National cultural heritage is an important part of every nationality. It needs to be nurtured and preserved, so that it can be passed on and enrich the lives of posterity. It is almost a matter of course how we get to know a national culture, how we perceive it and also how we preserve it when we live within the territory where it was born. What is less well known is how heritage is integrated into the lives of groups and individuals beyond national borders. Public institutions, such as educational institutions, make a significant contribution to the preservation of national cultural heritage by integrating cultural heritage into various activities, both inside and outside the classroom, e. g. through various projects, workshops, involvement and cooperation of other educational institutions, etc. , thus helping to disseminate knowledge and educate students about Slovenian national cultural heritage. Often, themes to raise awareness of the importance of cultural heritage are taught in art lessons. It was the integration of art activities and the strengthening of the meaning of cultural heritage for each individual that inspired me to do my own research on how cultural heritage content and art activities are integrated in art lessons in an educational institution. However, since I am already familiar with the concept of integrating cultural heritage and art activities in schools on Slovenian territory, and I already have experience, I decided to explore these contents outside the school environment of the Republic of Slovenia. I observed art lessons and the integration of Slovenian cultural heritage at a school abroad in Austria. In the classroom, I prioritised the observation of the art lessons and noted the similarities and differences with the problem-based approach (which approach we have in Slovenia), the cooperation between the teacher and the students, the integration of the Slovenian national cultural heritage in the process of giving specifics about the art concepts, as well as the relationships between the students and how they function in the classroom. In the empirical part, in addition to observation, I also conducted three interviews to gain deeper insight and understanding of the learning process in foreign institutions. Thus, I interviewed a student, an art teacher and the head of the school in order to diversify the answers and the different experiences according to the role these individuals play in the institution.
My thesis will present the ways, specificities and guidelines that guide the teaching of visual arts in a foreign school in Austria. I will present the ways in which institutions abroad work, how they integrate cultural heritage into the school and how they contribute to students' learning.
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