Comparing visual arts lesson attitudes of the second level students attending the primary schools in rural and urban settings

These days, by reflecting urban economic, technological and cultural developments in Arts education, it can be seen that students have gained new perspectives in their self-expression. This situation brings with it the problem of giving rural school, which may not have the benefit of these developments, the same educational qualities of urban schools which have every possibility open to them; at the same time defining problems within art education. It is necessary to define problems experienced in art education, and by facilitating adaptation to the social environment, to determine the attitudes which direct the life perspective of students attending urban and rural schools. In this study conducted for this purpose was the problem of the relationship between the attitude to Visual Arts lessons by students being educated in rural and urban settings. In this study carried out according to the scanning model, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. Quantitative data was obtained from a 24 question Visual Art Lesson Attitude Scale (VALAS) developed by the researcher which had had validity and reliability established. The scale was applied to a total of 436 students from primary schools, three of which were rural and 3 urban. Quantitative data was analyzed statistically using t-test and one way variance analysis (ANOVA). Qualitative data was obtained using an eight question interview form developed by the researcher. This form was given to six Visual Art teachers from the within the sample schools and the resulting data was analyzed as constant comparisons. At the end of the research, rural school students, despite the problems they experience socioeconomically and culturally, were seen to have a more positive attitude towards Visual Art lesson than those from the urban schools. Student educated in an urban setting had their attitude shaped by family, environment and exams and these factors was determined to have a marked effect on attitude. Also, students from urban schools did not place Visual Art lesson in their favorite lessons when compared to other subjects and the conclusion was made that they avoided placing the subject in the importance or priority orders.Keywords: Visual Art Lesson, Attitude, Rural School, Urban School