Learning Art Education by Using Museums Based to Promote Multiculturalism in Elementary School

Abstract

This research project aimed to offer a museum-based learning model in Arts Education for multiculturalism promotion in primary schools. The participants were six art teachers and 60 students in seven schools in the three southern border provinces. The instruments were a focus group discussion record, the teachers’ Arts Education Handbook for multiculturalism promotion, an observation form on indicating behaviors of multicultural symbiosis, a set of multicultural art activities for peace, and a post-activity satisfaction questionnaire

Results revealed that course contents within the museum-based learning model in Arts Education for multiculturalism promotion were constructed by integrating Primary 5 visual arts subjects and standards. Activity series and learning materials covered content as available in the Southern Cultural Hall, starting from the southern border topography, archeology and ethnic history; historical data from early periods, Rattanakosin to today; the Buddhist way of life; the Chinese way of life; the Islamic way of life; handicrafts, performing arts, and folk games; local wisdom; to the current southern border’s ways of life. Activities were conducted in two formats, including one carried out in pairs by focusing on promoting knowledge of cultural roots and diversity from past to present and another organized in groups by emphasizing practical experiences. More specifically, in the group activity, the students were tasked to apply knowledge obtained from the Cultural Hall by creating graphic arts. This activity aimed to promote desirable multicultural symbiotic behaviors, including diversity acceptance, respect for differences, compassion, and critical thinking. The observation of indicating behaviors of multicultural symbiosis revealed that the students who participated in the activities earned extremely high scores and were able to create graphic arts that relevantly reflected multicultural society and harmonious social symbiosis. In addition, the satisfaction questionnaire revealed that the participants were extremely satisfied with the activities (M=2.58, SD=0.56).