The faculty of the Department of Performing Arts have swiftly adapted to the remote teaching environment, offering creative possibilities that compensate for in-person collaboration.

The faculty of the Department of Digital Media have adopted a number of innovative strategies to move their curriculum online. A tech-savvy bunch, their biggest challenge is less about adapting to technology shifts and more about supporting student needs and limitations of the remote environment.

The Department of Design includes Westphal’s programs in Fashion Design(undergraduate and graduate), Design & Merchandising (D&M), Retail & Merchandising, Graphic Design, Photography, and Product Design. The Department is making good use of its strong relationships with industry and other Drexel departments to implement exciting solutions to current limitations while finding ways to stay connected to each other and their students.

The Department of Art & Art History, which includes the Art History major and a wide range of studio art and design courses, understandably faced many challenges in adapting their curriculum to remote teaching. Access to materials and studio instruction are cornerstones of a Westphal arts education. Art & Art History faculty, however, have a resourceful streak, and have already come up with novel solutions to keep students engaged.

In the Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism, exploration of space and materials are essential, so moving to an entirely virtual environment is, in the words of Interior Design Assistant Professor Frances Temple-West, “challenging yet oddly liberating. It has opened up new opportunities to learn about materials and materiality.”