 different Nobel laureates, tended to be engaged in the fine arts or an avocation around crafts when compared to their less successful counterparts (Root-Bernstein, Bernstein, & Garnier, 1995)
Saturday, September 21, 2019
W3P3: Observational Drawing
The emphasis placed on close observation and precise measurement by the course this week fits well into the idea that visual arts build skills that help in the sciences. Despite the course not drawing those connections itself, it's implied that Natural History Illustrators have a fascination with the world around them very similarly to the way that scientific researchers do. I think that the general overlap of interests is what leads great Polymaths like Leonardo da Vinci to pursue different outlets for their curiosity in the arts and sciences.
I wonder if there are any other similarities between artists and scientists besides curiosity and wanting to document the natural world? Clearly, both require a variety of technical skill and attention to detail, but are there any other areas where the two fields overlap?
I wonder if there are any other similarities between artists and scientists besides curiosity and wanting to document the natural world? Clearly, both require a variety of technical skill and attention to detail, but are there any other areas where the two fields overlap?
Friday, September 20, 2019
W3P2: Observational Drawing
The thing that sets observational drawing apart from other forms of drawing and painting is the immense attention to detail that it requires. Natural History Illustrators are responsible for depicting nature as accurately as possible and to do so must use specialized measurement, shading, and observation techniques. It is also important for these artists to understand the context of their illustrations so as to represent subjects in motion or interacting with the environment.
In order to measure subjects, many Natural History Illustrators use bounding boxes. This technique helps to define proportions within the illustration. On top of specialized observational skills, Natural History Illustrators also employ the elements and principles of art as other artists would.
In order to measure subjects, many Natural History Illustrators use bounding boxes. This technique helps to define proportions within the illustration. On top of specialized observational skills, Natural History Illustrators also employ the elements and principles of art as other artists would.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
W3P1: Observational Drawing
Observational drawing skills involve being able to accurately observe, contemplate, measure, simplify, and draw subjects in nature.
"Drawing, properly taught, is the best way of developing intelligence and forming judgement, for one learns to see, and seeing is knowledge." (Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc 1883: p.305)
Observational drawing simply means drawing what you see. The job of Natural History Illustrators is to draw and represent objects as accurately as possible using observational drawing skills.
When studying an object, think. Think about the overall shape, and the shape of the individual components. Think about the size and proportion. Think about the texture of the surface, the tones and the markings. Think about how it was formed, and try to identify the key characteristics that need to be depicted. Slow down and contemplate the object, become familiar with all of its intricate details before even picking up the pencil.
It's also vital to measure subjects to ensure that they are being depicted accurately in terms of scale.
Transcribing from three dimensions to two is tricky, and you should always consider the structure and form of the object you are depicting. This is particularly important when drawing the edges of your object. Let them curve away from you rather than coming to an abrupt end. Look at where the light hits the surface and where the shadows are placed and mark these areas onto your sketch.
Keep in mind the surface form and the underlying structure of the object you are drawing.
It's also important to record context notes that can be used later when refining a sketch.
Overlapping – The placement in a composition of one object in front of another in order to create the illusion of depth
Relative size – The size of one object in relation to another. For example, a tree in the foreground would be painted much larger than a tree in the background
Graduating tone – Tones weaken the further away they are therefore lighter tones should be used in the background and stronger tones in the foreground
Line weight – Heavier lines should be used for the objects closer to the viewer and softer lines for the elements that are further away
Colour – The value and intensity of colours change depending on the distance of the object from the viewer. Objects that are close to the viewer should be strong and vibrant while objects that are further away should be softer and bluer
Details – Objects that are closer to the viewer should have more details than those that are further away
Directing the eye flow – Use minor objects (the support characters) to direct the viewer’s eyes towards the focal point. In the example below, the higher monkey is the focal point and the lower monkey and the branch it is sitting on are leading the viewers eyes to the focal point.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
W2P3: The Correlations Between Art and Scientific Success
I was pleasantly surprised this week when I discovered the amount of scientific research that has been done into polymathy. Choosing to focus on a single article this week, I read through a 13 page study and gained several statistics that will be useful as I move forward and try to form an argument for my presentation. I think that there is a good balance between the fluidity of the edX course that focuses mainly on artistic skills and the rigidity of the more quantitative research papers I found that will enable me to take my learning in a direction that suits me. I am genuinely excited to learn more about the science behind the minds of famous polymaths like Leonardo Da Vinci.
The questions I have this week are:
How does pursuing the arts change the brain? Do the arts have a concrete, quantifiable means of changing the brain? Is there a discipline of science that lends itself to art more than others?
Also as a means of documenting my learning, I will occasionally use this third post to share natural history illustrations I have produced while following the course. Here is a goose for your viewing pleasure.
The questions I have this week are:
How does pursuing the arts change the brain? Do the arts have a concrete, quantifiable means of changing the brain? Is there a discipline of science that lends itself to art more than others?
Also as a means of documenting my learning, I will occasionally use this third post to share natural history illustrations I have produced while following the course. Here is a goose for your viewing pleasure.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
W2P2: Correlations between the Arts and Scientific Success
Over the years, several scientific studies have identified a quantifiable correlation between artistic pursuits and scientific success. One theory as to why this is that individuals truly passionate about learning exhibit dedication in across all fields of study. These individuals can usually be classified as polymaths, or people who excel and learn in multiple disciplines. Many researchers believe that the most successful scientists have an unquenchable curiosity that contributes to their success in research, but also leads them to pursue other outlets for that curiosity.
Although it may be hard to believe, curiosity is a key element to scientific discovery. Those who dare to question and observe the world around them have a tendency to succeed in the sciences, but those attributes also often lead to those people exploring the world through artistic means. Creative individuals have the greatest potential to change the world. Creativity heightens ones ability to solve problems and is often the largest contributor to scientific breakthroughs.
A study by R. M. Milgram concluded that having intellectually stimulating hobbies like the arts indicates potential for career success better than standardized testing scores. This is because of the traits that these hobbies endow in their participants. People who engage in the arts foster creativity, attention to detail, and observational skills that become helpful in virtually any career path, especially the sciences.
Although it may be hard to believe, curiosity is a key element to scientific discovery. Those who dare to question and observe the world around them have a tendency to succeed in the sciences, but those attributes also often lead to those people exploring the world through artistic means. Creative individuals have the greatest potential to change the world. Creativity heightens ones ability to solve problems and is often the largest contributor to scientific breakthroughs.
A study by R. M. Milgram concluded that having intellectually stimulating hobbies like the arts indicates potential for career success better than standardized testing scores. This is because of the traits that these hobbies endow in their participants. People who engage in the arts foster creativity, attention to detail, and observational skills that become helpful in virtually any career path, especially the sciences.
W2P1: Correlations between the Arts and Scientific Success
Polymathy- The ability to learn and excel in multiple different fields
Renaissance Man- A person with many talents, or areas of study
Notes from "Arts Foster Scientific Success: Avocations of Nobel, National Academy, Royal Society, and Sigma Xi Members" by Robert Root-Bernstein, PhD
http://emilkirkegaard.dk/en/wp-content/uploads/Arts-Foster-Scientific-Success-OCR.pdf
Being good at one thing increases odds of being good at another, those good in art have a tendency to also be good in science.
White study (1931): “geniuses” have a wider range of avocations carried out more intensively than the average college graduate
Milgram study: having at least one persistent and intellectually stimulating hobby is a better predictor for career success in any discipline than IQ, standardized test scores, or grades.
Bebow study: Precocity in scoring very high on standardized tests such as the SAT also has been shown to be predictive of creativity and career success
Root-Bernstein:
Creative process is a transdisciplinary link between the sciences and arts (cf., Bohm & Peat, 1987).
For C. H. Waddington, understanding how art was made was a way to understand his own field of embryology, because, “An art object is always an instruction, to do or to experience, not a piece of information; and living things are organized instructions, not organized information” (Waddington, 1972, p. 37)
1947 poll by the starred scientists in American Men of Science: while 74% reported little (35% ) or no (39% ) fine arts training, 80% strongly recommended fine arts training as an essential component of scientific education
Both visual arts and science require "unusual degree of curiosity, desire for learning, puzzle solving, and a desire to think carefully about ideas"
Renaissance Man- A person with many talents, or areas of study
Notes from "Arts Foster Scientific Success: Avocations of Nobel, National Academy, Royal Society, and Sigma Xi Members" by Robert Root-Bernstein, PhD
http://emilkirkegaard.dk/en/wp-content/uploads/Arts-Foster-Scientific-Success-OCR.pdf
Being good at one thing increases odds of being good at another, those good in art have a tendency to also be good in science.
White study (1931): “geniuses” have a wider range of avocations carried out more intensively than the average college graduate
Milgram study: having at least one persistent and intellectually stimulating hobby is a better predictor for career success in any discipline than IQ, standardized test scores, or grades.
Bebow study: Precocity in scoring very high on standardized tests such as the SAT also has been shown to be predictive of creativity and career success
Root-Bernstein:
It has been shown that innovative scientists develop
“correlative talents” (Root-Bernstein, 1989) that
combine their vocations and avocations into what
have been variously called “integrated activity sets”
(Dewey, 1934) or “networks of enterprise” (Gruber,
1984, 1988). These terms describe the ability of creative scientists to explore a wide range of apparently
unrelated activities and to connect the knowledge
and skills gained thereby into integrated networks that can be brought, effectively to bear in raising and
solving important scientific problems.
Fine arts also develop skills of value to scientists.
J. H. van’t Hoff (NP) (1967), Wilhelm Ostwald (NP)
(1909), Santiago Ramon y Cajal (NP) (1951), and Max
Planck (NP) all argued in Planck’s words that, “The
pioneer scientist must have . . . [an] artistically creative
imagination” (Planck, 1949, p. 8)
Creative process is a transdisciplinary link between the sciences and arts (cf., Bohm & Peat, 1987).
For C. H. Waddington, understanding how art was made was a way to understand his own field of embryology, because, “An art object is always an instruction, to do or to experience, not a piece of information; and living things are organized instructions, not organized information” (Waddington, 1972, p. 37)
1947 poll by the starred scientists in American Men of Science: while 74% reported little (35% ) or no (39% ) fine arts training, 80% strongly recommended fine arts training as an essential component of scientific education
Both visual arts and science require "unusual degree of curiosity, desire for learning, puzzle solving, and a desire to think carefully about ideas"
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
W1P3: Intro to Natural History Illustration
I can already tell that I'm going to need to supplement this edX course with a great deal of outside material. My plan was to focus my learning on the relationship between art and science and it's my understanding that this course leans strongly towards the arts and different drawing techniques. I am still excited to take the class and I plan on using my learning in order to produce art throughout the semester. I plan at this point on alternating weeks where I study the course with weeks where I do outside research more geared towards the sciences
My main question as of now is how much of the edX class material is going to be relevant to my final presentation. I am also wondering where I am going to find the material to independent study and what direction that material is going to take my learning.
My main question as of now is how much of the edX class material is going to be relevant to my final presentation. I am also wondering where I am going to find the material to independent study and what direction that material is going to take my learning.
W1P2: Intro to Natural History Illustration
I have decided to take the edX course "Drawing Nature, Science, and Culture: Natural History Illustration 101" through the University of Newcastle for GT ELS this semester. The first week's worth of content was focused on establishing the foundations and importance of Natural History Illustration as well as giving examples of famous Australian Natural History Illustrators.
Natural History Illustration is an ancient practice that has been used since the beginning of humans' existence on Earth in order to document the natural world. This documentation of life has served an important function in scientific research over time because of the attention to detail of more recent Natural History Illustrations. Famously, many renaissance thinkers like Leonardo Da Vinci used both Natural History Illustration and scientific research together in order to advance their understanding of the natural world to a greater degree.
Today, there are two prevailing styles of Natural History Illustration. Ecological style illustrations focus on showing subjects in context, often drawing or painting the setting in which their subject can be found. These illustrations usually contain multiple specimens even if they are focused on only one. The other style of Natural History Illustration, Linnean style is inspired by the German illustrator Georg Ehret who worked with Linneus to classify specimens. Ehret's style was geared towards helping researchers and displayed usually just one subject, often with parts magnified to show them in greater detail.
Natural History Illustration is an ancient practice that has been used since the beginning of humans' existence on Earth in order to document the natural world. This documentation of life has served an important function in scientific research over time because of the attention to detail of more recent Natural History Illustrations. Famously, many renaissance thinkers like Leonardo Da Vinci used both Natural History Illustration and scientific research together in order to advance their understanding of the natural world to a greater degree.
Today, there are two prevailing styles of Natural History Illustration. Ecological style illustrations focus on showing subjects in context, often drawing or painting the setting in which their subject can be found. These illustrations usually contain multiple specimens even if they are focused on only one. The other style of Natural History Illustration, Linnean style is inspired by the German illustrator Georg Ehret who worked with Linneus to classify specimens. Ehret's style was geared towards helping researchers and displayed usually just one subject, often with parts magnified to show them in greater detail.
W1P1: Intro to Natural History Illustration
Natural History Illustration has been a tool used by humans for thousands of years in order to document and better understand the natural world around them.
Examples of NHI can be seen in the cave paintings produced by early humans, the Renaissance thinkers, and modern scientific explorers
Professional Natural History Illustrators learn from Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, George Stubbs, Sydney Parkinson, Ferdinand Bauer, George Forster, David Roberts and the formidably braveThe purpose of natural history art is to assist the scientist in their work of identifying, describing, classifying and naming a speciesLinnaeus' classification system was aided by the german natural history illustrator Georg EhretLinnaean style NHI: Inspired by Ehret's artwork, this illustration is designed to assist scientists as best as possible. Subjects are rendered in color, but certain parts are magnified to be shown in greater detail. Ecological style: Inspired by the naturalists and William Bartram, this style illustrates subjects as they appear in the wild, often surrounded by other natural elements. Natural History Illustrators are visual learners (Hey! Just like me!) who are responsible for collaborating with others, and having a keen eye that often notices details missed by researchers.NHI is different from other forms of art because of the careful observation skills it demands.The Newcastle course has granted all participants access to JSTOR's digital plant specimen database that I will use to obtain references throughout the course.
Maria Sibylla Merian, Ellis Rowan and Margaret Mee among other artists.
Examples of NHI can be seen in the cave paintings produced by early humans, the Renaissance thinkers, and modern scientific explorers
Professional Natural History Illustrators learn from Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, George Stubbs, Sydney Parkinson, Ferdinand Bauer, George Forster, David Roberts and the formidably braveThe purpose of natural history art is to assist the scientist in their work of identifying, describing, classifying and naming a speciesLinnaeus' classification system was aided by the german natural history illustrator Georg EhretLinnaean style NHI: Inspired by Ehret's artwork, this illustration is designed to assist scientists as best as possible. Subjects are rendered in color, but certain parts are magnified to be shown in greater detail. Ecological style: Inspired by the naturalists and William Bartram, this style illustrates subjects as they appear in the wild, often surrounded by other natural elements. Natural History Illustrators are visual learners (Hey! Just like me!) who are responsible for collaborating with others, and having a keen eye that often notices details missed by researchers.NHI is different from other forms of art because of the careful observation skills it demands.The Newcastle course has granted all participants access to JSTOR's digital plant specimen database that I will use to obtain references throughout the course.
Maria Sibylla Merian, Ellis Rowan and Margaret Mee among other artists.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Introduction
This time for GT ELS I have decided to take the edx.org class "Drawing Nature, Science and Culture: Natural History Illustration 101" through the University of Newcastle. I chose this course because although many people know me as a STEM kid, I'm also heavily involved in the arts. I've always been fascinated by famous "renaissance men" like Aristotle, or the titular Leonardo Da Vinci and their interdisciplinary curiosity. I too am curious about the world as a whole. All of these renaissance men are similar in that their scientific research is heavily supported by their work in the arts. In taking this course, I hope that I can better understand how to use my interest in the arts to further my understanding of the sciences.The course I'll be taking seems to focus significantly more on art, so I hope that I'll be able to supplement my edx learning with independent research into the modern benefits of interdisciplinary learning. Additionally, I hope to be able to document my learning not only through my blogs, but also through creating artwork that I can share within my blogs or in my final presentation.
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