A SMART framework for modernizing art education: synthesizing immersive technologies and ecological consciousness in China's higher education

This conceptual article proposes the Sino-Eco-Digital SMART framework for modernizing art teacher education in Chinese higher education by integrating immersive technologies (virtual and augmented reality) with environmentally oriented art (eco-art). Drawing on a systematic literature review guided by PRISMA principles, it synthesizes research on digital art pedagogy, eco-art education, educators’ digital competence and national policy, alongside industry data on China’s digital creative economy. The review identifies a persistent gap between institutional technological infrastructure and educators’ capacity to use it in art teaching. The framework responds through three interconnected pillars – digital fluency, ecological consciousness and synthetic pedagogy – organized by SMART principles (sensitive, manageable, adaptable, responsive, timely). It offers administrators and policy-makers a structured basis for redesigning art teacher training so that graduates combine digital creative skills with ecological awareness. The article concludes with an agenda for the empirical validation of the framework in diverse regional settings.