Transforming Visual Arts Education: The Role of eLearning
eLearning has become an indispensable part of education, particularly for digital natives. The government's BYOD (bring your own device) policy has accelerated the extensive use of eLearning tools in schools. Ms Karen Chan Ka Yee and Ms Lee Yuen Ching from HHCKLA Buddhist Wisdom Primary School, awardees of the Award for Excellent Performance of the Visual Arts Teacher Commendation Scheme 2022, are pioneers in integrating eLearning into Visual Arts lessons.
Turning Challenges from Pandemic into Opportunities in Arts Lessons
Lee explained that when the pandemic hit and the school had to suspend Visual Arts classes, it was a challenging time for them. They quickly realised that it was nearly impossible to teach Visual Arts through Zoom alone. ‘It was a tough situation for us because Visual Arts is a hands-on subject. We were worried that our students would miss out on the opportunity to learn and develop their creativity,’ Lee said.
At first, the teachers were uncertain about the way to proceed. The paradigm shift has caused compulsory modification of the teaching approach, and that they needed to come up with a solution to ensure that their students could continue learning Visual Arts remotely. ‘It was not our original plan to start a big project, and we were rather compelled by circumstances,’ Lee said.
To explore the full potentials of eLearning, the teachers decided to start shooting teaching videos to be used in Visual Arts lessons. This has marked the starting point of their journey towards integrating eLearning into the curriculum. As they continued to experiment with different teaching methods, they eventually evolve into their current protocol.
Equipping Teachers and Students for New Mode of Learning and Teaching
The school uses SeeSaw, a digital learning journal that enables students to create, share, and interact with learning tasks and assignments, during the zoom lessons. These assignments might incorporate videos, photos, texts, images, or drawings. In addition, students of different levels are taught to use digital drawing tools, including Sketch and Procreate to create digital art designs.
To facilitate the adoption of these new tools in the classes, the school has invited digital experts to train the teachers and students in using the supportive tools in art creation, enabling teachers to adopt the tools optimally and successfully in Visual Arts classes.
Sparking Creativity with Studentinitiated Learning
According to Lee, the key to success in the adoption of eLearning in Visual Arts is the four steps in art appreciation: description, analysis, interpretation, and comments. In fact, starting from Primary 3, students are encouraged to do their own research and share their findings in SeeSaw during Visual Arts lessons.
‘They have to construct a draft and shoot videos to explain their ideas to the class,’ she explained. ‘Classmates are encouraged to give constructive feedback on ways to make improvements. With the support of eLearning tools, students can closely examine each classmate's work and give feedback one by one, which is difficult to achieve in traditional art classes. Students can develop and modify their ideas freely according to the feedback as they can move on to another draft easily with the help of the tools.’
Online Arts Lessons as Enhancement of Its Traditional Version
Both Chan and Lee agree that eLearning for Visual Arts cannot replace the conventional face-to-face learning, as the use of pen and paper is essential to training drawing skills and muscle reaction. Nevertheless, they both believe that the flexibility and dynamicity of eLearning provide a supportive learning environment for students to explore ideas and enhance their quality of art, offering students with new opportunities to learn and express their creativity.
‘The lower primary students will record their own videos to explain their work, while the higher primary students will also supplement their explanations with writing. We discovered that their communication skills have significantly improved,’ Lee said. The eLearning platform promotes interactions among students, providing a safe space for them to learn to give feedback respectfully and accept feedback with a humble attitude.
Chan is amazed to see the significant improvements in the quality of art produced by the students. ‘Most importantly, students are much more devoted and happier after the adoption of eLearning. They’ve learnt how to give positive, helpful, and concrete feedback for improvements, and this is beneficial for life,’ she said.
One of the most interesting aspects of integrating eLearning into Visual Arts lessons is that students' work can now be easily adapted into designs for school events. ‘They design the class T-shirts, banners for athletics meets, or the talent show. This helps to uplift the school spirit and bring them a sense of belonging and achievement,’ Chan said.
Teachers as Vital Change Agents in Education
Despite concerns from parents about the extended use of devices, both teachers believe that eLearning has become an indispensable part of education, particularly for digital natives. Although it takes repeated practice and effort to excel at eLearning, the outcome is worth the hard work.
The teachers added that Visual Arts should not be treated solely as a subject that nurtures craftsmanship, but as a part of life that can nurture students' all-rounded personal growth. ‘It is a great way for students to express their feelings and emotions, enabling teachers to understand the situation their students are in,’ Lee added.
By integrating eLearning into their Visual Arts curriculum, Chan and Lee have shown that teachers are the vital change agents in education, transforming the way education is delivered and providing their students with new ways to learn and express their creativity