CHArt CHArt Computers and the History of Art - 1997 Conference Paper Abstract
The Virtual Tutorial Gallery is a multimedia model which responds to a number of considerations.
The question of how best use can be made of the expanding research and educational information resources of the World Wide Web for Art History education.
The recognition of a need to create an educational multimedia model which fosters the "deep learning" approach promoted by humanities subjects. There are few instances where the commonly accepted model of educational multimedia (information delivery sometimes tested by 'right' and 'wrong' answer quizzes) is appropriate to Humanities subjects which proceed by discourse and argument and require research, creative contributions, critical analysis and discussion of students.
The consideration of 'copyright' and "reproduction right" restrictions are on the use of image reproduction since the established educational exemptions do not yet apply to multimedia uses - a particular difficulty for Art History.
The need for flexibility in approaches to teaching prompted by potential changes in approaches to teaching by an individual, likely changes in knowledge and theoretical emphasis in the field, emergent subject areas and changes in pedagogical approaches to a subject over time.
A trialed prototype of the Virtual Tutorial Gallery won the University of Queensland Award for Excellence in Teaching Using Multimedia. Its high level of flexibility allows diverse approaches to teaching, making it applicable to any Art History subject area (as well as more diverse subject areas) and has caused interest in its use for galleries, museums and an art journal.
Jillian Duffield is currently employed by the Department of Art History at the University of Queensland (Australia) as the developer, concept and instructional designer for educational multimedia applications. She is also currently a PhD candidate at the University of Western Sydney, and guest curator of an exhibition Face to Face with HIV and AIDS: portraiture and the ethical relationship to the subject.