Art Education

Advantages of Integrating Technology
Integrating technology into any classroom is difficult. "Art instruction faces many classroom challenges that intersect with technology integration." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 364) Since there is a wide variety of Art mediums, figuring out the right technology to bring into the classroom for art education can be challenging. However it is important to try and bring technology into an Art classroom so the students are exposed to every form of art at an early age. In college, if the student wishes to pursue an art career, students will be surrounded with an abundance of resources to fulfill their artistic needs. I believe in high school students should at least be exposed to the basics of every art form. 
Probably one of the most expensive portion for funding would be in the Ceramics department. This medium requires clay, tools, wheels, and a kiln for serving the function of teaching ceramics. 
A great technology would be using a computerized kiln. This way I (the teacher) can manually set temperatures and cool downs on the computer, and the computer will control the kiln's function. "Art teachers who work in fired pottery media can use computerized electric kilns to save student time and assure better quality products." (Roblyer & Doering 2013. pg. 369)
A less expensive form of technology would be buying Photoshop software for the computers in the classroom. (Assuming there will be computers in the classroom) 
I could teach the basic Photoshop techniques, and students can then publish and share their works. 
"Because students gain valuable experience through creating and producing thses publications, the activities can be considered a kind of internship to prepare for actual jobs as graphic artists for newspapers or other companies." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 368)

Photoshop Tutorial 

Disadvantages to Integrating Technology
"Since it is becoming easy to use images from the Internet and other sources, it is increasingly important to teach students that they must cite sources and request permission to use information images or other sourced materials." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 364)
Picture examples of art work is essential in any art class. How else will the student know what I'm talking about?
However there are many art works that might be considered "risky" or "unsavory." "More contemporary artists can sometimes blur the line between what is generally considered to be art and what is not. In photography, the nude figure has been a common subject. Some of the great artists have used the nude as a metaphor for beauty, nature, and life." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 365.)
Students at a high school or younger age will not understand what is acceptable as art, and what is not acceptable. (Pornography) Trained artists will know the difference, however a high school student will not. This is why using the internet may be risky, and must be monitored. Every teacher should have a collection of images ready to show the class, and for class use.
Masters of Photography (A CD that can be purchased and used over and over int he classroom)

Specific Activities
One way to control what artwork your students view would be to take them on a virtual field trip. I know I have mentioned this before, but I believe this is the most effective way to teach an Art History classroom. (And its free!) Taking a virtual field trip would be a great way to switch up the normal classroom setting. Students get tired of sitting and hearing a lecture throughout the whole day, and most of them do not want to hear one when they enter an Art classroom. This way the student can relax and have a full experience of looking at and appreciating art.   
  

Wiki

Wiki
"Wikis are a collection of web pages located in an online community that encourage collaboration and communication of ideas by having users contribute or modify content, sometimes on a daily basis." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 223)
Sometimes wikis are used by instructors for both "in the class and for their students to develop their own wikis, or to develop wikis to communicate their own content." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 224) Like I have mentioned before I would like to be a High School Art teacher. So, naturally I tried to find examples of a Art based Wiki. However I was not successful in finding a "good" or useful wiki. Most of the art wiki's or educational art wikis were not completed or were very confusing to navigate. This is one example of a wiki I was unsure its purpose. Bad Art Wiki (How not to make my Wiki)
I would like to make my Wiki that shows my projects on them. Students would be able to see all of the assignments and examples on the Wiki. I will also have links to art related websites that I believe the students might be interested in. Lastly I want to have a spot on the site for students to learn more about different materials, or art in general that I might not cover in the classroom.

Widget 1
With the many features and components to my Wiki site, widgets would be the perfect extra visual feature. One widget I would use is Instagram. I believe Instagram would be a great visual aid in finding information about art. Students could use Instagram to upload videos or pictures of themselves making art, or look up videos or photos of others making art to help them with their projects. "Video and Photo sharing communities, are websites that provide users with easy-to-use tools to upload video and photo files to a server for online sharing." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 225) 

Widget 2

Another widget I might use would be Facebook. This would get a great tool for students to interact with each other, or to find artist to follow.

Web-based Lesson

One of my many struggles for art teachers when presenting a lecture about Art history, is seeing what it is the teacher is talking about. The only solution would be to go to a Art Museum. The problem is not every area has an Art Museum, and not every Art Museum collects the art in which you are talking about. "An electronic field trip in its simplest form fills classroom screens with visual images of a place considered to offer some educational value and to which students would not routinely be able to travel." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 239) One Art Museum I love is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Seeing as how I am in Alabama, my only option is online. The Museum has a collections tab where you can see every piece in their collection and where it is located in the Museum. You can also click on any piece to zoom in and see high quality images of the art. (As if you were standing right next to it.) "Electronic filed trips are a way to circumvent these problems and bring real-world situations into the classroom." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 239)

MET 

References: 

Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. (6^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. 

Websites!

URL

"Internet addresses are called uniform resource locators, or URL's." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 216) The last 3 letters is the domain designator which would tell you what type of content you would find on that website. For the classroom a few good domains to look at are, .gov (government), .edu (higher education institutions, and .org (non-commercial organizations.) (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 216)
"Our use of the Internet depends on the use of common procedures or internet protocols that allow computers to communicate with each other depsite differences in programs or operating systems." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 216)

Search Engine

"Before the Internet, it was difficult to locatse specific resources or items of information. Now there is so much information that companies have developed special searching programs to help us locate things." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 219)

Search engines are a perfect source for self-learning. They can be used for "subject index searches", or "keyword searches." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 219) For example, Google is probably the most well known and used search engine on the internet. If you have ANY question all you do is type it into Google search bar. Lets say in your math class your teacher has given you a problem that deals with multiplying fractions. If you're like me and haven't had a math class in 5+ years, you can simply type "how to multiply fractions" into the Google search bar and instantly you will see thousands of answers will pop up. I believe this is the BEST tool a student could use for outside learning, or learning in general.

Favorite Website #1

As I have previously noted in my blogs, in my art class there will not be a lot of technology that will be necessary in the classroom. However there are some websites I will use to emphasize an idea, or show examples of art.
The best art learning website that I have come across would be ART 21. This is a PBS published site that has thousands of documentaries of current artists. This is a great site to stay up-to-date with artists, or to learn more about what artists do on a day to day basis.
I will most likely use this site to show examples of projects that I want the students to work on. 

ART 21

Favorite Website #2

For the purpose of art history in my classroom there are multiple websites I could use for showing images. However rather than just using Google images, I would most likely use a museum website. This will give the students an opportunity to virtually visit a museum. A good museum website I like is the Met Museum of Art. The images in the galleries are the highest quality, you can even zoom in on the objects and see information about each piece in their collection.

MET

Website Evaluation

Flip Charts

Chosen Flip Chart

The flip chart I have chosen is a game that deals with art. 

Art Games

I believe this flip chart will be a helpful tool for my classroom. Since the act of teaching art is difficult, visual aids always come in handy. (Art people are visual people :D) This flip chart teaches students how to look at and interpret art. Students will be able to look at art and find key items, or structures to help them remember what piece of art they looked at. So when that student visits a museum, if he or she sees a piece of art that was discussed in the flip chart, they will be able to remember information about the artwork.  

Hardware/Software

"Technology integration strategies require a combination of hardware, or equipment, and software, or programs, written to perform various functions." (Roblyer&Doering, 2013, pg.11)

To aid in my classroom, there are a few pieces of hardware that will be a helpful tool. Since an art classroom is all about seeing, display technologies are essential. "These devices support whole-class or large-group demonstrations of information from a computer" (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 11) 
Also: imaging technologies. "To make teaching and learning more visual, these devices allow the development and use of images ranging from still photos to full-motion videos." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 11)

I also believe that document camera's might be a useful tool. When I am presenting a project to the class, I can use this tool to show the students an example from a piece I have produced, as a visual explanation.

Technology Use Based on Problem Solving

"Teachers say technology's visual and interactive qualities can direct students' attention toward learning tasks." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 25)
By the use of this technology us as teachers are able to keep our students engaged, and excited about learning. "Students who learn by creating their own products with technologies such as word processing, multimedia, and other technology products report higher engagement in learning and a greater sense of pride in their achievements." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 25)

Essential Conditions for technology Integration

When trying to figure out whether or not to use, or purchase a piece of technology in the classroom, there are a few things to think about:

• What is the problem?
• Do technology-based methods off a solution with sufficient relative advantage?
• What is my content knowledge?
• What is my knowledge of pedagogy?
• What is my knowledge of technology?

Technology is always a tricky concept to some people. Figuring out what technology is best is another thing. Finding funding is on a whole other level. Then, not only do you have to figure out all of these things, you also have to train others.
Training is essential. If you want your technology to benefit others, you must know how to use it, and you must know how to train others to use it.

Software Support Tools

"An ever-increasing number of software tools are available that go beyond what many people think of as the "basic" capabilities of word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013. pg. 140)

There are a wide variety of software products for each of the following:

• Material generator: Help teachers and students produce materials on paper and online 
• Data collection and analysis
• Graphic: manipulation of images to illustrate
• Planning and organizing
• Research and reference: electronic versions of encyclopedias...
• Content-area tools

Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. (6^thed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Hypermedia & Multimedia

"We live in a multimedia world, surrounded by complex images, photographs, video, and audio." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, pg. 172) 
Each year our world changes. In most recent years technology has greatly changed. Each new generation is growing up and living with these new changes. So, because of this, teachers are forced to adapt to these new technology tools and use them in classrooms. "In educational technology, multimedia has been a steadily growing presence for some time." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, pg. 172)

Commercial Hypermedia Product

"Video editing software is to motion images what word processing is to text." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, pg. 188)
I have chosen to become an art teacher, and there is a wide range of art forms that I could teach my class. Digital art has now been recognized as a form of fine art so this means I could potentially teach my future students about this. The main areas I would focus on would be video editing (for stop motion animation), Photoshop, and other editing tools to help create art. For a quick example, for animation, or video, I would use the software, Final Cut Studio. This is a video editing software that allows the user to upload and download media to comprise a video.
"One of the most amazing things about how hypermedia systems have evolved is that people with fairly nontechnical skill levels now can develop complex, professional-looking hypermedia products." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, pg. 178)
The book also gives examples of other products I might look into for teaching.
(Roblyer & Doering, 2013, pg. 175, table 6.1)

This is found at  https://www.apple.com/ 

Chosen Multimedia Authoring Tool

However since the grade level of teaching I wish to pursue is High School, most likely there will be no digital form of art. (Unless the school provides resources) I only say this because in High School most of the students will not be "artists." Most of them just need the extra class, and most of them are interested in art, but have not mastered a form of art yet. Digital art is a advanced form of art, so at this level the main focus is on the basics. Drawing, art history, and painting. Some High Schools have other forms of art at a honors level, and then I might introduce Ceramics, Sculpture and possibly Printmaking. 
To get back to point: I believe if a student wishes to pursue an art career he or she needs to be familiar with what art is currently being produced by artists living today. http://www.pbs.org/art21/ This link is a great source for learning; in this case, art. Art 21 is an online source comprised of videos that follow the popular artists of the now. The videos are short, and you are able to hear directly from the artists and how they made their career. It is also a great tool for inspiration. I may teach a class about a certain technique and then I can show them an artist who uses that technique in their work.
It is a great way for the students to stay current with new artists.

Classroom Use

For one of my lectures I could talk about contour line drawings; what contour line drawings are, what they look like...Then I could give an assignment asking to create an image using the idea of the contour line. I could draw an example, but most of the time students need to see lots of examples to find inspiration. This video below is an example of a contemporary artist, Kara Walker whose works deal with the silhouette image. Hopefully after watching the video the students could find inspiration for their project.

(This is the Art 21 video, I don't know why there are Spanish subtitles...its just the only video YouTube had.)


Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Basic 3

There are three basic software tools that everyone should know about, or be familiar with: word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software. These basic software's are especially important for a classroom environment. (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, pg. 112)

Word Processing

Word has a great impact on the world, and no other technology resource has had a greater impact for education as word processing. (Roblyer & Doering, 2013 pg. 116) Word processing saves time. For teachers this software allows for him or her to modify materials rather than making new ones. For example: There are multiple reusable word documents that can be used by teachers, like, beginning of the year welcome letter, field trip permission, flyers, fund-raising...exct. You can also enhance the documents appearance. This is a helpful tool for creating a professional document; resume, letter head, cover letter, essay...
You can also share your documents. Students could share their ideas, or teachers could share lesson plans. Word is a great tool for fast and easy documents.
However there are some issues with word processing in the classroom that I do agree with. One issue is the age in which a student should start using word processing. There is a type of word processing that is available for young children, and schools can start introducing it to students as young as 4 or 5. (Roblyer&Doering, 2013, pg 120) Some educators believe this will take away from the fundamental skill of hand writing. I agree with this. I believe word should be taught, but only after learning the skills of reading and writing. Sadly our world is slowly being taken over by technology. I may sound old, but I believe there are some ideas and concepts that we learn that should not change. Technology is not reliable most of the time, and students should be able to write proficiently and legibly. Most of my teachers in recent years have been forced to assign their writing assignments using word, to be printed out, rather than hand written, because the teacher could not read students hand writing. This may be a faster solution, but we all learned how to read and WRITE, so this shouldn't be a problem.

Spreadsheet Software

"Spreadsheets are programs designed to organize and manipulate numerical data." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013 pg. 122) 

This software for the classroom purpose in my opinion is best used for grade sheets, or keeping budgets. This is a great tool for organizing and displaying information easily. However this software might be especially useful for teaching mathematics. I believe it could be a different approach to teaching on a blackboard or dry erase board. For visual learners this makes the concepts graphic so students might be more engaged in the subject.

However the one downside to using this software for a teaching method is the act of teaching how to use the software. The teacher could spend more time teaching how to use spreadsheets, than teaching their subject. This software might be of more use in a upper grade level classroom, after the students have taken classes in learning about a computer.

Presentation Software

"Presentation software is designed to display information, including text, images, audio, and video, in a slideshow format." (Roblyer & Doering, 2013 pg. 128)

In my opinion this is the best teaching software for any classroom, and any subject. When a teacher engaging with the students to teach a subject, he or she is presenting an idea to the class. With this tool it takes the boring lecture part of teaching and creates a different, visual approach to teaching. It is great for summarizing a lecture into slides making note-taking easier for students. Video, audio, images, and text can all be used in this type of software allowing for the ultimate visual teaching experience. It is another way to take a lesson plan and organize it in a way to teach a class.

Classroom use
For me personally, I believe this is the best tool, and should always be used in a classroom. I am a visual learner, so I need to see what the teacher is talking about. With a presentation I am engaged and interested because I am visually experiencing what is being taught, or said to me. Also I plan on becoming an Art teacher so this software is the more obvious choice. If I were to teach an art history lesson, this would be the best way to show the students the art, and artists I would be discussing.

Each software is unique and important in its own way. I believe in order for anyone to be a successful and organized teacher, learning and using these software's will aid to the success of the classrooms.

Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. (6^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.