More Technology? Yes Please!

In the ever-changing world of technology, it’s tough to keep your classroom updated with the latest learning tool.  A great way for me to stay informed in the world of education is to network with other individuals in the world of education.  The Internet is a great resource that enables me to access blogs, wikis, and periodicals.  I rely on many online resources to help further my own professional development, and these websites are great for networking with other individuals in the art field, not just educators.  Check out a few of my favorites:

National Art Education Assocciation:

http://www.arteducators.org/

Illinois Art Education Association:

http://ilaea.org/

PBS Art21:

http://www.pbs.org/art21/education/professional/index.html

Teacher Vision:

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/art/teacher-resources/6681.html

Princeton Online Art Lessons:

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/lessons.html

            It’s interesting to see my students’ reaction when I explain how teachers are learners in the classroom too.  I remember thinking that my own teachers from high school just stopped learning once they found a teaching job, and so they would continue to teach the same lessons every year…and I wondered, “How can someone keep doing the same redundant thing each day, each year?” 

Actually, teaching is one of the more unique careers, which enables me to exercise an immeasurable level of creativity each day.  Contrary to my former high school mind-set (and that of many of my own students) learning continues through professional development.  In pursuing a continued education in curriculum and instruction, I am now much more comfortable with implementing new instructional techniques with the use of technology.   Although the art room is home to various hands-on materials such as paint, clay, and plaster, an art class is the perfect place to facilitate lessons through Internet technology like Glogster, Wikispaces, TeacherTube and YouTube.  My students are much more engaged when they have the opportunity to learn through mixed media and differentiation.  From the beginning I have experienced success in my students learning through the use of a few different software applications.  The 3 most efficient and fundamental tools that I use consistently to introduce and reinforce art lessons are Microsoft PowerPoint Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop.  Many fine arts programs lack educational textbooks as resources, so these 3 programs enable me to develop strong lessons that are custom to my students’ needs, interests, and skill levels.  I will continue to utilize these programs since they work so well, although my students will also have opportunities to experience the art world through producing their own interactive poster on Glogster, and participate from home through Wikis. 

            Although hesitant at first, I am grateful for the opportunity to expand my technology skills for the classroom.  I look forward to networking with other artists and educators, and pursuing other prospects in professional development through technology for a quality learning experience for my students.  

The Art Studio 2.0

In my pre-service teaching experience I quickly discovered a great advantage in using PowerPoint in my daily lessons.  Not only does the program allow every student in the classroom to view the presentation on the big screen, but also I can generate strong visual examples with images, videos, and reference materials.   With class sizes increasing, it can become difficult to facilitate a purely visual learning experience of high quality if resources are limited to books, teacher demonstrations, and drawings on the chalkboard.  

As my teaching experiences progressed, I have also grown accustomed to using materials generators in facilitating any lesson, beginning to end.  Without the resources to purchase an art course book for each student – and let’s be honest, most students take art courses to take a break from the mundane reading and writing of the core curriculum – the Art Department is reliant on desktop publishing software.  In developing any lesson, I always begin with a PowerPoint presentation for introducing the artists, art processes, historical/societal contexts, and professional and student artwork.  Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop are ideal tools in producing student worksheets.  Some projects may take up to a week to complete, so this is a good opportunity to break-up the monotony of just “working” on the art project each day for the whole class period.  At this point I might show a video of a demonstration, or an interesting interview or clip of a particular artist or production concept – this is a great way to keep students focused on their objectives and the actual developing process while they are in the middle stages of the creative process.  

Considering the typical high school art room always involves 9^th-12^th grade learners with very different levels of experience in the art studio (thus many different learning needs and skills in the same class), I also use worksheet and puzzle generators from various online resources to enhance the students’ learning experience.  This is a great way to review and reinforce important concepts.  As a natural part of the lesson closure, I always incorporate a project rubric, a project critique for qualitative assessment, and usually a quiz or test to assess the students’ knowledge in a written format.  Although I have created my own rubric and critique sheets from Adobe Illustrator, it is a district-wide policy to develop our written exams on the test generator, Data Director.   Data Director is a program that allows teachers and administrators to create, share, and revise questions and answers while also collecting quantitative performance data for each individual student in the district.  And, of course let’s not forget STI…where would we be without this pre-historic version of the electronic gradebook?  Throughout each lesson, I am always finding ways to incorporate hypermedia design and development through digital cameras, photographs, scanners, projectors, videos, animations, editing software, desktop publishing software, text, tutorials, reference materials, Glogster… and the list goes on.  

Tech Functions in an Ideal Classroom

         One of the most effective ways to engage today’s learners is to facilitate learning through software that appeals to our learners…duh, makes sense, right?   In an ideal teaching world with deep pockets, it’s simply a matter of identifying which software functions are most appropriate to incorporate.  Roblyer and Doering (2010) suggest that some people believe computer assisted instruction (CAI) is outdated, although the term, computer-assisted learning (CAL) is a more accurate description of what teachers hear most often today.   Computer software in the classroom functions as drill-and-practice, simulation, problem solving, instructional use, and also tutorial instructional roles (p.76).  While some functions can demonstrate instructional use in skill practice, information delivery, and demonstration in directed teaching strategies, other functions – simulation, instructional games, and problem solving – can serve as both directed and constructivist teaching strategies since there is more exploration and skill practice involved (Roblyer & Doering, 2010, p. 77).  One of the most prevalent changes in today’s software and technology is the popularity of Web 2.0 applications.  Similar to the way in which the constructivist goals of student exploration emerged from directed learning theory strategies, people today are taking ownership of the tech world through blogs, social networking sites, and wikis.  We are all becoming a sort of tech nerd in our own way…think about it; if you want to contact someone do you call, text, email, or send a Facebook message?  My own parents don’t even own a landline telephone anymore, and my mom has upgraded to a cell with a keyboard for texting. 

Most of our young learners today (if not all) are considered “digital natives,” in which they learn best in a technology-friendly environment.  In the video, “Digital Youth Portrait: Sam,” a 13 year-old girl describes her “second life” with technology.  I am amazed at how supportive her parents are of her playing computer games like World of War Craft and Second Life.  Sam and her mother discuss ways in which she is learning to work cooperatively with other individuals through social gaming, where there is a common goal, which all team-members are working for.  This is a great way to learn teamwork, although most of the school-based computer software is individual based learning. 

In the second video, “Schools use of games for learning and assessment,” we can clearly see how engaging simulation games capture our attention and encourage learning.  Some individuals may argue that having fun while playing software games may cancel out any learning opportunities.  Another drawback to using simulations in the classroom is the inaccuracy of the models.  A student may feel well versed in mixing chemicals through a simulation chemistry lab, however the virtual experience may also leave a few things out, and the learner may not be fully prepared in the real life situation.  Another pitfall might be that the simulation is unnecessary, and the concept being taught can be done on good ‘ol paper and pencil, or cooperative learning, for example.  In an effort to race through the software program, or not enough information is provided to answer correctly, a student may also turn to guessing techniques ((Roblyer & Doering, 2010, p. 90). 

We now live in a digital economy, not an industrial economy, where creative skills in designing, programming, and modeling are valued.  If we want our learners to be successful contributors of society, we must effectively prepare ourselves and our students to be creative, collaborative, and divergent thinkers in the classroom. 

Reference List:

Roblyer, M.D. and Doering, A.H. (2010). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. 5th Edition. Allen and Bacon, Boston: Pearson Education.

http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-profile-sam-video

http://www.edutopia.org/computer-simulations-games-virtual-learning-video

Chapter 2: TPACK, TIP and the DIGITAL DIVIDE

Chapter 2 is a good refresher for me, after having the infamous objectivists and constructivists of education drilled into my memory in college.  Although Roblyer and Doering (2010) clearly analyze the learning theories and instructional approaches, I could have just as easily chosen any one of my college textbooks to review education fundamentals.  On the other hand, I was more interested in learning more about the TPACK and TIP models.  Without realizing it, I have applied both of these technology complexes from the very beginning of my pre service teaching experiences.  I am confident in utilizing many forms of technology such as the SMART board, and Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, although I halt to a screeching halt in the 5^th phase of the TIP model.  I have lesson plan ideas oozing from my ears, yet the unavailability of resources and the outdated classroom conditions inhibit any opportunities to advance to the final evaluation phase of the TIP model.  For example, I was required to attend 3 different workshops within the past two years regarding technology use in the classroom…primarily SMART board training.  Unfortunately, two of the few classrooms still without a SMART board are the two studio art classrooms.  In a world of visual stimulation and technology integration, we are still relying on chalkboards to facilitate lessons on color theory.  Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m blessed to be teaching at all in a recession, although a better-prepared classroom would enhance the students’ learning experience ten-fold. 

Not having a shared vision for technology integration is a huge setback in our district.  The district wants teachers to engage students in our classes, although our computers are outdated, and technological assistance is scarce.  From the student perspective, many students in my high school are playing the roles of parents, caring for their siblings and their own infant children.  Many students work after school until 1 or 2 am, and when these teen parents are in class, they are completely exhausted.  It takes a lot of creativity to grasp the students’ attention and to keep them engaged from bell to bell.  Without a doubt the biggest hurdle is the digital divide.   Few students have internet access at home, much less a computer…so how are we to integrate technology in our curriculum when students lack the basic typing skills, or even basic internet navigation skills? 

            In my current quest for more technology in my classroom, I am pursuing a few different avenues of financial opportunities to fund the tech support the art department so desperately needs. I consider myself a “critical consumer” (Roblyer & Doering, 2010, p.51).  I’m looking for change in my classroom and I’m confident that I will always be searching for new solutions and the latest innovations that can help my students to experience a truly memorable art course. 

	Reference: Roblyer, M.D. and Doering, A.H. (2010). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. 5th Edition. Allen and Bacon, Boston: Pearson Education

Now that's the power of Pine-sol, baby!

I consider myself extremely organized. Although the Art Department consists of myself and one other art teacher, we run an incredibly tight ship!  We work hard to "train" our students in the first days of school, so they learn to take ownership over their own work space in the art room.  My fearless leader and I maintain clean, orderly classrooms and we rely on quarterly spring cleaning sessions.  After all, there is a ridiculous amount of supplies to keep track of; paint brushes, canvas, paint, paper, clay, glazes, sculpture carving tools, and let's not forget the computers, projectors, printers and scanners.  Speaking of technology in the art room, I caught myself typing on my classroom computer with my hands caked in crusty dried clay, and it's times like this that remind me that a little clay dust on the mouse won't result in the apocalypse.  My hands currently look and feel like an old elephant hide...even my students will tell me I need some lotion for my ashy skin.  My students love to help, and strangely enough, they will complain if they don't have enough time to clean their work tables before the dismissal bell rings.  Honestly, I wouldn't be able to maintain such a great art room without the help of my students, the nightly cleaning crew and good ol' Pine-sol.  As long as a behavior and cleaning routine is established from the beginning, keeping the "techie stuff" clean in the art room is really not an issue.

May 3, 2011

I'm always searching for new ideas for the art room, and the use of technology enables me to keep my knowledge-thirsty students engaged in learning.  I look forward to understanding more about how to use modern technology to connect with students' learning styles and to improve my own instructional techniques.

Also,
Thanks Melanie for the helpful link: http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/