Teachers' Attitudes Toward Integrated Teaching Based on Visual Arts as a Prerequisite for the Development of Student Competencies for the 21st Century

Abstract

This research examines teachers’ attitudes toward the integration of content from various subjects within visual arts classes and its impact on educational outcomes and the development of 21st-century competencies. The study also explores the extent to which teachers apply the didactic principles of integrated teaching within their visual arts pedagogy. A quantitative research method was employed, with data collected via a non-standardized electronic questionnaire (rating scale). The voluntary sample consisted of 100 primary school teachers from the North, South, and Central Banat districts of the Republic of Serbia during the 2019/20 school year. The research revealed that teachers hold exceptionally positive attitudes toward visual arts-based integrated teaching regarding learning outcomes, problem-solving skills, divergent thinking, lifelong learning, and functional knowledge. The study concludes that fundamental principles of integrated teaching are observable in visual arts practice and that this approach effectively fosters essential student competencies for the future.