Teachers’ views on the 5th-grade visual arts curriculum change within the “century of Türkiye” education model

Reforms in education systems and curriculum updates directly influence how lessons are conducted and the developmental gains achieved by students. It is of great importance to evaluate through the perspectives of teachers—revised curricula that aim to enhance educational quality and adopt student-centered approaches. The purpose of this study is to examine and evaluate the views of subject-specific teachers regarding the 5th-grade Visual Arts curriculum, which was revised within the scope of the "Century of Türkiye Education Model." Designed using a qualitative content analysis approach, this study focused on the Visual Arts curriculum implemented at the 5th-grade level during the 2025–2026 academic year. Data were collected at the end of the term. The study group consisted of 10 visual arts teachers working in public schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education (MEB). The study employed criterion sampling, a form of purposive sampling. A semi-structured interview form was selected as the data collection tool. Interviews were conducted both face-to-face and via telephone, and the resulting audio/verbal data were transcribed into written text. Structural innovations—such as the encouragement of active artistic production and the inclusion of aesthetic-cultural learning outcomes—were identified in the 2025 curriculum.