Paul Dibble
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Approach: One to one Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus: Students can form their own viewpoint on an artwork after considering others’ viewpoints
Resources: Video recording on laptop computer, picture
Questions/instructions:  

This activity uses the computer.
Click the Paul Dibble button.

We’re going to watch a video clip which shows an artist called Paul Dibble, and some of the work he has made. You will also see some people looking at his work.

Click the Paul Dibble 1 button.

Here is a picture of one of Paul Dibble’s sculptures.

Show picture. (similar to last frame adjacent)

(scenes of installation of sculpture; opening celebration; people viewing the work; etc.)

video voiceover:
PERSON 1: Oh I do like it. I just love the lines and the shapes, and the way it looks so important, and peaceful and happy. Paul Dibble’s such a clever artist. We are so lucky to have this sculpture on display where everyone can see it and touch it. It’s so cool!
PERSON 2: Well, it’s supposed to be a woman, but it’s a pretty stupid looking woman if you ask me. Look at the legs and the shape of the body – and her head! They don’t look very real to me. She looks quite odd. I think that if we are going to have a statue of a woman, then it should look like one and it should be more colourful.


% responses
2007 ('03)
y4
y8
1. Tell me what you think of this sculpture.
2. What do you like about it, or not like about it?
    
 
definite strong reaction, well explained
11 (6)
18 (23)
definite strong reaction, but not well explained
26 (21)
23 (19)
moderate reaction, with some explanation
35 (43)
38 (37)
moderate reaction, with no explanation
22 (23)
17 (12)
Now listen to what a couple of other people said about it. Click the Paul Dibble 2 button.
(single shot of sculpture similar to last frame above)

3. What did you notice about what these two people were saying?
4. Why do you think they said such very different things about the same sculpture?
Different views:
identified differences and explained that people have different preferences
35 (32)
61 (66)
identified differences, but did not explain why people have different preferences
34 (41)
24 (19)
did not clearly identify the differences, and/or explain that people have different preferences
23 (23)
14 (14)
5. Do you agree with any of those people? Which one?
6. Why do you agree with them?
Expression of preference:
(art criteria, such as proportions, balance, shapes, colour, interesting materials, originality, representational qualities)
clear preference, well explained
10 (8)
21 (13)
clear preference, but not well explained
69 (71)
54 (55)
partial agreement with both, well explained
6 (7)
11 (14)
partial agreement with both, but not well explained
9 (8)
12 (17)
Total score:
10–11
8 (1)
16 (16)
8–9
31 (38)
35 (39)
6–7
40 (36)
37 (30)
4–5
15 (17)
10 (13)
0–3
6 (8)
2 (3)
Subgroup Analysis:
Year 4
Year 8
Commentary:
Students differed widely in their ability to discuss this sculpture by Paul Dibble. A number of students, at both year 4 and year 8, were able to define and articulate their likes or dislikes about the work, whereas other students had great difficulty with the task. Pasifika students at year 4 and Mäori students at year 8 were less successful at discussing the works than Pakeha students at the respective year levels. Gender differences were small, and performance in 2003 was quite similar to 2007.
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