BEYOND ARTS AND CRAFTS: A DEVELOPMENTALLY RESPONSIVE MODEL OF SCHOOL READINESS IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION
Keywords:
preschool education; school readiness; art-based technologies; creative pedagogy; child development; play-based learning.Abstract
Rapid changes in educational institutions call for a theoretically defensible interpretation of art-based school-readiness pedagogy. The presence of digital or artistic tools does not itself demonstrate improvement, and fragmented implementation can obscure developmental and professional purposes. Objective. This article examines methodological foundations and develops a context-sensitive model for art-based school-readiness pedagogy within the preschool and teacher-development environment of Uzbekistan. Methods. A qualitative conceptual study was conducted through purposive synthesis of ten identifiable sources published during 2021–2025, comparative conceptual analysis, principle extraction, mechanism mapping and pedagogical modelling. The work neither represents a systematic database review nor reports original participant data. Results. The proposed ASRM articulates five interconnected domains, a five-stage improvement process, suggested observation and decision protocols, illustrative implementation cases and criteria for subsequent validation. The model distinguishes illustrative indicators from empirically demonstrated effects. Conclusion. Art-based school preparation should be evaluated as an intentional, developmentally responsive pedagogical process, not as decorative activity or accelerated academic drilling. Expert appraisal, feasibility pilots, longitudinal observation and independent assessment of equity and ethical risks are necessary before effectiveness can be claimed.
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