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Narratives of art therapy educators during the COVID-19 pandemic
Dissertation   Open access

Narratives of art therapy educators during the COVID-19 pandemic

Erin Elizabeth Carter
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Drexel University
Sep 2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001338
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Abstract

Education, Higher Art therapy Experiential learning Web-based instruction COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-) Teacher identity Education
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, art therapy education was rarely taught online. This study employed a qualitative narrative research design. Its purpose was to understand the experiences of art therapy educators as they transitioned to remote and online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic and to uncover the creative strategies they developed or witnessed in their higher education institutions that helped them to navigate challenges. The general population in the study was graduate and undergraduate art therapy educators. This study interviewed six art therapy educators about their experiences teaching art therapy remotely. They all shared their stories about creative strategies they used to help maintain a work-life balance while teaching online. The art therapy educators' narratives highlighted the changes in their professional teacher identities. These educators adjusted their practices, and thus their teaching identities, to provide more grace to their students, colleagues, and ultimately to themselves. They came up with creative strategies to navigate the changes that included, as examples, adapting email practices, providing lecture notes ahead of time, taking time to create art, walking more throughout the day, having spaces both in person and online for students to create art independently but together, and being more compassionate and empathetic towards each other and themselves as human.

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