Educational Technology Integration in Watercolor Art Education: Evidence from Junior High Schools in Shijiazhuang, China
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33394/jp.v13i4.21782Keywords:
Watercolor Painting, Art Education, Integrated Teaching, Core CompetenciesAbstract
This study aims to examine the integration of educational technology into watercolor painting instruction and identify the factors associated with its effectiveness among junior high school students in Shijiazhuang City, China. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 360 students, 12 art teachers, and 6 teaching administrators across six schools through questionnaires, pretests, posttests, and learning assessments. The student sample comprised 180 students in the experimental group and 180 students in the control group, with each school contributing three experimental classes and three control classes. Qualitative data were collected through interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and regression analysis, while qualitative data were analyzed using grounded theory coding. The findings revealed no significant difference in pretest scores between the experimental and control groups. After one semester of intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher levels of watercolor skills, learning interest, and core competencies, including aesthetic judgment, creative thinking, and collaboration (p < .001). Regression analysis indicated that teachers’ educational technology competence, interactive instructional design, and digital learning resources jointly explained 63.2% of the variance in learning outcomes. Qualitative findings further indicated that immersive technologies, digital painting tools, and online collaboration enhanced student engagement, creativity, and classroom interaction, despite challenges related to teacher workload and technical support. The findings suggest that the integrated teaching model is a feasible approach to strengthening watercolor education at the junior high school level and provide practical guidance for the systematic integration of educational technology into art education.
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