<p> <i>Purpose:</i> Arts education has been included in the Cypriot school curriculum. The importance of arts education is therefore a major curricular objective. It is used as one of the most widespread methods of experiential learning. The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship among arts education and social-emotional variables of empathy, trait EI, strengths and difficulties as well as the changes on these variables between arts and no arts groups in the five state schools of Cyprus, gathering B' Lyceum students as samples. The significance of this issue proved the necessity for immediate and effective changes in the educational system of Cyprus. </p><p> <i>Methods:</i> The study employed quantitative research methods. Data collection was achieved including the use of questionnaires in two time periods. The target population of this study was B' Lyceum students in the state schools of Cyprus. Purposeful sampling was used and the final sample selected for the statistical analysis was 589 at the beginning and at the end of the school year was 552 cases. </p><p> <i>Findings:</i> Based on the analysis there is a significant change of empathy (affective) between time one and time two. Moreover, the degree of change is not significantly different between the "arts" and "no arts" group nor if there is a significant change of trait EI between time one and time two and also between the "arts" and "no arts" group. In addition, a significant change of strengths and difficulties was noticed between time one and time two (for conduct, hyperactivity, total SDQ). </p><p> <i>Implications:</i> This study suggested that the current educational system in Cyprus must be revised on pedagogy regarding curriculum and further research. The Cypriot curricular of arts education must incorporate methods of experiential learning, revise teaching methods in order to cultivate empathy, trait EI, and strengths and difficulties. This study showed that most of the students who chose arts education faced conduct and hyperactivity problems. According to the findings, students who chose arts education usually face conduct or behavioural problems and arts education is a way to activate multiple intelligence.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:3636584 |
| Date | 25 October 2014 |
| Creators | Hadjineofytou-Panagiotou, Polymnia |
| Publisher | Saint Louis University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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