The Art of the Matter: The Importance of using Art in the College Classroom to Promote Creativity and Reinforce Lessons

Art is a valuable learning tool, regardless of discipline, that is often neglected in the college classroom. This article describes an artistic group exercise that required students enrolled in a homicide class to illustrate “warning” posters, depicting various explanations for why people kill. The author explores how this innovative group project enhanced a traditional classroom lecture on the same subject. The assignment was replicated for four semesters. Using the results of a post-assignment survey, the author presents student evaluations of the project, including both quantitative and qualitative responses. Students rated the assignment as both enjoyable (average score of 6.42 out of 7) and beneficial to their retention of course material (average score of 6.06 out of 7.0). Based on student feedback, this article serves as a call to higher education professionals, encouraging the implementation of creativity in traditional curriculum. The detailed activity within provides a blueprint that any professors can tailor to fit their given course topic and discipline.