Advantages
Using technology in the classroom is a great way to supplement
the learning experience. It also gives students access to many things that
would otherwise be unattainable. “The use of technology within art and music
education has the potential to transform the learners’ experiences” (Roblyer
& Doering, 2013, p. 371). Electronic portfolios, virtual
field trips, and image manipulation programs are
among some of the most popular ways to use technology in an art room. Electronic
portfolios allow students to upload and share the work they are
creating while virtual field trips enable them to view famous works of art in
museums. “As a result of students actively looking and sharing, more learning
will take place” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 365). Image manipulation programs are
highly used by artists. Roblyer & Doering (2013) say, “An art studio would
not be complete without an image manipulation program like Adobe Photoshop, which enables students to
edit clip art or digital photos” (p. 368). When speaking about programs like
this, they also mention, “by demonstrating how easily images can be altered,
helps foster the development of visual literacy skills” (Roblyer & Doering,
2013, p.368). It is becoming increasingly popular to integrate the use of iPads
to utilize these programs and complete activities. The first link discusses
some of the best things about using an iPad for art education.
This link names apps that can be used in an art class and
provides a video on some of the uses.
M6 These apps help explore art in a new way. http://t.co/nwGSV6ElzH #ED527UM
— Anna Humphreys (@AnnaBHumphreys) November 15, 2013
Disadvantages
One of the major disadvantages of integrating technology
into the classroom is funding. The website lists information about this as well
as the learning curve for teachers and students. Although these can be big
obstacles to overcome, I feel that the benefits outweigh the limitations. There
are ways to get funding and training that are needed to implement this type of
technology into the classroom. “Teachers need to know about the technology and
how to use the technology that affords learning specific concepts and strategies
within their classroom” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 371). We must keep up
with changes so that students are prepared for higher education and careers in
their chosen field. The following article talks more about this and expands on
why we should embrace technology.