AN INVESTIGATION OF ART TEACHING ON THE AFFECTIVE AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the influence of art teaching on the affective and cognitive development of secondary school students in Nigeria. Descriptive Survey method of research was used. Simple random sampling method was used to select 140 art students and 14 teachers from 14 selected secondary schools. The objectives of the study were to document the influence of art education on the affective and cognitive development of the learners; find ways to improve the affective and cognitive development of the learners through knowledge application; stimulate research activities in Art Education in secondary school educational and curricula development and to advocate for increased involvement in Art Education research. The instruments used for the study were questionnaire and interview. Data collected were analyzed and results presented on tables using frequency distribution, percentage and mean score to determine acceptable and unacceptable responses and a simple percentage of data analysis was also employed. The findings of the study showed that; art plays a vital role on the affective development of the learners as art assisted them learn to manage their emotions; art influenced the cognitive development of the students by building new knowledge from prior knowledge; art can improve the affective and cognitive growth of the learner by providing a unique arena of human behavior and increasing the learners interest for learning; the evidence of art on the affective and cognitive domains of development of the learners include problem solving and attitude. The study concluded that, the value of art lies in its great potential to help learners experience learning as a holistic endeavor that connects their personal feelings with intellectual and physical skills. As a result of the findings, it is suggested that, the teachers must understand child‟s psychology and appropriate teaching strategies and choose appropriate art activities for the effective development of the learners according to their various stages of development. Arts-based teaching and learning should be encouraged so that the learner will experience the development of skills such as ability in the area of creativity, self direction and complex thinking. The art teacher requires motivation, positive disposition, a strong knowledge base, possession of adequate skills and competence. Finally it is suggested that the Federal Ministry of Education and all stakeholders should adopt workable policies which will revive the educational sector.

Background to the Study

The Child from birth to adolescence experiences some developmental changes which involves physical, intellectual, social and emotional growth. Although people change throughout their lives, developmental changes are especially dramatic in childhood. During this period, a dependent, vulnerable newborn grows into a capable young person who has mastered language, is self-aware, can think and reason with sophistication, has a distinctive personality and socializes effortlessly with others.

The school should encourage each child to identify with his own experiences. These schools should help the learners to go as far as they can in developing concepts that express their feelings and emotions. Kparevzua (2002) stressed that it is necessary for schools to train children in Art Education to acknowledge the role of art in their society and to broaden their awareness of the values inherent in the arts that are available in society.

While learning, development occurs naturally in young children, they will not occur automatically without conscious contributions from adults either as parents or as teachers (Lansky and Mukherji, 1980). Development according to Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) is related to the gradual increase in skills and abilities that occurs over a lifetime. It is comparing students prior and post knowledge experience and ability to perform, problem solve and understand ideas, concepts in many areas of life. While each person progresses as an individual, the stages of development are similar for almost everyone.

Every learning environment, class or art lesson requires different teaching strategies and tactics. Hence, it is desirable that the art teacher knows something of the various instructional methods, their advantages and limitations. These methods are the technique or
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approach the teacher adopts in trying to impart knowledge to the learner. Robert (1971) in Uzoagba and Ogboji (2008) made it clear that there is no one method of teaching art and craft and superior teachers use many methods and combination of methods.

If the learners are taught with the right method putting in mind their stages of development, creative abilities could be fostered correctly. According to Uzoagba and Ogboji (2008) to be a good art teacher, it is necessary to posses essential qualities to facilitate effective teaching. Douglas and Schwartz (1987) suggest that when the art teacher uses a carefully structured, inductive and in-depth approach to teaching, motivation will be stimulated; provides opportunities for discussions which attract attention to the complexity of art and thereby arouse curiosity; and helps children to identify the criteria by which they can evaluate themselves as they work and thereby serve as a stimulus for accomplishment.

Also the child‟s feelings of curiosity, sight, thoughts and attention span should be aroused. And suitable opportunities should be provided for training his senses. These are the means by which the child relate to the outside world, and also recognize the world. Danko-Mcghee and Slutsky (2003) suggests that one way to nurture child development is through art because the arts if properly taught are basic to individual development since they more than any subject, awaken all senses. However, children lose interest in art because of lack of motivation, non-conducive environment, poor instructional style and lack of qualified teachers among others.

Art Educators and persons concerned with healthy child development have tried to spell out the uniqueness of the child and the need to have him treated with that in mind. However, the various experiences children are introduced into in the process of educating them are capable of greatly influencing them during adulthood. That is why in art teaching
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care must be taken in the selection of appropriate methods which will suit their interests, ages and capacities. Nkom (2002) stated that learning experiences provided in any art area is aimed at or intended to contribute towards the objectives of the school education which must be relevant to student‟s developmental needs. Olalere (2006) asserted that art assist in the intellectual, emotional, physical and social growth of the learners according to the needs and capacities. Uzoagba (1978) sees art as a means of self-expression.

Bloom taxonomy was created in order to promote higher forms of thinking in Art Education, such as analyzing and evaluating concepts, processes, procedures and principles, rather than just remembering facts (rote learning). It is most often used when designing educational training and learning processes (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001). According to Clark (1999); Huitt (2011) and Sincero (2011), Bloom taxonomy identified three domains of learning: Cognitive (mental skills and knowledge); Affective ((growth in feelings or emotion); and Psychomotor (manual or physical skills).

Cognitive Domain: – Dealing with recall or recognition of knowledge and the development of intellectual abilities and skills (Bloom, 1956). Cognitive domain involves the development of our mental skills and the acquisition of knowledge. The six categories under this domain are: Knowledge; Comprehension; Application; Analysis; Synthesis; Creation.

Affective Domain: – An increasing internalization of positive attitudes toward the Content or subject matter (Kearney, 1994). Cognitive domain involves our feelings, values, emotions and attitudes. This domain is categorized into five subdomains: Receiving Phenomena; Responding to Phenomena; Valuing; Organization; Characterization.

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Psychomotor Domain- The Psychomotor domain addresses the fact that neither conscious knowledge nor values and attitudes are sufficient to explain effective performance of learned tasks (Anderson, 2001 and Simpson, 1974). This domain is associated with physical skills such as speed, dexterity, grace, use of instruments, expressive movement and use of body in dance or athletics. The seven categories under this include: Perception; Set; Guided Response; Mechanism; Complex Overt Response; Adaptation; Origination.

Huitt stated that each of which is organized as a series of levels until those below them have been covered (it is thus effectively serial in structure). As well as providing a basic sequential model for dealing with topics in the curriculum, it also suggests a way of categorizing levels of learning, in terms of the expected ceiling for a given program.

This taxonomy of learning behaviors according to Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) may be thought as the goals of the learning process. That is, after a learning episode, the learner should have acquired a new skill, knowledge and/or attitude.

Art is core at Junior Secondary School and educative at Senior Secondary School. This was since the introduction of 6-3-3-4 system of education in Nigeria in the 1980s and policy failure around Art Education. UBE 9-3-4 system of education was replaced by 6-3-3-4 system. The introduction of the 6-3-3-4 system of education in 1982 as noted by Mamza (2000) in Danjuma (2002) made art a core subject in the school curriculum especially in the junior secondary schools.

However, there is still lack of support for arts in most secondary schools in Nigeria, some schools still do not require or believe it to be a critical part of education. This according to Godwin (2009) is due to the poor implementation of the program. There is still a very
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limited awareness of the actual benefit of arts in the schools among art teachers, principals and students. With very good laid down objectives, one had expected that the curriculum would be able to provide creative, patriotic and productive Nigerians who will contribute optimally to national development, rather what we have on ground is a far cry from expectation. According to Igwe (2007) this is because they are not equipped with the requisite skills for self or paid employment.

Uzoagba (2004) explains the situation, if proper understanding of Art Education has been made and better instructions on art followed in schools and colleges, much would have been done to redeem the subject from the neglect it has always suffered in our society. Hence, the place of art in our society will depend on the recognition given to it in the curriculum in our schools, colleges and universities.

This study will examine the influence of art teaching on the affective and cognitive development of secondary school students in Lafia metropolis of Nasarawa state. The basis issues involved are: how art helps the learner develop affectively and cognitively, practical growth observable with evidence to support any claim, implications for art teachers and suggestions.