Chapter 3: Digitally-enhanced learning: The adaptation of traditional visual portfolio development practices

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought about the disruption of traditional teaching practices and has enforced an unexpected, rapid merging of physical and digital learning modes. In graphic design education, in particular, the visual portfolio learning and teaching experience has become challenging because of the lack of immediate digital resources and instructions. When reflecting upon personal teaching experiences within the visual arts department at Nelson Mandela University, it is evident that an online learning platform that synchronises with current curricula and traditional learning offerings is needed.

Thus, I propose that Moodle becomes an assistant for on-demand information, offering students new and current knowledge, as well as practical objectives for achieving a professional product, such as creating a digital or visual portfolio. This Moodle assistant offers an innovative approach to portfolio development, a continuous digital curricular activity enhancing a student’s reflective practice, and an awareness of industry expectations. Such a course, as proposed, is set to be methodological in its structure but interdisciplinary in scope. This will create a bridge between various visual art discipline streams, challenging traditional portfolio practices and utilising the learning opportunities afforded by technology.

It is argued that visual arts education should embrace this change and implement various digital pedagogical approaches that utilise the technological tools gained through the pandemic in support of learning. Utilising such technological learning devices affords the ability to renew dated methods and elucidate current teaching challenges, as well as support scholars in mastering simple yet critical skills such as visual portfolio-building.