If you’re the (often misunderstood) creative type, you may have never stopped to consider how you’re developing critical thinking in art. It’s a natural by-product. And this is great. Especially if you’re a student.
Critical thinking is a vital skill every student should possess. It’s necessary to create, critique, assess, and ultimately propel you to succeed and thrive in the real world.
This is why arts-integrated schools such as Arts Academy in the Woods in Fraser, Michigan, put such a premium on ensuring students leave their hallowed halls with both analytical AND creative thinking skills.
Analytical Vs. Creative Thinking – What’s the Difference?
In stressing the importance of critical thinking, we in no way mean to undermine the benefits of analytical thinking. It’s a key component in STEM education. But more on that later.
Simply put, analytical thinking comes down to analyzing a problem and finding a solution. It’s a means for processing and breaking down complex information. Analytical thinking is a crucial skill when it comes to cause-and-effect relationships and making connections between the two of them. For instance, when you’re trying to understand the relationship between plants and humidity. Or how combustion fires up an engine.
By contrast, critical thinking is often synonymous with reflective and independent thinking. It means knowing how to analyze data in a logical and rational way and then come to a reasonable conclusion.
Those who engage in critical thinking are constantly questioning ideas and assumptions rather than just accepting what’s being peddled to the masses. Critical thinkers want to know that the incoming information is representative of the bigger picture. If they determine that it’s not, they’ll take the necessary measures to get that additional information.
The Importance of Critical Thinking in Art
Because critical thinking tends to incorporate logical and rational thinking and veers from instinct, many people see it as a hinderance to creativity.
After all, creativity requires breaking the rules, right? (Well, not always.)
Still, critical thinking does require out-of-the-box thinking. Rather than just taking popular approaches and swallowing them whole, critical thinkers challenge the consensus. This means they often have to pursue less popular thoughts or approaches.
So if you think about it, critical thinking is an absolutely necessary component of creativity. Without it, how can the creative person continue to evaluate and improve upon his or her ideas?
Art education, in particular, encourages students to observe the world from many different angles. Most art is very complex and consists of layers of meanings. It takes time to find, examine, and consider these many layers.
It’s this very process of observation and study that teaches students of the arts to more intensely observe and analyze the world. And it gives them the skills that build the foundation of critical thinking.
What Are Some Critical Thinking Questions?
On a purely creative level, students at an arts academy rely on critical thinking skills when approaching an artistic project – be it visual, performative, musical, or otherwise. They may be asked by their instructors to consider questions such as:
- What do you think causes … ?
- What is the solution to the problem of … ?
- Is there another way to look at … ?
Of course, as mentioned above, analysis is a crucial aspect of critical thinking. Educators may pose the following questions which are key for breaking down and examining information:
- Why is … important?
- Can you explain why?
- What is the difference between … and … ?
- How are … and … similar?
- What are the implications of … ?
Being able to apply knowledge to new situations is also critical for future success. Some great questions art educators ask their students to explore in this area are:
- How could … be used to … ?
- What would happen if … ?
- What is the counterargument for …
- Can you think of a new example of … ?
Finally, when students are asked to judge or decide according to a set of criteria, educators may ask the following:
- Why is … happening?
- What is the nature of … ?
- How does … affect … ?
- What are the strengths and weakness of … ?
- What is the best … and why?
- Do you agree or disagree with the statement … ? What evidence is there to support your answer?
- What are the strengths and weakness of … ?
All of these critical thinking questions comprise, on the whole, what critical thinking in art looks like.
Learning Critical Thinking with an Arts Integration Education
At the end of the day, arts integration education merges the important skill of critical thinking achieved through art education and blends it in with academics.
There’s no disputing the importance of STEM. The knowledge economy requires students to understand facets of science, technology, engineering, and math.
With arts integration though, there’s the added importance of art – hence the term STEAM. Arts integration isn’t looking to bypass STEM. It strives instead to create an integrated program that includes all of those, while teaching the application of skills learned through the arts – such as critical thinking.
Among some of the great quotes on critical thinking are science writer Roger Lewin who said, “Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.” And former First Lady of the United States Lady Bird Johnson professed, “Children are apt to live up to what you believe of them.” Arts-integrated educators couldn’t agree more.
Arts integration helps students see the world from multiple angles, and to take a design-thinking approach in finding solutions. Teaching young people to be careful and deliberate observers can go miles toward expanding their worldview. And this, in turn, can create a stronger democracy.
Could Arts Integration Education Be Right for You?
Have you been told you’re a visual learner? Do you tend to see the world through multiple lenses? Are you all about questioning assumptions rather than just blindly accepting them? Then an arts integration education might be exactly what you need.
Take a gander at what our students have to say. Then contact us to request a tour of our school. Soon enough, you could be learning firsthand the value of critical thinking in art and how it can benefit you.
We look forward to meeting you!