‘Moving IT On’ was a mixed programme, employing different approaches to exploring and improving the digital delivery of creative and cultural education. The first phase of ‘Moving IT On’ in 2020-21 provided research and development funding to six organisations within the Eastern region to explore the pedagogy of online delivery of creative and cultural education. The second phase in 2021-22 commissioned six further organisations for a new research and development phase.
Here are eight short case studies taken from both phases of ‘Moving IT On’ which can be used by cultural organisations and artist educators to inform their own online provision. Each case study contains six sections culminating in top tips for your project.
Norwich Puppet Theatre – Online Approaches in the Primary Classroom, phase one
The aim was to explore effective online and blended approaches for engaging with primary school audiences. The process involved close collaboration, improving Norwich Puppet Theatre’s understanding of how content is accessed and used in the classroom and helping them to increase their online schools’ audience.
Cambridge Junction – Virtual Industry Day, phase one
This project assessed Cambridge Junction’s Creative Career Days and redesigned them for an online audience. They worked with local schools to identify needs and to discover which online teaching styles were most suitable for participants. It involved developing a suite of films about creative career paths, two virtual workshops, and a Q&A.
The Fitzwilliam Museum – Virtual Visits to the Art Museum, phase one
During the pandemic the Fitzwilliam Museum worked with teachers of Art and Design, History and Modern Languages to design a learning offer consisting of pre-recorded videos and quizzes, activity prompts and a co-delivered live session delivered through an online platform.
We are UNIT – Super Awesome Dance Club: Everybody’s welcome, phase two
We are UNIT built on their already successful Super Awesome Dance Club, testing the visual design, the language used, the pace of the teaching material, captioning and integrating BSL. They piloted two shortened episodes for feedback and recreated shows with adapted design, language and pace. They also created an inclusive guideline document to follow for new digital projects.
The Sainsbury Centre – Connect with Collections, phase two
The Sainsbury Centre worked with two KS2 teachers at different schools to incorporate digital resources into pre-designed schemes of work to be delivered across several weeks. They linked to Art, History and Geography subjects, one on West Africa, and the other on pottery from Central and South America.
MiO – Virtually There Studio, phase two
MiO developed a shareable teaching resource to support KS3 teachers with video games development to be published on their website and launched via an event at Norwich Puppet Theatre.
Jumped Up Theatre – Young People-Led Creative Digital Campaigns, phase two
Jumped Up Theatre provided support sessions from Digital Champions. Arts professionals were commissioned and consulted with to explore the dynamics and possibilities of different digital platforms, and build a draft framework for future projects. Staff drafted best practice processes for future projects for both digital creation and communication.
New International Encounter – Digital Shakespeare in a Suitcase, phase two
NIE set up a digital, live hot-seat between two actors playing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and 2 classes of Year 5 children studying the play. NIE will produce a live touring version of the play in the autumn. The director acted as ‘digital facilitator’ and worked with the teachers beforehand to set the context as well as being in the school on the day of the live link up.