Volume 5 • Issue 2 • PP: 31–42 • 2026
The Impact of Employing Visual Arts in Enhancing National Identity among Primary School Students in the United Arab Emirates: A Field Study Using Statistical Analysis
Abstract
In this paper, the effect of visual arts usage on national identity among first cycle students in the United Arab Emirates will be evaluated. It should be noted that today visual arts became an effective way of informing youth about their cultural values, sense of belonging to their nation, national heritage and values. Nowadays when there are a lot of social and cultural problems, schools should make great efforts in helping students to establish their national identity through creativity. This research is conducted using the methodological framework of descriptive-analytical approach and explores the effect of visual arts on students’ national identity. For the purpose of this study, a questionnaire has been created and distributed among the target audience of first cycle students in order to analyze students’ perspectives on visual arts effects on their sense of national identity, their culture and national values. Moreover, the impact of certain demographic factors like gender, grade, and academic background has been explored. The results have been obtained using statistical tools like frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The research suggests that visual arts have a positive effect on students’ national identity as it encourages students to appreciate and recognize their national culture, belonging to their nation and values, as well as create something based on those.
Keywords
References
[1]. Abu Allam, Raja Mahmoud. (2013). Research Methods in Psychological and Educational Sciences. Cairo: University Publishing House.
[2]. Abu Zaid, Ahmed. (2021). Visual arts and their role in enhancing national identity among students. Journal of Art Education, 15(2), 55–78.
[3]. Al-Harbi, Nora. (2022). The impact of artistic activities on developing citizenship values and national belonging among secondary school students. Journal of Educational Sciences, 28(4), 101–126.
[4]. Al-Sulami, Khalid. (2020). Employing art education to enhance cultural and national identity. Journal of Educational Studies, 12(3), 77–99.
[5]. Obeidat, Thuqan, Abdel Haq, Kaid, & Adas, Abdulrahman. (2014). Scientific Research: Its Concept, Tools, and Methods. Amman: Dar Al-Fikr.
[6]. Al-Otaibi, Maha. (2023). The role of school art exhibitions in enhancing students’ national belonging. Journal of Arts and Humanities, 9(1), 144–169.
[7]. Al-Qahtani, Fahd. (2021). Visual arts and cultural awareness among university youth. Journal of Culture and Development, 18(2), 211–235.
[8]. Anderson, B. (2006). Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism (Rev. ed.). Verso.
[9]. Banks, J. A. (2015). Cultural Diversity and Education (6th ed.). Routledge.
[10]. Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
[11]. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
[12]. Duncum, P. (2010). Seven principles for visual culture education. Art Education, 63(1), 6–10.
[13]. Eisner, E. W. (2002). The Arts and the Creation of Mind. Yale University Press.
[14]. Freedman, K. (2003). Teaching Visual Culture: Curriculum, Aesthetics, and the Social Life of Art. Teachers College Press.
[15]. Hall, S. (1996). Cultural identity and diaspora. In P. Mongia (Ed.), Contemporary Postcolonial Theory (pp. 110–121). Arnold.
[16]. Smith, R. (2018). Art education and national identity among students. International Journal of Art & Design Education, 37(2), 214–228.
[17]. Anderson, T. (2006). Art education for life. New York: McGraw-Hill.
[18]. Banks, J. A. (2015). Cultural diversity and education: Foundations, curriculum, and teaching (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
[19]. Duncum, P. (2010). Seven principles for visual culture education. Art Education, 63(1), 6–10.
[20]. Eisner, E. W. (2002). The arts and the creation of mind. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
[21]. Freedman, K. (2003). Teaching visual culture: Curriculum, aesthetics, and the social life of art. New York: Teachers College Press.
[22]. Hall, S. (1996). Introduction: Who needs identity? In S. Hall & P. du Gay (Eds.), Questions of cultural identity (pp. 1–17). London: Sage Publications.
[23]. Smith, R. (2018). Art education and national identity among students. International Journal of Art & Design Education, 37(2), 245–258.
[24]. Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In W. G. Austin & S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 33–47). Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Cite This Article
Choose your preferred format