The Effect of Multiple Arts Experiences on the Social/Emotional Outcomes of Urban Students

• In Event: Millennium Hotel Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Arts Education, Community, and Social Justice

Abstract

Abstract:
Arts experience field trips have seen drastic cuts in public education. Previous studies of single field trips showed benefits for children’s social understanding and critical thinking, but it is unclear whether benefits persist or increase with multiple exposures. In partnership with the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, GA and Atlanta Public Schools (APS), we conduct a multiyear random control experiment on the effects of multiple arts-focused field trips. We estimate the causal impacts of the field trips on a variety of student social/emotional outcomes. In this paper we present our first year results. We expand the current literature by using experimental methods as well as evaluating the effect of multiple art-focused field trips.

Authors

• Jay p.. Greene, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

• Heidi Holmes Erickson

• Angela Watson, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

• Molly Beck, University of Arkansas