Why Traditional Art Students Need Digital Competence: An Argument for Curriculum Reform in Chinese Vocational Colleges

Abstract

The rapid digitalization of education has created new demands for students across all disciplines, yet traditional art students in Chinese higher vocational colleges face unique challenges. Unlike their peers in general education, calligraphy and painting students must balance the preservation of millennia-old artistic traditions with the acquisition of contemporary digital skills. This paper argues that digital competence is not a threat to traditional art but a necessary extension of it. Drawing on a review of 22 empirical studies published between 2021 and 2025, combined with findings from expert interviews with 12 vocational art educators in Hebei Province, this paper presents a three-pillar argument. First, digital competence preserves rather than replaces traditional practice through documentation, archiving, and dissemination tools. Second, self-efficacy serves as a critical determinant of whether students successfully adopt digital tools. Third, digital learning environments demand enhanced critical thinking skills that studio-based art practices are uniquely positioned to develop. The paper identifies key barriers to digital integration at the teacher, student, and institutional levels, then proposes a five-component curriculum reform framework. The argument contributes to the growing discourse on digital transformation in vocational art education and offers actionable recommendations for educators and policymakers.