Art Integration

Art Integration is a new way of teaching the learning process. NCF 2005 recommended it. Later on, NCERT took the initiative in Art Integrated Learning. However, NCF 2005 clearly mentions Art, Music, Dance & Theater for Art Integration Learning. The motto of Art Integral Learning is to provide experiential & joyful learning. So, Art Integrated learning provides every learner, the opportunity to go through art experiences.

What is Art Integration (AI)

This is the way of teaching through the Arts. In fact, it is a collaboration of subject & Arts (Visual & Performing Arts) in the teaching-learning process. Arts become the primary pathway to learning the subject in AI. However, Art Integration involves & develops experiential & joyful learning. It is a kind of bridge between learner & subject to understand the subject more effectively & creatively.

Hence, we can say that Art Integration is a method of education through the Arts.

Aims/Importance

It is very useful and important for learners. It has so many possibilities & ways of teaching-learning methods. Here we can see how Art Integration is so important:

It develops the social, and emotional abilities of learners.
It develops the cognitive ability to think, recalling & reflecting.
AI helps to develop the psychomotor ability of the user’s body & movement.
In Art Integration, Fine Arts influence the behavior & attitudes of learners.
Art Education also helps the learner & provides the space to see, hear & feel.
Art Integrated learning develops the skills of Observation, Curiosity, Exploration, Critical & Creative thinking & Free expression.
In short, art helps learners to stretch their minds beyond the boundaries of the textbook.

5 Concepts

5 concepts or I must say elements help us to understand Art Integration. These elements or concepts provide an overview of integrated arts by answering these five essential questions:

What?, Why?, Who?, Where?, & When?

With these questions & answers, we can be able to collect useful details information & resources regarding teaching & learning.

Some experts have different opinions regarding the 5 elements of AI. They recommend the following five words as the elements or the concept of AI:

Communication,
Collaboration,
Critical thinking,
Creativity
Curiosity

4 Medium of Art Integration

The mediums are very important to implement AI. These mediums are also called types of A I. There are 4 mediums of Art Integration-

Visual Art (Including Craft)
Drama
Music,
Dance

Art Education & A I

Some people think that Art Education is Art Integration. But this is not true. Art education is not art integration neither these two are the same. In fact, Art education cannot be the replacement for Art Integration. Actually, we cannot develop Art Integration without teaching Art Education separately.

So, subject teachers and Art teachers together have to undertake the activity of Art Integration.

The Role of Art Education

Art education role is very important in Art Integration. It prepares the learner for a new way of learning through art. It also plays a vital role in the following ways:

It provides students with a creative outlet. The creative outlet can improve their problem-solving skills.
The learner learns how to think outside the box and explore topics in an unconventional way.
Some of these topics are often difficult to teach in the classroom, such as emotions, time, and space. But Art Education easily deals with these topics.
Art develops the social, and emotional abilities of learners.
Art as a subject develops the cognitive ability to think, recalling & reflecting.
Art Education also helps the learner & provides the space to see, hear & feel.
Art helps the learner to stretch their mind beyond the boundaries of the textbook.

Role of Subject Teachers

The role of subject teachers is equally important. Actually, the collaboration of the subject teachers with art teachers is a must for Art Integration. Here are the important points of the role of subjects teachers:

Subject teachers have to find out the topics which can be covered under AI.
The subject teacher better knows his subject, so he can co-relate his subjects with Art.
He/she has to pick out topics from his/her subjects and has to discuss them with Art Teacher.
The subject teacher and art teacher have to discuss the possibilities from time to time. For such work, they may have meetings when needed.

Implementation of AI

The most significant work is to implement Art Integration. I am talking about the implementation at the school level. The following process may be applied:

Step 1(Idea Making)- In this process, the ideas & possibilities will be created or imagined. The subject teachers & Art teachers along with the school authorities may do this process individually at the primary level. They will not down these ideas or possibilities.

Step 2(Meeting or Collaboration) In this process, all the concerned teachers & school authorities will have a meeting. In this meeting, they will discuss their ideas. After the discussion, they will decide & finalize the topics on which they will start Art Integration leering.

Step 3 (Use of Medium)- As per the requirements of the topic, one of the media from Visual Art, Music, Drama & Dance will be selected.

Step 4 (Task work)- Everything is now decided. So the concerned teachers along with students will start working on the main task.

Conclusion

AI is a new way of teaching & learning process. Association of Art Education with other subjects will definitely create interest and possibilities for innovation. Art always gives space for learners to explore & express themselves in their way. So, we can hope that an interesting teaching-learning process with art can do magic for our education system. Let us see how educational institutes will implement it in their school.