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Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement on assessments?
Running Head: Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement
on assessments?
Popular Culture and Contemporary Content: Examining Ways to Improve Student Achievement
on Visual Arts Assessments
Chrystal Henry
University of Central Florida
Phone: (321)536-4412
Email: chrystal.henry@knights.ucf.edu
Chrystal Henry
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Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement on assessments?
Introduction
As an art educator, I’ve had the opportunity to observe different classroom settings that
encompassed various social and economic demographics. Each curriculum seemed to differ with
their methodology, assessment, and use of content by the instructor in the classroom. Then after
investigating the results of the NAEP, it is apparent that there may be a correlation between the
use of popular culture and student achievement on standardized visual art assessment. Through
this study, the goal of the following research will examine whether the substitution of traditional
visual examples for contemporary art content on visual assessment affect students test scores.
Purpose
The purpose of the following research is to make an authentic assessment that gives a
valid evaluation of a student’s understanding of the visual arts. Through the use of a
demographic survey, information will be collected about student cultural, educational, and
technological backgrounds in order to uncover whether these factors affect assessment
achievement. Finally an authentic assessment will be developed in the format of the NAEP
visual arts assessment, but the traditional visual examples will be substituted for contemporary
exemplars that reflect the current popular culture.
Current Conditions/Status
The last NAEP assessment in 2008 used traditional exemplars as the visual models on the
standardized test administered to eight-graders across the nation. Through the study of popular
cultural content and contemporary visual images, it has become ongoing investigation on
whether positive achievement on a visual arts assessment would increase if new contemporary
exemplars were used on an evaluation.
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Why Important
The following is an attempt to investigating options for improving visual arts assessment
tools. In research done by Burkitt, Jolley, and Rose in 2010, students indicated that the lessons
learned in the art education classroom were not relevant to their daily life. Therefore, students
lost interest in art because it had no connection to world in which they lived. As art educators, it
is essential to improve achievement and make our subject matter relevant for all students.
Furthermore, as an active art teacher in the classroom, it is apparent that students are very
connected to popular culture. Students use technology in ways that many educators are not
familiar with and, for the most part, lack the knowledge to connect the curriculum in the
classroom to the student population’s daily life. So it is essential to investigate whether infusing
contemporary content into the visual arts assessment will reveal better performances by the
participants.
Another issue that is worth studying is the correlation between student activity outside of
school and how that affects achievement on the visual arts standardized assessment. In the 2008,
statistics show in the tables 1 that students that have both access to computer in the home and a
father that with higher education perform better on art evaluations. It is data like this that can
uncover elements that positively or negatively affect student achievement on standardized art
tests. Therefore it also important to develop a demographics survey that encompasses issues that
is relevant to the contemporary classroom and content that should be assessed on a visual arts
test. Multiple factors such as computer usage, the amount of television viewed, and the extent to
which technology is used on a daily basis are important aspects of this study that will be
analyzed.
Table 1 Computer at Home and Father’s Education Level
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History and Theory
When beginning this research, it was important to first understand the history behind the
issue. Also it is essential to uncover pre-established theories that were relevant to current topic of
popular culture and contemporary content used in the visual arts classroom. Throughout the
history of art education, the ongoing fight to legitimatize the visual arts as an academic subject
has pushed for the development of standardized methods of assessment to evaluate student
achievement. In 2008, the National Assessment of Educational Progress administered a national
arts assessment to evaluate students’ knowledge in the arts. The purpose of this report was to
present the results of the NAEP Visual Arts assessment and analyze the data collected into
process of administering and reviewing student achievement.
The results revealed many note worthy facts about student achievement and involvement
in the visuals. The facts that were of the most interest reported that White and Asian/ Pacific
Islander students scored 22 to 31 points higher than Black and Hispanic students. Furthermore,
there was a reported 29-point gap between students that qualify for free or reduced lunch scoring
lower that those students who were not eligible. Overall, only 42 percent of correct answers were
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recorded for the multiple-choice section and only four percent of students received a proficient
score on the creating section. Such findings open concerns as to why these students are not
achieving in art and whether their needs are being met through the taught curriculum.
Brewer (2010) theorized that as a result of the low evaluation score on the NAEP
assessment, art educators and researchers have begun searching for answers to this problem. The
purpose of his research was to create a test that credibly assesses students and what they know
about art and creating art. The researcher wants to uncover whether a bundled assessment based
on authentic evaluation methods and the use of folk and contemporary art had the potential to
improve student achievement on a standardized assessment. Albermann, Hagood, & HeronHruby (2008) explains when taking a close look into the curriculums taught in the classroom, it
is evident that standardized practices rarely include contemporary popular culture. Yet Brewer
found a positive result in the creating section where student used more contemporary works of
art as models. Students related to the content found in the works of art, which positively affected
the evaluation scores.
With the No Child Left Behind initiative, the focus on academic achievement and
improving student test scores has become the main issue in education. Therefore, Pardue (2004)
purposed that understanding what methods foster academic gains for at-risk students has become
an important matter to address in the classroom. Pardue’s study explores the use of hip-hop
culture and its use in the reform of a certain sample of at-risk individuals. The purpose of this
research is to answer the question of whether popular culture can educate students who did not
previously perform well in the public school system. The format of the curriculum gave the
students the opportunity to converse about subjects that they felt strongly about. Such issues
consisted of topics based on racism, poverty, and violence. Pardue concluded that the students
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connected to the instruction because the narrative found in the lessons included their personal life
experiences.
The final study called Border-Crossing Dialogues Engaging Art Education examines the
need for educators to promote open communication about personal identity as well new cultures
in the classroom. Bastos (2009) states that culture supplies the values, beliefs, and patterns that
structure everyday life. The research conducted consisted of independent student projects that
were based on the premise that direct communication can advance cultural appreciation.
Researchers learned that exchange between cultures allows for exchange of ideas and the
recognition that to teach about other cultures, one must become competent about many cultures.
Furthermore, it is important to encourage cultural research as a way to uncover personal biases in
the hopes of correcting them in a positive way.
Suggestions
Different researchers that provided significance to the issues being addressed in this
research provided recommendations. In researching for a way to incorporate popular culture into
the classroom, many issues have surfaced. The main questions of what are appropriate materials
in the classroom and can students learn using more contemporary instructional methods have
caused educators to search for new and innovative instruction tools. Bach (2008) suggests that
the format used in reality television shows can be used in instruction in the classroom. This
research document outlines an investigation that uses content the design of the show “Project
Runway” as instructional methods in the curriculum. The purpose of this experiment is to record
if the use of popular culture can be incorporated in the classroom as an authentic instrument of
instruction.
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The final results of the research showed that the Project Runway approach had
limitations and qualities that improve instruction. This approach allowed students to work
individually as well as in groups. Also through this popular culture method, students reported
that they received multiple forms and of feedback, but they preferred the traditional form to
writing lesson plans. This could be due to the fact that they already know that format and are
comfortable doing written work in that fashion. This research opens up inquiry as to whether
popular culture can be used in different content areas as an authentic form of instruction. Even
more importantly, can these methods be evaluated and can it improve student comprehension and
achievement? The questions raised in this research can shape the subject matter of future
research.
As educators, it is evident that teaching methods must adapt to the population it is
instructing. Leard and Lashua (2006) suggests through their research that educators should take
an inside look at inner city communities in order to discover ways to improve the students’
experience in the public school system. The purpose of this study is to examine how a school
used popular culture to connect to their experiences and to record the risks, challenges and the
potential for building meaningful relationships. The results of the study showed that if students
connect to their work on a personal level, they are more confident about the end product.
Through the arts students felt like they had a voice to reflect upon their experiences as it
connected to their lives in and outside of school.
Application
Finally, it is important to discuss different approaches that can be incorporated towards
creating methodology that fits the research being conducted. Stokrocki and Eldridge (2009)
explains that learning how to incorporate popular culture into the art classroom, as an
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educational tool has been an ongoing debate in the profession. Their study investigates the
possible connection of the visual arts to hip-hop culture and its effects on student production and
learning in the educational environment. The purpose of the overall research is to uncover
whether the incorporations of popular culture would prove to foster relevant materials for the
students to connect to the curriculum.
The study sample consisted of seventh and eighth graded students from an inner city
population. To record data, the researchers used discussion sessions and a questionnaire that
recorded the students’ responses to the activity they were asked to participate in. Students were
instructed to create a self-portrait using dance as the topic after watching the movie Take the
Lead, a movie based on a teacher teaching students self-confidence and self-respect through the
process of learning ballroom dancing. After completing the drawings, students were instructed to
complete a questionnaire that probed the students to explain their artwork. The results of the
study indicated that all the students found someway to express their point of view through
drawing, participation in discussion, or responses to the questionnaire. The format of creating
artwork and then giving the students a questionnaire to gain data about student production will
be applicable to the ensuing research.
Silva and Villas-Boas (2006) study was conducted in a public school with a multicultural
population of students in a major Portuguese city. The observed sample consisted of two
different fifth grade classes with similar culturally backgrounds. The research design was based
on a pre-test and a post-test that asked the students to create two drawing of a person on the same
sheet of paper to make a cross-cultural analysis. In the procedure section, both the control group
and experimental group were given pre-testing separately. Both groups were asked to draw a
non-European person and a European person on the same piece of paper. Following the pre-test,
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the experimental group participated in ten different sessions of exposure to cultural art and
analysis of the visual images. At the end of the session, the students were given a questionnaire
to evaluate the involvement of the minority groups in the learning process. Then both groups
were given the same drawing test again to collect data for a final comparison. The use of a pretest and post-test would provide a suitable format for collecting data for the intended research
posed in this document.
The presented literature establishes a foundation for the research inquiry about using
popular culture and contemporary content in the visual arts classroom. It is evident that prior
research has provided the first step in showing that relevant material should be incorporated into
the curriculum. Yet, it is unclear how to use such content or if the use of contemporary content
and popular culture would improve student achievement on visual arts assessments. It is the goal
of the following research to investigate whether changing curriculum practices in the classroom
will result in the improvement of student scores on a visuals arts test.
The document that will be used as the template for the demographic survey is the NAEP
2008 Arts Assessment booklet released by the U.S. Department of Education. The function of
the survey was to collect data on each participant’s background. This information consisted of
race, sex, parental, and domestic information. Such information can serve as indicators of
alternate reasons for positive or negative results on the given assessment. The background
information also addressed the student’s educational history in the visual arts and their
involvement in creating art outside of the classroom. The survey is formatted using multiplechoice questions and the Likert-type scale to indicate the degree in which the student agrees or
disagrees with the presented question.
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Some sample questions referred to how much art was done at home or on the student’s
personal time. Also, questions were geared toward the atmosphere at home when it came to the
valuing of education and parental support. The focus of the following research being conducted
makes inquiry into this reviewed document to uncover alternate factors that may affect the
results of the visual arts test in the contemporary classroom and society. If the questions were
reformatted to reflect the current home and school environment of students, would key aspects of
student achievement be viewed any differently? The goal of creating a new survey is to acquire
insight on whether contemporary issues and popular culture affects the assessment in a
constructive or adverse manner.
The next study under review is The Attitude and Practices that Shape Children’s
Drawing Experience at Home and at School. The reason for using this study as a reference
was based on the methodology used and the unique perspective discussed based on the
findings of the research. The research chose to use a survey to collect demographic and
educational information to analyze and assess the importance of the visual arts and how
individuals perceive it inside and outside of the classroom. The goal of this study was to
gain a better understanding of the factors that shape a student’s experience in the visual
arts using survey data collected from teachers, students, and their parents.
The participants in this study where 270 children ranging from the ages five to fourteen,
forty-four teachers, and 146 parents. The students were instructed in England using the National
Curriculum for Art and Design. The findings showed that students loose interest in the visual arts
as they advance in age. When referring to the lose of interest in the arts, Burkitt, Jolley, and Rose
(2010) states that although seventy-five percent of teachers said that it did matter, only forty-five
percent of parents thought that it did. Therefore, it was expressed that teachers valued the
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instruction in art more than the parents. Also, parents weren’t very concerned when their child
lost interest in creating art. Furthermore, students indicated two main sources for the lost interest
in the arts. The first reason stemmed from a lack of talent in drawing, painting, creating visual
forms. The second reason, and most interesting data, explains that students feel disconnected
with the lessons being taught. The data collected from the students explained that the curriculum
in the art room is not relevant to their everyday life, was not interesting, or at times the subject
matter was not enjoyable.
Question
1. Will the use of popular culture and contemporary content as material on tests versus the
use of traditional visual examples improve student achievement using the same elements
presented on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) visual arts
standardized assessments?
2. Can the use of popular culture and contemporary content on a visual arts assessment
convert the test into an authentic evaluation?
3. Is a student’s background information an important factor in assessing test achievement
in the visual arts?
Methods
Participants
The following study will examine eighth grade students selected from four local middle
schools from within Brevard County. Two schools will be public schools while the other two
institutions will be from the private sector. Since there is no way to repeat a true experiment
found in the original NAEP assessment, the experiment will follow the quasi-experimental
format because population will not be random. Then the sample will be randomly assignment to
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two groups. One group will serve as the controlled group while other will be the experimental
group. Participating in the visuals arts in school is not a requirement, but this factor will be
recorded in the revised demographic survey that will be given to both the sample population after
the treatment. The goal is to replicate the 2008 NAEP visual art assessment where population
resembling the eighth-grade students from both public and private schools were selected as
participants in a standardized visual arts evaluation.
Instrumentation
It is evident that there is some disconnect between the questions and the activities
students engage in currently. For example, the NAEP Booklet (2008) asks the question does
your family get a newspaper at least four times a week. Newspapers might have been a
primary source of staying current on events in the past, but currently the visual and audio
media of television and the internet has almost replaced the needed for hard copy papers.
Therefore, it is the position of this researcher that the survey needs to be modified to
reflect the current activities engaged in at home and in the classroom. This can be done by
replacing the use of hard copy outdated examples in the questions with technology-based
exemplars.
The survey will consist of multiple-choice, Likert-scale, and open response
questions. The participants will be asked to respond to race, sex, education, parental, and
domestic information. This survey will be administered prior to the pre-test and post-test
and data will be recorded and compared to the results of the visual art assessment. The
survey will have two sections: General Background Information and Visual Arts
Background Information. The questionnaire will be given to both the control and
experimental groups prior to the post-test.
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Methodology
To conduct this research, a quasi-experimental approach will be utilized to collect and
record data. The path of analysis that will be taken for an investigation of the content used on
visual arts assessment and it’s affects on students’ assessment scores will be the pre-test and
post-test control group design. As stated before, since the population has not been randomly
selected, this cannot truly be classified as an experimental study. Yet because the population will
resemble the student demographics through race, sex, and economical makeup found on the 2008
NAEP, the data collected can be viewed as reliable. Through the use of this design, the recorded
data of the 2008 NAEP visual arts assessment will serve as the pre-test for the research. Then the
control group will retake the same NAEP assessment containing traditional visual images. A
separate experimental group will be assessed at the same time, but they will take a revised
assessment in the same format of the NAEP assessment. The experimental group examination
will have visual examples that are contemporary images that reflect popular culture. At the end
of the assessment, student will complete a revised demographics survey that investigates
contemporary issues in the home and student involvement in the visual arts so that further
comparison can be made to similar demographic information collected in 2008.
Next the pre-test will be represented by the NAEP visual arts assessment that is
comprised of traditional visual images as examples. The data collected during this evaluation
will stand as the baseline statistics to be compared to the revised assessment results. Next, a
revised test will be developed and used as post-test for the control group. The revised test will be
based on contemporary artwork that reflects popular culture. Also, a demographic survey will be
given with the assessment to see how different social and educational factors affect the students’
scores.
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For each pre-test and post-test, students will complete a responding and creating section
that corresponds with the given visual examples. The responding section will consist of multiplechoice and constructed questions as described on the NAEP assessment. This assessment
structure being replicated has proved to be reliable through its pass use by NAEP organization. It
is also a standardized assessment; therefore each participant will be measured under the same
conditions. The multiple-choice questions will be scored based on correctness, while the
constructed response portion will be score on a scale of Complete, Partial, Essential, or
Unsatisfactory. In the creating section, the students will create a self-portrait that visually and
personally reflections the student. The traditional NAEP assessment will use the images of Kathe
Kollwitz (Appendix A) and Egon Schiele (Appendix B) as reference for the self-portraits of the
students. The revised evaluation will incorporate the images of Kehinde Wiley (Appendix C) and
Celeste Keller (Appendix D) as contemporary visual references. The creating section will be
scored by the same rubric used on the NAEP examination that based score on a rating scale of
Sufficient, Uneven, Minimal, and Insufficient.
Procedures
To implement the intended research, the following steps will be employed. First, a new
assessment that utilizes contemporary images must be developed. Then four schools will be
selected to select the sample population of eighth graders. This population should reflect the
demographics of the population used in the 2008 NAEP visual art assessment. Then they will be
randomly assigned to either the control group or the experimental group. It is important that the
participants are not aware of what group they are assigned to in order to assure the validity of the
research. The test scores from the NAEP test conducted in 2008 will be used as the pre-test for
this study. Next each group will be given a visual arts standardized assessment. Before the
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assessment is given each group will be given the same revised survey (Appendix E) to provide
the general and visual arts background of each participant. The control group will receive the
same test administered for the pre-test. Then the experimental group will be given the revised
assessment (Appendix F) consisting of the contemporary imagery. Finally once the examinations
have been scored, the results will be analyzed through finding the median scores to determine
whether there is score improvement or decline of participant scores. The scores will also be
compared to the information collected through the revised survey to unearth any trends that are
relevant to student achievement.
Implications
The repercussion of this study is the reliability due to the limited population used for the
participant sampling. In a true experiment, the population would be randomly chosen so that bias
could be eliminated. Due to limited resources and the impracticality of testing students across the
United States, a smaller population was selected on the hopes of replicating the visual arts
standardized assessment on a smaller scale. Also, if it were shown the contemporary content is
relevant subject matter to the participants, the results would mandate a change in the curricular
focus in the art education classroom. It is evident that students feel disconnected to the lessons
taught in art as indicated in the study conducted by Burkitt, Jolley, and Rose in 2010. Therefore
the objective of this study is to provide the evidence that a restructuring of curriculum is needed
to connect with students and to ultimately improve student assessment results in the visual arts.
Finally it is essential to address any ethical concerns associated with the study. There are
two ethical concerns that coincide with this study. First, there could be an ethical dilemma with
the control group experience. The control group might feel that they did not get a fair chance to
succeed because they did not receive the same test as the experimental group. To combat this
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issue, extensive measures will be taken to keep the two groups separated. Also it is important to
note that another ethical concern could be related to the test. Participants may be at risk for test
anxiety and this could affect the individual and the corresponding score. This matter may not be
avoided but can be seen as an issue that was most likely experienced during the pre-test.
Results
The results of the 2008 NAEP assessment made art educators question the ramifications
of the test. Were the low scores due the student lack of knowledge about art or were the materials
on the examination inadequate? The stance of this research adheres to the assumption that the
materials presented on the test affected the outcome of the assessment. Therefore if the materials
are changed, in this case using quasi-experimental testing and the use of pre-test and post-test
design, comparative data can be collected and evaluated to prove whether the change of visual
examples will affect student achievement on the visual art standardized test based on the NAEP
assessment model.
The results of this research can move the field of art education one step closer towards
creating an assessment that can accurately measure a student’s ability in the visual arts. Though
this study has not yet been administered, it is this researchers stance that the use of contemporary
exemplars will appeal to the current student population and therefore will yield higher testing
scores in the visual arts. Furthermore, understanding the students’ background information will
provide more insight on the factors that affect performance on standardized assessments.
Discussion/Conclusion
In conclusion, there is an achievement gap in the visual arts that must be studied and
rectified in order to advance learning in art education. Therefore, as educators, advocates, or
researchers, it is essential to continually investigate ways to better our field of education.
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Students should feel connected to the content presented in the visual arts. With this connection,
students will hopefully identify with material on the art evaluations, which will then produce
higher achievement and understanding of the visual arts subject matter. It is the goal of this
research to open discussion on possible ways to improve assessment tools in the visual arts and
to bring attention to the need for restructuring of the art education curriculum.
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Reference
Albermann, D., Hagood, M., & Heron-Hruby, A. (2008). Switching Places and Looking to
Adolescents for the Practices that Shape School Literacies. Reading and Writing
Quarterly, 24, 311-334.
Bach, J. (2008). Using Reality Shows as a Framework for Teaching Methods Courses.
Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 10(1, 2), 41-53.
Brewer, T. (2010). Lessons Learned from a Bundled Visual Arts Assessment. Visual Arts
Research (paper provisionally accepted for publication).
Keiper, S., Kuang, M., Persky, H, & Sandene, B. (2009). The Nation’s Report Card: Arts 2008.
U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved on 13 September 2010 from
http://nces.ed.pov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009488.
Leard, D., & Lashua, B. (2006). Popular Media, Critical Pedagogy, and Inner City Youth.
Canadian Journal of Education, 29(1), 244-264.
Nations Report Card. (2011). Retrieved June 7, 2011 from
http://nces.ed.gov/nationareportcard/bus/strategies/P1SCP2.asp
Pardue, D. (2004). “Writing in the Margins”: Brazilian Hip-Hop as an Educational Project.
Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 35(4), 411-432.
Rickford, A. (2001). The Effect of Cultural Congruence and Higher Order Questioning on the
Reading Enjoyment and Comprehension of Ethnic Minority Students. Journal of
Education for Students Placed At-Risk, 6(4), 357-387.
Stokrocki, M., & Eldridge, L. (2009). Preadolescents Reflect on their Drawings of Dance:
Students' Voices in Art Learning. Art Education, 62(4), 6-12.
Silva, J. & Villas-Boas, M. (2006). Research note: Promoting Intercultural Education through
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Art Education. Intercultural Education, 17(1), 95-103.
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Appendix
Appendix A
Kathe Kollwitz's "Self-Portrait 1924"
Appendix B
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Egon Schiele Self-Portrait, Bust, 1912 Watercolor and pencil on paper
Appendix C
Title: Triple Portrait of Charles I
Size: Three stretchers each measuring: 182.9 x 91.4 cm (72 x 36 in)
Medium: Oil and enamel on three canvases
Appendix D
Title: California Girl II
Size: 30” x 30”
Medium: oil on canvas
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Appendix E
Background Student Questionnaire
In this section, please tell us about yourself and your family. The section has 14 questions.
Mark all answers that apply for questions 13 clearly below:
1. What is your race? Circle all that
apply:
2. What kind of current events are you
interested in?
a. Sports
a. Mexican, Mexican American,
Chicano
b. Puerto Rican or Puerto Rican
American
c. Cuban or Cuban American
d. Both Hispanic or Latino
Background
b. Entertainment
c. Politics
d. Local/National News
3. What kind of current events are your
parents interested in?
a. Sports
b. Entertainment
e. White
c. Politics
f. Black or African American
d. Local/National News
g. American Indian or Alaska
Native
h. Native Hawaiian or other
Pacific Islander
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Mark one answer for the questions below:
4. How do you prefer to read a book?
7. How much television do you watch
daily?
a. Hard copy book
a. 1-2 hours
b. Audio book
b. 3-4 hours
c. Electronic book
c. 5-6 hours or more
5. How does your family retrieve
d. None, I don’t watch
current evens or the news?
a. By watching the news on the
television
b. Through the internet
c. Listening to the radio
6. Do you have access to encyclopedias
in your home? It can be a set of
books or in digital format.
television
8. If you do watch television, what kind
of programming do you prefer to
watch?
a. Reality Television
b. Education/News
(PBS/Current Events)
c. Sports
a. Yes
d. Sitcoms/TV Movies
b. No
e. Children Channels
c. I don’t know
(Disney/Nickelodeon)
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9. Is there a computer in your house?
Yes______ or No_______. If yes,
how many are there?
12. How many days have you been absent
from school last month?
a. None
a. 1
b. 1-2 days
b. 2
c. 3-4 days
c. 3
d. 4 or more
10. How often do you discuss what you
studied school with a member of
d. 5-10 days
e. More than 10 days
13. How far in school did your mother go?
a. She did not finish high school.
b. She graduated from high
your family?
school.
a. Never
c. She had some education after
b. Once ever few weeks
high school.
c. Two or three times a week
d. She graduated from college.
d. Everyday
11. What is the computer primarily used
for?
e. I don’t know
14. How far in school did your father go?
a. He did not finish high school.
a. Education
(Homework/Research)
b. Social Networking
(Twitter/Facebook)
c. Entertainment
(Gaming/Surfing the Web)
b. He graduated from high
school.
c. He had some education after
high school.
d. He graduated from college.
e. I don’t know
Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement on assessments? 27
Student Background Survey
Visual Arts
1. How much do you agree with the following statements? Circles one of the answers
on each line below:
Agree
Not Agree
Disagree
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
I like to look at art in person or online.
a.
b.
c.
I like to create art.
a.
b.
c.
I thing I’m talented in art.
a.
b.
c.
People recognize my talent in art.
a.
b.
c.
I like to show my artwork online or
a.
b.
c.
in person.
f. I’d like a career in the visual arts
a.
b.
c.
when I grow up
2. Are you currently in an art class, or have you taken a visual arts course this school
year?
a. Yes
b. No
3. When you are in art class, how often does your teacher do the following? Circle one
of the following on each line below:
Everyday
4.
5.
6.
7.
Once a
Week
Once a
Month
Never
a. Paint or draw
a.
b.
c.
d.
b. Make visual forms from clay or
a.
b.
c.
d.
other materials
c. Choose your own art projects
a.
b.
c.
d.
d. Create art projects in groups
a.
b.
c.
d.
e. Critique student or professional a.
b.
c.
d.
artist’s work
f. Write about your or others
a.
b.
c.
d.
artwork
g. Look at DVD, Digital, or television a.
b.
c.
d.
programs about art
h. Work with camera, computer, or a.
b.
c.
d.
digital media to create artwork.
How often does your teacher have your artwork on display?
a. Once or twice a month
b. Once or twice a year
c. Never or rarely
In what manner does your art teacher display your artwork?
a. Yes
b. No
Do you keep an art journal or sketchbook in school?
a. Yes
b. No
Do either you or your teacher save your artwork in a hardcopy or digital portfolio?
Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement on assessments? 28
a. Yes
b. No
8. How often do you have homework for art class?
a. About once a week
b. About once a month
c. Never or rarely
9. In the last year, how many times did you go with your class to an art museum,
gallery, or exhibit?
a. None
b. 1 or 2 times
c. 3 or more times
10. Does your teacher show online virtual museum or gallery tours in class?
a. None
b. 1 or 2 times
c. 3 or more times
11. When you are not in school, do you ever participate in the following activities on
your own personal time? Circle one answer for each line below:
Yes
No
a. Go to an art museum or exhibit
a.
b.
b. View online virtual museum or
exhibits
c. Take art class
a.
b.
d. Exhibit your hardcopy artwork or
a.
b.
exhibit work online
e. Enter an art competition
a.
b.
f. Go to a summer art program
a.
b.
g. Look at or read a hardcopy book
a.
b.
or digital about art
h. Watch a DVD or television program
a.
b.
about art
i. Talk with your family or friends about
a.
b.
art
j. Keep an art journal or sketchbook
a.
b.
12. How hard did you try on this test compared to how hard you tried on other
standardized tests?
a. Not as hard as on other tests
b. About as hard as on other tests
c. Harder than on other tests
d. Much harder than on other tests
13. How important was it to you to do well on this test?
a. Not very important
b. Somewhat important
c. Important
d. Very important
Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement on assessments? 29
Appendix F
Name ____________________
Date ___________________
Self-Portrait Assessment
Note the following images have been reduced.
1. Kehinde Wiley
Title: Triple Portrait of Charles I
Size: Three stretchers each measuring: 182.9 x 91.4 cm (72 x 36 in)
Medium: Oil and enamel on three canvases
2. Celeste Keller
Title: California Girl II
Size: 30” x 30”
Medium: oil on canvas
Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement on assessments? 30
Part 1: Analysis of Examples
Directions: Carefully study the paintings of Triple Portrait of Charles I by Kehinde Wiley and
California Girl II by Celeste Keller and then read the information given below. You will have
five minutes to read Part 1 and study the images and the information given. You may revisit this
section at anytime during the test.
Terms to Know
 Self-Portrait: A form of imagery that depicts the artist as the focus of the
composition.

Personal Identity: Constructing meaning of self from what is on the outside and
inside by examining your environment, friends, culture, ethnic background,
interests, and popular culture.

Balance: a feeling of visual equality in shape, form, value, color, etc
o Symmetrical: The elements used on one side of the central line of the
design are similar to those on the other side.
o A-Symmetrical: The elements used are not identical on both sides of a
central line.

Emotionalism: Theory of art, which places emphasis on the expressive qualities of
the art piece. According to this theory, the most important thing about a work of
art is the vivid communication of moods, feelings, and ideas.

Formalism: In art theory formalism is the concept that a work's artistic value is
entirely determined by its form--the way it is made, its purely visual aspects and
its medium. Formalism emphasizes compositional elements such as color, line,
shape and texture rather than realism, context, and content.

Functionalism: Refers to the intended use or purpose of an object. The term is
often applied to manufactured products, particularly crafts, and when discussing
designs for architecture.

Realism/Naturalism: A style of painting that depicts the actuality of what the eyes
can see. Realists render everyday characters, situations, dilemmas, and objects.
They tend to stay away from drama in favor of commonplace themes
Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement on assessments? 31
Part 2: Responding
Directions: Respond to the questions given below. Refer the visual examples in Part 1 to
complete this section. You will have thirty minutes to complete the Part 2: Responding and you
may revisit this section if needed.
Multiple-Choice
Directions: Answer the following multiple-choice question by circling the BEST response.
1. When comparing the portraits by Wiley and Keller, which statement is TRUE?
a. Neither paintings show personal identity
b. Both paintings show personal identity
c. Wiley and Keller used landscapes as the imagery in the artwork
d. Neither works of are reflective of real life.
2. The example by Kehinde Wiley is painted using what style of art?
a. Impressionism
b. Abstract
c. Realism
d. Fauvism
3. Which Principle of Design BEST describes the example by Celeste Keller?
a. Emphasis
b. Rhythm
c. Line
d. Pattern
4. What composition is used by Wiley in Triple Portrait of Charles I?
a. A-Symmetrical
b. Radial
c. Symmetrical
d. Random
5. What is the main idea of California Girl II by Keller in?
a. Depiction of a special occasion
b. Glimpse into a teenagers daily life
c. A futuristic fantasy
d. None of the above
Short Answer
Directions: After examining the examples by Kehinde Wiley and Celeste Keller, write a two to
three complete sentence response to the prompt given below.
6. Explain how both artists include personal identity into their images.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement on assessments? 32
Extended Answer
Directions: Respond to the following prompt using the format given below. Write two to three
complete sentences for each category.
1. Using Wiley’s Triple Portrait of Charles I, critique the image using the space provided
below.
Description: Describe exactly what you see.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Analysis: Analyze the artwork by making visual connections through use of the Elements
and Principles of Design.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Interpretation: Interpret the meaning of the image by choosing one of the following Theories
of Art: Emotionalism, Formalism, Functionalism, or Realism/Naturalism. Remember, an
image can use more than one theory. Please explain your response.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation: Evaluate the selected piece by indicating whether it is successful or not. Then
explain your response to the artwork.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement on assessments? 33
Part 3: Planning
Directions: Draw two sketches using yourself as the subject matter. This will be a self-portrait
that focuses on communicating your personal identity. Also pay attention to your composition,
and demonstrating a complete idea. You will have twenty-five minutes to complete Part 3:
Planning and no changes may be made to this section once the time has expired.
Sketch 1
Sketch 2
Can Popular Culture and Contemporary Content affect student achievement on assessments? 34
Part 4
Directions: Using one of your sketches as a model, create a self-portrait in the space provided
below. The image must make a statement to the viewer about your personal identity. Also pay
attention to the Elements and Principles of Design (focusing on the figure and face proportions,
value and emphasis), and use of media. You will have one hour to complete this portion of the
test. If you finish before time has expired, you may revisit Part 1 or Part 2 if needed.