A critical study of children’s responses to environmental artworks in the Sekondi- Takoradi Metropolis, Ghana

Abstract

Although environmental artworks are regarded as one of the forms of communication, their huge educational powers as social, historical, cultural, creative and communicative skills as well as cognitive development have been ignored in schools; especially among children. In Ghana, even though creative arts subject is taught at the basic schools, no attention has been given to pupils to interact with environmental artworks. It was based on this that the study commenced to identify and assess pupils’ reactions and understanding to environmental artworks displayed on Takoradi Polytechnic’s main campus. The study made use of qualitative research method in data collection, analysis and discussion; with two basic schools selected as a case study. The researcher employed observation, interview and visual documentation as data collection instruments. Photographic camera was also used to take pictures of selected environmental artworks interacted and observed by the pupils. The main findings of the study among others are that, pupils do not interact with environmental artworks during creative art lessons; there is the need to value pupils’ responses to artworks and to provide them with the opportunity of expressing themselves through environmental artwork since it promotes the cognitive, language, social, creative and emotional development of pupils as well as developing their motor skills. It is therefore suggested among others, that Creative Art teachers should periodically organize educational trips for pupils to visit art galleries and museums, public places and other recreational centres where environmental artworks are found so that the artworks could influence their level of interest and enjoyment. Observation of environmental artworks should form part of basic schools’ curriculum activities, since through interactions and observation of environmental artworks, pupils could make their thoughts and intentity about Ghanaian cultural values known as well as enhancing their intellectual and creative abilities.