The Influence of Rural and Urban Cultural Environments on Children‟S Drawings: Evidence from Selected Primary Schools in Ashanti Region
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Date
2018-11
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KNUST
Abstract
The recent surge of interest in children creativity has brought about keen recognition
of cultural influences in children‟s drawings. Whilst, considerable researches have
been undertaken within and across cultures on cultural influences on children‟s
drawings, such studies are limited in Ghana. Hence, influences of rural and urban
cultural environments on children‟s drawings were investigated in the Ashanti region
by looking at the elements that constitute children‟s drawings, factors that influence
the elements children draw, as well as similarities and differences in the rural and
urban children‟s drawings. The study was based on qualitative research approach
where drawings and interviews were used to obtain data from children in Primary
Three and Four at the Martyrs‟ of Uganda and State Experimental Schools in Kumasi;
and Motokrodua D/C and Bouya D/C Primary schools in the Sekyere East district. All
the children had stayed in their communities for at least four years and were within 8-
11years. Data analyses based on content analysis and descriptive techniques showed
elements of community, household, school, popular culture, religion and vegetation in
the rural children‟s drawings; whiles, elements of excursions, travels and trips,
popular culture, sports and games, human figures, events, ceremonies, scenes of
transport services and market constituted urban children‟s drawings. The factors that
influenced rural children drawing elements were their school environment and
curriculum, household, popular culture, natural environment and human activities,
travelling opportunities and senses of patriotism; whilst, factors relating to travelling
opportunities, excursions and visits to interesting places, stories, dreams and events,
routine activities, school environment and curriculum and popular mass media
influenced urban children‟s drawings. Rural children drew houses that were small
rounded and conical roof tops with limited features, whiles urban children drew
houses that looked rectangular form with triangular roof tops with more features;
urban children depicted human figures that represented their family members, whiles
rural children drew themselves and general personalities; but, while both children‟s
drawings showed actions; only urban children human figures showed facial mood
dispositions. The findings attest the influences of rural and urban cultural
environments and popular culture on rural and urban children‟s drawings, as well as
differences in the representation of houses and human figures. Hence, Creative Art
teachers should encourage more of children‟s free drawings from personal
experiences and their cultural environments.
Description
A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the degree of
MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY