1. Ashley Morissette : ED7202 : Spring 2012
Integrating Art & Math: A Strategic approach to on-task behavior modification
Ashley Morissette : ED7202 : Spring 2012

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS Statement of the Problem Literature Review
Hypothesis
Participants/Instruments
Experimental Design/Threats to Validity
Procedure
Results
Discussion/Implications
References

3. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Special education students with behavioral problems have trouble staying focused and on track.
Behavioral management distracts from valuable instruction time.
Some classroom environments do not nurture special education students needs.
Majority of the subjects taught throughout the day tap into logical thinking skills and not enough time is spent on their senses and imagination.
Art serves as a vehicle for developmental learning and can impacts the spirit and emotional response of a child.
Arts instruction is a catalyst for creative expression, social development and can aid in problem solving.
Budget cuts have caused very little to no arts instruction.

4. LITERATURE REVIEW
Art therapy as a component to social skills training may increase the willingness of children to participate because art is an activity that they find acceptable. (Epp, 2008; Naumburg, 2001)
Research indicates that the majority of children with emotional difficulties also have learning disabilities (Freilich & Shectman, 2010).
Many studies (Adu-Agyem, 2009; Bagilishya et al., 2005; Dorff & Pochedley, 2008; Dunn-Snow, 1999; Naumburg, 2001) have investigated the link between art making in the classroom setting and increased self-esteem.

5. HYPOTHESIS
By implementing arts-based math instruction to 11 first-grade students at PS X in Brooklyn, NY for 45 minutes a day, 2 days a week, over a four-week period, students’ on-task behavior and positive social skills will increase.

6. PARTICIPANTS/INSTRUMENTS
22 students from P.S X in Brooklyn, NY
11 students in Group A (Experimental Group)
11 students in Group B (control group)
Instruments
Pre and Post Teacher Surveys
Negative Behaviors: Social/Emotional; Classroom Performance
Student Surveys
Attitudes towards math and art
Unit Test Scores
Comparison of average test scores from Group A and Group B

7. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN/THREATS TO VALIDITY
RESEARCH DESIGN: Pre-experimental: Nonequivalent Control Group Design
Symbolic Design: O X1 O O X2 O
THREATS TO INTERNAL VALIDITY
History
Instrumentation
Mortality
Statistical Regression
Selection-Maturation Interaction
THREATS TO EXTERNAL VALIDITY
Ecological
Generalizable Conditions
Specificity of Variables
Experimenter Effects
Reactive Arrangements/Participant Effects
Novelty Effect

8. PROCEDURE Pretest Administration Group A exposed to a treatment
Negative Behavior Pretest, Student Survey
Group A exposed to a treatment
Twice weekly art-integrated math instruction
Posttest Administration
Negative Behavior Posttest, Math unit test scores

9. RESULTS PRETEST/POSTTEST RESULTS GROUP A: 10% decrease
Pretest Average:
Posttest Average:
GROUP B: 2% decrease
Pretest Average:
Posttest Average:

10. RESULTS MATH SCORES: Pre-treatment & Post-treatment
GROUP A: 5.82% increase
Pre-Treatment Average Math Scores: 78
Post-Treatment Average Math Scores: 82
GROUP B: 0.1% increase
Pre-Treatment Average Math Scores: 83
Post-Treatment Average Math Scores: 82

11. RESULTS GROUP A: Negative Behaviors Posttest/Math Scores Correlation
-0.746rxy

12. RESULTS
GROUP A: Student Surveys/Posttest Correlations
-0.710rxy

13. DATA DISPERSION σ= 9.210 POSTTEST: GROUP A Mean: 40.273
63% fell within +/- 1 S.D
POSTTEST: GROUP B
Mean: 48.27
63% fell within +/- 1 S.D
σ= 8.137
σ= 9.210

14. DISCUSSION/IMPLICATIONS
Hyperactivity can be channeled and transformed into socially constructive forms of self-regulation through facilitated creative behavior (Henley, 1998)
The results suggest that art activities during math do impact the students’ willingness to participate through improved social/emotional behaviors and classroom performance.
Further research is needed
Small sample size
Length of study

15. REFERENCES
Freilich, R., & Shectman, Z. (2010). The contribution of art therapy to the social, emotional, and academic adjustment of children with learning disabilities. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 37(2010),
Frost, J.L. (2005). Lessons from disasters: Play, work, and the creative arts. Childhood Education, 82(1), 2-8.
Furniss, G.J. (2008). Celebrating the artmaking of children with autism. Art Education, 61(5), 8-12.
Germain, C. (2008). Art for special needs students: Building a philosophical framework. Arts & Activities, 143(3) 55,71.
Henley, D. (1998a). Facilitating socialization within a therapeutic camp setting for children with attention deficits utilizing the expressive therapies. American Journal of Art Therapy, 38 (2),
Henley, D. (1998b). Art therapy in a socialization program for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Art Therapy, 37(1), 2-11.
Mason, C., Steedly, K. & Thorman, M. (2008). Impact of arts integration on voice, choice, and access. Teacher Education & Special Education 31 (1),
Naumburg, M. (2001). Spontaneous art in education and psychotherapy. American Journal of Art Therapy, 40(1)
Nisenson, K. (2008). Arts for healing: The importance of integrated music and art in therapy and special education. Exceptional Parent, 38(3),

16. REFERENCES
Osborne, J. (2003). Art and the child with autism: Therapy or education? Early Child Development and Care, 173(4),
Pace, D., Schwartz, D. (2008). Students create art. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40(4),
Rufo, D. (2011). Allowing artistic agency in the elementary classroom. Art
Education 64(3),
Siegesmund, R. (2002). Bringing accountability to elementary art. Kappa Delta Pi, 39(1),
Taylor, M. (2005). Self-identity and the arts education of disabled young people. Disability & Society, 20(7),
Ulman, E. (1992). Art education for the emotionally disturbed. American Journal of Art Therapy, 30(3), 101.
Vize, A. (2005). Making art activities work for students with special needs. Arts & Activities, 138(4),
Waller, D. (2006). Art therapy for children: How it leads to change. Clinical Child Psychology Psychiatry, 11(2), doi: /