Online system design to support new learning in an art and design education course.

While applications of online technologies involving communication among students and with tutors are normal for distance education, some on-campus courses are using these technologies to support student learning activities. Such approaches may be consistent with approaches to learning and teaching in which the technology is used to enable high level learning processes. This paper outlines an approach, using a problem-based learning strategy supported by online technologies, to enable students to engage in high level learning tasks associated with professional art teaching practice. Students used the communication tools in the online system to support group work and to relate to tutors who were working professionals based in schools. The paper includes a literature review and student evaluation data.