What Became of the Kids Who Participated in the 1981 Johnson Early College Summer Arts Program?

Abstract

Results are reported of a follow-up study conducted nine years after a group of twenty-seven adolescents, judged talented in the visual and performing arts, participated in the Johnson State Early College Summer Arts Program. In this research, which utilized a questionnaire, the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale, and telephone interviews, information was provided about members of this population, now young adults. It was revealed that: 1) art still plays an important role in their lives; 2) they possess the characteristics defined in the program selection criteria; 3) they are highly self-directed; 4) they believe participation in the Early College Program had a positive effect on their lives and their involvement in art; 5) several have overcome significant pre-existing emotional challenges since participating in the Early College Program. It was tentatively concluded: 1) four conative attributes ascribed to participants appear to combine in different ways to influence self-perception and artistic productivity according to gender and over time; 2) respondents believed the Early College Program helped them preserve their artistic inclination into adulthood, contributed to their long-term emotional well-being, and assisted them in college major and career choices; 3) as self-directed adults, they may benefit more from college and adult education programs that allow for a high degree of self-direction in learning situations than from narrowly structured programs. Advice they offered administrators and faculty of programs similar to the Early College Summer Arts Program is summarized and reported.

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“…Early and advanced opportunities in the arts play a vital role in the later development of professional artists. It has been found that talented students who participate in programming for the visual arts report long-term affective and career gains (Confessore, 1991). These programs should be learner-centered (Burton, 2000) and emphasize the production of artwork (Burton, 1994).…”

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“…They might give up, attempt to conform, or channel their talents to destructive and antisocial behaviors. Studies indicate that talented students-except those who are permitted to proceed according to their own rates and consistent with their own goals-often feel lonely and bored, and sometimes withdraw from school (Confessore 1991;Landau 1990). Dayton and Feldhusen (1989) found that high motivation/persistence and intellectual/academic ability are common traits of the talented.…”

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“…This enrichment program provides talented students with expanded options and flexibility to develop their creati ve abilities and to explore careers. A parallel study (Confessore 1991), evaluating the 1981Johnson Early College Summer Arts Program, indicated that participants in this program are highly selfdirected and believe that participation has had a positive effect on their lives and the utilization of their talents. Therefore, the combination of academic knowledge and occupational skills functions to (1) encourage talented students in any area to pursue offerings in vocational and technical education as a means of expanding their abilities; (2) provide talented students with differentia ted career development opportunities, and courses or programs related to their special abilities ; (3) provide talented students with more information about potential careers; (4) provide talented students with opportunities to appreciate academic knowledge; and (5) eliminate artificial distinctions and unnecessary barriers between vocational education and general or talent education (Phelps 1988).…”