Effects of Art History Instruction on Fourth and Eighth Grade Students' Abilities to Interpret Artworks Contextually

Abstract

This study reports on the effects of instruction in art history information and inquiry on fourth and eighth grade students' abilities to interpret an unfamiliar artwork contextually. Before and after instruction art teachers asked their students to interpret an unfamiliar artwork from three perspectives: historical artist, viewer, and culture. Not surprisingly, findings confirm that eighth grade students are more successful in interpreting artworks contextually than are fourth grade students. Both fourth and eighth grade students were most successful using the historical artist perspective. In addition, findings indicate that art history instruction at both grade levels can increase students' ability to interpret artworks contextually. Instruction helped younger students to use the historical artist perspective. Instruction helped older students to use the historical viewer and historical culture perspectives, as well as the historical artist perspective, in their attempts at contextual interpretation.