Module 6

Distance learning, most frequently known as a flipped classroom, is often taught through a virtual classroom and an online environment.  Benefits of distance learning include  students developing digital literacy skills, communication skills, as well as the ability to use a variety of computer tools.  This type of teaching is most relevant this day in age where our culture relies so much on digital media as a way of gaining and sharing information.  When students are alone when they receive the new content and information they are more likely to problem solve and find their own solution to any problem they encounter.  The resource of a face-to-face teacher is not present in this scenario.  If students answer their own question or problem they are also more likely to remember how to solve it again, they are developing self reliance.  Distance learning could be considered a 21st century learning environment because students are learning technology skills, developing communication skills, and managing projects.  Inquiry and higher order thinking skills are developed through these processes as students engage in analysis, evaluation, and creation.  

Module 5

Artists are known for causing problems for themselves.  In responding and solving to those problems we have created we learn more about our work and how to push it to make it the best it can be.  Students in an art class room are bound to create problems for themselves. In the classroom today I already hear kids announcing their problems such as “I didn’t mean to draw that there” or “I don’t know what to draw first.” These two sayings are very common in the classroom especially coming from students who are not yet comfortable and confident handling the medium.  What could happen if the teacher purposely creates a problem for the student  to solve? In this format the students are so focused on solving the problem the teacher has given they may not focus on the little “mistakes” students think they have made.  If teachers give students a real world problem or challenge to explore the students are developing critical thinking skills as they dig deeper into the topics.  Students could be working with clay and the requirement is could be to find a historical vessel and transfer that vessel into modern day use or decoration.  Students would research a historical vessel of choice and link it into the modern world by changing surface decorations or the purpose for building the vessel.  Students would design and create this vessel and present it during critique to the class.  Students sketchbooks could be a means of journalling to show progress in their research.  Student would have the original vessel and information regarding its purpose and history, notes on how to change the vessel to the modern day, drawing of new adapted vessel, and a photograph of new vessel when finished.  This problem based learning can be adapted in many ways to fit into many disciplines or projects. The most important part is for the teacher to be well organized in order to keep track of student progress along the way.

Module 4

When teaching through web inquiry we are giving our students the opportunity to use higher order thinking and investigation as recommended by Bloom's Taxonomy.  The type of information students are researching is linked to real-life events, problems, resources, and data (Coffman, 83).  The teacher's role during this task is to simply guide students to ensure they are headed in the right direction within their research.  During this process of learning a hook is very important.  The hook will interest or disinterest students to the project.  The hook must be very open ended and allow for many interpretations and directions of research.  Often web quests are confused to be web inquiry.   The difference is that web inquiry allows students to research and view information in an unfiltered way unlike web quests, which the links are provided by the teacher (Coffman, 84).  Students are able to develop their own ideas and opinions without being influences by an outside source.  They are researching for primary sources and supporting articles that conform their ideas on their question.  This process allows students to think creatively and also in a way that is applicable to the real world and their future.   

Module 3

Both teachers and students face challenges when advancing schools to the 21^st century way of thinking.  Students today are glued to any technology they can get their hands on.  This is not necessarily a bad thing but it is not the best thing either because students today do not know the potential the online realm has.  When teaching art it is common to keep an online portfolio as a documentation of all your work.  The instant your work is online it is available for all to see.  If you post your work online are you then influencing another artist to work similar to your style or content? One can never be sure who is accessing their footprints online. The amount of data online and freelance artists posting their work also helps students constantly grows their definition of art.  The definition of art is constantly growing and changing where there is often debate over weather something is or isn’t a piece of art.  Individuals have their own concept of this word way beyond what a dictionary would provide.  Art today is not longer divided between disciplines; they are instead combined to form art containing many mediums.  Art such as performance art may be documented but quite possibly may never be reenacted the same way again.  Is this still art? What qualifies this so-called “art” label we are forces to put on objects or occurrences.  The big idea of what is art will never be resolved but that is something unique about being an artist, you must constantly respond and change as the unknown definition of art does.

Module 2

Howard Gardner’s theory of five minds breaks down the way people’s minds process information.  According to Gardner, student’s potential can only be nurtured if teachers can express a clear objective (Bellanca & Brandt, 2010).  As an educator being aware of the five minds theory will help us be aware of the diversity of students and how they process information.  Teachers also need to capture the student’s attention that can be done through the use of integrating the big idea question.  This question encourages students to ask follow up questions, make predictions, and discover new information (Coffman, 2013).  The encouragement of this thinking allows for the students creative minds to kick in and process the information critically.  Technology in the world is evolving and the education system isn’t evolving with the technological advances.  Students today grow up learning from technology, enter the school systems and have to learn how to absorb information in a new way.  Teachers today need to incorporate learning the same way students grow up learning outside schools today possibly through these big idea questions.  Both creative and critical thinking cause students to think broadly and deeply using many types of the mind theory which shadows thinking skills that will be used throughout student’s lives.  Adapting my material to consider how the students in my classroom are best at learning and absorbing information will do excellent teaching in my classroom.  Creating the classroom environment for student to best succeed is done by thinking of the students and the technological advances of the world today.

Module 1

I have recently set up three accounts to evolve my technological resources: a weblog, twitter, and a Google doc’s account.  The benefit of having various accounts online is the ability to access them from any device connected to the Internet.  Setting up a virtual storage will be beneficial to constantly have access to all files uploaded as well as confirmation that they will not be lost if your computer crashes.  Students today communicate virtually through short snippets of text and images.  Having a twitter and using it educationally will gear my mind to the way today’s students process thoughts.  A twitter will document process over time as well as a weblog. 

People learn in all different ways and it is important for me as a teacher to differentiate and provide an environment to provide all learners an opportunity for success.  I know I learn best visually which makes sense because I am an artist.  I like to see the process and believe in modeling when teaching new techniques.  This style of teaching may make the most sense to me, but not all of my students will learn best this way.  As teachers we need to be aware of this possibility within our classroom and be ready to provide different insights of learning the material. 

            According to Wilks, Wilks, and Cutcher (2012) “the virtual world of cyberspace is the new environment, the new tool and medium through which all activities and transformations will occur” (p. 54).  In visual arts the medium is the material that you use to transfer ideas to imagery.  If more than one medium is being used the term becomes media.  Art can be created on the Internet in many forms to include movies, graphic design, 3-D modeling, scanners and many more techniques (Wilks, Wilks, Cutcher, 2012, p. 61).  

           Integrating a variety of technology into my lessons in the form of creating art as well as using it to take the class on virtual field trips or encourage internet use to learn new techniques could catch student’s attention and therefore drive them to be more attentive and engaged learning visual arts. 

Integrating Technology into Teaching

Wilks, J., Cutcher, A., & Wilks, S. (2012). Digital technology in the visual arts classroom: An [un]easy partnership. Studies in Art Education, 54(1), 54-65.