Creating Project-Based Learning for Online Art Classrooms

Project-based learning (PBL) is considered an engaging and promising pedagogy across diverse disciplines and student populations in the United States in the digital age. Research on PBL in online environments and in the field of art has, however, been limited. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to examine the theoretical grounds of PBL and analyze its pedagogical features and application. Of specific interest is Krajcik and Shin’s (2014) PBL model, which includes six pedagogical features: asking driving questions, emphasizing learning goals, fostering authentic practice, enhancing collaboration, learning with technology, and creating artifacts. An account of a qualitative descriptive pilot study conducted in an undergraduate online art course further explicates the application of this PBL model. The pilot study accentuates ways to create an online PBL art classroom and illustrates students performing PBL through their arts-based research projects. Reflection on pedagogical recommendations and the challenges of implementing PBL in the online art classroom concludes the study.