Arts vs Science Debate

The first half of this blog will explore the benefits of combining the arts and sciences to maximise learning in the 21^st century; as well as how schools are already using methods like the Leonardo Effect and Mantle of the Expert (MoE) that incorporate the two to engage each child. Art and Science are often seen as separate entities within the curriculum although evidence suggests that the most successful people have the ability to explore the two simultaneously, thus gaining the most effective learning experience (Jamison, 2010).

Previously there has been a huge emphasis on ‘the left and the right brain’; “left brained” people tend to be academic and logical whereas those whom are “right brained” are said to be more creative and intuitive. Why not both? In fact it has been argued that people are not as dichotomous as first thought and although the brain, at times, can become lateralised, on the whole, both sides work together (Cherry, 2014).

Science provides an understanding of universal experience and arts provide a universal understanding of personal experience (Jamison, 2010).

 

The combination of the arts and science can promote creative development through expression and play, which leads to new found knowledge and a greater understanding of a subject. When creating a piece of art, an artist considers materials and the suitability for purpose, for the integrity of the piece they will consider the form that it is taking. Therefore as well as using their imagination to create the piece, they are also using their logic (Oliver, 2006).  Leonardo da Vinci for example, had an eye for detail, when looking at his works of art you are able to see his sound knowledge of the human anatomy, everything is in proportion and in scale, this is explored further in The Leonardo Effect (BBC Science and Nature, 2014)).  Also in the MoE curriculum design, children are using their imagination when taking on the role of the ‘expert’ and at the same time they using scientific deduction to complete the task at hand, as you will see in further posts, it is the combination of the two that increases the pupils interest and in turn their knowledge of the subject (Heathcoate & Herbet, 1985).

If we do not start to see the arts and sciences as complimenting subjects rather than binaries the future looks bleak, we must be using the creative and the analytical together to revolutionise the years to come, as it is what we do now that will determine the quality of life in the future. It is now we are seeing the benefits of the ideas people had in the fifties and sixties, so if we are unable to modernise our way of educating our children now then we will see no change in the future, we need to be accessing all aspects of the child’s brain and their interests in order to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world, thus providing them with the tools to improve it (Jamison, 2010).