Read & React

For this week’s read and reflect, I would like to start out by discussing a few of the ways I could use the technology we used this week in my future classroom. I want to be able to remember my ideas for these resources! J

Voicethread: I think this application is a great tool for reflection and critique. I love the idea of giving students the ability to talk about their artistic process, as another form of reflection. The incorporation of voice and photos would give them the power to show evolution of an idea and the reasoning behind their choices.

Mural.ly: While I loved the concept of this application, I personally found it to be very slow and not the most user-friendly. I know that it is a new application, but if it becomes more advanced in the future, I think it could be a great tool for creating idea boards, documenting artistic research, reflection, and particularly a personal aesthetic unit I have been working on.

Thinkling: This application is practically made for VTS! I think it would be a cool way to see how students critique a work of art before introducing VTS. It would be a great way to assess their ability to look and think critically before and after learning and utilizing Visual Thinking Strategies. Also, because it is collaborative, I think students would enjoy commenting on the thoughts of others and reflecting on multiple perspectives.

After reading Manning & Johnson, I realized that I had not thought of discussion forums as a useful tool until the authors talked about the way consumers use discussion forums. Many times have I relied on technology problems or further information about a product or service through discussion forums. In this sense, I think that forums could be made applicable and useful in education, but I think that a major factor in it’s success is the “friendlyness” of the software. I often find myself frustrated with Blackboard and other education sites because they function much differently than many other sites commonly used. For example, these sites usually do not have the option to search for a specific topic you would like to know more about. I find it more difficult to make connections on these sites because it is inconvenient to comment or reply. Perhaps one of the most important things for us to consider when selecting technology for the classroom is: how intuitive is this site? Will my students become disengaged because the technology is unreliable or inconvenient? I think for technology in the classroom to work successfully, it should work almost seamlessly and be engaging to its audience.

Topics in Digital Citizenship

Validity of information

I chose validity of Internet sources because the nature of the Internet is such that anyone can post information that is available to the public. This capability allows for a variety of information: truthful, untruthful, slander, etc. It is important that we teach our students to recognize that not all information on the Internet is true, in addition to how to seek truthful and valid information. One activity to use in the classroom could be a myth buster’s activity – busting artist myths. For example, did Van Gogh cut off his own ear? If so, why? Another activity could be a unit on appropriation. When appropriating, it is important to ask students to research the object/idea they are appropriating before doing so, in order to understand its full meaning. One valid resource I found that I would use in my classroom is: art21.com.

Posting etiquette

I chose this topic because I have seen many people post things online that I doubt they would say or do in real life. It is important to teach students the importance of speaking respectfully and thoughtfully, even in an online presence. I could teach my students about posting etiquette by giving them the opportunity to do VTS in a private online discussion board. They could share and consider opinions on artwork in a respectful, collaborative manner. Another strategy would be to ask students to create a work of art that compares and contrasts people as they are in real life  compared to digital life. A resource that I found for posting etiquette was Emily Post’s technology etiquette. http://www.emilypost.com/technology

Read and Respond

My first thoughts when reading about the digital citizen are that a digital citizen is probably a bizarre concept to many young people as they do not seem to separate the digital world from the physical world. In The Digital Citizen, the authors assert that digital citizens “are aware of the risks and benefits of the unparalleled degree of access we have to information.” I would imagine that for youth that have grown up with technology and the information age, they do not know anything other than an abundance of information. Knowing how many adults and researchers feel about this access to information, I wonder what youth who have never known anything different would say.

I found the six tenets of digital citizenship to be interesting: “respect yourself, protect yourself, respect others, protect others, respect intellectual property, and protect intellectual property. I found respecting and protecting intellectual property to be particularly interesting because of the arguments we have heard in favor of a society that values freedom of information via the internet and questions “intellectual property.” I personally believe that society should protect and respect intellectual property, but there are many people that fighting for a different cause. Could there be multiple forms of digital citizenship? Groups of digital citizens who hold different values?

Reading about respecting and protecting yourself online made me question whose responsibility it was to teach a student about the dangers that come with using the internet. However, with many schools bringing technology and social media into the classroom, I think that it is now the schools responsibility to educate students on appropriate internet citizenship and keeping themselves safe. It also makes me wonder, is the school now liable for anything the student does on the internet while at school? I have read that a teacher is responsible for the safety of his or her students while they are present in the classroom, but are they responsible, as well, for what they do on the internet while they are in the classroom?

As technology enters the classroom and gives students more freedom, I think that school must develop programs to educate their students on digital citizenship and the benefits and risks of the internet. It would be unfair to give young people this powerful tool without any information on how it should be used. As adults, we know that what you create and post on the internet will be there forever, but we must also teach this to our students.

Social Media reflection

What is your personal perspective on utilizing social networking sites (such as Facebook) for education? Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Even though I would consider myself well-versed in social media, and a regular user of multiple social media platforms, I would have to argue that no one can truly know the long-term effects of social media, and especially social media/networking in education. Personally, I believe that it is essential for students to be well rounded in that they can take advantage of modern technology, but also understand how to build and maintain human connection. As I have said before, I think there is a beauty to being still and noticing deeply that we must also teach our students.

That being said, I have seen some wonderful applications for social media use outside of the classroom, but focusing on class content. For example, Michelle Livek has shared the way students use social media to connect with their classmates outside of the classroom. Students can see the development of others’ work by connecting through hash tags and other social media grouping strategies. I know that the art teacher at Douglass High School asks his students to tweet him images of art-related work that they notice in their daily lives. Perhaps the best use of social networking sites for education is for homework because chances are that students are already utilizing these networks outside of the classroom anyways. Why not allow them to fill their feed with exciting and personal content related to your curriuculum?

Read & React

Manning & Johnson’s chapter on Voice Over Internet Protocol was interesting to me because it sparked ideas for a lot of applications for the art classroom. One way that I could use this resource involves interviewing people who work in creative industries to show my students the many number of professions there are in creative fields. Another application could be interviewing artists around the world, a tactic we were planning to use just last semester in my studio thinking course. While I was teaching this summer in South Korea, I learned that the Korean government has begun hiring individuals around the world to teach English, via the Internet, students who go to school on remote islands. Clearly, this tool is very important for a variety of education purposes around the world.

I must admit that prior to reading this chapter I did not see much benefit to making yourself available to chat with your students. However, I began thinking about the many times I have used a form of chatting when involved in group projects, and in that case I have found the tool to be very useful. I am not sure that I would want to be “on chat” at all times of the day as I believe it is important to create some boundaries between work and the rest of your life.

When it comes to social networking and the classroom, I am hesitant to intertwine the two, at least from a personal perspective. I have known teachers who have created public teacher pages or classroom pages, and I think this is a much better strategy. As an art teacher, you could create a classroom page showing images of students’ work, project ideas, information about the curriculum and more. The concept of the page would be similar to the format of a blog, but could appear directly on the newsfeed of students and parents. I think the social networking component would work best if it were used to highlight the importance of a strong art program and how it relates to the community.

The Brooks-Young article made me again arrive at the same conclusion regarding social networking in the classroom. Social media and technology in the classroom does not typically work successfully when it is a free for all. I believe that technology should be a structured tool to use in education. Too many times I have seen students using ipads randomly throughout class, often watching music videos and checking Twitter. I think it is the teacher’s responsibility to create a measurable objective when using technology and monitor, to her best possible ability, the way the technology is being used. Perhaps, if the students had to show some type of product after using technology, would be one way to provide evidence. A screen shot or link could be enough to ensure students are using technology appropriately.

Skyping with Sadara

Here is evidence of my Skype chat with Sadara. Hope you are feeling better, Sadara! :)

Read & Reflect

While reading Maushart’s The Winter of Our Disconnect, a familiar scene came to mind: that of a family at a restaurant having all the children engaged with cell phones, Gameboys, you-name-it. When I am having dinner with my boyfriend, we both agree, neither of us will ever allow our children to forgo conversation with the human beings surrounding them for an electronic device while at the dinner table. Of course, I am not yet a parent, and do not fully understand the complexities that come with parenting. However, no matter what technological age I am living in, I believe in the human connection, and I believe it should always take precedence over that of a screen. Children are not the only people guilty of this phenomenon, I have seen adults so it just as often. It was common in meetings at a corporation that I once worked at for many people to answer and send email while in meetings! What is the purpose of a meeting when 5/10 are occupied by other tasks?

In many ways I relate to Maushart’s experience and support her findings. I think that it is critical to teach children the importance of a face-to-face human connection. I also believe that it is our job as art teachers to teach our students how to notice deeply, and that there is life beyond a screen. Especially when it comes to art, deep noticing and uni-tasking can be required to create successful work. Of course, every artist has their own preferred style of working, but it is our job to give our students a taste of a variety of styles, allowing them to learn what best suits them.

My field experience has left me with mixed feelings on the abundance of technology in the classroom. Just this week I had a discussion with two students regarding the use of their iPad minis in the classroom, an initiative started this year. So far, they said that the iPads were being incorporated into just one classroom and they use one app. To me, this seems like the school is not capitalizing on a powerful technology tool, and giving kids a distraction. When I walk around the room, I notice many students watching music videos and checking social media. I think that there must be a better way to use technology in the classroom. Perhaps if the teacher were more structured in the use of technology, allotting 15 minutes to research artists of a certain movement, for example. This way, the students’ technology use could be monitored in some form. I hope that I will learn strategic methods for implementing technology into the classroom, making the curriculum more engaging rather than providing yet another distraction.

Reflection on Unit-asking

Because I am normally a multi-tasker when it comes to making art, and most areas of life, I tried uni-tasking for this creative project. I chose to observe and paint a small pot of succulents. More than anything, I found the process somewhat meditative, I could focus easily on the shadows, shapes and colors of the objects, and found my brain sorting through other information as well, reviewing my day. In a way, I suppose you could say that this is still multi-tasking... is it unescapable?! I very much enjoyed painting an the plant from observation in silence. I was not expecting to feel this way, but found the exercise very relaxing. I had no choice but to notice deeply and reflect often on the choices I was making. I also wonder, though, did I enjoy this because I love art, and appreciate taking notice of details, or are all students capable of enjoying such a uni-tasking project?

My creative process

My creative process is... flexible. These days life is so busy that I am squeezing in art when I can, or when I feel I absolutely need it! I often find myself inspired when I am doing something the opposite of creative. It's like my creative soul is conjuring up all the fun I could be having! I also find myself inspired after a long run, a visit to a vintage shop, seeing an artsy movie, etc. Usually if I find time to create it happens late at night after I can't make myself do any more homework! :) Also, I absolutely love when I discover a chunk of time on a Sunday that I can dedicate to art, it's always refreshing and inspiring.

For the first time ever, I have an official art space. I can not tell you how much I love this. My boyfriend built me a huge art desk - it's so big that I had to choose, art desk or kitchen table - you can guess what I chose! This way, I have a space that can always be dedicated to art. I found that in the past, living with friends, I would try to clean up my stuff before and after making art and it made me less likely to get everything out.

I love to listen to music while I make art, specifically Jack Johnson and other happy music.  On occasion I will watch a movie or catch up on a show while I make art, too. Rarely is there silence. I think it will be a challenge to uni-task while making art - no phone, no music and no background noise!