Digital Pedagogy and Liberating Structures in the Humanities: What do we perceive when we look at an artwork?

This presentation is a showcase of collaborative Digital Pedagogy and Liberating Structures (LS) methodology in two Aesthetics courses, taught at John Cabot University in Rome, and Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (fall 2022).

As scholars, the presenters first identified their mutual interest in the intersection between art, ethics, imagination, and technology. As professors, they set as one of their courses’ learning objectives for students’ deeper understanding of art through them elaborating questionnaires and conducting interviews, thus testing their own aesthetic judgments as spectators and critics.

LS principles: Include and Unleash Everyone and Practice Self-discovery within a Group

LS Method 1-2-4-All. In response to the general question, “What do we perceive when we look at an artwork?”, students think individually about their personal experience, share it in f2f small groups, then in the class, then with their online partners BEFORE being exposed to theory; peer-to-peer learning. Students use the outcome of their discoveries to generate interview questionnaires. The same method with an element of comparison is used AFTER students are introduced to the theory.

Pedagogically critical use of digital tools and importance for the project: The use of Padlet combined with group and two common online meetings enabled students to expand their learning and collaboration beyond class time. Various modes of communication — Padlet for posting individual group discussions’ outcomes, and Teams, WhatsApp, and other digital tools for group and common meetings — provide students with a fair chance to showcase their opinion and acquired skills. This fosters students’ self-confidence and motivation to learn more.