Running head: LITERATURE REVIEW - DOMAIN A 1

Literature Review - Domain A

Amanda Boyer

National University
LITERATURE REVIEW - DOMAIN A 2

Abstract

This paper is a literature review of an article written by Jon Murray titled, “Art,

Creativity, and the Quality of Education.” The article discusses the importance of art courses in

education and the enormous impact they can have on learners. This article was chosen

specifically for the California Teacher Performance Expectations Domain A, which is about

making subject matter comprehensible to students.

LITERATURE REVIEW - DOMAIN A 3

Emphasis on Creativity

California Teaching Performance Expectation (TPE) 1 for a Single Subject Credential in

Art specifically states that teachers “encourage student creativity, flexibility, and persistence in

solving artistic problems” (California Teaching Performance Expectations, p. 7). In Jon Murray’s

article, ​Art, Creativity, and the Quality of Education, ​the importance of an art course and

creativity is discussed. While high school students have a schedule full of different academic

courses, an art class can be an environment for students to be creative and expressive. Murray

explains that art is the “visible manifestation of thought” (Murray, p. 130). As an art teacher, my

goal is to provide students with artistic tools and education which empower them to discover a

variety of ways to apply their beliefs, thoughts, and ideas into original works of art.

Art Education

Art challenges students to learn by doing. I enjoy teaching art because I have seen the

value of active learning and project based learning. The art classroom is an amazing space for

students who are developing as young adults; learning to take risks and face frustration; and

navigating the world around them. In an art classroom, teachers provide education and

experiences which then allow for students to have the power and space to create. As Murray puts

it, “the teacher must relinquish control over the ultimate success of the work and become an

understanding guide, a source of encouragement, criticism, and support” (Murray, p. 137). This

directly aligns with TPE 1 which expects teachers to “provide secure environments that allow

students to take risks and approach aesthetic problems in multiple ways” (California Teaching

Performance Expectations, p. 7).

LITERATURE REVIEW - DOMAIN A 4

Not only is the art classroom a positive place for growth as an artist and as a young adult,

but it also is significant in that students work “side-by-side and [see] what others are doing and

thinking, [so they] have the opportunity to analyze, criticize, and evaluate each other’s work”

(Murray, p. 133). Students are able to learn from one another, not only with technique, but when

it comes to expression, cultures, experiences, and backgrounds. When students experience the art

making process alongside their peers, they learn from different perspectives. The lessons in an

art classroom are important and must be prioritized in the discussion of what it looks like to

achieve and be a successful student.

Art Instruction Prioritization

Jon Murray’s article was published in 1983 but remains to be relevant to today’s

scholastic environment as it pertains to the prioritization of art instruction and student

motivation. As I read this article, it was pertinent to experiences and thoughts that I have had in

the past year and a half as a visual arts teacher. Secondary schools and colleges generally

communicate a prioritization of high grades and test scores through their admissions processes.

Murray discusses the irony in the questions that are asked in a letter of recommendation because

they seek to understand the characteristics, work ethic, and qualities of students which are

difficult to quantify. He explains that

“creative art celebrates originality, uniqueness, and open-ended inquiry. It rebels against
standardization, regularity, depersonalization, mediocrity, and adherence to prescribed
formulas. It encourages deep and divergent kinds of thinking that defy easy
quantification” (California Teaching Performance Expectations, p. 142).

Grade point averages and standardized test scores have led students to believe that they need to

achieve points versus knowledge. Murray wrote about a student who had asked if their work was

“good enough” and I instantly related to his experience because I have students ask the same
LITERATURE REVIEW - DOMAIN A 5

thing at the beginning of the year, and am quick to tell them that they are not asking the correct

question. Students so often want to complete an assignment because they are working towards

earning points and a high grade in the course. I spend intentional time at the beginning of each

school year fostering an environment where students feel free to create original works of art that

they are proud of versus creating art or regurgitating content for a grade. I have learned that

students who feel a sense of ownership and relatability are motivated to create original works of

art that they care about rather than producing for a grade.

As Murray points out, college recommendation forms and the information they ask about

student characteristics and qualities are things like curiosity, initiative, originality, self-direction,

creativity, and thinking independently. He argues that “these qualities are nurtured more in art

than in any other subject area” yet art classes aren’t typically included in the academic report, but

rather on a special skills section (Murray, p. 137). Art instruction needs to be prioritized in

educational settings rather than seen as an elective course that one can do without if it doesn’t fit

in a schedule. If the characteristics and qualities of students are held in importance, the way that

they grow and obtain those qualities should equally be held in importance. This timeless article

does a great job communicating this point.

LITERATURE REVIEW - DOMAIN A 6

References 

 
Commission on Teacher Credentialing. (2016). California teaching performance

expectations [PDF file]. Retrieved from ​https://www.ctc.ca

Murray, J. (1983). Art, Creativity, and the Quality of Education. ​Daedalus​, 112(3),

129-147. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.nuls.idm.oclc.org/stable/20024872