For years the art room has been the hub of of all art education. Little to no technology being used and the occasional field trip to the art museum that the ride there would last longer than the visit itself.
But what if that wasn't the end of the trip? What if you your classroom was visiting the Louvre museum in Paris and you have never left the building? With the use of an educational blog students can respond to blogs that are posted by art historians, artists, and other art classes that are posting on the blogs. Students could read about and respond to historical facts about artists, even respond to artists blog that talk about their own work and want feedback.
Being a middle school art teacher in small rural town, the students I teach know little to nothing of the artistic world that they live in. I want to to offer my students a different way to learn and art and being able to express themselves in ways they would have never imagined through a mixture of technology and artistic expression
What a magical way to get the students of today's society back into seeing the world from a new artistic view.
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Hi Aaron!
ReplyDeleteThe awesome ideas you have going for this blog will definitely take art beyond the classroom.
I also like how this site will be of interest to not only students, but other educators and art enthusiasts in general.
I am very excited to see what you have in store for mixing technology and artistic expression. I wanted to be an art teacher, but ended up being an ESL and AVID teacher (I love it...do not get me wrong). I try to incorporate in my classes as often as possible, the many incredible aspects of art. I am looking forward to your bright ideas!
Thank you!
Megan @ Walden
Excellent idea Aaron!
ReplyDeleteArt is a wonderful subject to let students to learn. It can allow students to discover and fine tune talents and abilities that they may typically find. Students have an opportunity to use imagination and beauty in order to express themselves. Art classes also give students new perspectives and understandings for the world around them. Your idea about using blogging to teach art students educational, historical, and personal perspectives about art is certainly a powerful one. Part of the major beauty of art is the personal connection with the artist and the history of the artist and piece. Giving students the opportunity to research ideas and discuss them is an extremely useful tool. Students can absolutely expand respect and knowledge about art, generally and for specific pieces. I strongly agree that blogging in such a fashion could create a magical experience.
A question that I have for you is how would you go about the prerequisite research and communication connections needed to begin blogging experiences for your students? How would you prepare your students on this endeavor?
I look forward to hearing a response to my thoughts and questions.
Rebecca Dwyer @ Walden
Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteGreat questions? To prepare my students for this, the must have their parents sign a release form for internet usage. Then the student must sign this and turn into the media specialist. Our school’s principal has set our school with an internal blog center for the teachers to try out new things with our students. I would have them answer some easy question, similar to the ones they might see on an art museum website. After a day in the computer lab, we will bring up the posts and discuss them on the LCD projector wired into my teachers cpu in front of each class. This should prepare the students to embark on their artistic journey.
A start for me to “scout ahead” if you will, sites that can have the necessary lessons and activities that I need; i.e. blogs, interactive readings and activities for grade appropriate classes. The best place to start is the websites that are in my art textbooks that have interactive lesson websites in the lessons in the books. In addition, some of the prints and media that have with the texts give websites for teacher to go on at art museums around the world and even have forums for teachers to ask questions and make request times to take part in video discussion. I know that they do that at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) in Indianapolis, Indiana. They have ready gone mainstream with their technology. They even have links to other art museums, art foundations, and art councils around the country that we can be linked to.
Great questions Rebecca, I didn’t think of how to do all that yet and you made me research a little. Thanks!!!