VIRTUAL New Schools of Thought

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic took an enormous toll on almost every aspect of society. One of the most publicly loathed aspects during the early months was the emergency remote teaching (ERT) of the visual arts online. However, from our research and practice, we found and created narratives and practices countering pervasive calls to “return to normal.” In that moment of almost universal online access to studio art education, people who would not usually have access suddenly did. Drawing from a four-year pan-Canadian study (2020-2024) of young creators online, a systematic review of the current literature on online accessibility, and a model program offering studio arts education virtually, our presentation will be structured around four points. First, we will explore the early days of total remote teaching and how it demonstrated the viability of online access to studio art education. Second, we explore how online learning creates access for learners who have historically encountered barriers in traditional in-person art education settings. Third, we show from our data how learning art online is a dynamic and adaptive pedagogical process for young creators and the pedagogical implications. Finally, we will present a real-world example of a successful studio-based online art education program created in the wake of the pandemic and now in its fourth year with doubled enrollment. We aim to both contribute to and advocate for the role of online access in visual art education to provide all learners with an opportunity to receive high-quality instruction in a supportive community of peers.