Virtual learning does not support practicality of our courses – Performing Arts Students

The Association of Students of Performing Arts (ASPA), University of Ghana, is raising questions over the preparedness of the university’s online learning platforms to allow for its practical courses to still be undertaken.

In a petition, the Association said that a “great chunk of their courses delivered as practical courses and it is these practical courses which we believe do not subscribe well to virtual learning platforms.”

The petition further mentioned that students, especially those who have registered to take the Directing course, which is under Theatre Arts, will be disadvantaged.

It explained that “Directing involves the artistic and aesthetic procurement and management of human and other resources over a given period (usually four weeks) to produce the desired outcome. Students are cumulatively graded and guided over this period and they will, therefore, be short-changed if they are forced to do this virtually, no matter how advanced the technology is. Spatial positioning, motivated movements, control over personnel are all hallmarks of a successful director which may be lost in the labyrinth of virtual learning.”

Again, the Association mentioned that at the School of Performing Arts, MFA candidates are expected to “mount a project, it is this practical project that qualifies them for an MFA. Again, the virtual learning platforms are not amenable to the requirements of the MFA practical project.”

Read full statement

Petition from the Students of Performing Arts against Virtual Learning

As the world gradually eases itself into a digital epoch, technological innovations and advancements must be harnessed with care so as to ensure it serves rather than enslaves the people it purports to benefit.

While we join the entire university community to commend the university management in their proactivity in introducing innovative teaching and learning methods in the face of this global pandemic, we are loath to petition the management through your esteemed office on the introduction of virtual learning in the School of Performing Arts.

This idea is indeed laudable and while it may inure to the benefit of the larger population of the university faculty and students, it is inimical to the students of Performing Arts. As our name quite clearly delineates, performance is the bedrock of our studies. It is this gravitation towards performance that distinguishes us from a school of literary arts (as pertains in other jurisdictions) or even the English Department or Institute of African Studies even though some similarities exist. The performing arts are not averse to technology or innovation. Indeed, throughout the history of the performing arts, technology has been an integral part, yet we must heed the advice of Andy Field when he cautions us that technology in the arts must be handled with care.

The three departments that make up the School of Performing Arts viz; Music, Dance and Theatre Arts, have a great chunk of their courses delivered as practical courses and it is these practical courses which we believe do not subscribe well to virtual learning platforms.

Theatre Arts

The culmination of a theatre arts major program is the selection of a special area. These special areas include Costume, Directing, Theatre for Development (TFD), Radio and Television (RTV). All these courses are graded based on the students’ practical application of theories studied over the four-year period. It is quite impossible to see how these courses could be rendered and assessed virtually. Directing involves the artistic and aesthetic procurement and management of human and other resources over a given period (usually four weeks) to produce the desired outcome. Students are cumulatively graded and guided over this period and they will, therefore, be short-changed if they are forced to do this virtually, no matter how advanced the technology is. Spatial positioning, motivated movements, control over personnel are all hallmarks of a successful director which may be lost in the labyrinth of virtual learning. While a costume may look good in drawing, its practicality, functionality, and suitability can only be assessed in performance. Yet another case of virtual learning marring rather than making a successful specialist. Virtual learning will be doing the greatest disservice to our TFD students as they are doing an active and hands-on community development project. They are expected to go into the community, intercourse with the community, gain their trust, and unearth issues, and device solutions with the community. As avant-garde as the virtual learning management systems of the University of Ghana, it is difficult to see how it can help achieve the purpose of the course. To individually list all the problems with the special courses will be flogging a dead horse. We will therefore not belabor the point.

Dance

By the very nature of the name and what it implies, this department is devoted to the study of the type of art that generally involves movement of the body, often rhythmic and to music. This is purely practical and as such courses such as Choreography, Traditional Dance, Traditional Songs, Traditional Drumming inter alia when rendered via virtual mediation will only produce watered down dance graduates who cannot hold up their own against other dance students in other parts of the globe or indeed other students of the same department of earlier years.

Statistically in the Dance Department, for every hour of theory lessons, there are 3 more hours of accompanying practical lessons. Furthermore, the graceful finesse and the nuanced movements that differentiate one dance form from other forms the basis of grading. We cannot emphasize enough how the spectrum of virtual learning will obscure if not totally obliterate these distinctions.

Music

Probably the least beneficiaries of virtual learning, the music department of the School of Performing arts relies more heavily on spatial and temporal liveness.

Music, the rhythmic arrangement of sound in time is easily distorted by the unavoidable lag of virtual reality. Music students are expected to rearrange and perform orchestras, performing ensembles and play instruments. While we may concede that creating an orchestra virtually may not be too arduous a task, raising an ensemble – in isolation – is virtually impossible. Equally unfeasible is the playing of instruments virtually. Most of these instruments have been procured by the department for the use of students. There are oftentimes humongous fixtures that cannot be teleported unto the virtual learning platform. Most students do not own their personal instruments and so they will be deprived of the chance to master their chosen instrument.

Graduate Students

While our MA and MPhil students will be all happy to resort to virtual learning, we would like to point out that the School of performing arts offers a third stream of Master’s programme. This is the MFA programme. Incidentally, the MFA is the flagship program of the school’s graduate programme and its distinguishing characteristic is its emphasis on the practical component as opposed to the research and Coursework of the MPhil and MA programmes respectively. In most jurisdictions, an MFA is a terminal degree. While it is not so at the University of Ghana, the requirements for the award of an MFA follows the Global trend. A candidate for MFA is expected to mount a project. It is this practical project that qualifies them for an MFA. Again, the virtual learning platforms are not amenable to the requirements of the MFA practical project.

Issues Affecting General Spa Students

Finally, and on a more general note, we would like to point out that in the School of Performing Arts, the audience is the most important factor and hence audience reception of practical projects is essential. This key ingredient will be lost in the arcane world of virtual learning. Also, every student in the department paid a practical fee for obvious reasons. Converting the practical experience to a virtual one will be short-changing the students to say the very least.

In light of the above concerns, we would be grateful if you could reconsider your decision on a blanket rolling out of virtual learning – an initiative that will be inimical to the experience of performing arts students.

We will be happy to dialogue with you to find solutions that will be beneficial to all stakeholders. We are counting on your usual cooperation.