Artistic Thinking: Week 13 - Read and React

Studio Thinking – Stretch & Explore

Read:

Chapter 11: Learning to Stretch and Explore by Hetland

            In this chapter, Hetland gives examples of how two teachers encourage students to explore and experiment with materials. Both examples are ceramic sculpture classes in which students are encouraged to go beyond what they know already about materials to play with alternative possibilities. The teachers talk with students about their experiences with stretching their abilities to explain that it involves getting out of their comfort zones. The author describes one project where students experience clay by quickly creating creatures and then destroying the results. Without the worry of how the final piece will end up, students are free to experiment with the material without judgment. Students are encouraged to create unique tools, take advantage of “happy” accidents, and to experiment with multiple versions of an idea.

The Role of Artistic Play in Problem Solving by Pitri

            In this article, Pitri discusses artistic play for children in the art classroom. Arguing that pleasure and recreation are a part of, but should not be the only definition of play, the author states that players are concerned with the process of the activity over its final results (p. 47). Pitri gives an example of artistic play through a project in which children explore, design, build, and problem-solve ways to keep an imaginary Princess dry in an unexpected rain shower. While problem solving the young students unconsciously create and test hypotheses. By being encouraged to make use of knowledge acquired so far during their childhood, they were able to encounter new evidence to test their knowledge and create new knowledge. Through artistic play, children can experiment and develop reasoning and problem solving abilities.

Chapter 8: Play by Pink

            In this chapter, Pink describes the importance of play for personal well-being and emotional intelligence through games, humor, and joy. Pink cites James Gee, author of What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy, who says, “When kids play video games they can experience a much more powerful form of learning than when they’re in the classroom. Learning isn’t about memorizing isolated facts. It’s about connecting and manipulating them” (p. 193). When discussing the importance of play, Pink also describes how the comprehension of a joke involves both the logical left-brain and the metaphor-loving right brain. Research into laughter shows it to decrease stress hormones, boost immunity, and activate the cardiovascular system. Pink argues that play through games, humor, and joyful laughter can lead to improved creativity and productivity.

TEDtalk: On Creativity and Play by T. Brown

            In this talk, Tim Brown discusses three aspects of play that contribute to increased creativity: (1) working in quantity, (2) construction and prototype building, and (3) role-playing. He encourages being open to all possibilities by asking simple questions such as “What is it?” and “What can I do with it?” As a reminder, Tim Brown encourages productive play by the creation of agreed upon rules by all players and making play activities into a game.

TEDtalk: Play is More than Fun by S. Brown

            In this talk, Stuart Brown encourages play that is social, physical, inquisitive, involves rituals, and uses narrative. He is currently interested in the effects of play on the human brain. For Brown, play is not one thing, but many things with no particular purpose or goal other than experimentation and exploration. He also describes the increased ability to problem-solve in adults who have played in ways that are physical and involves hands-on construction activities.

React:

            For the most part, all of the readings have aspects of play that are consistent across the texts/talks: (1) the importance of exploration and the process of experimentation over the final product and (2) that play should involve hands-on construction. These aspects are already a part of art education as we explore materials! As I was exploring and “playing” during this week’s activities I found myself looking for a way to keep the “hands-on” benefits of play and problem solving when using computer software. There are already ways to simulate the feeling of drawing in software programs through devices such as Wacom tablets. I have a small tablet attached to my home PC that I bought almost 5 years ago that I love using and still works great! The iPad (which I experimented with the play concept of quantity with) also allows the user to interact in a more “hands on” way with applications. It would be interesting to see if the same parts of the brain are activated when working with these types of computers/devices as when performing activities involving our hands!

References:

Brown, T. (May 2008). On creativity and play [Video file]. Retrieved from: http://www.ted.com/talks/tim_brown_on_creativity_and_play.html

Brown, S. (May 2008). Play is more than fun; it’s vital [Video file]. Retrieved from: http://www.ted.com/talks/stuart_brown_says_play_is_more_than_fun_it_s_vital.html

Hetland, L. (2007). Studio Thinking. New York: Teachers College Press.

Pink, D. (2006). A whole new mind. New York: Riverhead.

Pitri, E. (2001). The role of artistic play in problem solving. Art Education, (54)3, 46-51.