Elementary School Teachers’ Attitudes towards the Importance and use of Teaching Methods in Visual Arts Education

Abstract

The quality of the teaching process in visual arts largely depends on a creative and effective combination of both general and subject-specific (visual arts) teaching methods. The aim of this study was to determine in- service teachers' perceptions of the features, specifics, importance and objectives of teaching methods in visual arts education, as well as their perception of the importance of visual arts as a school subject. The research was conducted on a sample of 373 Croatian elementary school teachers. A correlation was determined between the following variables: “teachers' work experience”, “teachers' perception of the importance of visual arts education” and the variable: “use of teaching methods in visual arts classes”. Findings have implications for modernizing and improving school practice; they also suggest further research in this area.

Keywords

• interactive approach to learning and teaching
• generic and subject-specific teaching methods
• elementary school teachers
• teaching strategies
• visual arts