The purpose of this study is to provide basic data to improve psychological education environment for elementary schoolers by identifying actual conditions of psychological education environment, self-efficacy and interest in the art subject and, thro...
The purpose of this study is to provide basic data to improve psychological education environment for elementary schoolers by identifying actual conditions of psychological education environment, self-efficacy and interest in the art subject and, through this, analyzing effects and correlations of psychological education environment on self-efficacy and interest in the art subject.
For this, questionnaires were used in this study to survey 500 students at elementary schools located in the Metropolitan area in April 2005. All data from this surveying were computerized and encoded, and SAS Program was used. They were analyzed by statistic techniques such as percentage, mean, the standard deviation, χ²-test, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's Correlation, etc. The results were as follows:
1. The perceptions by third to sixth graders of elementary school on psychological education environment were generally positive. Above all, they were found to consider the psychological education environment given by parents was the best. Meanwhile, teachers were less highly estimated than other factors of psychological education environment, which suggested the necessity to improve the art teachers' attitudes or teaching methods. The respondents' interest was found to be very high, which indicated most students liked and enjoyed the art subject. It was revealed that the students who experienced art education at private institutes estimated psychological education environment in the art subject more positively than those who did not. Particularly, these two groups showed the biggest difference in their perceptions on teachers. In terms of self-efficacy and interest, they displayed a significant difference. The students educated by private art institutes gained higher scores than those on the other side. These results suggested that the activities at private art institutes usually helped students think of the art subject more positively and raised their interest and self-efficacy in the subject.
2. When it came to difference in perceptions on psychological education environment by gender, girls considered the psychological education environment in the art subject more positively than boys. The students who experienced art education at private institutes estimated the psychological education environment more highly than those who did not. There was no significant difference between grades.
3. Regarding difference in self-efficacy of the art subject by gender, girls showed higher self-efficacy than boys by gaining much higher scores. In addition, the students who had attended private art education institutes had higher self-efficacy than those who had not. In regard to grade, the third graders were found to have the highest self-efficacy by gaining the highest scores. Overall, it was revealed that the higher grade was, the lower self-efficacy in the art subject was.
4. Boys were widely distributed in the art subject than girls, showing lower interest. On the contrary, girls were found to have more interest in the art subject than boys in consideration of their distribution concentrated on high interest. The students who had attended private art education institutes had much more interest than those who had not. In terms of grade, the third graders were found to have the highest interest in the art subject by being intensively distributed on the item "Very Interesting." The sixth graders' interest was relatively lower than other graders. Besides, in general, the number of "Less Interesting" and "Very Boring and Don't like it" increased for high graders such as fifth and sixth, which indicated the number of students who were losing their interest in the art subject rose as their grades were higher.
5. The correlation between the psychological education environment and self-efficacy of the art subject was high, which suggested that the better the psychological education environment is, the higher self-efficacy of the art subject is. The correlation between the psychological education environment and interest was also high, showing that the better the psychological education environment is, the higher students' interest in the art subject is. Among these three correlations, the highest was the one between self-efficacy and interest. This means that the students with high self-efficacy of the art subject have high interest in that subject, while those with low self-efficacy have low interest. Among the factors of psychological education environment of the art subject, the correlation between teachers and self-efficacy showed a positive aspect although it was lower than that between overall psychological education environment and self-efficacy. Parents, friends and other factors of psychological education environment also indicated many correlations of self-efficacy and interest in the art subject. Especially, the correlation with friends was the highest, suggesting the importance of peer group in childhood. Those who experienced private art institutes showed higher correlation between psychological education environment, self-efficacy and interest than those who did not.
Based on the above results of the actual conditions and the correlations of psychological education environment, self-efficacy and interest, the following can be suggested as solutions of improving the psychological education environment of the art subject and directions of art education.
1. As psychological education environment is one of the important factors to influence self-efficacy and interest in the art subject, it is necessary to make continuous efforts to improve not only the visible physical education environment but also the psychological education environment. Moreover, the art subject has few theoretical studies on this. Thus, systematic studies should be conducted to improve psychological education environment in the art subject.
2. It was found that among the factors of psychological education environment, friends had a high effect on self-efficacy and interest in the art subject. Therefore, when elementary students are in art class, it is necessary to guide them cooperate with each other and share the class. Furthermore, teachers need to help students respect friends' works and have attitudes to value the works just like those of themselves through teaching them right appreciation and estimation techniques.
3. It was revealed that among the factors of psychological education environment, school teachers appeared to be relatively lower than other factors, which suggested that art teachers at school are required to have attitudes to lead their classes with individual interest and affection for their students. They also should develop various and interesting programs and teaching methods in order for students to have the class with pleasure. In addition, teachers need to make efforts to help students find more interest in art class by providing a freer learning atmosphere. As well as this, parents' attitudes toward art education appeared to have an effect on self-efficacy and interest of elementary schoolers in the art subject. Thus, studies related to this are necessary. An efficient and right art education by parents also needs to be conducted.
4. The higher the grades were, the higher the distribution of the students who disliked the art subject appeared to get. Accordingly, studying the reason profoundly and developing programs for higher graders should be implemented more actively.
5. As the results of analysing the reason for interest in the art subject, internal motivation factors, besides psychological education environment, appeared to be a major factor with high percentage. Therefore, subsequent studies should be conducted about the comparison of these factors' influences on self-efficacy and interest in the art subject.