Defining contagion : examining imagination as a source of the infection in print studios

In this thesis, I attempted to define a contagious component of art education within a community print shop. In this quest, I examine theories around imagination, creativity, and psychology through an analysis of the work of Maxine Greene, Kieran Egan, Ken Robinson, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Gathered from a variety of sources that include, books, scholarly articles, and online video, I link Greene’s concepts of what role imagination plays in critical thinking and empathy, Egan’s promotion of imagination’s ability to create personal and emotional engagement, Robinson’s ideas about creativity in learning, and Csikszentmihayli’s theory of flow. Connecting these four philosophers are elements of challenge, culture, and social change. Guided by the qualitative research method of investigation introduced by Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot & Jessica Hoffman Davis, I create a portrait of the AS220 print shop. The thesis concludes with a definition of what, I feel, makes the community print shop an infectious place of learning. The definition was developed by linking theoretical concepts to findings that emerged from my experience as a participant observer