VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS AS TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMATION: EXPLORING TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ART-INTEGRATED EDUCATION

Abstract [English]

Interdisciplinary arts education or arts integration are examples of art-integrated learning. It involves incorporating fundamental academic disciplines like arithmetic, physics, language arts, and social studies with a variety of artistic mediums, including dance, music, theatres, and visual arts. Art-integrated learning promotes a holistic approach to education by encouraging teachers to include creative activities and artistic experiences in their lesson plans, in contrast to traditional teaching approaches that divide subjects into discrete areas. As per the recommendations of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, CBSE promotes Art Integrated Education to foster India's cultural heritage in the classroom to encouraging joyful learning. The CBSE Capacity Building Program teaches educators how to use art as a teaching tool to help children develop socially, emotionally, and cognitively. This study explores the understanding and implementation of Art-Integrated Education (AIE) among 40 secondary school teachers who participated in a Capacity Building Programme on Art-Integrated Education. Using a structured questionnaire based on CBSE’s training materials and NEP 2020 guidelines, the paper evaluates teachers’ conceptual clarity, practical application, and the challenges they face. Findings suggest positive reception and intent to use AIE, though implementation is hindered by limited resources and administrative constraints.