Integration Strategies Between Elementary Practical Arts and School Autonomous Time

The 2022 revised curriculum introduced school autonomous time to foster problem-solving skills and creative thinking in real-life contexts. This study aims to enhance education quality and support students’ holistic development by integrating elementary practical arts education with school autonomous time. Employing a literature review and case analysis, the research explored the background of introducing creative experiential activities and school autonomous time, the design model for the latter, and the development cases of subjects and activities. Practical arts education primarily provides foundational knowledge and skills in areas such as home economics, technology, agriculture, and information, equipping students with competencies essential for daily life. However, traditional subject-centered lessons may not fully cultivate these competencies. Therefore, linking practical arts education with school autonomous time allows students to foster creative problem-solving and practical skills. This study presents development models and examples of Practical Arts-focused school autonomous time, emphasizing their practical application in education and advancing elementary practical arts education. Specifically, it proposes two models for Practical Arts-centered school autonomous activities across grade levels—the connection model and a deepening model. The study also suggests aligning activities with the curriculum’s desired human qualities and core competencies to maintain consistency. To derive activity themes, the achievement standards of practical arts were analyzed by academic disciplines, identifying key concepts. Lastly, the study recommends that related academic societies collaborate to systematically research and develop school autonomous subjects or activities.