Role of contemporary printmaking techniques in art education

A modern teaching of visual art needs to include printmaking to the same extent as it includes other areas of visual art. Specific knowledge, skills and competences gained in printmaking classes, which are based on practicing new printmaking techniques using waste material, positively affect the whole student development. Since the Croatian education system is quite traditional, it is important to train teachers in using modern approaches to teaching graphics. Modern approaches in visual art education and the use of new, simpler printmaking techniques can increase students’ engagement, independence and creativity. Therefore, this empirical research was based on the introduction of new printmaking techniques that rely on the use of waste material in printmaking classes, starting from easier techniques to those that are more complex. The research was carried out on a quantitative and qualitative basis. The data for the quantitative part of the research were gathered using an anonymous questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale and analyzed by descriptive statistics. The analysis was based on the chi-square test for hypotheses of independence, the t-test for independent variables and the one-way ANOVA. The questionnaire consistency was determined by Cronbach’s alpha and variability was described by factor analysis. The questionnaire’s objectivity was assured by consistent and unambiguous instructions for completing the questionnaire. The research investigated the attitudes of teachers regarding the importance of graphics in visual art classes, problems encountered in printmaking classes, material and spatial capacities for printmaking classes and the teachers’ needs for an additional training in teaching graphics. The results were used for making guidelines for the quantitative part of the research, which was conducted through an action research. The first part of the action research covered a professional training of class and subject teachers in the areas of printmaking, with an emphasis on the adoption of competences for successful teaching of graphics in school. The aim of such teaching is to encourage students to be active in classes, to help them develop independence and creativity in visual art, but also to motivate teachers to develop their own strategies in teaching printmaking techniques. The evaluation showed that teachers had positive attitudes about the training and the newly-learned printmaking techniques. In addition, they showed high motivation for introducing graphics in regular visual art classes. In the second part of the action research, we introduced new graphic techniques using new and different material – waste. This part of the research was carried out with students of the third, fifth and eighth grades in three different primary schools. A quantitative analysis of each step of the research, teachers’ reflections, non-structured interviews, activity monitoring and a qualitative assessment of students’ creativity in creating graphic works helped us confirm the positive effect of the action research. The data validation was facilitated by the method of triangulation, which served to show the width of observation gathered in this research. Following the action research, the teachers’ awareness about equal importance of different fields of visual art has increased as well as their knowledge about the use of new printmaking techniques. In addition, this research produced positive effects on teachers’ competences in organizing effective printmaking classes and it increased their responsibility in successful teaching of students in the field of printmaking. Finally, the research showed improvements in students’ knowledge in graphics, as well as an increase in the level of students’ engagement and independence in printmaking classes. The students also showed greater creativity in working with printmaking techniques and they were more successful in using new and different (waste) material in printmaking classes