Exploring the impact of Digital Technology in Art Education (original) (raw)

2023, Erasmus University Rotterdam

This thesis aims to investigate how the incorporation of digital technology in art education, impacts the learning and overall experience of art students. The study focuses on the implementation of new digital technologies in art education, as directed by the national cultural policy of the Netherlands. The research also looks at the themes of interdisciplinary education and the abilities of art students to express themselves in the digital era. The research was done by using the qualitative method of semi-structured interviewing with both students and teachers from the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam. The collected data explores topics like digital culture, knowledge production, skill diversity and self-expression. The findings imply that a hybrid approach to art education, combining non-digital and digital practices, would be most effective. According to the research, institutions and policymakers should also acknowledge the significance of enabling more time for students to gain new knowledge, as well as finding the right balance between using both analogue and digital practices in their curriculums. The study’s limitations include a restricted sample size and a lack of detail in what the impact of digital technology has on the final artworks created by art students. Future research may focus on how digital technology affects the professional development and future job choices. Overall, the study finds that digitalization, in various ways, impacts the learning of art students and that effective art education incorporates both digital and analogue practices. Keywords: Digital culture, knowledge production, skill diversity, self-expression, academic experience, artistic expression, digital technology, art education, interdisciplinary education.