Learning Art during the Pandemic
by: Amber Pierce
Embedded Files
Learning Targets:
Learning Targets:
- At the end of the lesson, teachers will be able to identify ways to positively aid student's virtual art education experience.
- At the end of lesson, readers will be able to list ways in which the pandemic has affected student's learning of visual art.
a. All art lessons are received online.
b. Materials are limited to what students have on hand or what teachers are able to supply distantly.
c. Class collaboration and communication must happens through virtual interactions.
What Is Art?: Reflecting on Our Own Art Education
What Is Art?: Reflecting on Our Own Art Education
Take a few moments to think about your art education experience. Did you take art classes in elementary, middle, or high school?
Recall
Recall
Think about your most memorable projects or experiences you had when learning art. Why were these experiences prominent?
Imagine
Imagine
If you did not take art classes, what do you imagine the experience would've been like for your younger self.
Why is receiving Art Education important?
Why is receiving Art Education important?
In light of school funding, art education has been on the decline across the nation. Due to COVID-19, this trend is increasing. Unfortunately, the importance of learning about art is not always understood. Extracurricular subjects are the reason some students remain in school and focus on trying. (Lee, 2020).
Lets look at the benefits of receiving art education:
Lets look at the benefits of receiving art education:
Conflict Resolution
Gross Motor Skills
Fine Motor Skills
Hand-Eye Coordination
Imagination
Teamwork and collaboration
Cultural Exposure
Sense of Responsibility
Handling Criticism
Promotes communication
Self-expression and self-understanding
Improved language skills
Emotional Well-being
Sense of purpose
Relaxation and therapeutic benefits
Creativity and Craftsmanship
Art Education during COVID-19
Art Education during COVID-19
Presently, virtual learning is the current leading method of receiving academic education. More often than not, teaching methods involve classroom communities that receive information in a hierarchical format (Yang, Suchan & Kundu, 2011). However, Art Education pedagogies commonly practice creativity, deviation, and problem-solving - qualities that can be challenging for children to expound upon when learning virtually. Also, being a student of art fundamentally requires hands-on learning; it is a process of making, exploring, and experimenting. Because of COVID-19, students are having to create and communicate virtually.
Though there are challenging physical limitations involved, research is being undergone to improve the art education experience for at-home learners. Institutions such as Hawaii University and Leeward Community College have provided insight to some ways that visual art education can succeed in a virtual environment (Saromines-Ganne & Leong, 2014). As educators, it is imperative to understand the challenges students experience while learning art virtually. It is then our responsibility to cultivate a digital atmosphere that will do it's best to provide the interactive, creative, and experimental qualities of physical classrooms.
Interview With A Distant-Learner of Art
Interview With A Distant-Learner of Art
My interviewee is Cole Logan, a 7th grader currently attending Western Branch Middle School. Cole receives art classes from home via distant learning. Cole shared with me his experience as a student, a perspective that is vital to consider if we seek to improve the way us educators teach. Cole shared his thoughts about what his average class sessions are like. He also told me whether or not he felt he was able to gain a deeper understanding and performance in art. Lastly, he answered what were some benefits and drawbacks of receiving art education virtually. Cole’s answers give insight from a student’s standpoint as to what can be improved.
What did Cole reveal about his experience of receiving art education during the pandemic?
What did Cole reveal about his experience of receiving art education during the pandemic?
Takeaway #1
Takeaway #1
Cole revealed that he feels unenthused about art because, “we don’t have all the materials we would have in the classroom”.
Takeaway#2
Takeaway#2
Cole also shared that, “it’s harder for demonstrations to be shown through a camera (as opposed to being seen in person)”.
Takeaway #3
Takeaway #3
Aside from the physical drawbacks, Cole also expressed missing the emotional support element of art class.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Visual art is so difficult to learn online largely because of a lack of supporting materials and peer interaction. Teachers and students alike have had to get creative when thinking of new ways to learn together in order to surpass these limitations. Collaboration in ideas, feedback, and problem-solving will continue to better-improve the learning experience for students receiving a virtual art education. Collaboration brings a sense of motivation, and it is imperative for digital learners to acquire a sense of responsibility and excitement about their own personal art education. Educators must understand the necessity in student input specifically in a time of virtual learning. By creating a collaborative learning environment, this allows students to share information, ideas, and suggestions: educational and emotional material that can, at least, attempt to bridge the gap between physical disparities.
Review your understanding with Multiple Choice
Review your understanding with Multiple Choice
Which one of these should an Art Teacher MOST avoid doing during Teaching Art digitally?
A. Assume every student has similar art making materials.
B. Prepare for students to have limited work space.
C. Require students to participate in art class.
What are some benefits of extra-curricular classes, such as Art?
A. They lower the need of learning core subjects.
B. They give students a break from digital learning.
C. They encourage self-expression and collaboration.
STUDY BREAK
STUDY BREAK
Original artwork by Amber Pierce
Multiple Choice Answers
Multiple Choice Answers
1.A
2.C
References
Lee, L. (2020, April 24). 'The show must Go ONLINE': Arts TEACHERS adapt to At-Home Instruction. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/show-must-go-online-arts-teachers-adapt-home-instruction
Saromines-Ganne, B., & Leong, P. (2014). The" Art" of Online Learning:
Teaching Visual Art Virtually. J. Distance Learn.
Yang, G. M., Suchan, T., & Kundu, R. (2011). TeachArt wiki: a collaborative,
interactive, and dialogic platform for teaching and learning art. Art Education,
64(4), 48-53.
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