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Rhonda Rhynes-Singletary

Introduction to Research Methods

Professor Andrea Cooper

Argosy University

January 23, 2011

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My primary research questions: How does integrating the arts promote learning using the

multiple intelligences?

Quantitative

1. The primary constructs for the research is “Arts Integration,” and how well the students

who are using arts integration comprehend from the material being presented. The

independent variable is “Arts Integration” and the dependent variable is

“Comprehension.”

2. The definition of “Arts Integration” is “when there is a natural connection between the

curriculum and the art form. The teacher teaches both the arts objective and the

curriculum objective side by side enabling students to make connections between them

and their real life world” (Ravenwood School Arts Committee, 2010). “Comprehension”

“can be defined as the capacity of the mind to perceive and understand; power to grasp

ideas; ability to know”[ CITATION dic11 \l 1033 ]. “Multiple Intelligences” “is different

types of human intelligence: the several independent forms of human intelligence that

exist, according to one psychological theory, including verbal, quantitative, spatial,

musical, kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligence” [ CITATION Enc09 \l

1033 ].

3. Data Source: The data for the quantitative research method will reflect prior studies

focused on “Arts Integration”, “Multiple Intelligences” and “comprehension.” Data will

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also reflect the sampling of students from two classrooms of students. “We observed

classroom practices of a small sample of teachers in order to gather case study

information about the “best practices” of participating teachers in the arts integration

process”[ CITATION The11 \l 1033 ]. This information is important because it helps to

clarify the need to use a specific type of data collection method. One classroom will use

Art integration while the other will continue with the traditional methods of

comprehending. Another group of students will be a group of students enrolled in a local

community program where the arts are implemented.

Qualitative

Research Questions: What effect will teaching through arts integration have on bridging the gap

in students’ comprehension when learning environments are create for students with multiple

intelligences and cultural differences? What is the relationship of using arts integration and

multiple intelligences to improve learner’s comprehension?

1. The primary phenomenon in the qualitative study is the relationship of integrating the arts

to the overall comprehension of the students.

2. The focus on inquiry is built on the relationship between the student’s perception of what

he or she is learning and the dynamics of the students’ respond to arts integrated

experiences within the classroom. The focus of inquiry is also phenomenological.

According to Smith (1997) the assumption behind phenomenology are that there is an

essence to shared experience. It comes from the social sciences and requires a researcher

to enter into an individual’s life world and use the self to interpret the individual’s (or
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group’s) experience. By using the phenomenology design I will be able to examine the

relationship of art integrated lesson to student achievement[ CITATION Law98 \l 1033 ] In

order to support the qualitative research the definition of cultural difference is as follows:

By definition, culture is what has been cultivated. It is the product of many years

of continuous history and civilization of a people. It is essentially what has grown

from the minds and creativity of a group of people that share a common heritage.

The cultural differences among individuals arise because of the influences they

have been subjected to. These influences are of two categories: (a) Those that act

in the early stages of ones formation; and (b) those that arise later as a result of

education, reading, travel, and the like[ CITATION Wha11 \l 1033 ]

3. Data will be collected from individuals who have had success within art integrated

programs, student’s response surveys, interviews, observation, and students who are

beginning to use arts integration. One study that reflects on the ideas of data collection

methods related to the study states, “The data gathered from the personal interviews,

group interviews, and observations came from teachers and classes in a variety of schools

within the school district”[ CITATION Cen01 \l 1033 ].

Mixed Methods

Research Question: Is the use of integrated art lessons a strategy to use to develop achievement

in student comprehension when there are students who possess differences in their multiple
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intelligences and students who are culturally diverse? What is the rate of learner comprehension

when art integration is added to the classroom experience?

1. The constructs for the research in the mix method model are the same as the construct

and phenomenon in the quantitative and qualitative research, the comprehension as it is

related to integrated arts within the classroom. The independent variable art integration

and the dependent variable is the student’s response to arts integration.

2. The focus of inquiry for the mixed method research will be generated from the

quantitative and qualitative research strategies. The quantitative part will reflect previous

studies on art integration, multiple intelligence and comprehension. The qualitative part

of the mixed method research focuses on examining the facts and gain an understanding

of how the experience actually affected the comprehension of the students who

participate as oppose to those who did not, by analyzing the data from interviews, surveys

and prior studies that show improvements in using art integration.

3. Data will be collected in the mixed method research will be information dealing with

those things that are measurable: statistics, tables and graphs. The qualitative methods

will focus on interviews, observation, narratives, as well as, phenomenological aspects of

the qualitative research. Data will also be used from previous studies on integrating the

arts through teaching.

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References

Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement University of Minnesota. (2001,

April). Arts for academic achievment: arts integration—A vehicle for changing teacher

practice. Minneapolis, Minnesota, United Stated of America.

Dictionary, E. W. (2009). Mutiple intelligence dictionary. Retrieved January 22, 2011, from

MSN Encarta:

http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861631837/multiple_intelligences.html

dictionary.com. (2011, January 22). Comprehension defintion. Retrieved Janary 22, 2011, from

dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/comprehension

Law, M. S. (1998). Guidelines for critical review of qualitative studies. Retrieved January 22,

2011, from http://www.usc.edu/hsc/ebnet/res/Guidelines.pdf

Ravenwood School Arts Committe. (2010, Febuary). Art integration at ravenwood school. fine

arts magnet education newsletter , 1. Rockville, Maryland, USA: Ravenwood School

The National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing. (2011,

january). Evaluation of the Arist teache collaborative program: summary of year 1

findings . Retrieved January 22, 2011, from

http://www.cse.ucla.edu/products/reports/R784.pdf
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What Does Cultural Difference Mean? (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2011, from

http://people.rit.edu/vvrsps/Essays/CultDiff.htm