The Jiangwancheng campus of Dazhou Senior High School drew on China’s national school platform to address limited materials and differing skill levels in lower-secondary arts activities. The case describes blended provision and varied ways of assessing learning.
Practical exploration on improving after-class services for the art subject in junior high schools through the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools
Jiangwan City Campus of Dazhou Senior High School
[Abstract] This case relies on the national primary and secondary school smart education platform. To address issues such as a lack of resources and an imperfect evaluation system in after-school services for the art subject in middle schools, it explores ways to enhance the teaching practices of the art subject through digital and intelligent technologies. By integrating high-quality resources from the platform and adapting them to actual conditions, a “smart teaching and intelligent learning” model for after-school services in the art subject was developed. Practice shows that the use of this platform significantly improves students’ artistic skills and innovation abilities, promotes the integration of online and offline teaching, and supports the development of students’ core competencies through various evaluations. This case provides a practical solution for improving the quality and effectiveness of after-school services in the art subject under the context of educational informatization, and also contributes to the deeper application of smart education platforms.
【Keywords】National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools; After-class services for art subjects; Multidimensional innovative models for art classes
Introduction
In actual teaching practice, we have identified the following problems in the teaching of art courses after class:
(1) There are significant differences in the foundational knowledge of students
(2) There are differences in the professional skills of teachers who are proficient in certain areas
(3) There is a lack of resources for after-class artistic activities, and the forms of service are monotonous and outdated
(4) The evaluation system is not well-established
The National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools offers rich resources. It provides students with an open environment for independent learning, inquiry-based learning, and collaborative learning. The resources and functions related to after-class services are highly aligned with the needs of the current reform of after-class services in art courses. As the only school in Dazhou City to be selected as one of the first batch of provincial-level smart education demonstration schools in Sichuan Province, and also as a pilot school for the application of the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools, our school takes the lead and plays a role as a pioneer in exploring new approaches to smart education. This case aims to explore how to effectively utilize the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools, and develop a unique school-based service model—the “Yuanyi Zhiwei After-Class Service Model”—in order to ultimately achieve improved quality and efficiency.
1. Goals and Approach
By utilizing the resources of the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform, a high-quality curriculum system can be established. This helps to address issues such as the dispersion and lack of variety in after-school services related to the art subject. Teaching applications can be created, teaching processes can be optimized, and students’ core artistic competencies and innovation abilities can be developed. A diverse campus art culture can be fostered, ultimately achieving an intelligent and digital enhancement of after-school art services.
II. Specific measures
This case takes the after-class services for the art subject in junior high schools as an example. It utilizes the rich course resources on the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools, as well as various intelligent functions available in after-class service settings. These functions cover aspects such as curriculum design, student course selection, teacher instruction, homework activities, independent learning, tutoring, learning assessment, and parent feedback. In this way, the personalized learning needs of students are fully met, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of after-class art services.
In this case, the after-class service teaching of the art subject was carried out using four key aspects, based on the national primary and secondary school smart education platform. The specific implementation process is as follows:
(1) Optimizing curriculum development on the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform
1. Based on curriculum standards and students’ learning conditions, the resources available on the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform are thoroughly utilized. The platform’s modules related to moral education, curriculum teaching, aesthetic education, labor education, and after-school services are integrated into a systematic framework. In line with the actual needs of schools, collaborative teaching activities are enhanced, and the system is improved and optimized. A curriculum system for after-school art services in junior high schools is thus established.
Artistic Literacy Courses: Focusing on cultural enrichment, courses such as appreciation of traditional Chinese painting, drama appreciation, and appreciation of folk art are offered.
Artistic skills: Emphasis is placed on practical training, including courses such as vocal performance, flute playing, and Shu embroidery techniques. The barriers caused by the dispersion of high-quality resources are removed, enabling widespread access to these resources, thereby providing a solid support for after-school services.
(3) Integrated subject courses: These courses combine interdisciplinary resources to develop thematic content. By utilizing platform resources and other available resources, interdisciplinary elements can be incorporated into the design of such courses. Examples include plant dyeing (a combination of art and biophysics), and appreciation of ancient Chinese architecture (a combination of art and physics).
(4) Art practice courses: Integrate high-quality course resources. Utilize the synchronous courses and special resources available in the after-class service section of the platform (such as science experiments, traditional culture courses, online museums, videos on intangible cultural heritage, and craft tutorials) to develop art practice courses, such as the series of courses for the “Intangible Cultural Heritage Preservation” club.
2. Teachers, based on the curriculum standards and the needs of students, make full use of platform resources and various functions to carry out collaborative lesson preparation within teaching groups. Through collective discussions and practical exploration, high-quality content on the platform is transformed into resources that reflect the school’s unique characteristics. A comprehensive resource library for after-class artistic services is established, with emphasis on developing special courses such as paper-cutting, Shu embroidery, calligraphy, and traditional music. This helps to create a distinctive system of artistic educational resources, thereby enhancing the relevance and practicality of the courses.
3. The art department of our school utilizes the resources and functions provided by the platform for after-class services. In cooperation with the school’s teaching management department, it offers more than ten elective courses in various art fields, such as classical dance, zheng instrument playing, and paper-cutting. Teachers adopt a combination of group teaching and self-prepared lessons; they carefully select appropriate resources from the platform and design the teaching content accordingly. Through the digital after-class service menu, personalized services allowing students to choose their own courses are provided, which effectively stimulates students’ interest in art and promotes the high-quality development of after-class services.
(II) Optimizing the implementation of courses on the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform
A multi-dimensional art classroom model should be established, taking into account the specific circumstances and purposes of after-class services, as well as the support provided by the platform for these services. For example, online courses, learning tools, and interactive features can assist students in their after-class learning and exploration. Teachers can interact with students in real-time through the platform or face-to-face, to answer their questions and provide guidance.
The multi-dimensional art classroom integrates “third teachers” such as in-class teachers, platform resources, and “intangible cultural heritage inheritors”, as well as AI-assisted tools, to create a unique teaching model that combines online and offline elements within a single class.
1. Resource distribution before class; students can study independently
The National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform offers a wealth of micro-lesson video resources. These resources can serve as an important supplement to after-class services in the art subject at junior high schools. Through after-class service groups, teachers can send students high-quality video resources before class. Students can watch and study these resources on their own, thereby completing the pre-class homework tasks.
2. During class, utilize the AI intelligent tools provided by the National Smart Education Platform’s dual-teacher classroom environment, teacher-teaching environment, and after-class service environment to establish a multi-dimensional art classroom model.
During after-class service time, teachers use the platform-based dual-teacher classroom environment to organize students to watch and learn artistic resources on the platform, such as micro-lectures and online museum exhibits, and provide guidance and explanations. As a result, students can understand artistic skills and knowledge more deeply, and improve their ability to apply the content taught in textbooks.
In accordance with the national art education curriculum standards, as well as the age characteristics, interests and needs of students, and the requirements of the curriculum objectives, the platform’s “dual-teacher classroom” and “classroom live streaming” functions enable real-time connections with third-party “teachers” such as traditional craft inheritors and artists. This allows parallel teaching from different locations. From the learning of basic skills to the interpretation of cultural connotations, and finally to creative practice applications, students’ core artistic abilities are gradually enhanced, thereby effectively improving the quality of after-class services.
Teachers can use the teaching scenario provided by the platform to initiate the resource-based teaching mode. They can select course materials from the resource libraries, such as electronic textbooks and course materials, and click “Show” to start teaching. It is also possible to open the resource library from the desktop and use “Show” to conduct teaching. By using the tools available in the platform’s teaching scenario, teachers can modify and annotate the teaching content. During the teaching process, they can utilize the appropriate subject-specific tools to help students better understand complex and abstract concepts, thereby improving the quality of teaching.
Problems that students cannot solve can be overcome using the platform’s large-scale AI tools. These tools help improve understanding and application, thereby enhancing the quality of teaching. Students are encouraged to use AI tools to develop their own ideas or compositions, such as generating creative patterns with AI tools or creating melodies with AI tools. They can also share their learning outcomes on the platform.
3. Online Q&A, evaluation, interaction, and communication after class
Teachers can view the details of questions in the tutoring scenarios provided by the platform. They can answer common questions raised by students in the group chat. For individual students’ specific questions, teachers provide answers through private messages.
In addition, the platform’s group for teachers and students provides a platform for students and teachers, as well as classmates, to engage in discussions and exchanges related to art. Students can share their works, share their learning experiences and questions, and receive advice and encouragement from others, thereby stimulating their creative enthusiasm and motivation to learn.
(3) Optimizing course management on the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform
In order to further improve the level of information technology in teaching and enhance the ability to manage after-school services through information technology, the school has established a special team for after-school service courses on the smart education platform. By utilizing the after-school service features of the platform, students can choose their courses and participate in flexible class arrangements; the management of the teaching process is also carried out through this platform. The specific details are as follows:
1. A hierarchical management system for students’ course selection and class attendance
Through questionnaire surveys and data analysis of the after-school service offerings on the platform, the administrators categorized the students based on their skill levels and interests. They arranged courses related to after-school services, as well as corresponding class groups and group sizes. Students log in to the platform to choose the courses they prefer and join the appropriate class groups. According to the school’s unified after-school service schedule, students attend various classes in the art building’s classrooms and other relevant facilities, such as calligraphy digital classrooms, traditional Chinese painting digital classrooms, pottery classrooms, vocal music classrooms, dance classrooms, choir theaters, traditional craftsmanship preservation classrooms, paper-cutting classrooms, and painting classrooms. Students attend these classes with a flexible schedule and complete their studies under the guidance of teachers. At the end of the after-school service period, teachers promptly update the status of students’ participation in those courses through the platform’s apps, such as attendance records (number of students expected to attend, actual attendance, number of students on leave, names and classes of students who are absent without reason); discipline issues; and learning outcomes, such as images of works created by students, videos of performances, etc. This real-time feedback provides an overview of the class situation. The head teachers keep in touch with parents of students who are absent without reason to ensure the smooth operation of the after-school art courses.
After class, students can use the smart platform for after-class services to learn the course resources recommended by teachers online. They can also submit the after-class learning tasks and assessments posted by teachers in the class group, and display their additional assignments and works online, thereby engaging in interaction with teachers and classmates. Teachers can also manage students’ learning behaviors through the platform; they can answer questions online, view the overall assessment results of the elective courses related to art subjects, and grade and publish those assessments. Teachers can regularly conduct surveys on student satisfaction with the courses through the statistics function in the after-class service communication group, while parents can provide feedback on their satisfaction with the after-class services through the statistics.
2. Management of the teaching process
Teaching preparation: Teachers can refer to resources such as high-quality art courses at the ministerial level on the platform, learn methods for teaching design and classroom organization, acquire the latest educational and teaching concepts, and optimize their teaching plans based on the textbooks and the actual situation of students. The platform’s resources can also be shared with students to help them prepare before class, acquire basic knowledge, and identify their personalized learning needs.
Teaching implementation: Lessons are delivered on large screens using the course resources available on the platform. In-person teachers provide targeted support services such as identifying gaps in knowledge and offering guidance, based on the progress of the lectures given by renowned teachers. At the same time, platform resources are used for teaching activities such as explaining content and analyzing principles. Group-based inquiry and learning activities are also organized, enabling interactive teaching between teachers, students, and digital resources.
Teaching evaluation: Teachers use the evaluation tools available on the platform to assess students’ work from multiple perspectives. They can also organize peer evaluations among students. At the same time, teachers should conduct post-class reflection, summarize their teaching experiences and lessons learned, and continuously improve their teaching methods. School administrators can use the platform to get information about teachers’ teaching practices, such as the number of teaching activities and class evaluations, and provide targeted suggestions for improvement.
(4) Optimizing curriculum evaluation on the National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform
1. The evaluation process is systematic, with emphasis on students’ development.
The platform enables teachers and school administrators to conduct ongoing evaluations of students’ performance during after-class art activities, both through desktop and mobile applications. It can record students’ participation in each after-class activity, their learning attitudes, and the progress of their artwork. These data accumulate over time, allowing teachers to comprehensively and dynamically understand students’ learning progress and changes, and to adjust teaching strategies and evaluation methods accordingly.
2. Personalized evaluation, focusing on the diversity of students’ artistic talents
Integrate course learning data: Utilize the platform to record students’ performance in art courses after class, such as attendance records, interactions in class groups, and the quality of practical assignments completed. This helps in analyzing students’ mastery of basic art skills and knowledge.
Collect works and practice materials: Students are encouraged to upload art works, performance videos, and competition photos through the platform’s group settings. This allows a comprehensive display of their learning achievements. It is possible to track their artistic learning process over time, record their progress at different stages, and provide data for dynamic evaluations, thereby better reflecting the development trends of students’ artistic talents. By using the data analysis provided by the platform’s after-class services, it is possible to identify the strengths, weaknesses, and development patterns in students’ artistic learning. Personalized artistic development recommendations can be provided for each student. A record of their artistic talents can be established, offering parents, teachers, and students a clear reference for their artistic learning, thereby promoting the development of students’ artistic talents.
3. More precise evaluations, focusing on individual differences among students
The backend data of the platform allows for accurate analysis of students’ learning behaviors and achievements. For example, it can show how well students have understood various art-related concepts, as well as their performance in different art activities. This helps teachers understand students’ strengths and weaknesses. Based on this data, teaching methods can be tailored to each student’s needs, and personalized evaluations and suggestions can be provided, making the evaluations more scientific and targeted.
After students upload their works through club and class groups, teachers can provide evaluations through data feedback, online comments, and interactive interactions. Students can then present their works and receive feedback from peers and teachers. This not only helps develop students’ critical thinking and aesthetic communication skills, but also enables teachers to understand students’ works from multiple perspectives, making the evaluations more objective and comprehensive.
III. Work effectiveness
Based on the after-class services provided by the National Smart Education Platform for Primary and Secondary Schools in China, we have found that using this platform for teaching has a significant effect on improving students’ artistic skills, enhancing the quality of art courses, and enriching the campus culture.
(1) Enhance students’ artistic literacy and innovation capabilities
The National Primary and Secondary School Smart Education Platform offers a variety of high-quality course resources that students in the art subject at the middle school level need for after-class learning. Students can choose the appropriate courses according to their own learning needs, and through interactive features on the platform, they can receive personalized guidance and assistance. This helps to meet the individual learning needs of students and effectively improves their artistic skills.
The intelligent education platform provides a wide variety of art course resources for primary and middle school students. These resources include not only video lessons on basic theoretical knowledge, but also practical guidance for skill training, which meet the diverse needs of different students. Through this platform, students can choose courses based on their interests and strengths, thus enabling personalized learning.
Through the implementation of these four key aspects, online collaborative lesson preparation, course learning, question answering, and assessment feedback will be combined with paper-based assignments and excellent comprehensive practice projects. This integration of online and offline learning methods will help students adapt to the new demands of self-directed learning in the information age.
The art courses offered after class on this platform focus on developing students’ artistic skills and innovation abilities. During these after-class activities, such as painting and music art activities, students not only acquire basic artistic skills, but also develop innovative thinking and imagination. They can display their works on the platform, exchange ideas with other students, and improve together.
(II) Improved the teaching efficiency and quality of after-class services in the art discipline
By utilizing the advanced technical features of the primary and secondary school intelligent education platforms, the teaching efficiency and quality of art courses have been improved. Teachers can use the platforms to assign pre-class tasks, organize classroom teaching, engage in post-class interactions and evaluations, thereby optimizing the teaching process and enabling the sharing of teaching resources. Additionally, the platforms offer data analysis capabilities, which help teachers better understand students’ learning situations and adjust teaching strategies accordingly. During this implementation, teachers paid more attention to the integration of formative and summative evaluations. The task-driven teaching approach enabled by digital and intelligent technologies significantly enhanced students’ innovative and practical abilities, facilitating a transition from skill-based training to the development of overall artistic competencies. Through the platform’s functions, developmental and performance evaluations can be carried out effectively. While focusing on students’ artistic skills, more emphasis is placed on enhancing their innovative thinking abilities and core competencies through various forms of evaluation.
(3) Enrich the campus cultural development
The intelligent education platform has enriched the campus cultural environment and provided a wealth of artistic resources. Students can learn artistic skills by watching videos and listening to performances. This helps improve their artistic appreciation and skills. Additionally, they can participate in various innovative and diverse club activities through this platform, making the campus culture more diverse and vibrant.
Implement distinctive teaching methods using curriculum resources: Select high-quality course resources in the national intelligent platform, such as those related to aesthetic education, science popularization, and traditional culture. Then, offer specialized elective courses or club activities in schools, such as appreciation of Peking opera, calligraphy art, and artificial intelligence education.
Utilize resources and experiences from various activities to organize diverse campus art events: In terms of cultural and artistic activities, based on artistic exhibitions and traditional cultural resources available on the platform, events such as campus cultural and artistic festivals and talent competitions are organized. This provides students with a platform to showcase their talents and creates a rich artistic atmosphere. In terms of club exhibitions, by drawing on intangible cultural heritage resources on the platform, activities such as intangible cultural heritage student art workshops, interdisciplinary art creation studios, mini-stage shows, science and technology invention exhibitions, traditional music concerts, and parent open days for traditional art clubs are organized. These activities help to develop students’ artistic skills and their appreciation of outstanding Chinese culture.
Interdisciplinary integrated practical activities: High-quality course resources from national platforms are selected to carry out integrated activities that combine various disciplines, such as: emotion-themed picture book creation workshops (art + psychology + language), music meditation and physical theater (art + psychology + sports), traditional craftwork workshops (art + labor + history), environmental art installations (art + labor + science), research and recreation of local folk art (art + culture + geography), and local food culture and art exhibitions (art + culture + mathematics).
Build a cultural campus environment based on platform resources: Create cultural spaces within the campus, such as art galleries and exhibition halls, where excellent art works and traditional art knowledge can be displayed. This allows students to experience the influence of culture everywhere on campus. Create a positive public opinion environment by using various channels such as campus radio, television stations, and official accounts to broadcast or share excellent cultural content and reports on campus cultural activities. This helps to promote a positive campus culture and guide students to develop a correct aesthetic sense.
IV. Conclusion
In future teaching, we should further explore the functions of the platform, develop intelligent diagnosis and adaptive learning modules, and achieve more accurate analysis of students’ learning situations. We should also strengthen interdisciplinary integration, promote the deep integration of art and technology, and expand the scope of after-class services. Additionally, we should establish a regional coordination mechanism to share high-quality course resources and teaching examples, thereby promoting balanced development in art education.
Original link: https://aiedchair.bnu.edu.cn/news-citlab-2247627206-2-en/
