Litema artivism: Community-engaged scholarship with international online learning

Abstract

The misconception that online learning and teaching for the building sciences is ineffective has been proven wrong. A blended learning technique,  combining service-learning activities and research (community-engaged scholarship) with Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), has shown  great learning and teaching possibilities on an international digital platform. This article considers how community-engaged scholarship and COIL can  support an international learning experience celebrating rural art and architecture in central parts of South Africa. The research used a qualitative  participatory action research approach and social learning theory framework. Combining practical outcomes in service-learning activities with collaborative international desk research provided a new perspective of litema wall-decorating art in rural parts of the eastern Free State province. These activities developed into a collaboration opportunity as a COIL exchange. A novel conceptual servicelearning approach requires good communication and  networking, clear agendas, as well as dedicated staff and students. The study merged servicelearning activities by South African architecture students at the University of the Free State with literature from American art history students from Colorado State University through COIL that resulted  in a collaborative The misconception that online learning and teaching for the building sciences is ineffective has been proven wrong. A blended learning technique, combining service-learning activities and research (community-engaged scholarship) with Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), has shown great learning and teaching possibilities on an international digital platform. This article considers how community-engaged scholarship and  COIL can support an international learning experience celebrating rural art and architecture in central parts of South Africa. The research used a qualitative participatory action research approach and social learning theory framework. Combining practical outcomes in service-learning activities with collaborative international desk research provided a new perspective of litema wall-decorating art in rural parts of the eastern Free State province. These activities developed into a collaboration opportunity as a COIL exchange. A novel conceptual servicelearning approach requires good communication and  networking, clear agendas, as well as dedicated staff and students. The study merged servicelearning activities by South African architecture  students at the University of the Free State with literature from American art history students from Colorado State University through COIL that resulted  in a collaborative exhibition of research findings. The study follows the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of quality education and  gender equality, as well as the “Art-Lab for Human Rights and Dialogue” that intervenes ethically for human rights as “activist” acts of care for rural  domestic art.

Die wanopvatting dat aanlyn-leer en onderrig vir die bouwetenskappe ondoeltreffend is, is verkeerd bewys. ’n Gemengde leertegniek, wat  diensleeraktiwiteite en navorsing (gemeenskapsbetrokke vakkundigheid) kombineer met Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), het  wonderlike leer- en onderrigmoontlikhede op ’n internasionale digitale platform getoon. Hierdie artikel kyk na hoe gemeenskapsbetrokke vakkundigheid  en COIL ’n internasionale leerervaring kan ondersteun wat landelike kuns en argitektuur in sentrale dele van Suid-Afrika vier. Die  navorsing het ’n kwalitatiewe deelnemende aksie navorsingsbenadering en sosiale leerteorie-raamwerk gebruik. Die kombinasie van praktiese uitkomste  in diensleeraktiwiteite met ’n samewerkende internasionale literatuurstudie het ’n nuwe perspektief van Litema-muurversieringkuns in  landelike dele van die Oos-Vrystaat-provinsie gebied. Hierdie aktiwiteite het ontwikkel in ’n samewerkingsgeleentheid as ’n COIL-ervaring. ’n Nuwe  konseptuele diensleerbenadering vereis goeie kommunikasie en netwerkvorming, duidelike agendas sowel as toegewyde personeel en studente. Die  studie het diensleeraktiwiteite deur Suid-Afrikaanse argitektuurstudente aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat saamgesmelt met literatuur van  Amerikaanse kunsgeskiedenis-studente van Colorado State University deur middel van ’n COIL wat gelei het tot ’n samewerkende uitstalling van navorsingsbevindinge. Die studiebenadering volg die Verenigde Nasies se Volhoubare Ontwikkelingsdoelwitte (SDG’s) van kwaliteit onderwys en  geslagsgelykheid endie “Art-Lab for Human Rights and Dialogue” wat eties ingryp vir menseregte as “kunsaktivistiese” da de van sorg vir plattelandse  woonhuiskuns.