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The Magic of the Arts Online Class

In the face of a literal show-stopping pandemic, creativity and the arts have provided a much-needed channel of succour and self-expression. While school closure due to the pandemic forced educators of every subject to take teaching-learning online, arts educators have had to use particularly creative ways to make the transition an effective one.

Confronted with a lack of access to supplies/resources, teachers of music, visual arts, theatre and dance have had to re-imagine what lesson instruction needs to look like, so that arts education can go unabated even digitally. Here, we explore some strategies and tools which have helped our educators ensure online classes stay effective.

  1. A focus on communication - In the absence of a physical classroom, effective communication assumes greater significance in order to ensure students stay engaged and participative. To facilitate discussions, the best strategy is encouraging students to have videos on and calling out names in turn. This also ensured every student’s video can be seen by the teacher.

     
  2. Building camaraderie - Arts instruction commonly relies on group synergy and performance, and this has been a distinct gap in the digital realm. While it may not always be possible to perform group activities in the traditional sense (e.g. chorus ensembles, theatrical performances), activities to build a strong team dynamic are crucial. This can lend itself to building a spirit of community and collaboration, both so inherent in traditional performing arts classes.

     
  3. Breakout rooms - Further to the above, using breakout rooms on the platform on which classes are conducted (such as Zoom or MS Teams) for pairs or smaller groups can be an effective way to introduce an element of group work. This can also be the ideal environment for shy children to find their footing as well as enabling peer mentorship and learning.

     
  4. Emphasis on the “process” more than the “performance”, while always a part of the Shiv Nadar School approach to education, has been the cornerstone for effective online arts classes. Taking it back to the basics and refining foundational skills can be emphasised. Recording practice sessions and tracking progress can be the goal to strive for. 

     
  5. Focusing on achievable performative elements even in the virtual classroom is possible. This year has brought the spotlight on to the individual, marking a significant shift away from the ensemble. For example, theatre students can sharpen monologue and story-telling skills as opposed to multi-part synchronous plays which are more difficult to accomplish online.

     
  6. Self-led learning - Educators can support students in the co-creation of individual goals for each student. Practically, beyond a point skill development may not be possible through a fully online class. Thus this time can be spent in developing attitudes towards learning, with an emphasis on research and self-development.

While every dimension of arts education can not be reimagined in the virtual classroom, we explore some important aspects that the online class can facilitate. While many students were already well-versed with some of the popular digital arts tools, diving into technology as a part of online classes has also had the important effect of enabling conversations around effective and ethical use as well as the impacts of these tools on our bodies and minds. We explore some of the tools in use by our educators.
 

  1. Classes can be conducted on a platform such as Google Meet, Zoom or MS Teams. Breakout rooms, as mentioned above, are excellent in facilitating peer learning.

     
  2. Digital art tools provide useful dimensions for the class to explore. Some of these tools are Canva, Chrome Music Lab, iMovie, Garageband, Sony Vegas, Filmora and so on.

     
  3. With inadequate bandwidth being a frequent problem, investment in recording equipment and high-end WiFi dongles has been effective in conducting effective music classes.

     
  4. Using quiz apps can be an engaging and effective tools even in arts classes. Conducting and recording short Formative Assessments can be done effectively by way of Google Forms, Quizziz and/or Mentimeter.

     
  5. Youtube videos are an excellent resource to enable comprehension of certain techniques or topics. This also ensures learning stays interactive and interesting.

     
  6. Flipgrid is a useful tool for students to upload video evidence of practice sessions or short performances.

     
  7. Padlet, which is an interactive online bulletin board, can be used for online collaborative activities. Teachers can post a task or assignment/question along with associated learning resources on the Padlet Wall and students can then record their answers/progress on the wall and collaborate on one another’s responses. Padlet can also allow for answers to be anonymous, according to the teacher’s preference.

     
  8. A Learning Management System (LMS) has been one of the foundations for successful online classes. In a way, the “new age notebook”, systems such as Veracross and ManageBac keep communication between all the stakeholders open and organised. Such LMS are used in assigning homework assignments, grading, report cards, feedback, parent-teacher communication and so on, thus providing a compilation of all learning.

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