Eighteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

The adaptive practice of tertiary teachers during the pandemic highlighted the ongoing adjustments made to pedagogy and the innovative resources created. It illustrated the diverse use of digital technologies and learning design, as approaches to teaching online were modified regularly to support student engagement. In particular, the shift to using approaches that integrated blended online delivery (virtually) while some students also attended classes on-campus, enabled the delivery of an integrated Arts subject to graduate students at this time. This paper discusses the opportunities and challenges encountered by two academics as they incorporated Blended Synchronous Learning (BSL) for the subject delivery across one semester and provides an insight into their story. A generic ICT model including the core components of Pedagogy, Social interaction, and Technology provided a framework through which to investigate the digital technologies used by two tertiary instructors while delivering the subject. The use of online collaboration and regular Zoom meetings were used to facilitate a collaborative self-study methodology. Key themes, comprising opportunities and challenges, cognitive overload for teachers, equity of access, student agency, differentiation, and modification of the learning environment emerged from the experience. A series of recommendations are provided to inform and support the adaption of BLS delivery in tertiary teaching contexts, particularly within the Arts. Examples of approaches to incorporating technology, modifying pedagogy, and ensuring student connection are shared, reflecting a range of experiences of two tertiary instructors. The affordance of using digitally mediated collaborative self-study is also discussed, providing insights into the advantages that emerged.

Presenters

Brad Merrick
Senior Lecturer, Music and Arts Education, The University of Melbourne - Melbourne Graduate School of Education , Victoria, Australia