Three cases of using object-based learning with university students: A comparison of their rationales, impact and effectiveness

This chapter examines three cases of object-based learning in the field of visual arts. The first case involved a group of postgraduate students (studying for a Master’s degree) in a mediated experience of museum objects using mobile technology. The students used an interactive multimedia guide in the study of 10 featured artworks at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. The second case involved a group of Bachelor of Education (BEd) students in research on a self-selected artwork from a museum collection. With the aid of a framework developed from object-based learning theory, the students engaged in an in-depth interrogation of the work and wrote a piece of art criticism with related pedagogical activities. The third case involved a group of university students who took a General Education1 course on the development of body consciousness and aesthetic awareness. The students explored two aesthetic objects (a ceramic sculpture and a cast bronze sculpture) in the class and reflected on their authentic experiences of viewing and touching them. Data on the students’ learning experiences and the impact of learning through objects were obtained from reflective essays or journals written by the students themselves. A comparison between the backgrounds and effectiveness of the three cases, and feedback from the students revealed the different rationales, strategies and impacts underlying the different contexts of object-based learning. Copyright © 2015 Helen J. Chatterjee and Leonie Hannan.