Art Didactics and New Technologies in Primary School Field Practice: Augmented Reality Application for Multimodality

Abstract

This paper is a result of a field application carried out in a public school in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. We aimed at integrating an augmented reality application in the primary school curriculum. The role of Art Education in nowadays mostly has to do with specific tasks, traditional art methods and materials that will always have their place in the curriculum. Art education is a fundamental aspect of a well-rounded education. It goes beyond merely teaching artistic techniques; it instills valuable life skills, fosters creativity, and contributes to personal growth, cultural understanding, and societal enrichment. Digital technologies, especially in the post covid and postdigital era, have influenced both the education system in general and art didactics as well. The research question of the paper is how new technologies and applications are reinventing and reshaping art education. The use and the study of specific artworks is carried out in a way for the multisensory experience of contemporary cultural reality. The key is to find a true balance between the field art practice and the high-end tech integration. How can we address old school artworks and artistic content in a multimodal way? Can we address a class free lesson in school? By addressing this empirical, applied learning experience, we tried to facilitate student with the technology integration.