Exploring the Impact of Art Education on Socialization in Multicultural Classrooms: A Survey Study of Ukrainian Students

The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of art classes on various aspects of the emotional state and socialization of pupils and students in multicultural classrooms. The research methodology included a survey among pupils and students of Ukrainian educational institutions. Based on the results of the questionnaire, the main results of the entire study were substantiated and ideas were proposed to improve the organization of art classes by teachers in the context of creating more comfortable conditions for the socialization of students in a multicultural classroom. The main results of the questionnaire showed that currently, students do not see a direct effect of improving relationships with peers in the learning space through visual and decorative arts lessons. At the same time, statistics showed that 55.6% of art classes in Ukrainian educational institutions are held in lecture form, and in the 27.8% of classes in which the practical form prevails, pupils and students work alone in 71.4% of cases. Despite the unpleasant statistics, art classes clearly have an indirect impact on the socialization of students and the improvement of their emotional and mental state. The positive impact of fine and decorative arts classes has been proven in statistics showing that 64.7% of pupils and students like art classes and feel that their mental state has improved. Art lessons help students to express their emotions in a non-verbal way, which is extremely valuable for pupils and students from multicultural backgrounds who have language problems or feel psychologically insecure.