Why Arts Integration Improves Long-Term Retention of Content

CITATION

Rinne, L., Gregory, E., Yarmolinskaya, J., and Hardiman, M. (2011). Why arts integration improves long‐term retention of content. Mind, Brain, and Education, 5(2), 89-96

ABSTRACT—Advocates of the arts agree that the K-12
curriculum should include dedicated time for arts instruction.
Some have argued further that knowledge and skills
acquired through the arts transfer to nonarts domains. Others
claim that evidence of this kind of transfer is limited and
instead argue that the arts cultivate valuable dispositions
that help students succeed both in and outside of school.
Another potential benefit of the arts has received little
attention, however. Arts integration—the use of the arts
as a teaching methodology throughout the curriculum—may
improve long-term retention of content. A variety of longterm
memory effects well known in cognitive psychology
are reviewed, and it is argued that arts integration naturally
takes advantage of these effects while promoting student
motivation. This review of findings and applications provides
an example of how existing research from neuroscience and
cognitive science can inform thework of practicing educators.

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