Illinois State University’s Illinois Art Station is an educational resource that is committed to fostering creative thinking and expression in the visual arts. A collaboration between the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Fine Arts, the Illinois Art Station seeks to develop learning and critical thinking skills, communicate emotions, and inspire artist-like creativity among children.
Ashley Adams and Rebecca Bove, graduate students within the developmental sequence of the Department of Psychology, have been working closely with the Illinois Art Station to research its impact on young children. Adams and Bove were proud to share some of the details about what they are hoping to accomplish through their work.
Rebecca Bove, developmental psychology student
“Ashley and I are research specialists who have been collecting and looking at data that has to do with how an Itsy Art program influences the social and emotional development of young children. With the data that is being collected, Illinois Art Station can use it to improve their program and reach out to more people in the community by applying to grants and such. Ashley and I are there to help Illinois Art Station with data collection and to see the influence their art program has on children. With the data being collected, hopefully publications can come out of it which will ultimately help Illinois Art Station achieve the goals they have for their programs,” Bove said.
“Our job is to serve as a liaison between the art education department and developmental psychology to ensure the effectiveness of art programming. Our job requires us to communicate plausibility of projects and contribute to research that aligns with Illinois Art Station’s core values of providing transformative visual art experiences to children and youth in the community. We use our training as researchers and knowledge of developmental psychology to teach others in the organization. We are also looking for grants which would allow for more research projects,” Adams said.
Ashley Adams, developmental psychology student
To learn more about the Illinois Art Station and how Adams and Bove’s work is making a difference, visit IllinoisArtStation.org.
