Ph.D., Antioch University, 2009, Leadership and Change

Palpable Pedagogy: Expressive Arts, Leadership, and Change in Social Justice TeacherEducation is an arts-informed ethnographic study of the pedagogy and culture engendered when the expressive arts are employed in social justice teacher education. Palpable Pedagogy is a qualitative study that examines the power of the expressive arts to identify, explore, and address issues of inequity in the context of a social justice teacher education course that I taught over three consecutive years. The literature in the field outlines the essential components for effective social justice teacher education (identity, reflection, and dialogue) and neatly explores them. However, with the exception of Art teacher education, where national learning standards require that cultural diversity be explored through the arts, little has been written about the utilization and power of the arts as a pedagogical tool in general teacher education for social justice. My objective in Palpable Pedagogy is to reveal the layers of felt meaning, transformational learning, and release of the imagination (Greene, 1995) for leadership and change that my students experienced in my social justice teacher education course, “Expressive Arts, Leadership, and Change.” The arts themselves provide a splendid methodological match for research of this kind. McNiff (1998) proposes that there is no better way to study the effects of the arts than through the arts themselves. Using an aesthetic approach in my ethnographic study, I employ participant observation, field notes, photography, videography, interviews, and student art process, and product as my data, creating a text/context of the phenomenologically understood life worlds of my students. A bricolage results, with the inclusion of my justice educator/artist self-study, situating me both emicly and eticly in the life world of my students and classroom. Readers will aesthetically experience data presented in the forms of student and researcher poetry, perfor (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Carolyn Kenny PhD (Committee Chair); Laurien Alexandre PhD (Committee Member); Laura Shapiro PhD (Committee Member); Maxine Greene PhD (Other) Subjects: Art Education; Education; Higher Education; Multicultural Education; Teacher Education; Teaching

MFA, Kent State University, 2024, College of the Arts / School of Art

Racial tensions in the United States have begun to influence the field of Art Education, prompting critical examination of certain pedagogical frameworks. Central to this discourse is Critical Race Theory (CRT), an analytical lens that outlines the systemic inequities entrenched within social institutions. CRT underscores the marginalization experienced by Black American citizens within American society and delineates principles reflective of their shared experiences. Notably, CRT has faced scrutiny and opposition from various perspectives, particularly from parents of students in K-12 schools who perceive it as divisive and accusatory, often assigning fault to present-day White students for historical injustices. Implicit biases inherent within societal structures further complicate these dynamics, shaping perceptions and influencing educational practices. Despite these challenges, CRT is beginning to play a significant role in shaping curricular approaches within the field of Art Education, fostering an environment conducive to creative exploration and critical engagement with social issues. Educators who prioritize the integration of CRT principles and social justice learning into their pedagogy serve as catalysts for meaningful dialogue and transformative learning experiences. With that said, this thesis will delve into the nuances of CRT, its profound impact on American society, and its relevance within the contemporary K-12 art classroom.

Committee: Robin Vande Zande (Advisor) Subjects: Art Education; Education

MA, Kent State University, 2014, College of the Arts / School of Art

Teaching socially transformative art lessons can instill positive social change in individual students, classroom environment, and the school setting. However, many art teachers do not attempt socially transformative art lessons at the risk of disciplinary action, termination, personal safety, and reputation. This single subject case-study examines a successful socially transformative art lesson executed in the classroom and reveals strategies that will assist other art educators.

Committee: Linda Hoeptner Poling PhD. (Advisor) Subjects: Art Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2012, College of Education and Human Services

How Black artists—othered and positioned at the margins of “civilization” in the United States—construct knowledge, context, and historical memory is informative to urban education research and policy. The exploration of this reflects the wisdom of an African proverb that others will tell the story of the struggle should it not first be told by those who live it. To create reciprocity between participants and the researcher, this study employed participatory methods and critical analysis of data from interview sessions, observation, works of art, journal reflections, and information from existing studies and artist documentaries. The study uncovers an approach to the creative process—a form of visual stenography fusing art, inquiry, and activism while considering the historical, social, and ideological context. Findings suggest art may be employed as a method, an indigenous paradigm countering the threat of being scripted into history and disrupting unequal research hierarchies and social relations.

Committee: Anne Galletta PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Brian Harper PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Michelle Fine PhD (Committee Member); Karen Clark-Keys PhD (Committee Member); Karen Sotiropoulous PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Art Education; Black Studies; Cultural Anthropology; Curriculum Development; Divinity; Education; Education Policy; Educational Theory; Fine Arts; Social Research

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, Art Education

The purpose of this dissertation study is to conduct an art-based, community action research study as a means (1) to support the recovery process of domestic violence survivors; (2) to produce social capital among members of the community to initiate civic discussions on the consequences of domestic violence; and (3) to investigate its implications for cultural policy as the outcomes of this study highlight the unique role of the arts in making a difference in people's lives and communities. The art works produced by the workshop participants of this study (i.e., domestic violence survivors) were exhibited in a professional gallery as a form of visual narrative that speaks for their wounded past and difficult journeys. The collected data strongly indicates that art can be an exceptionally powerful tool for communication and healing, when words and discussions fall short. Overall, this research investigates the instrumental functions of the arts as a means to produce social capital for personal well-being, social support, and social justice. The study was framed within action research methodology and the triangulation model in data sources, research methods, and theoretical lenses, while both quantitative and qualitative techniques were employed. The collected data were analyzed at three different levels: (1) Personal level (i.e., the art workshop participants: n=16), (2) Organizational level (i.e., the staff of the transitional housing facility and the gallery: n=6), and (3) Community level (i.e., the general audience who came to the exhibit: n=74).

Committee: Margaret Wyszomirski (Advisor); Karen Hutzel (Committee Co-Chair); Patricia Stuhr (Committee Member); Mo-Yee Lee (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education