Students actively engaging with art in a classroom, symbolizing creative and intellectual growth.

Unlocking Creativity: How Art Engages Students Beyond Passive Learning

Mira Elwood in Mind & Education August 2025 • 3 min read.

"Exploring the power of aesthetic experiences in education to foster active engagement and critical thinking among students."

In an era dominated by standardized testing and rote learning, the role of art in education is often undervalued. However, artistic engagement offers a unique pathway to foster creativity, critical thinking, and active participation among students. This article delves into the transformative power of aesthetic experiences in the classroom, drawing insights from the Nordic Journal of Art and Research and the perspectives of philosophers like Jacques Rancière and John Dewey.

The conventional approach to education often casts students in a passive role, where they are expected to absorb information and reproduce it on demand. Art, on the other hand, invites students to become active participants in the learning process. Whether through visual arts, music, theater, or dance, artistic expression encourages students to explore, experiment, and interpret their world in meaningful ways.

By examining how art challenges traditional educational paradigms, we can unlock new strategies for engaging students and cultivating a lifelong love of learning. Join us as we explore the dynamic relationship between art, education, and the cultivation of active, creative minds.

The Aesthetic Experience: More Than Just Passive Observation

Students actively engaging with art in a classroom, symbolizing creative and intellectual growth.

Many educators express concern regarding the role students plays in a The Cultural Schoolbag (DKS) Program, indicating that they may assume a passive role. Philosophers like Jacques Rancière and John Dewey challenge this notion by positing that aesthetic experiences—including those encountered as an audience member—are inherently active and formative. They argue that engaging with art is not merely about passively receiving information but involves an internal process of interpretation, reflection, and creation.

Rancière introduces the concept of "dissensus," highlighting the tension between sensory experience and its interpretation. This tension, he argues, is crucial for fostering critical thinking and challenging established norms. Similarly, Dewey emphasizes the importance of "doing and undergoing" in aesthetic experiences, where individuals actively shape and are shaped by their interactions with art.

Here are a few ways art does more than just passive engagement:

Promotes sensory experience.
Encourages interpretation and expression.
Cultivates critical thinking.
Actively shapes perspectives.

When students engage with art—whether as creators or observers—they bring their own unique histories, perspectives, and experiences to the encounter. This individual interpretation is not a passive act but an active engagement with the artwork, where students negotiate meaning, challenge assumptions, and expand their understanding of the world.

Transforming Education Through Aesthetic Engagement

Integrating art into education offers a powerful means of transforming students from passive observers into active participants in the learning process. By embracing the principles of aesthetic experience—interpretation, reflection, and creation—educators can cultivate critical thinking, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning. In doing so, they empower students to become active agents of change in their own lives and in the world around them.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.7577/information.v1i2.21, Alternate LINK

Title: Den Kulturelle Skolesekken: Passiv Tilstedeværelse Eller Aktiv Danning?

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: Nordic Journal of Art and Research

Publisher: OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University

Authors: Kristin Helene Oftedal

Published: 2012-10-17

Everything You Need To Know

How does engaging with art differ from the traditional passive learning approach in education?

The central idea is that art provides students an opportunity to engage actively in their education rather than passively receiving information. This engagement includes interpreting and expressing themselves, which promotes sensory experiences, cultivates critical thinking, and actively shapes their perspectives. The theories of Jacques Rancière and John Dewey further support this by highlighting the active role of students in interpreting art.

What is "dissensus" according to Jacques Rancière, and how does it apply to a student's engagement with art?

Jacques Rancière's concept of "dissensus" refers to the tension between sensory experience and its interpretation. He argues that this tension is essential for fostering critical thinking and challenging established norms. Students engaging with art can experience this "dissensus," prompting them to question and analyze the world around them rather than accepting it passively. This concept underscores the importance of allowing students to grapple with diverse perspectives and interpretations, fostering intellectual independence and a deeper understanding of complex issues.

What does John Dewey mean by "doing and undergoing" in the context of aesthetic experiences, and how does it contrast with passive learning?

John Dewey emphasizes the importance of "doing and undergoing" in aesthetic experiences. This means that individuals actively shape, and are shaped by, their interactions with art. This active participation contrasts sharply with passive learning, where students merely absorb information. "Doing and undergoing" encourages students to experiment, create, and reflect on their experiences, leading to a more profound and personalized understanding of the subject matter.

In what ways can integrating art into education transform students from passive observers to active participants?

Integrating art, including visual arts, music, theater, and dance, into education transforms students from passive observers into active participants. This shift involves encouraging interpretation, reflection, and creation. By embracing these aesthetic experiences, educators can cultivate critical thinking, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning. This empowerment enables students to become active agents of change in their own lives and the world around them.

How can educators address concerns about students taking on a passive role within programs like The Cultural Schoolbag (DKS) Program, considering the views of philosophers like Jacques Rancière and John Dewey?

The Cultural Schoolbag (DKS) Program is designed to give students aesthetic experiences; however, educators express concern that the students assume a passive role. Philosophers like Jacques Rancière and John Dewey would challenge this assumption, emphasizing that even as audience members, students are actively interpreting, reflecting, and creating meaning. These processes are inherent in aesthetic experiences, suggesting that the DKS program can still promote active engagement if educators focus on facilitating these interpretive processes and encouraging students to reflect on their experiences.