Methods

The participants in my study are an assortment of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. The selection of participants was determined by the legibility of the submitted artwork, video responses, and data submitted in person or through virtual learning platforms during remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data takes the format of artwork, writing, and recorded anecdotes from 36 participants, as well as my teacher observation notes.

This is an education-exempt study with existing data. The data from my participants was the result of the regular elementary art curriculum. Students created artist journals and were taught how to mind-map and brainstorm ideas they could explore through different material-focused lessons. Students were allotted time to choose an idea from their personal mind-map to create a work of art in their journal while using the demonstrated and self-discovered material techniques covered in a mini-lesson. Although they were guided by their mind-maps each day, the content of their daily artwork was a completely independent choice. Students had three options: to experiment with the materials and see what they discover, to

think of a new idea informed by their prior knowledge or to choose an idea from their mind-map to create artwork with the material of the day. As my students were creating their artwork, I was taking first-year teacher notes to evaluate the success of my lessons. These notes are a part of my data and have been a crucial element in helping me to describe the submitted artwork. 

The materials and artistic processes that were taught included watercolor, cut collage, torn paper collage, and drawing. Students were required to use the material of the day for their artwork, but they were free to choose their own idea to explore with the given materials. After each mini lesson, which explored the affordances of each material, students were given approximately ten to twenty minutes to express an idea of their own choosing. The next day, students were given the option to continue their artwork from the day before, or begin a new work of art for the twenty minutes of remaining class time. 

After each lesson, students submitted a photograph of their artwork through the virtual learning platforms. Students were also given the opportunity to submit their artwork again, more succinctly, at the end of the art journal learning segment. Through their recorded submissions, I obtained more verbal and written insight into the ideas explored in certain artworks.