Beyond Geographical and Cultural Barriers: The Concept of a Virtual Gallery for Arts, Design & Architecture Schools in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the advantages and disadvantages of a virtual gallery as a substitute for the Saudi Arabian schools of higher education in Arts, Design & Architecture which frequently organise exhibitions. Virtual galleries provide new opportunities for architects, designers, artists and experts of other disciplines to lay foundation for new social networks. These networks may establish interdisciplinary knowledge collaborations beyond global geographical barriers. Additionally, it will be an excellent opportunity for students at Saudi Arabian universities to lower the cultural barriers that separate male and female students. Virtual galleries can enrich students' learning, enhance professional skills and also offer savings in term of practical costs (time, money and efforts) required to visit physical exhibitions.

Virtual Museum Tours for Schools: Teachers’ Experiences and Expectations

“…Higher levels of support within the VMT were also supported by at least three in five survey respondents. Finally, lack of devices, which was also encountered in other studies (e.g., [16]), could be tackled by introducing group activities with relevant learning material to maintain and activate all the team members.…”

“…Although the online presence of museums has facilitated engagement with the audience, this shift from physical to virtual visits is not without its challenges. Alawad et al [16] indicate copyright issues that prevent virtual visitors from accessing certain artworks, and Sylaiou et al [17] describe the difficulties of technologically illiterate visitors in using special software the equipment to view virtual museum exhibitions. Poor image quality and feelings of being lost, alone, or not being able to proceed were also issues mentioned in a qualitative study on visitors' perspectives of virtual museum tours (Aytekin & Aktas, 2021) Concerning the school-based educational purposes of such virtual visits, Harron et al [20] explain that teachers controlling the tour, which usually lasts much less than a physical tour, have a high risk of students' low or passive engagement.…”

“…Further, unlike physical museum tours, teachers and students can only experience the exhibits that have been included by the developers of the content [21]. In addition to that, teachers and students may rely on desktops and laptops provided by the school, as students may not own mobile or other devices to take part in the activities [16]. Further to the ownership of activity and selection of exhibits, Cosovic and Ramic Brkic [22] alert to the hidden risks of a decrease in attention span, as students may engage more with the interface and navigation features and fail to focus on the context of a particular artefact or activity.…”

Factors Affecting Viewers' Satisfaction In Virtual Art Exhibition

“…A virtual art exhibition can be thought of as a well-organized collection of digital artwork delivered via multimedia that allows visitors to communicate and interact according to their requirements and interests. Pervasive computing makes objects available, but they don't have a physical location (Alawad et al, 2015). Virtual exhibitions are no longer seen as fleeting fads, but rather as a legitimate extension of real displays.…”