Virtual Flow Visualization Instruction

The concept of teaching virtual art courses may seem very counterintuitive. Typically, essential means for delivering learning outcomes in the arts are in-person interaction and collaboration, hands-on experimentation, materials and equipment practices, specific space requirements, and live event components. Without these means, faculty are challenged not only with how to teach virtually but with how to redefine courses with very little of those tools that initially have defined the discipline. Now, imagine combining art with science as a General Education (GenEd) course! In response, we created an online Flow Visualization course for our students in the Fall with the intention to create a familiar sense of community where they could discover and grow through science and photography in addition to express themselves artistically, and be inspired by other students and artists. This work will introduce our online course, systematically present curriculum practices, identify tools that proved to be useful, and consider some of the student feedback in response to the experience.