ED-MEDIA 1999 Proceedings Book - Association for the ...

Enriching Drawing: A Three Year Project To Develop A Computer Based Learning
Package In Drawing
Robin Shaw
University of Glasgow
Scotland
Until the latest round of funding, United Kingdom Higher Education (UKHE) through the Teaching and Learning
Technology Programme (TLTP) despite an overall budget of around £75 million, has not made any sizable
investment in learning technology for art and design. Art schools have always been in the forefront of the use of
computers as tools. In design, in layout, in the manipulation of images, and in the creation of art, lecturers and
students have possibly formed the most expert group of computer users and their needs have driven some of the
most innovative packages.
However there has always existed a healthy scepticism as to whether computers have anything to contribute to
teaching and learning in art schools. This is not surprising. Apart from the provision of ready access to resources
through the internet, learning technology has been dependent on pedagogic situations where new skills or concepts
had to be acquired by the student and where the class as a whole would move ahead in expertise which would be
tested by the examination. The computer is ideal for a situation where, for example, the student has to learn the
basics of a scientific discipline. Information can be given, processes can be simulated and at each stage of the
package the student can discover whether they are understanding the material. 1 Questions can be posed and often
quite sophisticated feedback given to the student. Contrast that with the situation in art. In art there are few
certainties. The emphasis is less on facts, the needs of the student are individual and the assessment of the student
is through a piece of work demonstrating creativity and the development of ideas.
Now with a grant from TLTP of £300,000 and matching funds to give a budget of around £800,000 a consortium
of art schools and universities led by the London Institute is engaged on a three year project to create interactive
multimedia learning packages on drawing. Drawing is central to all that is produced within the broadest spectrum
of art and design. It is the core around which the conceptual and intellectual development of students takes place.
Drawing allows individuals to learn to look, to record what they see, and is used to develop thought and ideas for
artwork and for design, in both two and three dimensions.
In 1995-96 almost 5% of students in UKHE were in art and design. If related subjects with a clear interest in
drawing such as architecture, and engineering and technology, are included the total rose to almost 16% 2 . This
growth in numbers has created problems which the package seeks to address.
The approach adopted by the London Institute and its partners in the Falmouth College of Art, Ravensbourne
College of Design and Communication and the Universities of Ulster and Brighton is intended to create materials
which give full respect to the richness of the subject. The packages will come at drawing from many different
angles and controversy will be welcomed rather than shunned. In addition to a thorough treatment of the basic
skills such as drawing on paper, drawing with the computer and draughting, the programs will explore the
historical development of our understanding of spatial representation from the origins of perspective, through
drawing machines to 3D and computer graphics. In all the work the importance of how to see, how to interpret
1
Doughty, G et al, Using Learning Technologies: Interim Conclusions from the TILT Project, Shaw, R. (ed) University of
Glasgow (March 1995) 27-33
2
1 Students in Higher Education 1995-96 HESA July 1997