Jiajun Han

As the educational theory progressed and multimodal pedagogies became more developed, the approach of incorporating visual arts in teaching traditional subjects became a strong candidate in enhancing engagement in learning and development of critical thinking in students. The paper discusses the integration of visual art in teaching history in middle schools within the context of China and how its implementation impacts on the historical knowledge and cognition of the students. The paper is based on constructivist theory of learning and theory of multiple intelligences by Gardner; it investigates empirical evidence as well as pedagogical approaches that combine knowledge of history and artistic representation. Findings indicate the role of visual art in enhancing the understanding of historical elements among students besides promoting creativity, interpretation and emotional appeal. Nonetheless, there are still some restrictions, including occasions of uneven enforcement and non-similarity in policies. The present paper provides a framework of effective interdisciplinary teaching and future implications in the development of curriculum and the teacher training.

visual arts; history teaching; interdisciplinary learning; critical thinking; curriculum integration

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