Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) welcomed the Class of 2024, in an innovative and exciting virtual orientation event, recently. 
Over their summer holidays, staff, students and faculty from across the university’s many departments joined forces to develop a series of mini video-tutorials to help new joiners make the most of their online learning experiences. The videos feature current students and recent graduates drawn from various academic programmes, as they share tips based on their own experiences, providing the incoming cohort with a realistic — and often humorous — picture of what to expect, and practical suggestions on how to benefit from online learning in an art and design setting. VCUarts Qatar’s Dean Amir Berbić, commenting on the ideation behind the mini-videos, explained how the university saw online learning as yet another opportunity to exercise its creativity.
“The pandemic-induced restrictions affected all educational institutions in the country. As art and design practitioners, though, the VCUarts Qatar community is well positioned to think critically and adapt to constraints; seeing and seeking opportunities for purpose-driven creativity is a trait that is the second nature to our students, staff, and faculty. We saw online learnin as one such opportunity,” he said, 
Dean Berbić noted how the start of university life is a much-awaited milestone in the academic journey of any student.
The videos — along with other innovative resources developed by VCUarts Qatar over the last few months to enhance the temporary transition into online learning — will augment the annual orientation program that the university conducts each year for new students.
One such resource is TeachLab (www.teachlab.info), a pop-up website developed by staff and faculty at VCUarts Qatar. The site is a well-researched and vetted compilation of teaching resources related to most aspects of online/hybrid instruction, including remote teaching resources, discipline-specific tools, student engagement, self-motivation and instructional technology. It also offers a discussion board where faculty can post queries, feedback and suggestions. 
From an educational perspective, it wasn’t merely the challenges of online learning that were addressed; pandemic-wrought upheavals to traditional education inspired three VCUarts Qatar staff to propose research with forward-looking implications: the possibility of using virtual reality/artificial reality to teach undergraduate students, resilience. Investigative work for the proposal, which received a grant from Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s Innovation Laboratory, is scheduled to commence in the fall semester.
VCUarts Qatar’s efforts to adapt to COVID-19 induced restrictions extended beyond its own, and the wider Education City, community; right from early March, the university was closely involved in the country’s battle against the pandemic.
Staff, students and faculty from various departments including the university’s fabrication lab (FabLab) and Fashion Design, worked against the clock — often over public holidays and personal vacations — to design, manufacture and deliver adult face-shields, infant face-shields and volunteer vests for numerous front-line workers in Qatar. 
Over the last few months, VCUarts Qatar students and alumni have been creatively using their skills and talents to reach out to the public – both in Qatar and across the globe. Illustrations rendered by Hazem Asif, an alumnus from Pakistan, brought the media stories of front-line health care workers to life. 
Closer to home, Sara Al Buainain, a VCUarts Qatar alumnus, created a series of artwork titled ‘Quarantine Diaries’ a visual log of human experiences during the quarantine; the collection was on display at Doha’s popular Al Markhiya Gallery. 
Meanwhile, Habeeb Mohammed Abu-Futtaim and Ayaz Rauf, VCUarts Qatar Class of 2016 alumni, have expanded their dealer-alternative automobile business in Doha – AutoFix Auto Services & Trading – to offer mobile disinfecting services for cars and homes. And, Lauren Morrell, a 2020 fashion design graduate, undertook the task of personally designing and sewing re-usable face masks made from scrap textiles, for those who prefer a more sustainable alternative.

SOURCE: THEPENINSULAQATAR