Art education is facing new challenges in light of the pandemic. Art classes are known for being very hands-on, allowing students to develop their skills through experience. However, because of the pandemic, students now have to learn remotely, making teaching more difficult.
“This is really pushing art teachers to become more creative and pushing their students to do the same,” said Margaret Walker, a faculty member at the University of Maryland’s Art Education Program.
Teachers have become especially creative with younger students, who are just beginning to learn the basics of art. To learn about the color wheel at one school, children chose items in their house to match specific colors, according to Walker. Children displayed red fruits, green vegetables, and orange cats to show their teachers their understanding of the topic.
Instructors are teaching students the same topics, but in different ways, Walker said. Contour lines, light and dark, and color schemes are still a part of art education.
Many kids do not have access to the same materials they would have if they were able to attend in-person classes. In these instances, they might have kids gather household objects to create their pieces instead. It’s a different approach, but helps the students to keep the same concepts in mind.
These changes have also been felt by art students at the University of Maryland as well. According to J Pavlick, an English and studio art major, it has been difficult to get the same learning experience from online classes. Pavlick says it is harder to show work through a laptop camera, especially when a work of art is three-dimensional. Receiving guidance on pieces and feedback from peers has also been strained, according to Pavlick.
Another part of what makes art programs so special is the bonding with peers that many experience when working in the studio.
“I like that I can have my solitary work where we can turn our cameras off and just work in our own space, but it gets really isolating after a while,” said Pavlick.
Although it is not clear how much longer online classes will continue, many just want the University to be more forgiving. Some students are even sending around a petition to have a Pass/Fail option this semester as well.
“Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything [the University of Maryland] can do, or at least that the art department can do, other than just generally be flexible with students and understanding, which in my experience all art faculty has been,” said Pavlick. “For the University overall, I wish they would allow for a Pass/Fail option this semester.”