ELEARNING IN ART AND DESIGN: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

Despite the numerous national and international policies that highlight the benefits of elearning forHigher Education (HE), in general art and design education lags behind other disciplines in thisrespect. The widespread use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and VirtualLearning Environments (VLEs) in the sector has done little to address this issue; elearning is theelephant in the room, it remains for art and design an area that is unaddressed, under-utilised andunder-researched. There is some anecdotal evidence about the reasons for this situation, and this revolves around the notion that studio-based disciplines have a contextual instructional dimension that is incompatible with elearning. This paper explores some of the reasons for the resistance to the introduction of elearning in art and design. Firstly, it highlights the need and rationale for embedding elearning in the respective curricula. Secondly, it elaborates on a threshold concept, vis-à-vis elearning in art and design; a change of perceptions by faculty on the actual role and contribution of elearning in having transformative potential and triggering innovative instructional approaches. It is proposed that the challenge for art and design education is to perceive elearning through the principle of functionalism (form follows function), and thus come up with a variety of useful and relevant applications that can enhance the respective curricula