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Develop complex thinking with strategies from the National Gallery of Art and Project Zero at Harvard University, making connections to artworks, exploring viewpoints with empathy, and uncovering complexities, in this course for educators of all levels and subjects.
Many teachers around the world shared how transformative the National Gallery’s first online course Teaching Critical Thinking through Art has been for them.
We’re excited to offer you this second course, Teaching Complex Thinking through Art!
The strategies presented in this course are adapted from Artful Thinking pedagogy, developed by Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Artful Thinking research discovered that six thinking dispositions can be strengthened by engaging with art. The first course covers three of these dispositions— Observing and Describing , Reasoning with Evidence , and Questioning and Investigating. This second course will explores the other three— Comparing and Connecting , Exploring Viewpoints , and Finding Complexity.
You'll see Live-Action Lesson Videos showing real teachers with students of various grade levels, in math, science, social studies, language arts, and visual arts, discussing art in classrooms and at the museum and demonstrating a thinking routine—a strategy consisting of open-ended questions centered around a thinking disposition.
You'll explore artworks for yourself using thinking routines and zoomable tools. Featured artworks grapple with complex ideas —from mathematical thinking to botany, from family dynamics to forgiveness, and from globalization to indigenous histories. No matter what subject or level you teach, you’ll find lessons and resources that relate to your practice.
In our In-Dialogue Videos , you’ll hear from two Harvard researchers talking with our museum educators. In their conversations, they examine the benefits and challenges of teaching through art different facets of complex thinking.
You’ll be part of a global learning community in which you can document, share, and reflect on your experience integrating art and developing complex thinking with your students.
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Teaching Complex Thinking through Art with the National Gallery of Art is a sequel to Teaching Critical Thinking through Art with the National Gallery of Art.
You don’t need to have completed the first course to fully participate in this one. If you have finished the first one, this will be a natural extension of what you’ve already learned with exciting, practical new content and lessons.
In this course, you will learn...
Your learning experience will be enhanced by usable, interactive tools , such as:
To practice what you learn in the course, you will be able to access a suite of downloadable teaching resources for your classroom:
We estimate that completing this self-paced course will take approximately 20 hours, though each learner has their own timing. We recommend spreading your course engagement over 4 to 5 weeks.
Those who audit the course at no charge will have access to it for 16 weeks. Those who register for the Verified Certificate for $119 will have a full year to complete the course and access for the life of the course.
This course contains an introductory unit and four content units about the following topics:
"This course is extremely insightful and practical. Seeing actual thinking routines with works of art used by teachers in the videos made things clear and easy to follow."
"This course is an amazing opportunity to deepen teaching skills through discussions about art, as it articulates and explains practices that may already be incubating in classrooms but may not be used intentionally. I use art frequently in my classroom, but this course will take it to a new level."
What should I expect from this course?
In this five-unit course, you can spend just a few hours per week, at your own pace, engaging with the course material. Whatever subject you teach, you’ll learn applicable strategies, see examples, and participate in ways that fit your needs: watch videos of lesson excerpts from different grade levels in classrooms and the museum, practice strategies and contribute to discussions with an online community of teachers, use customized tools to explore works of art, read informative texts, take quizzes, access resources about featured artworks and thinking routines, complete assignments, and share your work on Padlet.
Why art? How can art help my students’ complex thinking?
Works of art are often ambiguous and open to multiple interpretations. Art invites complex analysis to support different interpretations. Students can practice complex thinking with art, in the safe, stimulating environment of the classroom. When students practice routinely with art, they become complex thinkers, applying these techniques with other school subjects and in the real world.
Do I need to take my class to a museum?
You don't need to have access to a museum or physical works of art. We'll show how teachers are using art to spark engagement and dialogue with students in the classroom using art reproductions, like posters and digital images. While you won’t be making art or studying art history here, our online course and museum’s website will provide the resources to apply these strategies in your classroom. Of course, if you do have a museum nearby and are able to take your students there, a museum visit is always a great idea!
Who developed this course?
This course was made possible by generous grants from the Ruth S. Willoughby Foundation and J. Bruce and Alice Whelihan. Special thanks goes to J. Bruce Whelihan, trustee of the Willoughby Foundation.
Special thanks goes to Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, especially Shari Tishman and Veronica Boix Mansilla, for inspiring our use of Artful Thinking dispositions and routines as the basis for this online course.
Special thanks goes to Smithsonian Enterprises for our inclusion in SmithsonianX courses.
This course was created by educators in the Learning and Engagement Division at the National Gallery of Art. Julie Carmean and Liz Diament produced the content with support by Jessica Metzger, Nina Huang, Howes Studio, Sara Lesk, and Anamaria Anderson.
