Collaborating arts and humanities to foster social and cultural awareness through creative expression

Abstract

This research aims to examine the effects of incorporating arts (such as visual arts, music, and drama) and humanities (including literature, history, and ethics) into the elementary school curriculum on students' social, emotional, and cultural awareness. It also explores how creative expression through arts and humanities can enhance students' critical thinking and empathy, contributing to the creation of an inclusive and socially conscious school atmosphere. The study uses a qualitative research method with a phenomenological approach. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis, involving 20 students and 5 teachers from three elementary schools in Cirebon City that have integrated arts and humanities into their teaching. The findings revealed that integrating arts and humanities significantly enhanced students' social, emotional, and cultural awareness. Students participating in creative activities like painting, playing music, performing drama, and engaging in literature discussions demonstrated improvements in both critical thinking and empathy. Teachers also observed heightened student engagement and more positive interactions among students from diverse cultural backgrounds. In summary, the integration of arts and humanities into the elementary curriculum positively impacts students' social and emotional development. The implication is that schools should promote more opportunities for creative expression in learning to foster students with stronger social and cultural awareness and sharper critical thinking skills to face global challenges.