Southeast Center for Education in the Arts

We are moving from an economy and a society built on the logical, linear, computer-like capabilities of the Information Age to an economy and a society built on the inventive, empathetic, big-picture capabilities of what’s rising in its place, the Conceptual Age.

A conceptual lens forces thinking to the integration level. Students see patterns and connections at a conceptual level as they relate the topic to the broader study framed by the lens.

Concepts are:
crea– abstract stimulating higher level thinking by causing students to rise above the fact base
...creato gain understanding
crea– timeless remaining constant even though the fact base that supports the concepts may
...creachange over time
crea– universal and can be applied across the fields of knowledge.

Concepts:
crea– integrate thinking and allow for the transfer of knowledge
crea– provide a relevant focus for content study
crea– facilitate the transfer of knowledge
crea– create a brain schema for processing new information.

The arts are a medium and model for learning. All art forms share fundamental concepts with other thinking and symbol systems. Language, math, music, dance, theatre, and visual art all employ systems of symbolic representation. By drawing students’ attention to the underlying structures that they share the study of the systems becomes mutually reinforcing, so students develop a deep and rich understanding of each system and the connections among them.

On a clear day you can see common concepts that span stratified disciplines.