There are several things I will take away from this course that have made a significant impact on my teaching practices. First and foremost is the importance of goal-setting for myself and my students. Working through the GAME Plan process really helps to make goals attainable. It allows you to break it down into small workable chunks to achieve while at the same time allowing for changes along the way. One thing it does not let you do is give up. If your plan did not work, you evaluate why and go back and change your actions so that you can try again. I have yet to attain my original goal but I have made progress. This is something to be proud of in the midst of holiday preparations, graduate work, new programs, and the general utter chaos that is everyday in the field of education.
This blog played a significant role in the GAME Plan. It has become a platform for support, encouragement, and commitment. It is one thing to say to out loud to yourself, "I want to reach this goal." But to put it in writing and publish it for the world to see is another. I resolve to continue blogging and setting goals for myself. I also intend to implement more GAME Planning with my students. I know they can also benefit from the steps as well. It mirrors so much of the creative process I try to teach everyday.
In addition to the GAME Plan, I leave this course with extra confidence and no more excuses. Integrating technology seamlessly into any content area is possible. Not only is it possible, it makes such perfect sense. Every teacher I talk to about using technology in their classroom always uses the excuse...I just don't have the time...it's just one more thing piled on top of everything else. It is my hope that I can move forward as a leader and show others that it is not an additional burden but a time saver and most importantly a more effective teaching tool. Technology shouldn't be taught in isolation and unfortunately so many schools are set up that way. Oh goodness.....do I hear another GAME Plan on the horizon. I'll let you know.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Using the GAME Plan with Students
I have already used the GAME Plan with my 2nd through 5th graders to help them organize their thoughts on a clay project we recently started. Making a sculpture out of clay is a four week process and it is very helpful if the students have a clear plan of what they want to make long before they touch the clay. Using the GAME Plan my students set a vision of what they wanted their project to look like, decided on an action to accomplish it, and monitored their process while they worked. Their projects showed considerable improvement and they are currently evaluated their final product. Now we did this the old-fashioned way using paper and pencil, but I can see this being accomplished through a Blog or discussion board just as easily.
Just as we used the GAME Plan to approach content standards, it could also be used to help accomplish technology goals. I have all my students set a personal art goals at the beginning of the year and we monitor their progress towards these goals through the year. I could require students to also set a technology goal for themselves as well. As I found out through this process, setting a goal is very motivating especially if we have to revisit it often and reflect on the steps in writing.
Just as we used the GAME Plan to approach content standards, it could also be used to help accomplish technology goals. I have all my students set a personal art goals at the beginning of the year and we monitor their progress towards these goals through the year. I could require students to also set a technology goal for themselves as well. As I found out through this process, setting a goal is very motivating especially if we have to revisit it often and reflect on the steps in writing.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Naughty or Nice?
When we set our goals, I guess I had something longer-term in mind and I did not consider the craziness of the season. So when I evaluate my progress I feel like I have moved along better then I expected. I had to modify my actions along the way but overall I feel very positive about the process.
In working towards my goal for modeling collaboration, I have set up two collaborative projects with co-workers that integrate technology and the visual arts with the regular classroom curriculum. One will occur in February, to coincide with a third grade writing project and the other in the spring to coincide with the fifth grade study of WWII. Both involve a collaborative effort by students and both teachers to produce a digital storytelling presentation. The problem-based learning unit we are currently working on has helped a lot in planning both of these projects.
My other goal of creating authentic problem-solving for my students has also begun to make some forward progress. I have finally connected to a local issue that I believe will create an exciting project for my students to become involved in. After planning it out with my Learning Community's help, I plan to implement it early spring of this year.
So even though I felt a little "naughty" at first for seemingly dragging my feet while I worked on these goals, I do feel pretty "nice" about the progress I did actually make. I really enjoy the GAME Plan process. It definitely helps you commit to personal improvement.
In working towards my goal for modeling collaboration, I have set up two collaborative projects with co-workers that integrate technology and the visual arts with the regular classroom curriculum. One will occur in February, to coincide with a third grade writing project and the other in the spring to coincide with the fifth grade study of WWII. Both involve a collaborative effort by students and both teachers to produce a digital storytelling presentation. The problem-based learning unit we are currently working on has helped a lot in planning both of these projects.
My other goal of creating authentic problem-solving for my students has also begun to make some forward progress. I have finally connected to a local issue that I believe will create an exciting project for my students to become involved in. After planning it out with my Learning Community's help, I plan to implement it early spring of this year.
So even though I felt a little "naughty" at first for seemingly dragging my feet while I worked on these goals, I do feel pretty "nice" about the progress I did actually make. I really enjoy the GAME Plan process. It definitely helps you commit to personal improvement.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Two-Four-One Deal
It was a pleasant surprise this week to find many of my thoughts about these goals restated within our resources. I really didn't read ahead but I must admit it is spooky how similar my train of thought has followed the words of wisdom from Dr. Peggy Ertmer this week. I guess that is one of the wonderful things about blogging. It not only opens you thoughts up for others to collaborate and share, but it also keeps a nice electronic record of your thought process as well.
I was also pleased with the fact that my two goals align quite nicely with our upcoming unit plan. I see modifying my action plan to include these steps. I believe the structure of this class will provide the motivation to fully pursue my goals. Honestly, it has been challenging to motivate myself . I have been bogged down with my real-life problem, and that makes it easy for me to shelf the idea until after the holidays. This unit plan will put the fire under me and ensure that I have something concrete to apply to my instructional practice. I've got to say that it is hard to resist a two-for-one deal.
At the same time, I can progress further on my other goal by collaborating with my learning community on this unit plan and gaining more confidence working with a group. The experience working together using a Wiki will make me much more comfortable using this tool myself so that I could be more effective using it in my instruction. Another two-for-one....got to like that.
I was also pleased with the fact that my two goals align quite nicely with our upcoming unit plan. I see modifying my action plan to include these steps. I believe the structure of this class will provide the motivation to fully pursue my goals. Honestly, it has been challenging to motivate myself . I have been bogged down with my real-life problem, and that makes it easy for me to shelf the idea until after the holidays. This unit plan will put the fire under me and ensure that I have something concrete to apply to my instructional practice. I've got to say that it is hard to resist a two-for-one deal.
At the same time, I can progress further on my other goal by collaborating with my learning community on this unit plan and gaining more confidence working with a group. The experience working together using a Wiki will make me much more comfortable using this tool myself so that I could be more effective using it in my instruction. Another two-for-one....got to like that.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Progress: Slow, but Sure
I want to start out this week by saying, sometimes what you are looking for can be found right under your nose. I just want to say thank you to Sarah for her comments last week.
I have decided to poll my students for the real-world issue that is important to them, instead of searching far and near for what I think is important. This "a-ha" moment came from Sarah's suggestion and from our chapter on assessment this week. I realized that I do not plan to assess my students on the topic choice. That is theirs to own, not for me to give. After reading about authentic assessment I feel it is important for me to set up this project as if it were a real film team assigned to create a real public service announcement or to persuade public opinion (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). It would be my job as "the boss" to focus on how effectively they send the message, not what the message was. I have definitely learned the importance of planning out the assessment while planning out the project, and the importance of setting clear expectations for performance.
When we get back from Turkey Day break, I plan to survey the students and continue on from there. The holidays and all of the activities that pull teachers and children away from the regular schedule may slow me down a bit on my progress so please be patient. In the meantime, I think I will modify my action plan to accommodate some time for linking assessment strategies into my lesson plan before I attempt to begin the process of implementation. Which brings up the question what types of assessment would be best? I am leaning towards an analytical rubric but would love to hear some suggestions for some formative assessments to provide feedback to my students along the way.
My other goal is sort of on hold right know as I await the arrival of my collaborative group members. Maybe by next week's post I can give you an update on that progress. I hope everyone enjoys a restful Thanksgiving holiday.
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P., (2009) Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
I have decided to poll my students for the real-world issue that is important to them, instead of searching far and near for what I think is important. This "a-ha" moment came from Sarah's suggestion and from our chapter on assessment this week. I realized that I do not plan to assess my students on the topic choice. That is theirs to own, not for me to give. After reading about authentic assessment I feel it is important for me to set up this project as if it were a real film team assigned to create a real public service announcement or to persuade public opinion (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). It would be my job as "the boss" to focus on how effectively they send the message, not what the message was. I have definitely learned the importance of planning out the assessment while planning out the project, and the importance of setting clear expectations for performance.
When we get back from Turkey Day break, I plan to survey the students and continue on from there. The holidays and all of the activities that pull teachers and children away from the regular schedule may slow me down a bit on my progress so please be patient. In the meantime, I think I will modify my action plan to accommodate some time for linking assessment strategies into my lesson plan before I attempt to begin the process of implementation. Which brings up the question what types of assessment would be best? I am leaning towards an analytical rubric but would love to hear some suggestions for some formative assessments to provide feedback to my students along the way.
My other goal is sort of on hold right know as I await the arrival of my collaborative group members. Maybe by next week's post I can give you an update on that progress. I hope everyone enjoys a restful Thanksgiving holiday.
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P., (2009) Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Carrying Out the Plan
To reach the goals set in my GAME plan I am going to need locate some resources. First, I need to narrow down the broad idea of "real life issues" into some hot topics that will hook my students I think selecting some very localized topics as well as some national or world-wide topics may be a place to begin. Why just today I received an e-mail from Discovery Education about a project called the, "We can change the World Challenge". I will get more information about the details of this project to see if it will relate to my students but I know there are thousands more like it if I could locate them. If I wanted to stay closer to home a locate some local issues, I think the local newspaper and even talking to students about everyday problems could assist in the search. I believe I could get a lot of assistance from posting a request for project ideas on my Ning group, Art 2.0, as well as putting out a feeler on Twitter. I just want to find something that will spark real creativity and not just another poster contest. So far, I have not made much progress on this goal other than committing to reaching out to my support group for ideas.
My other goal of modeling collaborative learning groups is progressing quite nicely. I have tapped into some resources in my school that will be working with me on a collaborative project. First, I have a group of fifth graders very interested in filmmaking. One has become very proficient at making stop motion films using his web cam and Windows Movie Maker. Even though I personally know a lot about creating animation, my skills lie in using real film. I have dabbled in digital film-making but not on the level he has been working. I have also located a college art student (the daughter of a co-worker) who is seeking to meet the requirements of her current college course and log community service hours by working in my art classroom. She also happens to be a very experienced digital filmmaker. I have made arrangements for her to come and share her expertise. She is familiar with using I-movie not. So together, the three of us, along with the other students interested in film-making ,will be dependent on learning this whole process together. We will collectively discover what it takes to complete a full project from start to finish by each bringing to the group our area of expertise.
The other collaborative effort I am working on is a cross-curricular project with another teacher. I would like to develop a project where we both will depend on each others areas of expertise to plan and execute the learning experience for our students. I have already spoken to a few teachers whom I felt would be flexible enough and creative in their instruction to work along with me in this endeavor. I will keep you updated on how things will progress.
My other goal of modeling collaborative learning groups is progressing quite nicely. I have tapped into some resources in my school that will be working with me on a collaborative project. First, I have a group of fifth graders very interested in filmmaking. One has become very proficient at making stop motion films using his web cam and Windows Movie Maker. Even though I personally know a lot about creating animation, my skills lie in using real film. I have dabbled in digital film-making but not on the level he has been working. I have also located a college art student (the daughter of a co-worker) who is seeking to meet the requirements of her current college course and log community service hours by working in my art classroom. She also happens to be a very experienced digital filmmaker. I have made arrangements for her to come and share her expertise. She is familiar with using I-movie not. So together, the three of us, along with the other students interested in film-making ,will be dependent on learning this whole process together. We will collectively discover what it takes to complete a full project from start to finish by each bringing to the group our area of expertise.
The other collaborative effort I am working on is a cross-curricular project with another teacher. I would like to develop a project where we both will depend on each others areas of expertise to plan and execute the learning experience for our students. I have already spoken to a few teachers whom I felt would be flexible enough and creative in their instruction to work along with me in this endeavor. I will keep you updated on how things will progress.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
What's my GAME plan?
The GAME plan presented in our textbook is a wonderful way to guide my self-directed learning and help me keep up-to-date on changing technology and the needs of my students (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010). After looking through the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers, or NETS-T, I selected two indicators in which I would like to become more proficient. The first is indicator 1b: Teacher engages students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources. My goal for this indicator is to better connect my students to issues in their world in which they could utilize their creative and artistic skills to communicate a message or solution to a real-life problem. The second indicator is 1d: Teacher models collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others, in face-to-face and virtual environments. My goal for this indicator is to engage in more collaborative learning experiences so that I feel more comfortable doing so. I have always been an independent learner and I find it challenging to work in groups. In the past, I have not encouraged collaborative learning in my students because of my personal view. As I have been integrating more and more collaborative work into my instructional strategies I have begun to see the benefits and I realize the importance of this skill.
To reach my goals I plan to take the following actions: for indicator 1b, I plan to use technology to explore the many on line projects that seek student involvement for success. Maybe some of you know of some locations I could begin exploring? Some possible actions may lie in using a favorite program of my fifth graders, Sketch Up. For example, working on a simulated model of a modern city design or even redesigning our own town would provide an real-working architects view of design. Another action could be to use digital film making as a connection to real world issues. I could see students working on public service announcements. For example, recently we worked on a campaign for staying healthy at school by designing germs that were strategically placed throughout the school building to remind students to wash hands etc. I could see my students going beyond the walls of the school to communicate messages to the world through digital media. For indicator 1d, my actions need to be focused more on what I need to be involved with to model this behavior for my students. I will need to take steps to locate other people to set up a collaboration project. Whether it be a student group that has technological skills to teach me, a group of grade level teachers willing to collaborate on a cross curricular project, or even a peer to collaborate with on line, I need to design a project that I cannot do on my own so that I will be forced to learn in a group setting and depend on others.
Since indicator 1d is closely tied to my personal view I believe the best way to monitor my progress towards this goal is through a reflective journal, possibly even a blog. This will help me document how different attempts to model collaborative learning effect the students as well as myself. By forcing myself to be dependent on others I could also document my feelings through the project to determine if certain behaviors bother me more then others and learn how to communicate those concerns to future collaborators. Indicator 1b, could be monitored through student surveys. Comparing a pre-survey to a post-survey could provide data to illustrate the impact an authentic learning experience could have on the students. Also joining an on line peer group that engages in this type of instruction could provide me with support and contacts for my own projects. By sharing the search for projects with others I will be motivated to not just let my search for ideas and lessons fall on the back burner but keep it a constant reminder. Both of these goals are based on me pushing myself out of my comfortable instructional patterns. It is easy to fall back on what we know and do when things get hectic and we don't seem to have time to try something new. I would benefit a lot from a mentor who could monitor my efforts and hold me accountable and push me forward.
Finally, the end of the game plan, evaluate. Whether I met my goal for indicator 1b, could be determined in the student surveys. I think I could also gain some insight of the impact this instruction had on students by interviewing them individually. Indicator 1d, will need to be evaluated through my reflective journal. This is an on going cycle of learning and improving. Even if I feel I have strengthened my skills in these particular areas in it just the beginning of the journey. Please feel free to suggest any ideas that may help guide me along the way.
One last note, I introduced the GAME plan this week to my second through fifth graders as we planned for the production of a clay sculpture next week. On paper they set a goal for what they wanted to make out of clay, they planned out the best way to make it, they tried a practice run and monitored how their technique worked. I witnessed more in-depth planning and creative problem-solving then I can ever remember. They are prepared for working with the real clay next week which can be very unforgiving. We plan to evaluate the project when it is all finished. I am sold on the GAME plan!
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
To reach my goals I plan to take the following actions: for indicator 1b, I plan to use technology to explore the many on line projects that seek student involvement for success. Maybe some of you know of some locations I could begin exploring? Some possible actions may lie in using a favorite program of my fifth graders, Sketch Up. For example, working on a simulated model of a modern city design or even redesigning our own town would provide an real-working architects view of design. Another action could be to use digital film making as a connection to real world issues. I could see students working on public service announcements. For example, recently we worked on a campaign for staying healthy at school by designing germs that were strategically placed throughout the school building to remind students to wash hands etc. I could see my students going beyond the walls of the school to communicate messages to the world through digital media. For indicator 1d, my actions need to be focused more on what I need to be involved with to model this behavior for my students. I will need to take steps to locate other people to set up a collaboration project. Whether it be a student group that has technological skills to teach me, a group of grade level teachers willing to collaborate on a cross curricular project, or even a peer to collaborate with on line, I need to design a project that I cannot do on my own so that I will be forced to learn in a group setting and depend on others.
Since indicator 1d is closely tied to my personal view I believe the best way to monitor my progress towards this goal is through a reflective journal, possibly even a blog. This will help me document how different attempts to model collaborative learning effect the students as well as myself. By forcing myself to be dependent on others I could also document my feelings through the project to determine if certain behaviors bother me more then others and learn how to communicate those concerns to future collaborators. Indicator 1b, could be monitored through student surveys. Comparing a pre-survey to a post-survey could provide data to illustrate the impact an authentic learning experience could have on the students. Also joining an on line peer group that engages in this type of instruction could provide me with support and contacts for my own projects. By sharing the search for projects with others I will be motivated to not just let my search for ideas and lessons fall on the back burner but keep it a constant reminder. Both of these goals are based on me pushing myself out of my comfortable instructional patterns. It is easy to fall back on what we know and do when things get hectic and we don't seem to have time to try something new. I would benefit a lot from a mentor who could monitor my efforts and hold me accountable and push me forward.
Finally, the end of the game plan, evaluate. Whether I met my goal for indicator 1b, could be determined in the student surveys. I think I could also gain some insight of the impact this instruction had on students by interviewing them individually. Indicator 1d, will need to be evaluated through my reflective journal. This is an on going cycle of learning and improving. Even if I feel I have strengthened my skills in these particular areas in it just the beginning of the journey. Please feel free to suggest any ideas that may help guide me along the way.
One last note, I introduced the GAME plan this week to my second through fifth graders as we planned for the production of a clay sculpture next week. On paper they set a goal for what they wanted to make out of clay, they planned out the best way to make it, they tried a practice run and monitored how their technique worked. I witnessed more in-depth planning and creative problem-solving then I can ever remember. They are prepared for working with the real clay next week which can be very unforgiving. We plan to evaluate the project when it is all finished. I am sold on the GAME plan!
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Considering New Literacies
It has been a while since I have had the opportunity to share my thoughts on all of the new information I am learning about integrating technology into the art room. My most recent class has brought to light some very interesting things to consider. The course, titled, Supporting Information Literacies and Online Inquiry, focused upon teaching new literacy skills within an inquiry-based project that teaches content. I had several revelations from the course, but the most striking one was the time it takes to thoroughly and effectively teach the proper application of new literacy skills. As I developed an inquiry-based unit, I often felt that the content got lost within the sea of searching, evaluating, analyzing, synthesizing, and ethical skills. I understand that students must learn these skills to effectively absorb the content but, in my experience they are not willing to use the stairs to reach the end goal, they would rather jump. It is almost a "Catch 22" situation, I know if they take the time to learn these skills, then the process will become easier and the content will become more of the focus but, until they learn the skills I must keep them motivated by dangling the content in front of them and sometimes sacrifice its mastery until they get the skills. I suppose it gets down to the old debate between process or product. Is it more important to focus on how they got there or what "there" ends up looking like? It is a challenge in developing my instruction, but I am always up for a challenge.
The knowledge and experience I have gained through this course has already begun to influence my teaching practices. Some of it has surfaced through teachable moments like,showing a student how to effectively use a search engine, or passing on a tip on evaluating information, but the greatest change has occurred in modeling proper ethical practices. I must confess that I often get caught up in the creative moment and when I need an image I will copy it into a PowerPoint or PhotoStory and not give credit. The Internet is just a playground of images, all just a keystroke away. It can be very tempting to just copy and paste away. I have begun to model proper copyright law practices and providing proper credit in all of my presentations I use in instruction and otherwise. As my students begin to create art using the computer, I have been reinforcing the protection of creative thought and images. We have even had discussions about the classic conflict of copying others' works of art in the studio. From kindergarten through fifth grade, students always have an issue with other students taking an idea they developed and calling it their own. This concept has opened up a dialog about how people who have worked hard to create images and ideas on the Internet would feel if you took their work without asking permission and call it your own. I believe that together, my students and I, can learn how to practice respect for the creative work of other people as we move into more opportunities to utilize modern media.
After taking this course, I have set some personal professional development goals to build upon my own literacy skills. I plan to focus mainly on visual literacy since they are directly related to what I teach in the classroom. Ultimately, I would like to develop my vision of the 21st century elementary art room and curriculum. To get to that point, I must start taking some classes on different multimedia techniques and the technology aspects of modern film making. I am working on some grants that will hopefully yield some funding to acquire some needed equipment for my classroom but in the meantime I need to become familiar and comfortable in its use by making examples of my own. I have located an online mentor at a Ning site that I am a member of Art Education 2.0. Tricia Fuglestad is doing the type of instruction and integration that I would love to be doing in my classroom and I hope that by communicating with her I can gain some insight on further direction I need to take to reach my goals. I also plan to take some more classes on the technical aspects of my classroom management system that my district calls E-Learn. I have a basic E-Learn site that I am using alongside of my instruction but I would like to take it to the next level and learn how to embed code for video players to start sharing the multimedia my students produce. Finally, I have a fifth grade student this year who is very interested in film-making and I am learning many new special effects, editing skills, and software programs because of his drive to get better. It is very motivating for both of us to be learning side-by-side.
Even without all the new "bells and whistles", I plan to examine my curriculum for opportunities to practice visual literacy skills even while using traditional art media. As I pointed out earlier, I have to guide my students up the stairs, not just let them jump into a bunch of new technology not understanding how to use it effectively. Dr. Jason Ohler, professor of Educational Technology at the University of Alaska, has been focusing his research on visual literacy skills and digital storytelling. In an article about the importance of utilizing the art curriculum to support new literacy skills he states the following, "I had an amazing experience a few years ago that helped me fully appreciate art's new importance in education. I was watching a 10th grader struggle at his computer to create a multimedia presentation for his language-arts project. He wasn't struggling with the technology-like any infoage kid, he could click around the screen with considerable ease. It was the aesthetics that seemed insurmountable. As I watched him clumsily cramming together scads of video clips, graphics, sounds, buttons, and a few words, it suddenly hit me like a ton of bits: He was trying to create art, and no one had shown him how. In the process of fumbling with the medium, he was losing his sense of what he wanted to communicate in the first place."(Ohler, 2000). This idea emphasizes the importance of integrating visual literacy skills even at the elementary age level so that students can become more proficient earlier on and be able to effectively communicate the content of their thoughts and ideas. I cannot alter the state curriculum, but I plan to creatively present it so that my students can be prepared for the 21st century.
Ohler, Jason (2000, October). Art becomes the fourth r. Educational Leadership, (58)2, 16-19.
The knowledge and experience I have gained through this course has already begun to influence my teaching practices. Some of it has surfaced through teachable moments like,showing a student how to effectively use a search engine, or passing on a tip on evaluating information, but the greatest change has occurred in modeling proper ethical practices. I must confess that I often get caught up in the creative moment and when I need an image I will copy it into a PowerPoint or PhotoStory and not give credit. The Internet is just a playground of images, all just a keystroke away. It can be very tempting to just copy and paste away. I have begun to model proper copyright law practices and providing proper credit in all of my presentations I use in instruction and otherwise. As my students begin to create art using the computer, I have been reinforcing the protection of creative thought and images. We have even had discussions about the classic conflict of copying others' works of art in the studio. From kindergarten through fifth grade, students always have an issue with other students taking an idea they developed and calling it their own. This concept has opened up a dialog about how people who have worked hard to create images and ideas on the Internet would feel if you took their work without asking permission and call it your own. I believe that together, my students and I, can learn how to practice respect for the creative work of other people as we move into more opportunities to utilize modern media.
After taking this course, I have set some personal professional development goals to build upon my own literacy skills. I plan to focus mainly on visual literacy since they are directly related to what I teach in the classroom. Ultimately, I would like to develop my vision of the 21st century elementary art room and curriculum. To get to that point, I must start taking some classes on different multimedia techniques and the technology aspects of modern film making. I am working on some grants that will hopefully yield some funding to acquire some needed equipment for my classroom but in the meantime I need to become familiar and comfortable in its use by making examples of my own. I have located an online mentor at a Ning site that I am a member of Art Education 2.0. Tricia Fuglestad is doing the type of instruction and integration that I would love to be doing in my classroom and I hope that by communicating with her I can gain some insight on further direction I need to take to reach my goals. I also plan to take some more classes on the technical aspects of my classroom management system that my district calls E-Learn. I have a basic E-Learn site that I am using alongside of my instruction but I would like to take it to the next level and learn how to embed code for video players to start sharing the multimedia my students produce. Finally, I have a fifth grade student this year who is very interested in film-making and I am learning many new special effects, editing skills, and software programs because of his drive to get better. It is very motivating for both of us to be learning side-by-side.
Even without all the new "bells and whistles", I plan to examine my curriculum for opportunities to practice visual literacy skills even while using traditional art media. As I pointed out earlier, I have to guide my students up the stairs, not just let them jump into a bunch of new technology not understanding how to use it effectively. Dr. Jason Ohler, professor of Educational Technology at the University of Alaska, has been focusing his research on visual literacy skills and digital storytelling. In an article about the importance of utilizing the art curriculum to support new literacy skills he states the following, "I had an amazing experience a few years ago that helped me fully appreciate art's new importance in education. I was watching a 10th grader struggle at his computer to create a multimedia presentation for his language-arts project. He wasn't struggling with the technology-like any infoage kid, he could click around the screen with considerable ease. It was the aesthetics that seemed insurmountable. As I watched him clumsily cramming together scads of video clips, graphics, sounds, buttons, and a few words, it suddenly hit me like a ton of bits: He was trying to create art, and no one had shown him how. In the process of fumbling with the medium, he was losing his sense of what he wanted to communicate in the first place."(Ohler, 2000). This idea emphasizes the importance of integrating visual literacy skills even at the elementary age level so that students can become more proficient earlier on and be able to effectively communicate the content of their thoughts and ideas. I cannot alter the state curriculum, but I plan to creatively present it so that my students can be prepared for the 21st century.
Ohler, Jason (2000, October). Art becomes the fourth r. Educational Leadership, (58)2, 16-19.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Connecting the Pieces
Looking back over everything I have learned during the last seven weeks, I have had several “ah ha” moments. To start, I was pleased to find out a lot of my personal theory of how my students learn was reinforced by the research and major theories of learning we studied in this course. That is not to say my classroom is the perfect learning environment. I know that there are some modifications I need to make. Foremost is how I plan my instruction. It’s fine to say I understand the theory but it is how it is placed into practice which is most important. That starts with the planning stage. I now see the importance of including learning theory and research into planning instruction. Some additional modifications I would make would be to create more focused structure (i.e. rubrics, clearer expectations of outcome, etc.) to my student-centered lesson plans in order to make the learning experience most effective for my students. Finally, I plan to modify how I have been applying the Social Constructionist theory in my instruction. I now have a better understanding of how to construct my lesson so that the group has a real sense of interdependence and expectations for how the social unit should succeed.
When the new school year begins I have some immediate changes I plan to make regarding my instructional use of technology. I have used a lot of technology in the past but most of it has been used within a teacher-centered instructional presentation. I plan to make the paradigm shift to using technology as a learning tool where the students are using it for active learning (Laureate, 2009). One tool I plan to use to achieve this is Voice Thread. Because this application merges images with flexible social interaction, it becomes an invaluable tool to be used in the art classroom to support the interpretation and analysis of art. It can be used as an instructional but most importantly as an active learning tool. Its ease of use encourages students to utilize Voice thread to construct their own multi-media presentations. Another tool that I will use to enhance my student’s learning is Kidspiration. My school has had this program available to teachers and students alike for years. I received basic instruction on its use years ago but I was never told why it was such an important program. It was never connected to learning theory as it was in this class. Using this technology tool in the art room will enhance my students ability to identify similarities and differences, summarize and take notes, create advanced organizers, all while practicing their nonlinguistic representations. Research shows that these are important strategies to master and this technology tool will help students to gain both guided and independent practice in their use (Laureate, 2009).
There are two long term goals I have for my instructional practice regarding the integration of technology into the art classroom. First, revolves around access to the technology tools. I have only two computers in my room and for my students to be actively engaged and interacting with the technology, it can be quite challenging. Our school does have a fully equipped computer lab but it runs on the same schedule as mine and thus is always filled with another class when I am teaching a class. We also have a portable lab top lab but it is often hit or miss to find an open slot that coincides with my schedule or that they are actually functioning. So, my goal is to either rally for a change in the school’s specialty schedule in order to allow for flexible use of the current lab or write a grant for money to purchase a mini lab that could be used by teachers needing additional computer time for students working on cooperative project building.
My second goal is to have my students move toward using electronic portfolios. I have recently begun to use paper portfolios with my students as a form of assessment and have found much value in how they focus my student’s learning experience. The idea of an electronic portfolio lends itself to a greater transformative experience through critical reflection (Stansberry & Kymes, 2007). Our school district is in the infancy stage of setting up electronic portfolios as a feature on our Moodle sites. I hope to have the chance to pilot a portfolio program which allows students to provide written reflection on their work and select artifacts to enter as evidence of learning. In addition, because I see most of these children for five consecutive years, the portfolio can follow them and demonstrate their level of personal growth over time. Instead of looking at what seems like random ideas they can start to see the scope and sequence of their learning. As I become more familiar with the application I hope to have a feedback feature that would open up portfolios to the learning community for comment; for example, reinforcement from the teacher, the exchange of ideas between classmates, and the viewing ability for parents and other experts.
I always felt that I was exposing my students to a lot of technology for the purpose of engaging them more fully into the learning experience. This class has taught me the importance of putting the technology into the hands of the students as an active learning tool instead of just using it for instruction, that thoughtful planning must go into every lesson to truly consider the outcome I want for my students and the best instructional practices I need to use so they can achieve success, and finally this class has taught me that just having “cool techno” in the classroom doesn’t make learning happen, it involves making clear connections to learning theory, instructional practice, and the correct technology tools.
Laureate Ed., Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Instructional strategies Part 2. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Laureate Ed., Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Technology: Instructional tool vs. learning tool. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Stansberry, S., & Kymes, A. (2007, March). Transformative learning through teaching with technology electronic portfolios. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(6), 488–496.
When the new school year begins I have some immediate changes I plan to make regarding my instructional use of technology. I have used a lot of technology in the past but most of it has been used within a teacher-centered instructional presentation. I plan to make the paradigm shift to using technology as a learning tool where the students are using it for active learning (Laureate, 2009). One tool I plan to use to achieve this is Voice Thread. Because this application merges images with flexible social interaction, it becomes an invaluable tool to be used in the art classroom to support the interpretation and analysis of art. It can be used as an instructional but most importantly as an active learning tool. Its ease of use encourages students to utilize Voice thread to construct their own multi-media presentations. Another tool that I will use to enhance my student’s learning is Kidspiration. My school has had this program available to teachers and students alike for years. I received basic instruction on its use years ago but I was never told why it was such an important program. It was never connected to learning theory as it was in this class. Using this technology tool in the art room will enhance my students ability to identify similarities and differences, summarize and take notes, create advanced organizers, all while practicing their nonlinguistic representations. Research shows that these are important strategies to master and this technology tool will help students to gain both guided and independent practice in their use (Laureate, 2009).
There are two long term goals I have for my instructional practice regarding the integration of technology into the art classroom. First, revolves around access to the technology tools. I have only two computers in my room and for my students to be actively engaged and interacting with the technology, it can be quite challenging. Our school does have a fully equipped computer lab but it runs on the same schedule as mine and thus is always filled with another class when I am teaching a class. We also have a portable lab top lab but it is often hit or miss to find an open slot that coincides with my schedule or that they are actually functioning. So, my goal is to either rally for a change in the school’s specialty schedule in order to allow for flexible use of the current lab or write a grant for money to purchase a mini lab that could be used by teachers needing additional computer time for students working on cooperative project building.
My second goal is to have my students move toward using electronic portfolios. I have recently begun to use paper portfolios with my students as a form of assessment and have found much value in how they focus my student’s learning experience. The idea of an electronic portfolio lends itself to a greater transformative experience through critical reflection (Stansberry & Kymes, 2007). Our school district is in the infancy stage of setting up electronic portfolios as a feature on our Moodle sites. I hope to have the chance to pilot a portfolio program which allows students to provide written reflection on their work and select artifacts to enter as evidence of learning. In addition, because I see most of these children for five consecutive years, the portfolio can follow them and demonstrate their level of personal growth over time. Instead of looking at what seems like random ideas they can start to see the scope and sequence of their learning. As I become more familiar with the application I hope to have a feedback feature that would open up portfolios to the learning community for comment; for example, reinforcement from the teacher, the exchange of ideas between classmates, and the viewing ability for parents and other experts.
I always felt that I was exposing my students to a lot of technology for the purpose of engaging them more fully into the learning experience. This class has taught me the importance of putting the technology into the hands of the students as an active learning tool instead of just using it for instruction, that thoughtful planning must go into every lesson to truly consider the outcome I want for my students and the best instructional practices I need to use so they can achieve success, and finally this class has taught me that just having “cool techno” in the classroom doesn’t make learning happen, it involves making clear connections to learning theory, instructional practice, and the correct technology tools.
Laureate Ed., Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Instructional strategies Part 2. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Laureate Ed., Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Technology: Instructional tool vs. learning tool. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Stansberry, S., & Kymes, A. (2007, March). Transformative learning through teaching with technology electronic portfolios. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(6), 488–496.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Voicethread
I see so much potential for this application in the art room. Please view my first Voicethread, Overcoming Interpretation, and comment. It is about a problem I have with students not being comfortable talking about art.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Connected
Humans are social creatures. This does not suddenly change when students enter the classroom. Social learning theorists believe that we construct knowledge and understand the world around us, based on the interactions we have with others. We depend on others to guide us from what we already know, towards the information we are ready t0 learn. Each individual brings to the classroom their own personal context and culture with which they construct knowledge and understanding of the world around them (Laureate, 2009). Collectively a classroom full of children presents a wide spectrum of "experts" whose diverse strengths can contribute so much to learning as a whole. The United States of America, our country, is a fine example of that idea. Our motto, "e pluribus unum", "out of many, one", speaks loud and clear of the advantages that come from many different people, from many different backgrounds, working together toward constructing a common goal.
Educators have been using instructional strategies based on social learning theories for several years now. The jigsaw puzzle, numbered heads together, literacy teams, etc. are all wonderful examples of some of these strategies. How does technology fits in? The advances in communication, simulation, and the read/write web (Web 2.0), have brought the ability to interact and learn together to a whole new level. Even though I sit here alone in front of my computer, I have the ability to contact my friends, family, co-workers, classmates, world renowned experts, international peers.......I could go on and on. Most importantly, I can not only communicate with them but I can also learn with them by collaborating on projects over millions of miles. It is really amazing to think about. Overwhelming at times.
That is what brings me to a concern for utilizing these tools in the classroom. How do you focus students on the content so that they do not get easily distracted by the social aspect of many of these resources? As I explored many of our listed resources this week I found myself easily drawn away from my main purpose there (how to use it in my classroom). I was instead checking out what everyone else was doing and saying. Some resources kept me under better restraint than others but I feel it is something to consider when using them with students. I always complain about the filter system placed on our school network, but I can see how opening some sites can become a temptation to socially learn about topics not directly tied to the school curriculum. We are only human.....
Finally, I found George Siemens theory of Connectivism very interesting (Laureate, 2009). It seems to me as though in the future it will not be as important what we know, but instead knowing how to access it. I don't know about you but it conjures many Sci-fi movie images into my head. Excuse me...do you mind if I interface with your network a while? There are some benefits to being so interconnected as illustrated in this commercial.
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Social learning theories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Learning to Build, Building to Learn
The Constructionist theory of learning states, "that people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others" (Laureate, 2009). I guess it is similar to the old saying, give a man a fish, he will eat today. Teach a man to fish, and he will never go hungry. If educators just give students information they will retain it only as long as they have too. But if students have to take that information and manipulate it, interpret it, even test it's accuracy in order to create something; that results in an enduring understanding of the information.
This week's resources offered many examples of ways that "students could use tools and technologies to create artifacts in order to resolve disequilibration" (Laureate, 2009). If, like Dr. Orey states, we are always trying to reach a balance between what we "think" is reality and what truly "is" reality, then by challenging our students to explore outside their schema we induce the need to either assimilate or accommodate new information so that it fits into their world (Laureate, 2009). The booklet project done by Lynda Donovan's sixth grade language arts class shows that when students were asked to reflect on the novels they read, the end product wasn't a few meaningless paragraphs. Ms Donovan pushed them out of the typical book report schema and inspired them to actively create an artifact representing their knowledge using Microsoft Publisher. Ms. Donovan stated that the project took a lot of"trial and error" in using the technology for the students to achieve their end product (Laureate, 2009). Using technology for a project such as this also exposes students to many 21st century skills such as, organization, communication, presentation, research skills, time management, and reflection (Orey, 2001). Not only did the technology allow them to learn about reading and writing in a different way, but it also taught them many other valuable skills.
Have you ever heard the phrase, everything I needed to know I learned in Kindergarten? Dr. Mitchel Resnik of M.I.T agrees with this idea. His blog on Edutopia, Kindergarten is the model for lifelong learning, is worth the read because I think it relates deeply to the ideas behind the constructionist theory and how project-based learning can continue beyond Kindergarten.
Speaking of Kindergarten, you may be very inspired by this video I also found on Edutopia, Beginning the Journey: Five-year-olds drive their own PBL projects. I just started serving Kindergarten in the art room this year and I have found them to be the most creative and amazing little beings. What I don't understand is what happens to those beautiful creative minds? They just seem to vanish, sometimes as quick as first grade. Is it because their instruction is based less on the Constructionist theory of learning? Is this where technology can play a role in older students classrooms? I hope so.
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Constructionist & Constructivist Learning theories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Cognitive Correlations
My school district mandated the application of the cognitive learning theory in all classrooms and trained us in a program called Learning Focused Schools. One of the main components of a learning focused lesson plan is the graphic organizer. Call them what you want, concept maps, webs, advance organizers, they all serve one purpose, to organize information, help visualize ideas and connections between ideas. As an artist and as a visual learner, I appreciate the value of these cognitive tools. Much of my art curriculum is focused around understanding, interpreting, and communicating with visual images, so by using these tools in my instruction I am able to model that very idea. I find that they help me very much when planning a lesson and laying out an entire unit. Cognitive tools such as these help to organize knowledge and present information. They can help the learner to go beyond their own limitations, like for me, memory (Orey, 2001). I use the concept maps to help guide my lesson and make sure that I don't leave something out or forget an important point.
Matter of fact to help me with this blog entry I have formed a visual representation of the correlation between several instructional strategies and cognitive learning theories on Webspiration. Check it out. You tell me which you prefer, a few more paragraphs or the map?
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Cognitive learning theories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Matter of fact to help me with this blog entry I have formed a visual representation of the correlation between several instructional strategies and cognitive learning theories on Webspiration. Check it out. You tell me which you prefer, a few more paragraphs or the map?
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Cognitive learning theories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Using Behaviorism in Instructional Technology
As I try to integrate more technology in my classroom, I see the value of correlating each element with leading learning theories. This week I explored many resources which support the principles of the behaviorist learning theory. Most all of these resources provided activities for students to either interact by answering questions or experience modeling through watching tutorials.
The resources I explored provided critical feedback (positive or negative reinforcement)in a timely manner. This type of instant feedback illustrates to students that they are learning something (Laureate, 2009). Using technology as programmed instruction, teachers can really target specific desired behaviors in individual students. "Behavior that goes unrewarded will be extinguished"(Orey, 2001). When teachers cannot supply the positive reinforcement, the reward, the instant feedback, in a timely manner, well designed instructional technology can do it for us. As technology gets more sophisticated, programs can go beyond just drill and practice and also link students to a variety of activities that meet their individual needs and differentiate instruction (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Imagine how much more effective homework could be if it included targeted programs on the computer which provided the needed practice, but also provides the critical reinforcement which all students need but rarely get at home while doing homework. Homework could actually become a "fun thing".
My personal experience with instructional technology changing my behavior, mainly comes from tutorials. On-line tutorials,and multi-media presentations, model desired behaviors. Behaviorist theory defines this as observational learning (Orey, 2001). I have had much success in my classroom using this instructional strategy to teach origami. Students watch a video that demonstrates step by step how to fold a paper into a small intricate sculpture. They work at their desired pace and they learn by watching and doing it along with the video. They experience success, thus reward, much more often using this strategy in comparison with my students who attempt to learn it from book illustrations. I believe the modeling is key in this case. Having it on the computer allows me to divide my individual demonstration amongst several students simultaneously.
In having this success with tutorials, My behavior has been reinforced and I suspect that I will be including more of these demonstration videos on my Moodle site.
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Brain research and learning. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
The resources I explored provided critical feedback (positive or negative reinforcement)in a timely manner. This type of instant feedback illustrates to students that they are learning something (Laureate, 2009). Using technology as programmed instruction, teachers can really target specific desired behaviors in individual students. "Behavior that goes unrewarded will be extinguished"(Orey, 2001). When teachers cannot supply the positive reinforcement, the reward, the instant feedback, in a timely manner, well designed instructional technology can do it for us. As technology gets more sophisticated, programs can go beyond just drill and practice and also link students to a variety of activities that meet their individual needs and differentiate instruction (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Imagine how much more effective homework could be if it included targeted programs on the computer which provided the needed practice, but also provides the critical reinforcement which all students need but rarely get at home while doing homework. Homework could actually become a "fun thing".
My personal experience with instructional technology changing my behavior, mainly comes from tutorials. On-line tutorials,and multi-media presentations, model desired behaviors. Behaviorist theory defines this as observational learning (Orey, 2001). I have had much success in my classroom using this instructional strategy to teach origami. Students watch a video that demonstrates step by step how to fold a paper into a small intricate sculpture. They work at their desired pace and they learn by watching and doing it along with the video. They experience success, thus reward, much more often using this strategy in comparison with my students who attempt to learn it from book illustrations. I believe the modeling is key in this case. Having it on the computer allows me to divide my individual demonstration amongst several students simultaneously.
In having this success with tutorials, My behavior has been reinforced and I suspect that I will be including more of these demonstration videos on my Moodle site.
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Brain research and learning. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Ed., Inc.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
A Look in the Mirror
Over the past eight weeks I have grown significantly in my technology skills as a professional. I have created this blog, participated in a wiki, and published my first podcast. In doing so, I have become more familiar and comfortable with these forms of technology. The idea of using them in my classroom with my students is not as mystifying as it was before. I have also begun to check professional blogs regularly through the use of a wonderful time saver, the RSS Feed aggregator. I am now able to visit with a larger community of like-minded individuals with whom I am able to share and learn.
The articles I have recently read have brought me to a better understanding of how to prepare my students for the 21st century. I understand that I need to match my teaching methods to the emerging learning styles brought about by the influences of technology in our world. Technology, and the skills needed to work with it are becoming an integral part of our students’ lives outside of school. It is imperative then to extend that technology usage into their educational lives. Marc Prensky brings up many good points about how students today think and approach learning in very different ways than in the past. Yet our educational institutions still remain tied to traditional instructional methods (2001). It will be up to creative and innovative educators to lead the way towards more effective instruction that meet the needs of our “digital natives”.
Along with this idea, the modern educator needs to change from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered instruction. Being an art teacher, I have always allowed for creativity with in my lessons. In doing so, I know that means the direction a project can go towards is sometimes unpredictable. As I have allowed more creative freedom in my classroom, I have noticed a drop in behavior problems and an increase in enduring understanding of my content standards. I affectionately term my class as, “controlled chaos”, it always has a purpose and even though they may all go about it in a different way, my students find their path to understanding the ideas we are studying. I love learning beside my students. Every day is a new challenge and teaching is truly fun.
I enjoy a challenge and every year I set goals for myself so that I am always learning. As I continue to pursue my goal of increasing the usage of technology in the art classroom, I hope to continually grow in my knowledge of even more and better ways to increase the achievement of my students. First, I anticipate that each of my remaining graduate course will provide me with more knowledge and skills in using technology, Second, I foresee myself taking regular classes and attending conferences that will further my professional development in technology use. Last and most importantly, I already see myself emerging as a leader in technology use in my school and district. Just this week, I found myself sharing some articles and web sites with our district technology director. He and the technology department are beginning to write our district’s technology curriculum and I want to have an influence in the direction it takes. Although he did not admit it, I know that he found my information very useful. I noticed that he passed it on to the “powers that be” (assistant superintendants). I don’t care if I get credit, I just hope it will eventually influence the direction my district follows in regards to technology.
To conclude, I will leave you with two specific goals I have decided to accomplish in the next two years. My hope is that by proclaiming them here to the world, I will be motivated to do whatever it takes to accomplish them. First goal seems simple enough but it has its own challenges. I want to set up blog sites for both my fourth and fifth grade classes so they keep and maintain a digital portfolio with written comments. The two challenges I face are teaching myself how to efficiently manage it and convincing my district to unblock access to blogs from our school network. I hope that over the next few courses in my graduate studies, I will become more familiar with ways to manage technology in the classroom. If not, that I plan to network with other art teachers who are currently using electronic portfolios and learn from them. Convincing the district to unblock the site will come from me demonstrating the importance of this experience for increasing student achievement. I believe I have already begun to lay the groundwork to be able to influence the direction technology takes in the district. It may take some time and some “smoozing”, but in the end, I feel it will happen. My second goal is a little ambitious but like I said, I like a challenge. I want to be teaching an elementary Digital Art class in two years. I have seen in neighboring districts the existence of two art classrooms in a school, the fine art classroom and the digital art classroom. The digital art classroom was basically a computer lab set up for students to create projects using technology. The brick wall I am up against in achieving this goal is our quickly disappearing budget. I understand it is hard to justify the expense of such a program when you are laying-off teachers left and right just so you can pay the bills. It may be impossible to accomplish this goal during these economic times but I do plan to lay the foundation for the idea. I hope to locate a grant opportunity that may end up being exactly what is needed. Also I will try to keep abreast of my district plans for any “theme schools”. A digital art classroom would fit perfectly in a technology theme school.
Whichever direction my future leads me I know that I need to continue in the pursuit of my goals and to always reflect on my instructional performance. I must continue to use and improve my strengths and keep aware of my weaknesses so that I may focus on the opportunities they provide for growth.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants, part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6).
The articles I have recently read have brought me to a better understanding of how to prepare my students for the 21st century. I understand that I need to match my teaching methods to the emerging learning styles brought about by the influences of technology in our world. Technology, and the skills needed to work with it are becoming an integral part of our students’ lives outside of school. It is imperative then to extend that technology usage into their educational lives. Marc Prensky brings up many good points about how students today think and approach learning in very different ways than in the past. Yet our educational institutions still remain tied to traditional instructional methods (2001). It will be up to creative and innovative educators to lead the way towards more effective instruction that meet the needs of our “digital natives”.
Along with this idea, the modern educator needs to change from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered instruction. Being an art teacher, I have always allowed for creativity with in my lessons. In doing so, I know that means the direction a project can go towards is sometimes unpredictable. As I have allowed more creative freedom in my classroom, I have noticed a drop in behavior problems and an increase in enduring understanding of my content standards. I affectionately term my class as, “controlled chaos”, it always has a purpose and even though they may all go about it in a different way, my students find their path to understanding the ideas we are studying. I love learning beside my students. Every day is a new challenge and teaching is truly fun.
I enjoy a challenge and every year I set goals for myself so that I am always learning. As I continue to pursue my goal of increasing the usage of technology in the art classroom, I hope to continually grow in my knowledge of even more and better ways to increase the achievement of my students. First, I anticipate that each of my remaining graduate course will provide me with more knowledge and skills in using technology, Second, I foresee myself taking regular classes and attending conferences that will further my professional development in technology use. Last and most importantly, I already see myself emerging as a leader in technology use in my school and district. Just this week, I found myself sharing some articles and web sites with our district technology director. He and the technology department are beginning to write our district’s technology curriculum and I want to have an influence in the direction it takes. Although he did not admit it, I know that he found my information very useful. I noticed that he passed it on to the “powers that be” (assistant superintendants). I don’t care if I get credit, I just hope it will eventually influence the direction my district follows in regards to technology.
To conclude, I will leave you with two specific goals I have decided to accomplish in the next two years. My hope is that by proclaiming them here to the world, I will be motivated to do whatever it takes to accomplish them. First goal seems simple enough but it has its own challenges. I want to set up blog sites for both my fourth and fifth grade classes so they keep and maintain a digital portfolio with written comments. The two challenges I face are teaching myself how to efficiently manage it and convincing my district to unblock access to blogs from our school network. I hope that over the next few courses in my graduate studies, I will become more familiar with ways to manage technology in the classroom. If not, that I plan to network with other art teachers who are currently using electronic portfolios and learn from them. Convincing the district to unblock the site will come from me demonstrating the importance of this experience for increasing student achievement. I believe I have already begun to lay the groundwork to be able to influence the direction technology takes in the district. It may take some time and some “smoozing”, but in the end, I feel it will happen. My second goal is a little ambitious but like I said, I like a challenge. I want to be teaching an elementary Digital Art class in two years. I have seen in neighboring districts the existence of two art classrooms in a school, the fine art classroom and the digital art classroom. The digital art classroom was basically a computer lab set up for students to create projects using technology. The brick wall I am up against in achieving this goal is our quickly disappearing budget. I understand it is hard to justify the expense of such a program when you are laying-off teachers left and right just so you can pay the bills. It may be impossible to accomplish this goal during these economic times but I do plan to lay the foundation for the idea. I hope to locate a grant opportunity that may end up being exactly what is needed. Also I will try to keep abreast of my district plans for any “theme schools”. A digital art classroom would fit perfectly in a technology theme school.
Whichever direction my future leads me I know that I need to continue in the pursuit of my goals and to always reflect on my instructional performance. I must continue to use and improve my strengths and keep aware of my weaknesses so that I may focus on the opportunities they provide for growth.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants, part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6).
Sunday, February 8, 2009
How are my students currently using technology?
I decided to survey my students to get a true picture of skills and abilities with different technology both at school and at home. Listen to the results.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
A Partnership for 21st Century Learning
My first reaction to the Partnership for 21st Century Learning web site was one of relief. I know that sounds odd, but if you had to live with my husband you would understand. I love him dearly, don't get me wrong, but I am always getting interrogated about what my school is doing to effectively prepare his future employees. He works in the private business sector and as a businessman in charge of a large company, he wants some insurance that public education is truly preparing our students to function in the competitive business market of today. This web site demonstrates that business can be a catalyst for change in public education and influential in directing resources towards a common goal instead of just judging the end product as ineffective. I plan to spend the weekend sharing it's merits with my husband and reassuring him we are on the right track.
I was very impressed with the amount of information that is easily accessible with in the site. Not only do they clearly identify the specific skills, content knowledge, expertise and literacies essential for our students to be successful in the modern workplace, but they also provide research articles, support systems, standards, assessments, and professional development to solidify their commitment to their mission. I was pleased to see that this site was not the brain-child of just another technology corporation looking to push a hidden agenda for large government contracts. When you look at the long list of members it includes a very diverse conglomerate of organizations which all are truly stakeholders in this mission in some shape or form.
I believe the Route 21 section of the site is an invaluable tool for educators wanting support and resources for bringing their classrooms into the 21st century. In just a short period of time I was able to locate information, resources, and a very relevant video, all tied into some of the vision I see for my classroom and my role as an art educator. Last year, I wrote a grant for implementing a "visual literacy" project and recieved funding from a local business. As it turns out it was motivated by a need for the same media literacy skills discussed at this resource. (http://www.edutopia.org/media-literacy-skills-video It is very affirming to have discovered that my instructional instinct for teaching these skills aligns with the mission of this organization. Maybe sharing this site with other local businesses will convince them to fund more grant projects that promote 21st century skills.
The only part of the site that I disagreed with was the page listed as Success Stories. When you go to this page you find no links, no articles, there is nothing. I disagree that there are no success stories. Maybe educators are just not aware that they are being successful at integrating 21st century skills successfully in the classroom. Hopefully the website just hasn't had time to up load all the stories yet.
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Blogging in the Elementary Art Room?
How could I use blogs in my art room? I could see setting up a blog for my students to create e-portfolios. I envision these portfolios not only displaying student art work but also reflective comments about their work and the work of others. I currently require students to share their work in a whole group setting and make oral comments. They love being in the limelight and becoming the expert. It is a wonderful teaching strategy but often it falls to the way side because we are so busy making art we run out of time. I believe a blog may allow my students to participate in this activity on a more consistent basis and learn quite a lot from each others comments.
I have seen examples of wonderful blogs set up for this very purpose but most of them were in a middle or high school setting. Can my elementary students handle it? Are they as motivated as middle and high school students by the whole social aspect of blogging? I believe that when I begin to use blogging, I will start it with my fifth graders and work my way down.
I believe that it is vital to spend time teaching the ground-work for this new experience in order to be successful. I recently read a fantastic post about introducing blogging to elementary students called "Blogging is Elementary!" by Kim Cofino. Even if you don't teach elementary aged students I think it is worth looking over. Kim breaks down her three years experience with introducing blogging into five lessons. They cover everything from becoming familiar with a blog, to safety and responsibility, and of course how to write good comments. All this is covered extensively before the student even gets to pick a user name.
I also recommend a look a series of posts made by Silvia Tolisano under the Top Ten Posts section of her blog. She also offers an extensive series of lessons for introducing good practice using blogs.
I feel with elementary students setting the stage for appropriate and responsible blogging is well worth the time and effort it will take. Start the good habits now. That is my impression.
I have seen examples of wonderful blogs set up for this very purpose but most of them were in a middle or high school setting. Can my elementary students handle it? Are they as motivated as middle and high school students by the whole social aspect of blogging? I believe that when I begin to use blogging, I will start it with my fifth graders and work my way down.
I believe that it is vital to spend time teaching the ground-work for this new experience in order to be successful. I recently read a fantastic post about introducing blogging to elementary students called "Blogging is Elementary!" by Kim Cofino. Even if you don't teach elementary aged students I think it is worth looking over. Kim breaks down her three years experience with introducing blogging into five lessons. They cover everything from becoming familiar with a blog, to safety and responsibility, and of course how to write good comments. All this is covered extensively before the student even gets to pick a user name.
I also recommend a look a series of posts made by Silvia Tolisano under the Top Ten Posts section of her blog. She also offers an extensive series of lessons for introducing good practice using blogs.
I feel with elementary students setting the stage for appropriate and responsible blogging is well worth the time and effort it will take. Start the good habits now. That is my impression.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
The Journey Begins
I want to start my first blog entry by thanking my instructor, Mr. Smith ,for pushing me into this new adventure. It has been an interesting week exploring the world of blogging. I have come to see the advantages to participating in the Web 2.0 culture. Furthermore, I have been convinced of the advantages of utilizing these tools with my students.
This week started with some frustration over trying to locate an educational blog. The searching seems to be the hardest part but luckily I have found a few for me. My greatest find was Art Education 2.0, hosted by Craig Roland. This site concentrates on integrating technology in the art classroom. I have only begun to tap into the information available here. My blog entry on the site received some excellent comments which have been very useful. One of them was a link to another blog which I would like to share here. Check out the video about how blogging was used in a sixth grade classroom. It is very inspiring.
Dr. David Thornburg has convinced me that teachers need to consider using technology "to do different things" in the classroom. Using technology "to do things differently", is helpful and can be motivating for both our students and ourselves, but if we are to catch up with the technology curve we need to concentrate on altering our pedagogy and practices (Thornburg, 2008). I am looking forward to learning how to apply blogging in the classroom using new pedagogy along with safe and effective practices.
Thornburg, D. (2004). Technology and education: Expectations, not options. (Executive Briefing No. 401). Retrieved from http://www.tcpdpodcast.org/briefings/expectations.pdf
This week started with some frustration over trying to locate an educational blog. The searching seems to be the hardest part but luckily I have found a few for me. My greatest find was Art Education 2.0, hosted by Craig Roland. This site concentrates on integrating technology in the art classroom. I have only begun to tap into the information available here. My blog entry on the site received some excellent comments which have been very useful. One of them was a link to another blog which I would like to share here. Check out the video about how blogging was used in a sixth grade classroom. It is very inspiring.
Dr. David Thornburg has convinced me that teachers need to consider using technology "to do different things" in the classroom. Using technology "to do things differently", is helpful and can be motivating for both our students and ourselves, but if we are to catch up with the technology curve we need to concentrate on altering our pedagogy and practices (Thornburg, 2008). I am looking forward to learning how to apply blogging in the classroom using new pedagogy along with safe and effective practices.
A thought to leave with you...... as I grow to become an advocate for using Web 2.0 applications in the classroom such as blogging, how can I effectively convince administrators, parents, and my school board of their importance? Thus lifting the great "block". Any thoughts?
That is my impression.
Thornburg, D. (2004). Technology and education: Expectations, not options. (Executive Briefing No. 401). Retrieved from http://www.tcpdpodcast.org/briefings/expectations.pdf
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
