RMCAD's Take on Adapting Traditional Art Lessons for Online Classrooms: Tools, Platforms and Techniques

As art education continues moving into digital spaces, Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) aims to highlight effective strategies for adapting traditional art instruction for online classrooms. With more than a decade of experience as a leader in online art education, RMCAD recognizes that successful virtual art teaching calls for thoughtful integration of technology while maintaining the foundational principles that make art education impactful.

The shift to online learning presents both challenges and opportunities for art educators. Digital platforms now make it possible to teach art entirely online through interactive tools that facilitate student engagement, collaboration and creative expression. RMCAD's online courses are delivered through interactive platforms featuring video lectures, assignments, discussion boards, peer reviews and real-time opportunities for students and instructors to communicate and collaborate.

Several digital tools have proven effective for online art instruction:
- Google Arts & Culture provides students with virtual field trips to museums worldwide, making art accessible regardless of location.
- Sketchbook by Autodesk offers a digital platform for drawing and sketching across multiple devices.
- Tinkercad by Autodesk introduces computer-aided design skills and STEM-based learning.
- Adobe Creative Suite remains essential for professional-level digital art creation; tools like Adobe Fresco and Photoshop enable students to create without physical materials while maintaining the ability to experiment and revise their work.

RMCAD has explored these approaches in depth through a blog post on integrating technology in art education. (https://www.rmcad.edu/blog/integrating-technology-in-art-education-tools-and-best-practices/)

"In art education, we are seeing a shift toward more intentional integration of technology, student voice, and authentic assessment, particularly in online and hybrid learning environments. At the same time, some PK-12 districts are adopting stricter no-cell-phone policies to improve focus and engagement, which is prompting pre-service and practicing teachers to rethink how they incorporate digital tools..." - Sarah Ackermann, PhD, Chair of Art Education

The key to successful online art education lies in balancing digital innovation with traditional fundamentals. While technology expands access and provides new creative possibilities, foundational concepts such as line, shape, form, color and texture remain crucial. RMCAD emphasizes that traditional and digital approaches should complement each other rather than compete, with students benefiting from exposure to both realms. This integrated approach prepares students for diverse career opportunities in an evolving creative landscape.

For educators interested in developing expertise in online art instruction, RMCAD's Art Education bachelor's degree (https://www.rmcad.edu/academics/program/online/art-education/) prepares graduates to teach using both traditional techniques and digital tools. The program combines interactive online learning with hands-on teaching experience, equipping future educators with the skills to adapt their instruction for varied learning environments. Learn more about RMCAD's approach to digital art education at (https://www.rmcad.edu/).

Source: Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design
(https://www.rmcad.edu/)

Contact: Jenna Heil, jheil@rmcad.edu, Joe Rubald, jrubald@rmcad.edu
Address: 1600 Pierce St, Lakewood, CO 80214

Founded in 1963, Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) (https://www.rmcad.edu/) is an accredited institution of higher education that offers 11 affordable, art and design BFA degree programs, ranging from illustration, to interior design, animation, fashion design, and more. RMCAD serves its students from a 23-acre campus in Lakewood, Colorado, but also virtually, as a leader in online education for more than a decade, providing flexibility and convenience for the busy student. Students learn from professors who are also working artists and provide valuable real-world industry knowledge, advice, and connections to help students prepare for their career ahead.

This release was published on openPR.