Critical Impact Factors in Arts Integration

Critical Impact Factors:

In our seven-year, two-trial, randomized treatment and control design, research study of the effect of arts integration on student achievement in Rochester, NY, several factors were identified that appear critical to the success of arts integration (see schoolworkslab.org, under “research,” Southworth et. al., 2015, executive summary). The critical impact factors provide explanations for the success of student learning where .40 effect sizes were attained in each trial and where professional development was very successful. These factors contribute to and/or provide evidence of the Rochester RAISE Model’s impact on teachers and students:

1. Arts Integration impacts student learning, especially with disadvantaged (92% free and reduced lunch) populations
   1. Quantitative and Qualitative evidence of increased student learning
   2. Replication of previous research and confirmation of international research
      
      
2. Extensive use of art forms impacts student learning
   1. Classroom teachers were already using many art forms
   2. RAISE helps teachers transform their teaching into effective learning
   3. Students are engaged through the arts
   4. Student learning is retained and enhanced
      
      
3. Professional development impacts teacher learning
   1. Central Arts office provides professional development that emphasizes make and take
   2. Job-embedded professional development is effective peer-to-peer learning
      
      
4. Evidence of Arts Learning Impacting Student Learning advances the field’s understanding
   1. Arts Transfer Identified as Mental Stretching
   2. Arts Standards Rubrics Support Standard-level Work
   3. Arts Learning Transfer Skills:
      1. Elaboration
      2. Rehearsal of Meaning
      3. Generation
      4. Enactment
      5. Oral Production
      6. Effort after Meaning
      7. Pictorial Representation

Job-Embedded Peer-to-Peer Professional Development: Of the 612 teacher surveys received and analyzed over the four-year RAISE program, 78.9% of treatment teachers and 79.3% of control teachers indicated wanting future PD sessions to help improve their ability to integrate the arts (even though control teachers were unable to participate in the RAISE Program PD sessions). It was a complete surprise to find that control teachers were also eager to participate in PD focused on arts integration and made specific requests for what they wanted.