Thoughts on the Research behind Why Art and Science should be connected.

Thoughts on the Research behind why Art and Science should be 

connected more explicitly in teaching and learning. 

All of the work posted in this online blog comes from my active classroom and is strongly influenced by the research done by Robert and Michelle Root-Bernstein. These two scholars have documented clear connections between the disciplines of art and science and the disciplines that are connected to these two main areas of study.  Their research shows that in-order for our society to develop more broad minded thinkers that are able to achieve success in their disciplines or in other interdisciplinary areas of study they need opportunities to practice a variety of types of thinking.  In their book Sparks of Genius. The Thirteen Thinking Tools of the World’s Most Creative People (1999), they describe numerous examples of how famous and non-famous scientists excel in their area of research by practicing all or most of the following types of thinking: observing, imaging and visualization, abstracting, pattern recognition and pattern invention, analogizing, dimensional thinking, modeling, body or kinesthetic thinking, manual dexterity, familiarity with tools, transforming data into visual or graphical forms, converting theories into mechanical procedures, understanding data and experiments kinesthetically and empathetically (SEAD: White Paper).

The lessons and projects included in this blog are examples of applying this research to my everyday science teaching.  This blog started as a way to start describing the many layers to what I teach on a day to day basis. 

 Some of the postings here show products of lessons also focused more directly on art. 

Bibliography 

Root-Bernstein M & Root-Bernstein RS. (2005). Body thinking beyond dance: A Tools for thinking approach. In L Overby & B Lepczyk, (Eds.), Dance: Current Selected Research, 5, 173-202.

Root-Bernstein RS. (1991). Teaching abstracting in an integrated art and science curriculum. RoeperReview, 13 (2), 85-90.

Root-Bernstein RS. (1989). Discovering, Inventing and Solving Problems at the Frontiers of Scientific Knowledge. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Root-Bernstein RS, Allen L, Beach L, Bhadula R, Fast J, Hosey C, Kremkow B, Lapp J, Lonc K,  Pawelec K, Podufaly A, Russ C, Tennant L, Vrtis E & Weinlander S. (2008). Arts foster success: Comparison of Nobel prizewinners, Royal Society, National Academy, and Sigma Xi members. J Psychol Sci Tech, 1(2), 51-63.

Root‑Bernstein RS, Bernstein M & Garnier HW. Correlations between avocations, scientific style, and professional impact of thirty‑eight scientists of the Eiduson study. Creativity Research Journal, 8, 115‑137.

Root-Bernstein RS, LaMore R, Lawton J, Schweitzer J, Root-Bernstein M, Roraback E, Peruski A, Van Dyke M. (2013, in press). Arts, crafts and STEM Innovation: A Network approach to understanding the creative knowledge economy. In M Rush (Ed.), The Arts, New Growth, and Economic Development. Washington DC: National Endowment for the Arts & The Brookings Institution.

Root‑Bernstein RS & Root‑Bernstein M. (1999). Sparks of Genius. The Thirteen Thinking Tools of the World’s Most Creative People. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Root-Bernstein RS & Root-Bernstein M. (2004). Artistic scientists and scientific artists: The Link between polymathy and creativity. In R Sternberg, EL Grigorenko, & JL Singer (Eds.), Creativity: From Potential to Realization (pp. 127-151). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

SEAD White Paper: http://seadnetwork.wordpress.com/white-paper-abstracts/final-white-papers/the-importance-of-early-and-persistent-arts-and-crafts-education-for-future-scientists-and-engineers/

When I was completing a graduate degree in science/art education, I was stunned by the research the Root-Bernstein team discovered about Nobel prize winners. They stated that those that are excelling in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and winning the Nobel Prize are also good or proficient at some form of art or craft.  Their research identified that these successful individuals have developed this ability throughout their entire lives; those that are not winning are not as good or proficient at art.