Advances in Artwork

            In the article “Fusing Art and Technology”, it is explained how digital media can be used in the classroom for artwork purposes. A magnet school in Michigan is discussed and how the students at the school made artwork using digital media. It is also mentioned how including art in the curriculum for this low income school has been able to engage students more. A course that teaches “Photoshop” is mentioned in the article, which teaches students basic techniques for using the program. The article discusses how students use their creativity to manipulate their self portraits. In the article it is also mentioned how the students get a sense of pride in their work by having their work showcased in an art show.

            In my classroom I would be able to use digital media for art with my own students. I think that my elementary aged students would enjoy using self portraits to experiment with the different Photoshop tools. I would give my students assignments using Photoshop that correlated with a book that we are reading as a class or even a new subject that we are studying. I would like to showcase my student’s artwork by putting it up on a specific wall of my classroom or asking permission to put it up somewhere that the rest of the school could see. I think that by doing this, my students would be able to feel proud of their own artwork.

            The article represents ISTE standard number one. Standard number one is titled Creativity and Innovation, and requires students to “demonstrate creative thinking” using technology. Students are able to use their own knowledge to create new ideas through art. Artwork that is originally done by the student allows each student to personally express themselves. Using their own pictures allows for even greater personal expression.

Downey, Allison L. (2009. March/April). Fusing Art and Technology.

        Learning & Leading with Technology. 30-31.

Videoconferencing for Students

            The article “Bring the World into Your Classroom”, demonstrates all of the benefits that video conferencing brings to the classroom. It tells how with the use of video conferencing students can do activities such as virtual museums, and interacting with other classrooms. There are two videoconference programs that are described in the article. One is called Read Around the Planet and the other one is called Megaconference Jr.. The Read Around the Planet program involves two classrooms in videoconference sharing different reading activities. Megaconference Jr. allows students to join in activities and present projects within a twelve hour time span video conference. The article then goes into discussion about how teachers can implement videoconference into their classrooms. The article is the finished by stating the skills that students will learn from videoconferencing, such as “being able to work collaboratively and present project information”.

            I think that video conferencing could bring many opportunities for my students to learn when I am an elementary school teacher. I would be interested in having my students experience the virtual museums as they correlate with material that we are covering. It would also be fun for the younger students if we did a craft that corresponded with the museum that we explore. I think it would be very fun for the students that I plan to teach to be able to participate in Read Around the Planet. I think elementary students that I teach would enjoy dressing up in costumes and performing plays for books that we read to other classrooms. For Megaconference Jr., my students could prepare projects for subjects we are covering in history and present them.

            This article definitely represents ISTE standard number two. Standard number two is titled Communication and Collaboration and requires students to “use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively”. The article tells how students can use videoconferencing as a means of “being able to work collaboratively and present project information”. In video conferencing students are able to work with classrooms of other cultures using various forms of digital media such as “email, websites, and wikis”. Students are able to work on team projects or plays in the classroom that they can share with large audiences on videoconference.

McDermon, L. (2010. September/October). Bring the World into Your Classroom.   

         Learning & Leading with Technology, 34-35.                 

A Pressing Issue In Education

What is a pressing issue in education?

I think a pressing issue in education would be that many people feel that there is not enough money being funded towards schools and education programs. There are many programs such as music and art that often do not get funded to save on costs.