Abstract

This design-based research thesis explores the possibility of fostering creative confidence in students and examines how a project-based curriculum can help them rediscover their artistic abilities. It investigates two guiding questions: How does working with repurposed materials shape students' artmaking, creative confidence and sense of ownership in their artwork? And, in what ways do enabling constraints serve as a catalyst for student engagement? As a teacher-researcher, I designed and implemented a quarter-long curriculum in which 21 junior high students were challenged to create a collaborative public art installation using only discarded materials. The methodology blended qualitative and quantitative data, including pre- and post-project interviews, student journals, and my own reflective teaching notes, alongside attendance records and engagement metrics. The findings reveal a significant shift in student mindset. Before the project, many students held a narrow, drawing-centered definition of art that limited their sense of ownership and confidence. Through the use of enabling constraints and a supportive, low-threat environment, students developed resilience, reframed frustration as a necessary step toward breakthroughs, and embraced a broader understanding of artistic ability--one rooted in persistence, problem-solving, and collaboration. Ultimately, the impact extended beyond the classroom. Students began to view "trash" as a valuable resource and recognized their art as a tool for both transformation and civic engagement. This research concludes that a thoughtfully designed curriculum, grounded in project-based learning and the productive use of constraints, can build creative confidence while offering practical solutions to real-world challenges such as budget limitations in art education.

Degree

College and Department

Fine Arts and Communications; Art

Rights

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