Art and Design School in a Technology Driven World

By Stanley Rubenti
Career Colleges Columnist

Technology and art have always enjoyed a unique relationship dating back to the earliest days when pre-hominids tested different combinations of paint materials for their intricate cave drawings. Flash forward several hundred thousand years, and you have Google's, SketchUp Beta. This new open source software allows graphic design, architecture, and engineering students to render realistic 3D creations on their computer consoles.

Education and Creation Online

Google's new computer aided design software (CAD) is nothing new. Such programs have existed for several years already. But the fact that SketchUp is free, easily accessible, and user-friendly signals a dramatic shift in the way that artists and engineers can explore the world. Google Earth is another such sign of the times. As more and more similarly themed tools take to the net (for free), it's becoming clear that computers and the Internet are powerful tools in many ways.

For example, 10 years ago, students at art and design schools would never have imagined earning their education online. Aside from the obvious connectivity issues (56K or less), there simply didn't exist viable software. But in a world that has fully embraced e-learning and online education, art and design schools are welcoming Internet-based distance learning.

Is E-learning for You?

If you are a prospective art and design school student, you might have some general doubts about online education. Can e-learning ever approximate in-classroom learning? Is it possible to receive the same level of attention and feedback through online education?

There are no simple answers to these questions. Like any learning medium, online education has pros and cons. To make the most of your experience will require additional self-control and time management. After all, you truly are your own boss when it comes to e-learning. But the benefits of online education are hard to ignore as well. You enjoy tremendous flexibility, a wider range of course offerings, more reasonable prices, and a class schedule entirely under your control.

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