Research Proposal

Peyton Tolley

Introduction
 Throughout my pursuit of a degree in education, I have had a passion for using my

education to help others, specifically those in underdeveloped areas and countries. I have also

seen how heavily english and other core subject teachers are encouraged to teach in other

countries, but I have never seen the arts and humanities be pushed nearly as much. I know the

arts are already underappreciated in american schools, but I am interested in why the arts are not

pushed in underdeveloped countries, and make a case as to why they should be. I believe that if

art education was more prevalent in these countries, children would have more opportunities to,

not only deal with personal issues in a safe way, but will also have more opportunities for work

and continuing their education.

The Purpose of Study/Significance

The purpose of this study is to make visible the importance of art education in

underdeveloped countries. I have seen first hand how art can create pathways for children, and I

have also seen how those same opportunities because of art are not given to children everywhere.

I want to research art schools in underdeveloped countries, and see if and how they are impacting

youth in these countries. There is currently not a huge push for art teachers in developing

countries, and I believe that with my research, I can potentially be a spark for change and

advocacy about arts and humanities in developing countries! I hope to also inspire other artists

and teachers to work outside of their comfort zone and use art as a way to make the world a

better place.

Literature Review

For my research, I want to organize it into individual groups that highlight every point I

want to make, but also relate to one another. My research will be organized into these groups:

research about arts and humanities all around the world, research about the importance of art
education in general, research about art therapy and how it benefits children, and finally,

research that has been done about my topic thus far.

I want to research arts and humanities in underdeveloped countries because I want to see

how the arts and underdeveloped countries can contribute to each other, and se the correlation

behind countries heavily influenced by art, versus countries with no influence of art. This relates

to my research about the importance of art education because I plan on researching specific

instances in the past where art education has helped children of poverty and traumatic

experiences, which also relates to my art therapy research. I also want to reach out and learn

from theorists and other art educators who have researched my topic, and topics similar to mine.

Methodology

I want to use the historical research method to make my thoughts and research visible. It

will allow me to get sources from multiple places all over the world. I can look for specific

instances in the past where the arts and humanities were beneficial in these countries, and I can

make my case as to why these efforts should continue to be implemented. In a COVID free

world, I also want to use my research method to travel to these individual art schools all over the

world to see if the strategies they implemented in the past are still in act, and if they are still

benefiting the children and the country.

Data Collection

I will conduct all of my research by using a combination of secondary and primary

resources. My secondary sources will be research others have done in the past, and studies that

have shown if and how art has been beneficial to underdeveloped countries. My primary sources

will hopefully be my personal research and experience traveling to these locations, and seeing

first hand the benefits of what I want my research to show.

 I will collect all of my data virtually by organizing each category and form of research

into separate google drive folders. I also plan on printing articles and other research out and

putting them into a binder, because I learn best when I am presented research of multiple forms. I

also plan on having a running rough draft of my research, where I can place any information that

sticks out to me, and must be included in my own research. By having a virtual space for my

research, as well as a tactile space, I will be able to take my research with me wherever I go,

even if that location does not have wifi. Most of my writing and the conclusions I come to will

be made virtual so that I can fully get my point across, and share it with anyone and everyone.

Research Design and Procedures

I plan on starting my research by learning anything I can about already existing research

about my topic. I will research thesis’s and research about art education and art therapy in

underdeveloped countries, then I will move on to research actual art schools in these

underdeveloped countries. I will look to see what actions and steps they are taking to better their

country, and look for specific examples of how art education has, or hasn’t, made a positive

impact on the youth in the past. I will collect all of this data and research in the form of google

folders, as well as my physical research binder.

If my research is going well, and I am finding art schools that are making a huge impact

on their community, I plan on dedicating the second half of my research to actually traveling to

these schools. I would love to stay at least a week in these communities, so that I can have time

to see firsthand what they are doing right and wrong, and so that I have time to sit with my

research, and understand what this means for my own personal research.

Timeline and Budget

 If I could solely dedicate time to my research, where I am not distracted with anything

else, I could conduct this research in two years. One year, or less, would be dedicated for my

preliminary research, and discoveries about what is out there already about my topic. The second

year would be a year full of traveling, and experiencing firsthand what my research has been

telling me. This would allow me to see for myself that my research is accurate. As far as a

budget goes, the majority of my budget would be going towards flights and hotels, so it would

depend on if and where I am able to go with my research. I would say $10,000 would be a good

start, but might need to be adjusted as my research is developing.