The Future of Education

This paper describes and analyses an innovative way of teaching art, history and culture in Distance Teaching and Learning Education, in which virtual platforms are available to the students and teachers involved and are designed as meeting places of reflection and debate. We want to share our experience on planning, designing and using an on-line course for teaching American Art as a Reflection of American History. We will show how the implementation of this kind of on-line course based on the study, reflection and criticism of American history and culture through the critical analysis of some of their most significant authors and representative works of art can raise discussion and debate.  A selection of various works of art that have contributed to the enrichment of American culture will be presented and analyzed. We will also offer useful resources and strategies needed for teaching in the specific fields of Art and History to meet the needs of university students interested in these disciplines. Despite some drawbacks to overcome, teaching art as a reflection of history is more than worth it and a valuable choice for teachers who want to plan their courses to make their students get not only some better knowledge of art and history but also acquire intercultural and communicative competence.

Keywords: On-line Teaching and Learning, Art, History, Virtual platforms, Intercultural and Communicative Competence;