Research of painting practice using hypermedia, and its application for development of free-form web-based teaching materials

Abstract

Communication technology using video and other images are now so common place that it is challenging more traditional teaching disciplines outside of art and design. However, the antecedents for new visual literacy lay may well lay in more traditional visual arts approaches that could well be taken for granted in the art & design field. This presentation explores the methodology, methods and events that have resulted from the presenter's current doctoral research, conducted at the School of Professional Development, University of New England, Australia since 2001. The study began by recording painting practice using video with the intent of creating an iterative reflective cycle to explore the learning that takes place as a painter works. The subject was both the researcher's own painting practice and that of another local painter. Visual knowledge of the process was then constructed using hypermedia links between selected recordings and written text. During the research it became apparent that the painting practice could also inform hypermedia constructions used for teaching. As a result the research has already led to a more deliberate arts-based approach to Web-based resource development used in the researcher's own teaching practice - the professional development of adult educators.