TechArt learning practices for 1st to 3rd grade in Danish schools

This paper reports on six prototypes developed for integrating digital technology and computational thinking into Danish visual arts education. We discuss the learning potential for TechArt integration based on our experiences developing the prototypes. The prototypes came about as a part of the national experimental project Technology Comprehension (2019–2020) in which the implementation of digitalisation from 1st to 9th grade took place partly by constructing a new school subject named technology comprehension and partly by integrating digital technology into selected school subjects (Buhl, 2019). For one of the chosen school subjects, visual arts education, suitable prototypes were developed for teaching 1st to 3rd grade. Digital technology has officially been a part of visual arts as a school subject since 1991 (Danish Ministry of Education, 1991), although experimental environments in Denmark explored technology beforehand (e.g. Skov, 1988). Technology has a dual role: it is a tool for artistic expression (i.e. students experiment with devices and applications) and a topic for artistic expression (i.e. students inquire about and explore the societal implications of the man–machine relationship in a world characterised by social media, algorithms and mobile technology). Six prototypes were developed based on curriculum-informed activities in combination with principles related to programming, construction, digital design and social empowerment. The six prototypes are entitled (1) Pattern and Shape, (2) Exploring Colour, (3) Animated Stories, (4) Pixel Art In Art Programmes, (5) Nasubi Gallery and (6) 3D Sculpture. They represent objectives to facilitate learning, both visually and digitally. Our paper provides short descriptions of the six prototypes, presents the interdisciplinary and pedagogical ideas behind them and discusses the future integration of technology comprehension into visual arts as a school subject. The theoretical framework draws upon insights from studies of contemporary visual arts pedagogy (e.g. Rasmussen, 2017; Tavin, 2015), visual culture (e.g. Mirzoeff, 2013; Rogoff, 2008) and digitisation (e.g. Sack, 2019). Contemporary visual arts education in Denmark is driven by learning through visual aesthetic practice as well as developing skills within the field of art and visual culture, and a core learning objective is gaining a critical perspective on visuality (Buhl & Skov, 2019). Based on the work with the six prototypes, we argue that digitisation of art-making facilitates the potential to integrate computational thinking and social empowerment.