The effect of art education which is supported by the activities over the aesthetic judgement of pre-school children (Case study: National Orphan Houses)

Aim of this study is to describe the effect of art education which is supported by the activities, over the aesthetic judgement of children at pre-school age. Additionally gender difference effects over the aesthetic judgement of pre-school children are also examined. Firstly visual art activities program was developed for pre-shool children and this program was evaluated in this study. Then total 29 pre-school children (60-72 months) staying at two national orphan house were selected as experiment and control groups by using Simple Random Sampling Method. 11 of these children are girls and 18 of them are boys. 16 children who are staying at SHCEK A Orphan House, were selected as experiment group and 13 children, who are staying at SHCEK B Orphan House, were selected as control group. Experiment group were trained at one day on each week by using Visual Art Education Activities Workshop Program and control group were trained by using traditional art education lessons. After the education of experiment and control group, pre-test, final test and permanence tests were applied to the experiment and control groups in order evaluate the aesthetic judgment development of these children. Results of these tests were evaluated by using Double Comparison Taylor Helmstadler Aesthetic Judgement Scale model. Evaluated test scores were analyzed by using statistical methods which are named as Mann Whitney U Test and Wilcoxon Test Mann Whitney U Test analyses the significant difference of test scores which belong unrelated sample groups. Wilcoxon Test analysis the significant difference of test scores which belong to related sample groups. Results of this research study are listed as shown below:Aesthetic judgement skills of the experiment group developed significantly (p<0.05) after the visual art education program. It is determined that the experiment group children, who were trained by the developed visual art education program, are more successful than the control group children, who were trained by the traditional art education.It is determined that gender difference does not effect the aesthetic judgement development of the children significantly. Additionally there isn?t a significant different between the scores of the final test (U=14.500, p>0.05) and permanence test (U=23.500, p>0.05) at the experiment group.There isn?t a significant different between the scores of the final test (U=12.500, p>0.05) and permanence test (U=17.500, p>0.05) at the control group.Keywords: Pre-school visual art education activities, pre-school period,aesthetical judgement.