Teaching digital art in art teacher education: Recommendations for Taiwanese pre-service elementary art teachers in the digital age

Digital technology has affected art instruction at all levels of education. The most critical issue that has been reported recently by many researchers is that an overemphasis on technical training and insufficient understanding of pedagogy in computer art education challenges pre-service art teacher education in Taiwan. Little research has addressed digital art curriculum, teaching pedagogy, and instruction in regard to pre-service art teachers. This study attempts to fill the research gap.; In order to gain in-depth understanding of computer art teaching and learning in teacher education, a multiple case study that consisted of four teacher educators and four pre-service art teachers in Taiwan was conducted. NVivo qualitative analysis software program was used to systematize data management. A node structure was also developed to analyze complex data. The summary of each case study data followed a standard format, which included five categories and provided the groundwork for understanding computer art education in Taiwan. Cross case analysis was undertaken to identify the common and emergent themes.; Results of this research suggested that five factors, including instructor competence, the availability of non-technical components of computer art curriculum, effective teaching methods, acknowledgment of students' skill/knowledge, and restructuring the curriculum were important. These would contribute to a less technically oriented curriculum in Taiwanese art teacher education. This study shed light on how teacher educators could instruct computer art classes with less emphasis on technical training as well as give curricula planners in higher education some insights into how they could better prepare pre-service art teachers to effectively integrate digital technology into their art curriculum.