From Critical Thinking to Critical Feeling: How Young Artists Practice Critical Thinking Habits of Mind in an Experimental Filmmaking Lab

• In Event: AERA Graduate Student Research-in-Progress Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Pedagogy, Multiliteracies, Prosocial Behavior, and Critical Thinking in Arts Education (Table 6)

Abstract

Media arts programs have the potential to help young people develop critical thinking habits of mind (CTHoM) as they practice criticality through pausing to reflect, noticing details, understanding nuance, reflecting on thoughts and feelings, considering multiple perspectives, and being flexible. Media artists construct meaning through multiple modes --linguistic, visual, aural, spatial, and gestural (New London Group, 1996) -- which requires critical artistic decision-making that ultimately impacts audience experience. Using Activity Theory (Engestrom, 2000), this study looks closely at six young filmmakers ages 14-15 as they create experimental short films in a 4-week summer film lab. The purpose of the study is to create a framework for understanding how and through what systems CTHoM are developed during the production process.

Author

• Jill Beale, New York University