INFLUENCE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE ART TEACHERS’ UTILIZATION OF BLENDED LEARNING (BL) IN CROATIA

Reflecting on models in which digital technology and online learning are combined with live teaching has become necessary in today’s education. The research aims to determine whether visual arts teachers have developed digital competencies during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly and what they think about the effectiveness of blended learning. It will determine whether attitudes about distance teaching depend on their digital competence. The research results show that half of the teachers had satisfactory digital competencies because they used blended learning before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, digital literacy in using technology has been developed more than multimedia didactic competencies. Those teachers who used blended learning before the COVID-19 pandemic are more inclined to have positive attitudes about the effects of distance teaching. They think that they will apply new teaching skills during face-to-face teaching after the COVID-19 pandemic, that methods and tools for teaching in the digital environment develop students’ interest and abilities, and that the independent creation of digital teaching materials has improved their methodical capabilities.