Utilization of Emotional Artificial Intelligence (EAI) in Art Learning to Improve Character Education of Elementary School Students ^†

Abstract

This research discusses the application of Emotional Artificial Intelligence (EAI) in art learning to enhance the character education of elementary school students. The main objective of this research is to explore how EAI can help improve students’ emotional intelligence as well as support their character development through art learning. The method used is a descriptive qualitative approach with case studies in several elementary schools that have integrated EAI into the art learning process. The results showed that the use of EAI can improve students’ ability to recognize and manage their emotions. In addition, EAI also plays a role in creating a more supportive learning environment, strengthening students’ social interactions, and improving their empathy and social skills. Nonetheless, challenges include limited technological infrastructure, teacher readiness, and the cost of implementing this technology. This research provides practical recommendations for schools to develop an EAI-based curriculum and support the development of students’ emotional intelligence through a more personalized and adaptive approach.

1. Introduction

Character education in primary schools has a very important role in shaping students’ moral values and behavior from an early age. Character education programs aim to teach values such as responsibility, honesty, and empathy, which in turn will form the basis of their social skills. Art education is one of the most effective methods to support the development of students’ emotional intelligence. Through art, students are given the opportunity to express themselves and understand and manage their emotions, which contributes to their character-building [1,2].

As technology advances, the use of Emotional Artificial Intelligence (EAI) in education is gaining attention. EAI is a technology that enables systems to recognize and respond to human emotions through a variety of methods, including facial expression, voice, and text analysis. In the context of art learning, EAI has the potential to enrich students’ emotional experiences by providing more personalized and relevant feedback according to their emotional state. The application of EAI in art classrooms allows teachers to tailor teaching approaches to students’ emotional states, creating a more supportive environment for their social–emotional development [3,4].

While many studies have demonstrated the potential of EAI in education, particularly for enhancing students’ emotional interaction with learning materials, the application of EAI in art learning in elementary schools is still very limited. Many studies have explored the use of EAI in other areas of education, such as math and science, but the application of this technology in the arts has not been discussed in depth. This suggests a gap that needs to be explored further [5]. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how EAI can be integrated into art learning to support character education in elementary schools, as well as to evaluate its impact on students’ social skills, empathy, and motivation.

The main objective of this research is to explore the benefits of EAI in character education through art learning, with a particular focus on the influence of this technology on students’ emotional intelligence, social skills, and their ability to collaborate and empathize. This research is expected to provide important insights into how EAI can optimize art learning while strengthening character education in elementary school students [6,7].

As technology develops in education, one technology that is gaining attention is the use of Emotional Artificial Intelligence (EAI) [8]. This technology gives systems the ability to detect and respond to human emotions, which is particularly relevant to the context of art learning. Art education, which places great emphasis on emotional expression and creativity, can benefit from EAI’s ability to understand students’ feelings and help create a more personalized and responsive approach to their emotional needs [9,10].

EAI not only increases students’ engagement with the art material but also provides feedback that can help students better manage their feelings during the learning process. By using devices equipped with facial recognition technology or voice analysis, teachers can obtain real-time information on students’ emotional states. This enables the customization of teaching methods according to students’ emotional states, which in turn supports the development of their emotional intelligence.

Despite the great potential of EAI, its application in art education in elementary schools is still limited. Most of the existing research focuses more on the use of EAI in information technology-based learning or in other areas, such as math and science, while the application of these technologies in the arts is less discussed. In addition, many primary schools face challenges related to technology infrastructure readiness, with inadequate facilities to support EAI implementation [11].

This research aims to identify the benefits and challenges of implementing EAI in art learning and evaluate its impact on students’ character, focusing on improving their social skills and empathy. This research is expected to make an important contribution to the development of a more inclusive and adaptive educational curriculum to technological developments, as well as to provide new insights into the integration of EAI in art learning to optimize the development of students’ emotional intelligence.

2. Literature Review

Emotional Artificial Intelligence (EAI) is a technology that enables systems to understand and respond to human emotions. EAI systems use various techniques, such as facial expression recognition, voice analysis, and text processing, to detect the emotions that individuals are feeling. Key elements of EAI include the ability to collect emotional data through facial and voice recognition and use machine learning algorithms to analyze and respond to those emotions [12,13]. With these capabilities, EAI has the potential to improve human–machine interactions in a more empathetic and contextualized way. EAI can be applied in various fields, including education, to support more adaptive and personalized learning, especially in terms of identifying and responding to students’ emotional needs [14].

The development of EAI technology in the context of education has shown promising results. The application of EAI enables more accurate recognition of students’ emotions, which in turn helps teachers to customize their teaching methods [15]. For example, with the use of devices equipped with facial and emotional recognition, EAI can provide teachers with information regarding students’ emotional states in real time, allowing teachers to organize learning approaches according to students’ emotional needs. In adaptive learning systems, EAI can customize teaching materials based on students’ emotional responses, such as increasing the engagement of students who feel depressed or less motivated. The relationship can be seen in the Figure 1 below.

Art can help develop students’ emotional intelligence by providing a space for emotional expression and understanding. EAI is used to analyze students’ emotions through technology, and the results of this analysis contribute to the customization of learning to develop empathy and social skills, which are important for character education.

One of the main advantages of EAI compared to other learning technologies is its ability to customize learning experiences based on students’ emotions, which can increase their motivation. Higher motivation is usually directly proportional to improved information retention and academic achievement [16]. The use of EAI can increase students’ engagement in learning materials, allowing them to learn in a way that is more personalized and relevant to their emotional state. However, the use of EAI also raises challenges, especially related to the privacy and ethical use of students’ emotional data. These issues are important concerns that must be addressed to ensure that this technology is used responsibly.

Character education in elementary school is very important because this period is the time of the formation of basic values in students [17]. Good character education can help students develop empathy, responsibility, and cooperation, which are social skills needed in everyday life. One model often used in character education is moral development theory, which emphasizes the importance of students’ understanding of moral values early on. Through this approach, students are taught to understand and live values such as honesty and respect for others, which ultimately help them form positive and social behaviors [18].

Factors that influence students’ character development include the family environment, interactions with peers, and learning experiences gained at school. AI systems improve instructional communication due to the anonymity it can provide for students, students were concerned about responsibility issues that could arise when AI’s unreliable and unexplained answers lead to negative consequences [19]. For example, EAI can help detect when a student is feeling anxious or depressed and provide appropriate support to improve the student’s social and emotional experience.

Based on Figure 2, conventional methods rely on manual teaching and direct observation to understand students’ emotions. EAI-based methods use technology to analyze students’ emotions in real time, allowing for more personalized feedback tailored to students’ emotional states.

Art has a significant role in improving students’ emotional intelligence. Through art, students can learn to express their feelings in healthy and creative ways. Art activities also assist students in developing empathy as they learn to understand other people’s perspectives through artwork. The integration of the arts in the character education curriculum can enrich students’ learning experiences and support their emotional development. In this context, EAI can play an important role by providing tools that allow students to interact with art more deeply, as well as receive emotional feedback relevant to the work they create [20].

The use of EAI in art education has received much attention from various researchers. Several studies have shown that deep learning-based learning systems can help students appreciate artworks and improve their skills in art creation. By using AI, students receive instant feedback and personalized guidance that can improve their learning outcomes. One of the key benefits of using AI in art education is its ability to provide a more immersive and interactive learning experience. Combining AI with Virtual Reality (VR) technology has been shown to improve students’ concentration and creativity, giving them the opportunity to explore the world of art in a more immersive and dynamic environment.

While the application of EAI in education offers much potential, its implementation in elementary schools is not without challenges. One of the biggest barriers is the inadequate technology infrastructure in many primary schools. Most schools do not have enough facilities to support the use of complex technologies such as EAI, which require hardware and stable internet connectivity. In addition, the readiness of educators is also an important factor in the successful implementation of EAI. Many teachers are not familiar with this technology and need training to be able to integrate it into their teaching. The high cost of procuring EAI devices and software is also an obstacle, as well as school policies that do not support the use of new technologies in learning.

3. Research Methods

This research employs a qualitative case study approach to explore the application of Emotional Artificial Intelligence (EAI) in art learning and its impact on character education in elementary schools. A case study approach allows for an in-depth exploration of how EAI functions within specific settings, providing rich insights into its practical integration and effects on students’ emotional intelligence, social skills, and empathy.

This study was conducted across three elementary schools that have integrated EAI into their art learning process. These schools were selected based on their active use of EAI technology in the classroom, making them suitable cases for investigating the implementation and outcomes of such technology in an educational context.

The study involves three main groups of participants:

• Teachers: Six teachers directly involved in the integration and use of EAI in art classrooms. These teachers were selected for their hands-on experience and ability to provide insights into the challenges and benefits of EAI in the learning environment.
• Students: A total of 30 students participated in the art learning program with EAI integration. Among these, 20 students were directly involved in the use of EAI to assess its impact on their emotional intelligence, social skills, and emotional expression. Students were randomly selected from the classes that utilized EAI in their learning.
• Parents: Ten parents were included to provide their perspectives on how the integration of EAI affected their child’s social–emotional development. Parents were selected based on their child’s involvement in the EAI program.

Data was collected through three main techniques:

• Interviews: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six teachers, ten parents, and ten students. The interviews aimed to capture participants’ perceptions and experiences regarding the use of EAI in art learning and its effects on students’ character development. The interviews were open-ended to allow participants to share detailed insights.
• Observations: Observations were carried out during 10 art learning sessions where EAI was implemented. These observations focused on how students interacted with EAI and how their emotional responses evolved during and after these sessions. A total of 20 students were observed for their engagement with the learning materials and their emotional responses.
• Artwork Analysis: Students’ artwork created before and after the introduction of EAI was analyzed. The goal was to evaluate changes in the emotional expression, creativity, and social interaction within the students’ artwork. This analysis helped assess the depth of emotional expression and how their artistic outputs evolved.

The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis for qualitative data and descriptive statistical analysis for quantitative data. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns and themes that emerged from the interviews, observations, and artwork analysis. These themes focused on the impact of EAI on emotional intelligence, social skills, empathy, and engagement with learning.

To ensure the validity and reliability of the findings, triangulation was applied by cross-referencing the data from interviews, observations, and artwork analysis. This method helped to ensure that the findings were consistent and accurate, reducing potential biases.

4. Results and Discussion

This study revealed that the application of Emotional Artificial Intelligence (EAI) in art learning showed a positive impact on students’ emotional intelligence development, which was reflected in their emotional expression, engagement in learning, and improved social skills.

Changes in Emotional Expression

The data collected from the analysis of students’ artwork showed significant changes in the way students expressed their emotions. Before using EAI, students’ artwork tended to be standardized and simple, but after EAI was implemented, students produced more expressive and complex artwork. For example, in

Table 1. Comparison table before and after EAI.

Students	Before EAI (Expression)	After EAI (Expression)	Change (Scale)
Student 1	Standard expression	More expressive and emotional	3/5
Student 2	Tends to be flat	More layered and complex	4/5
Student 3	Attractive but simple	Shows a variety of emotions	4/5

, students who previously showed flat expressions in their artworks now display more layered and emotional expressions. This is in line with research by Chernobrovkin [21], who stated that art can be an effective tool in developing emotional intelligence in children through deep self-expression.

The table above shows a comparison of students’ emotional expressions before and after using EAI in art learning. Before the application of EAI, student 1 showed standard expressions, while after EAI, they became more expressive and emotional. Student 2, who initially tended to be flat, showed more layered and complex expressions after using EAI. Student 3, who previously had simple expressions, was able to display a wider variety of emotions after using this technology.

Based on Figure 3, EAI can have a significant impact on students’ emotional intelligence by allowing them to identify and manage their feelings more easily, which shows that EAI can improve students’ emotional abilities through more adaptive interaction with learning materials. The use of this technology in the arts changes the way students interact with the material, providing them with more appropriate feedback based on their emotional state. EAI also plays a role in improving students’ social skills. This study revealed that the use of EAI in art learning allows students to more easily collaborate in groups, increase empathy, and strengthen their communication skills, which showed that technology that can detect and respond to students’ emotions can improve their social interactions in the classroom.

Increased student engagement observations over 10 learning sessions showed that student engagement increased significantly after the use of EAI. Before the implementation of EAI, students’ engagement was recorded as low, but after the use of this technology, their engagement increased, with scores reaching 5/5 on the engagement scale. This finding is in line with the research by Rizzuto et al. [22], who emphasized that the use of art-based technology can increase students’ engagement in the learning process by providing a more personalized experience and being responsive to their emotional state. The data can be seen in the

Table 2. Student engagement in the learning process.

Students	Before EAI (Engagement)	After EAI (Engagement)	Changes
Student 1	3/5	5/5	2/5
Student 2	2/5	4/5	2/5
Student 3	3/5	5/5	2/5

below.

This table shows the changes in students’ engagement in art learning before and after the implementation of EAI. Before EAI, students 1, 2, and 3 had lower levels of engagement, but after the use of EAI, they all showed a significant increase in engagement, with a score of 5/5 for each student.

The accompanying bar graph in Figure 4 shows a clear increase in engagement after students used EAI in art learning, where students’ engagement scores increased from 3/5 and 2/5 to 5/5 after the implementation of the technology.

Although the benefits of EAI in improving students’ social skills and emotional intelligence have been seen in this study, technical challenges and limited infrastructure remain the main barriers to the implementation of this technology in primary schools. Many schools lack adequate hardware and internet connectivity to support this technology optimally. Teacher readiness to adopt this technology is also a challenge, with many teachers requiring additional training to use EAI in art learning effectively.

Although the results of this study show that EAI can improve students’ emotional intelligence and social skills, more research is needed to explore how this technology can be further customized to meet the different emotional needs of each student. Further research is also expected to explore whether EAI can more deeply influence students’ motivation to learn, especially in the context of art, which relies heavily on creativity and emotional expression. The data can be seen in the

Table 3. Improvement of social skills and empathy.

Students	Before EAI (Engagement)	After EAI (Engagement)	Changes
Student 1	3/5	5/5	2/5
Student 2	2/5	4/5	2/5
Student 3	3/5	5/5	2/5

below.

This table shows the improvement of students’ social skills and empathy after the implementation of EAI. Before the use of EAI, students 1, 2, and 3’s social skills were at the lower end of the scale, but after using EAI, their social skills improved significantly, with students 1 and 2 recording scores of 5/5.

Figure 5 illustrates the clear improvement of social skills and empathy in the three students after using EAI in art learning, which is reflected in the increase in their social skills scores.

This study supports previous findings that EAI has great potential in improving students’ social skills and emotional intelligence through arts education. Most previous research has focused on the application of EAI in other academic areas, such as math and science, with positive impacts on students’ emotion management and engagement in learning. This research extends these findings by exploring how EAI can be applied in an arts context, an area that has not been widely explored.

The results of this study provide new insights into the potential of EAI in arts education, as well as how this technology can be used to improve students’ emotion management, empathy, and social skills. Although infrastructure challenges and teacher readiness remain barriers, the application of EAI in art education has the potential to improve the quality of learning and character development of students in primary schools.

The discussion of the results of this study shows that the use of Emotional Artificial Intelligence (EAI) can improve students’ emotional intelligence, social skills, and motivation in art learning. This is consistent with previous findings in the literature suggesting that art has great potential in developing students’ emotional skills [23,24].

Students’ Emotional Intelligence: The application of EAI in art learning improves students’ ability to recognize and manage their feelings. Based on interviews with teachers and parents, most participants reported that students became more open in expressing their emotions after using EAI. This is consistent with McStay’s [25] findings, which suggest that emotional intelligence-based technology can assist students in identifying and managing their feelings better.

Social Skills and Empathy: Students using EAI also showed improvement in their social skills, which was reflected in their ability to work together in groups. Based on observation and interview analysis, students using EAI collaborated more easily in groups, improved communication, and showed empathy towards their peers. The implementation of AI-based technologies in education can enhance students’ social abilities through interactions that are more adaptive and sensitive to their emotional states.

Motivation and Creativity: The findings also showed a significant increase in students’ learning motivation and creativity. Students who used EAI in art learning were more motivated to participate in learning activities and more passionate about their art creation process. This is consistent with the research of Zhoc et al. [26], who suggested that technology such as EAI can increase students’ motivation by providing more relevant and personalized feedback based on their emotional state.

Comparison with the Related Literature: The findings in this study are in line with various previous studies showing that arts-based technology and emotional intelligence can have a positive impact on the development of students’ emotional intelligence. For example, research by Chiu et al. [27] asserted that the use of art in an educational context can improve children’s emotion management through more in-depth self-expression. In addition, the results of this study support the findings by Hunt et al. [28], who showed that art technology can increase student engagement in the learning process.

Challenges related to technology infrastructure and teachers’ readiness to adopt new technologies remain key barriers that need to be overcome. As stated by Kamalov [29], the successful implementation of technology in education largely depends on the availability of adequate infrastructure and teachers’ readiness to integrate these technologies in learning.

5. Conclusions

This research shows that the application of Emotional Artificial Intelligence (EAI) in art learning can have a positive impact on students’ emotional intelligence, social skills, as well as their emotional expression. Based on the results of interviews with teachers, observations of students’ interactions with EAI, and an analysis of students’ artwork, it can be concluded that EAI helps students more easily recognize, manage, and express their feelings. In addition, the use of EAI increases students’ engagement in art learning, strengthens their ability to collaborate in groups, and increases their empathy for others.

The application of EAI in art learning also showed significant improvement in students’ emotional expression through more expressive and complex artworks. The results of data analysis showed that students using EAI produced more layered works and showed a greater variety of emotions than before the application of this technology.

Students’ social skills also improved, as seen in their ability to collaborate and communicate better in groups.

While this study provides positive insights into the application of EAI in art learning, some challenges need to be addressed, most notably, the limited technology infrastructure in some elementary schools and teachers’ readiness to use this technology effectively. In addition, although the findings of this study are promising, further research is still needed to explore how EAI can be better tailored to the different emotional needs of each student, as well as to explore its impact on their motivation to learn, especially in an art context that relies heavily on creativity.

Based on the results of this study, several recommendations can be made for schools and policymakers. First, schools should strengthen technological infrastructure, especially hardware and internet connectivity, to support the implementation of EAI in art learning. Second, schools need to provide specialized training for teachers so that they can effectively integrate EAI into the teaching–learning process. This training will ensure that teachers have adequate knowledge of using this technology to support the development of students’ emotional intelligence and social skills.

There needs to be a policy that supports the implementation of technology in the art education curriculum, including providing wider access to schools with limited budgets to use EAI technology. Such policies should include the procurement of devices, the strengthening of infrastructure, and training support for educators.

This study has limitations in terms of the number of participants and the period of observation. Although 30 students were involved in the trial use of EAI, a larger sample from different educational sites could provide a more comprehensive view of the implementation of this technology. In addition, the limited infrastructure present in some primary schools may have affected the optimal implementation of EAI, and this challenge needs to be addressed in further research. Future research could also more deeply explore the effect of EAI on students’ motivation and creativity in art learning.