VIRTUAL New Schools of Thought

Abstract

In this conference presentation, based on the book Modelling International Collaborations in Art Education (Intellect Books, June 2024), two of the book’s co-authors explore the hybrid use of online and in-person collaboration as a means of offering international experience to university-level arts students. With over a decade of co-teaching and learning across university programs, we articulate a collective knowledge based on the experiences of the International Art Collaborations Network (INTAC), the Collective Body group, and related programs which we and the book’s contributors have participated in as educators and students since 2010. These programs have included art programs in Canada, Finland, South Korea, Germany, Japan, India, Mexico, Brazil, USA and the United Kingdom. An overview of pedagogical and methodological topics traces an evolution of curricular approaches as well as the use of evolving online platforms over the past 15 years. Examples of themes and teaching strategies demonstrate the dynamics of student-directed collaborative learning. In writing the book, diverse voices have been gathered through research conducted with educators and alumni connected to INTAC, providing diverse perspectives on working collaboratively in the global context and across institutional environments. The presentation inspires reflection on teaching methodologies and student artmaking strategies across cultures and languages as well as best practices for facilitating student engagement in the online space. We summarize and highlight the importance of collaborative learning in the international sphere today and the dynamics of facilitating and sustaining such experiences in university programs.