Enhancing Critical Thinking with Aesthetic, Critical, and Creative Inquiry

Lampert, N. (2006, September). Enhancing critical thinking with aesthetic, critical, and creative inquiry. Art Education, 59(5), 46-50.

This article in Art Education discusses different types of inquiry that can happen in art rooms, such as: aesthetic inquiry, critical inquiry and creative inquiry. Nancy Lampert starts the article off with an abstract that clearly defines the purpose of the article, and even includes a section on definition of terms so the reader can clearly understand how the terms will be used in the document. Following this there are clear sections that go into detail about the three different types of inquiry that can exist in art classrooms. Readers will understand what aesthetic, critical and creative inquiry mean, how each type of inquiry impacts students learning, and how to have these types of inquiry in the classroom.

I found this article to be extremely enlightening. Specifically knowing that there are three different types of inquiries, the purpose of the different types of inquiry, and how to make those three inquiries exist in an art class has made me be more thoughtful in the structure of my class. I think of how much I encourage my students to think and reflect deeply, and to create projects that are unique and personal - and, I feel that this article has given me a clear structure to what I have been doing and can be doing. The way the author explains each main term, states the importance and purpose then follows it with what it would look like in the classroom really makes it easy to visualize how this would play-out in your own classroom.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this article is that Lampert lists an outline in the back of the article, that clearly notes the main models, notes and guidelines for each inquiry to happen. She basically makes "easy to remember" notes for the readers so that they have the essential grit (or How-To's) of the article. I personally tore this out and put it up on my office wall.

Quotes:

" Students' critical thinking as well as their understandings of visual communication can be deepened by classroom inquiry into aesthetic, critical and creative questions" (Lampert 47)

"(Housen) uses aesthetic and critical inquiry to develop critical thinking because the interpretation of art work allows for more than one right answer... the natural complexity and ambiguity of art... insures that many differing observations can be supported (Housen47)

"(model of critical and aesthetic inquiry) based on three strategies: students exchange observations and opinions about a work of art; students compare and contrast related works of art; and students reflect on controversial art." (Geahigan47)

"In studio production, the act of resolving open-ended, creative problems is also a key form of inquiry in which art students engage"(Lampert48)