Harmony Quest: An Interdisciplinary Arts-Based Project Incorporating Virtual Reality

Abstract

This paper provides a summary report of the Harmony Quest project designed to integrate the use of virtual reality into the art classroom and curriculum. The report is framed within three larger theoretical contexts of pedagogy, curriculum, and motivation. Project outcomes suggest three conclusions regarding technology and art education. First, a constructivist approach to teaching and learning, as used in the Harmony Quest project, is useful when integrating technology into the art classroom. Second, a curriculum that integrates multiple sources of information and real-life experiences holds promise as a way to engage students in technology-based art learning. Third, when students are given control of their own learning and the technological media, they are motivated in ways that support ownership, empowerment, and pleasure. It is proposed that educational aspects of virtual reality (interactivity, embodiment or point of view, and multimodal representation) and the value of using advanced interactive technologies in art education are to support instructional practice and an interdisciplinary arts based curriculum. While teaching art and digital media in the California secondary public school sys tem in the mid-1990s, the creative poten tial of virtual reality (VR) captured my imagi nation and motivated me to use virtual re ality with my middle school art students. After two years of dedicated effort and sup port from school faculty and outside ex perts, my students and I successfully com pleted an integrated arts and technology curriculum project in 1996 called Harmony Quest, in which they designed and created fully immersive and interactive virtual en vironments. This summary report of the Harmony Quest virtual reality project describes the demographic context and the curriculum goals, activities, and outcomes of the project. I also discuss selected conceptions of virtual reality and its use in art and edu cation, and outline three educational as pects of virtual reality (interactivity, embodi ment or point of view, and multimodal rep resentation) as reflected in the Harmony Quest project. From theorizing the specific constructivist pedagogical approach used in the Harmony Quest project, I conclude with recommendations for art educators interested in integrating interactive multi media, like virtual reality, into their art cur riculum and teaching. Harmony Quest Project Harmony Quest, an integrated arts and technology curriculum project encompass ing a period from 1994 to 1996, involved 25 7thand 8th-grade students (15 boys and 10 girls) in an art and technology class. Stu dents conceived, designed, and developed fully immersive, interactive virtual environ ments or worlds, using virtual reality tech nology. The students attended a suburban public middle school located in the San Francisco Bay area of California. The school population was composed approximately of 30% White, 35% Hispanic, 20% Asian/Pa cific Islander, 13% Black; and 2% Native American. Most of the students were from lowerand middle-income backgrounds and the school had a high percentage of sec ond language learners and students with special needs. As part of efforts to raise academic performance and expand student VISUAL ARTS RESEARCH ? 2005 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois 53 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.89 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016 05:22:10 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms learning in the arts, the school curriculum had been restructured to integrate the arts (visual art, drama, music, and dance) into all the other subject areas. Curriculum Goals and Activities

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