Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v28i3.43216
Teaching Visual Art and Music in Mixed-Age Primary Classes
Jelena Blašković Galeković
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Teacher Education
Svetlana Novaković
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Teacher Education
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* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
Abstract
Mixed-age or combined classes entail a group of students of different age and abilities. Student diversity and mutual differences present a special challenge for education workers teaching combined classes. The teachers should possess pronounced competences such as creativity, innovativeness, being democratic, rationalisation and self-regulation. Research has shown that children in combined classes develop autonomy and initiative more intensively and delegate their obligations and free time more economically than their counterparts in regular classes. Besides, in mixed-age classes students’ creative mechanisms are additionally motivated, and their critical and creative thinking is further developed, which influences the level of self-confidence and ultimately students’ self-realisation. Precisely these are the characteristics excelled in arts education (visual art and music). The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of visual art and music lessons, teachers' role in preparing arts instruction, the organisation of space, and advantages and disadvantages of working in mixed-age classes. The research was conducted in 2024/2025 academic year among first- to fourth-grade teachers working in combined classes (N = 158) in the Republic of Croatia. A quantitative, nonexperimental study was carried out via a questionnaire. Apart from descriptive statistics, non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used. The results show that using various didactic strategies and instruction planning are important features of teaching visual art and music in combined classes. As leaders of the education process, teachers should use different learning strategies and optimise lessons design, wherein it is important to pay attention to the organisation of classroom environment so that it provides all necessary didactic equipment, materials and means that facilitate the use of different learning and teaching methods. According to the participants' opinions, the greatest advantage of working in a combined class is student autonomy and discipline, followed by cooperation and peer-to-peer teaching. Teachers perceive simultaneous instruction of different contents in one lesson as a difficulty. It was found that teachers with more years of service perceive students in combined classes as more independent and disciplined than teachers with less years of service do. On the other hand, teachers with shorter work experience consider psychophysical differences between students as a drawback to a greater extent than teachers with longer work experience. At the same time, teachers with more years of service and professional experience use different teaching strategies more often than teachers with less work experience.
Keywords: arts education; combined classes; primary education; teaching methods
Ključne riječi
arts education; combined classes; primary education; teaching methods
Hrčak ID:
351225
URI
Datum izdavanja:
21.9.2026.
Posjeta: 0 *