Technology in the Art Classroom
Technology and the Art Educator
There are many "possibilities and values associated with utilizing electronic technologies in the art classroom" (Delacruz, 2004, p. 6). Art educators use technology and digital media for research, communication, demonstration, assessment, and record keeping (Kessler, 2010). Some use technology-enhanced curriculum to engage students and meet educational goals (Delacruz, 2004, p. 7). With continuous improvements and advances in equipment, and development of new programs, the art educator must spend time evaluating what technology will best suit their classroom. They must also assess any problems or difficulties that may be connected with their current technology.
Can Technology Benefit the Art Classroom?
Technology is beneficial for curriculum research and development, staff and parent communication, and documentation for the early childhood art teacher. Annette Swann (2005) strongly states, "As educators, we must devise essential opportunities with the tools and materials of art that will lead toward a more informed visual language for young children" (p.n.d.). She believes young children need materials that yield to the touch such as collections of buttons, bottles, colorful trinkets, jewelry, and natural objects. They need to explore, experiment, and manipulate watercolor, paint, clay, crayons, markers, paper, etc (Swann, 2005, n.n.d.). Art for the young learner involves hands on experiences.
The art teacher of older students may benefit by incorporating specific curriculum geared toward the student’s direct involvement with technology. An example of this is seen in Alison Colman’s article Net.art and Net.pedagogy: Introducing Internet Art to the Digital Art Curriculum. Coleman introduces students to Internet art or Net.art, which is art that intrinsically relies on the Internet to exist. Coleman (2004) states, "It is created specifically with and for the online environment" (p. 62). Colman incorporates interaction with different Internet artists and their work. She includes artists such as Dirk Paesmans and Joan Heemskirk, who worked together as a team and began creating Internet art in the mid 1990’s. Students explore Amy Alexander's The Multicultural recycler, Olia Lialina's My Boyfriend Came Back From the War, and Kevin and Jennifer McCoy's Maintenance Web (Coleman, 2004, p. 64).
With iPhones, iPads, tablets and the wide array of apps designed specifically for art, the art educator may integrate a more current form of digitally created artwork into their curriculum. An example would be artist David Hockney (http://www.npr.org/2010/12/07/131854461/in-paris-a-display-from-hockney-s-pixelated-period). Hockney began creating images on the Brushes app on his iPhone in 2008 and emailed them to family and friends. Eventually he heard about the iPad and began using it as his sketchpad. Hockney's Fresh Flowers exhibit in Paris of "non-paint paintings on luminous digital screens" may have been the first show "that's ever been 100 percent e-mailed to a gallery" (Stamburg, 2010).
Equipment like iPads and tablets provide apps such as GradeBook Pro that make management of rosters, attendance, grades, lessons, and communication very simple (Lombardo, 2010). Teacher’s Assistant is another app that tracks student behavior and communication with parents (LessonPortal, LLC, 2012). Websites such as http://www.Artsonia.com enhance communication with parents and provides students with their own personal online art gallery. Pictures of student’s work can be easily uploaded onto the website from a computer or from Artsonia’s mobile app downloaded onto a smart phone. Blogs and websites also provide parents a way to see what their children are learning and creating in the art classroom.
Technology has a lot to offer the art educator but there are difficulties associated with it and these difficulties must be considered. They center on a "lack of access to needed resources, inadequate training, and time constraints" (Delacruz, 2004, p.8). If the art educator is fortunate enough to have technology in their classroom, training on how to use programs and equipment is needed. In addition, training on what the programs and equipment can be used for is essential (Delacruz, 2004, p. 12). To utilize technology effectively, the art educator needs a supportive administrative staff, a flexible and responsive tech staff, and school support (Delacruz, 2004, p. 11). Without these, technology can be a burden rather than an effective tool for the classroom.
The use of technology in the art classroom is going to differ from school to school because available equipment, programming, staff support, and personal knowledge are different (Delacruz, 2004, p. 15). To add to this, “schools are forever playing technological catch up as digital innovations emerge that require upgrading schools’ technological infrastructure and building new professional development programs” (Technology in Education, 2011).
Conclusion
The Internet provides a wealth of information for curriculum research and development as well as opportunities for the student and art educator to participate in online education and training. There are online programs through universities and businesses to videos on http://youtube.com that teach how to draw, how to paint, how to make pottery, and how to create just about any type of art you may be interested in creating.
With all this said, the Internet is a great tool with unlimited resources for the educator and the student. Nonetheless, the main requirement for effectively using technology is time. According to Dr. Delacruz (2004) in the article, Teachers’ Working conditions and the Unmet Promise of Technology, teachers identify time constraints as one of their greatest concerns related to technology (p. 13). To effectively utilize technology, time is essential. Time to learn how to use the equipment. Time to research and investigate what technology has to offer. Time to learn the specifics about the technology that best suits the art classroom. Time to set the programs up. Time to maintain the programs. It is a continuous process because technology is forever changing. Finding time to evaluate programs and equipment, as well as install and setup programs is not easy but the end result can be extremely beneficial.
References
Coleman, A. (2004). Net.art and Net.pedagogy: Introducing Internet Art to the Digital Art
Curriculum. Studies in Art Education, 46(1), 61-73.
Delacruz, E. (2004). Teachers’ Working Conditions and the Unmet Promise of
Technology. Studies in Art Education, 46(1), 6-19.
jodi.org. (n.d.). Retrieved February 5, 2013, from
http://digitalarts.lmc.gatech.edu/unesco/internet/artists/int_a_jodi.html.
Kessler, S. (2010 November 22). 8 ways technology is improving education. [Essay on
the Mashable Web site]. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2010/11/22/technology-in-education/.
LessonPortal. (2012). Teacher’s Assistant Pro: Track Student Behavior (5.3.31) [iPad
application software]. Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com/.
Lombardo, E. (2010). GradeBook Pro (2.62) [iPad application software]. Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com/.
Stamberg, S. (2010). In Paris, Display Fromhockney's Pixelated Period. In NPR ed online. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/2010/12/07/131854461/in-paris-a-display-from-hockney-s-pixelated-period.
Swann, A. (2005). The Role of Media and Emerging Representation in Early Childhood. Art Education, (58)4. 41-47.
Technology in Education. (2011, September 1). [Essay published in Education Week online].
http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/.
Technology and the Art Educator
There are many "possibilities and values associated with utilizing electronic technologies in the art classroom" (Delacruz, 2004, p. 6). Art educators use technology and digital media for research, communication, demonstration, assessment, and record keeping (Kessler, 2010). Some use technology-enhanced curriculum to engage students and meet educational goals (Delacruz, 2004, p. 7). With continuous improvements and advances in equipment, and development of new programs, the art educator must spend time evaluating what technology will best suit their classroom. They must also assess any problems or difficulties that may be connected with their current technology.
Can Technology Benefit the Art Classroom?
Technology is beneficial for curriculum research and development, staff and parent communication, and documentation for the early childhood art teacher. Annette Swann (2005) strongly states, "As educators, we must devise essential opportunities with the tools and materials of art that will lead toward a more informed visual language for young children" (p.n.d.). She believes young children need materials that yield to the touch such as collections of buttons, bottles, colorful trinkets, jewelry, and natural objects. They need to explore, experiment, and manipulate watercolor, paint, clay, crayons, markers, paper, etc (Swann, 2005, n.n.d.). Art for the young learner involves hands on experiences.
The art teacher of older students may benefit by incorporating specific curriculum geared toward the student’s direct involvement with technology. An example of this is seen in Alison Colman’s article Net.art and Net.pedagogy: Introducing Internet Art to the Digital Art Curriculum. Coleman introduces students to Internet art or Net.art, which is art that intrinsically relies on the Internet to exist. Coleman (2004) states, "It is created specifically with and for the online environment" (p. 62). Colman incorporates interaction with different Internet artists and their work. She includes artists such as Dirk Paesmans and Joan Heemskirk, who worked together as a team and began creating Internet art in the mid 1990’s. Students explore Amy Alexander's The Multicultural recycler, Olia Lialina's My Boyfriend Came Back From the War, and Kevin and Jennifer McCoy's Maintenance Web (Coleman, 2004, p. 64).
With iPhones, iPads, tablets and the wide array of apps designed specifically for art, the art educator may integrate a more current form of digitally created artwork into their curriculum. An example would be artist David Hockney (http://www.npr.org/2010/12/07/131854461/in-paris-a-display-from-hockney-s-pixelated-period). Hockney began creating images on the Brushes app on his iPhone in 2008 and emailed them to family and friends. Eventually he heard about the iPad and began using it as his sketchpad. Hockney's Fresh Flowers exhibit in Paris of "non-paint paintings on luminous digital screens" may have been the first show "that's ever been 100 percent e-mailed to a gallery" (Stamburg, 2010).
Equipment like iPads and tablets provide apps such as GradeBook Pro that make management of rosters, attendance, grades, lessons, and communication very simple (Lombardo, 2010). Teacher’s Assistant is another app that tracks student behavior and communication with parents (LessonPortal, LLC, 2012). Websites such as http://www.Artsonia.com enhance communication with parents and provides students with their own personal online art gallery. Pictures of student’s work can be easily uploaded onto the website from a computer or from Artsonia’s mobile app downloaded onto a smart phone. Blogs and websites also provide parents a way to see what their children are learning and creating in the art classroom.
Technology has a lot to offer the art educator but there are difficulties associated with it and these difficulties must be considered. They center on a "lack of access to needed resources, inadequate training, and time constraints" (Delacruz, 2004, p.8). If the art educator is fortunate enough to have technology in their classroom, training on how to use programs and equipment is needed. In addition, training on what the programs and equipment can be used for is essential (Delacruz, 2004, p. 12). To utilize technology effectively, the art educator needs a supportive administrative staff, a flexible and responsive tech staff, and school support (Delacruz, 2004, p. 11). Without these, technology can be a burden rather than an effective tool for the classroom.
The use of technology in the art classroom is going to differ from school to school because available equipment, programming, staff support, and personal knowledge are different (Delacruz, 2004, p. 15). To add to this, “schools are forever playing technological catch up as digital innovations emerge that require upgrading schools’ technological infrastructure and building new professional development programs” (Technology in Education, 2011).
Conclusion
The Internet provides a wealth of information for curriculum research and development as well as opportunities for the student and art educator to participate in online education and training. There are online programs through universities and businesses to videos on http://youtube.com that teach how to draw, how to paint, how to make pottery, and how to create just about any type of art you may be interested in creating.
With all this said, the Internet is a great tool with unlimited resources for the educator and the student. Nonetheless, the main requirement for effectively using technology is time. According to Dr. Delacruz (2004) in the article, Teachers’ Working conditions and the Unmet Promise of Technology, teachers identify time constraints as one of their greatest concerns related to technology (p. 13). To effectively utilize technology, time is essential. Time to learn how to use the equipment. Time to research and investigate what technology has to offer. Time to learn the specifics about the technology that best suits the art classroom. Time to set the programs up. Time to maintain the programs. It is a continuous process because technology is forever changing. Finding time to evaluate programs and equipment, as well as install and setup programs is not easy but the end result can be extremely beneficial.
References
Coleman, A. (2004). Net.art and Net.pedagogy: Introducing Internet Art to the Digital Art
Curriculum. Studies in Art Education, 46(1), 61-73.
Delacruz, E. (2004). Teachers’ Working Conditions and the Unmet Promise of
Technology. Studies in Art Education, 46(1), 6-19.
jodi.org. (n.d.). Retrieved February 5, 2013, from
http://digitalarts.lmc.gatech.edu/unesco/internet/artists/int_a_jodi.html.
Kessler, S. (2010 November 22). 8 ways technology is improving education. [Essay on
the Mashable Web site]. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2010/11/22/technology-in-education/.
LessonPortal. (2012). Teacher’s Assistant Pro: Track Student Behavior (5.3.31) [iPad
application software]. Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com/.
Lombardo, E. (2010). GradeBook Pro (2.62) [iPad application software]. Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com/.
Stamberg, S. (2010). In Paris, Display Fromhockney's Pixelated Period. In NPR ed online. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/2010/12/07/131854461/in-paris-a-display-from-hockney-s-pixelated-period.
Swann, A. (2005). The Role of Media and Emerging Representation in Early Childhood. Art Education, (58)4. 41-47.
Technology in Education. (2011, September 1). [Essay published in Education Week online].
http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/.
