Pedagogical Potential Of Contemporary Art In The Spiritual And Moral Education Of Schoolchildren

Abstract

The article is devoted to the problem of realizing the educational potential of contemporary art by teachers in Russian comprehensive schools. The study was conducted with the aim to analyze and assess the current situation in Russian schools related to employing contemporary art as a meaningful basis for the spiritual and moral education of schoolchildren. The focus is on specific perception of contemporary art by schoolteachers, its place and role in their professional activity. The results of online survey among teachers of several Russian regions are presented. The given results make it possible to judge teachers̕ professional and personal attitude to contemporary art and perception of its role in the educational process, to identify the level of teachers competence in the field of contemporary art and culture, to find out the teachers’ need for scholarly-based recommendations on the use of contemporary art to enhance spiritual and moral education of students. The research suggests reasons for teachers not to use works of modern art to address the problems of spiritual and moral education of schoolchildren. It is concluded that, despite the generally positive or neutral attitude of teachers to contemporary art, the educational potential of it in the practice of spiritual and moral education of schoolchildren is not being fully realized, because of teachers’ insufficient level of knowledge in the field of contemporary art.