Chu-Chun Sun

5.27 Sparking Creativity in LOGO Design: Facilitating Student Engagement and Creative Exploration with AI-Assisted Art Teaching (Paper)

Chu-Chun Sun – Zhonghe Junior High School, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Abstract:

My research examines how integrating design thinking with AI-assisted art teaching can activate Taiwanese middle school students’ design awareness, empowering them to see themselves as designers and promoting creative exploration in LOGO design. Through a case study of an AI-assisted LOGO design curriculum implemented in a Taiwanese middle school art class, I demonstrate how digital platforms, drawing apps, and generative AI software, serving as artistic mediums, can guide students through the structured creative process. This curriculum emphasizes “AI empowerment,” not as a replacement for teachers but as a valuable tool that complements both teaching and learning. The teacher’s guidance remains essential, nurturing students’ core competencies and grounding learning in human-centred values. Students are encouraged to: 1) Draw ideas from their personal experiences; 2) Reflect on classroom interactions; 3) Brainstorm individually and collaboratively; and 4) Extract keywords that guide AI-driven image generation. Following this, they select their preferred AI-generated images, refine them using drawing applications to create several iterations, and engage in peer feedback to optimize their designs, ultimately creating their ideal LOGO image. My pedagogical approach challenges the narrow perspective that views AI as merely a tool for image generation, proposing instead that AI can inspire students’ creativity, spark their passion for design, and foster self-directed ownership of their creations. Findings reveal that AI-assisted art teaching can effectively increase student engagement, supporting them in producing artworks that embody creative depth and strong artistic expression. This research highlights the importance of integrating AI within design thinking as a catalyst for creative learning, enabling students to retain control and ownership of their artistic process while expanding technological boundaries.

6.35 The Night Café: Cultivating Solidarity in Taiwan’s Teacher-Led Visual Arts ShareStart Community (Paper)

Chu-Chun Sun – Zhonghe Junior High School, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Abstract:

I explore the significant impact of the Visual Arts ShareStart Educational Community in Taiwan (T-VAS). As a founder and facilitator of T-VAS, I leverage monthly face-to-face arts-based café gatherings, online platforms for sharing, and a coaching model for professional growth. T-VAS, established in 2015, is a network of 6,500 frontline art educators committed to advancing Art-Based ShareStart Pedagogy (ABSSP). Over 200 events – workshops, lectures, and gatherings – address art teacher isolation and professional development needs among K-12 teachers. T-VAS has cultivated a vibrant learning community, empowering educators to connect, share best practices, and engage in self-exploration, fostering classroom innovation.

Through monthly in-person gatherings, active online dialogues, and the ‘Intensive Training Studio’ coaching model, T-VAS provides a supportive environment for teachers to experiment without top-down judgment. My ABSSP pedagogy utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, emphasizing “Guidance, Scaffolding, and Reflection,” and drawing upon principles from art education, educational psychology, and collaborative learning. This improves student art learning: increases engagement in activities and discussions; enhances creative expression and confidence; provides deeper understanding and application of art concepts; and improves collaboration and communication skills through group learning and peer feedback.

This mixed-methods study analyses T-VAS’s organic development, operational model, and impact on art education in Taiwan using online group data and member interviews. Findings highlight T-VAS's success in fostering teacher collaboration, professional growth, pedagogical innovation. Crucially, the study reveals how T-VAS, a teacher-led initiative, has significantly contributed to the dissemination of ABSSP and the professionalization of art teachers, while enhancing their sense of belonging, self-worth and efficacy, offering an example of the impactful power of bottom-up solidarity in education. This paper concludes by offering T-VAS’s successful experience as a valuable empirical strategy for the international art education community in developing supportive communities initiated by frontline teachers.