PERFORMING arts students and lecturers are thinking creatively to adapt face to face lessons to digital formats.
South Eastern Regional College (SERC) is among those that has abandoned lessons in labs, studios and classrooms.
This has posed its own challenges for those used to working collaboratively in highly practical courses.
Lecturer Steven Lee, course coordinator of SERC's BTEC Higher National Diploma in Performing Arts said online learning "is the anthesis of what they signed up for".
Everyone was adjusting, he said.
Students are still expected to `attend' class and continue to learn.
If they need to speak one to one, clarify a point, raise an issue, ask a question, this is all still possible.
Teaching and learning is being done through platforms including Microsoft Teams.
Mr Lee said this was challenging lecturers to be creative in how they deliver courses.
"Take for example, teaching our Level 3 students Devised Theatre - a method of theatre making in which the script or performance originates from collaborative, often improvisatory work by a performing ensemble - we've really had to think outside the box," he said.
"You have probably all heard of TedTalks? Well, we've come up with BedTalks to deliver Devised Theatre. The students must think of a subject that they are passionate about, then they must deliver, in character, an improvisation from their bed. We have one student who is mad about Jujutsu and the performance was amazing. All the students watched online - we weren't physically there, but all the
emotions of the performance were very much alive and connected."
Students are also using platforms like TikTok which allows them to put something up with music.
Many organisations connected with the sector are helping students with coursework. Lighting company ETC has released its education software for free.
"Of course we are very concerned for all our students' wellbeing. We are constantly checking on how they are doing. Keeping with our creative side we have been setting little origami challenges. This allows our students to take time out and focus on something else for a bit. It is all part of looking out for our mental health and keeping our brains active."
Rebekah Patterson (20), from Comber, is in her second and final year of the HND at SERC's Bangor Campus.
"My class are having our normal chats and doing some practical work using the Microsoft Teams, but we have been making the most of other platforms too," she said.
"We have been working on scripts and were tasked to rewrite it in pairs. You can imagine, this would normally be battered out over a computer, coffee and a good amount of healthy arguing and bouncing ideas of each other. We got together on Facetime to work over it and got it completed. It was a different way of working but we got there.
"Our tutors are always checking that we are safe and healthy. All my friends are very supportive, and we are looking out for each other. I am getting up and trying to stay focused by following the timetable. I did miss a tutorial but luckily, the tutor had screen recorded the session, so I was able to watch it later and keep up to speed.
"One of my next units is Direction and obviously this is very physical - I am not sure how it is going to work through distance learning, but I think this will just add another layer to the challenge."
