Sunday, November 17, 2013

M6 Reflection

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.

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.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Interactive Wiki

http://ahumphreys.wikispaces.com/

In my wiki, I have updated the resources page and the Famous Still Life Paintings link. It was brought to my attention that students may need a little more guidance on certain parts and use of the wiki. Under my widget, I have added a description so that students will better understand why I posted it and how they are supposed to utilize it. I also listed more detailed instructions on how to upload an image for the interactive activity. To reduce questions and confusion, it is helpful to give detailed information and instructions to young learners.

Friday, November 1, 2013

M5 Reflection

The Interactive Classroom 

• 21st Century Skills for Students and Teachers, including the ICT Competency Framework for Teachers 

An interactive classroom can help prepare students for the work force. Incorporating technology into teaching helps students learn to use different resources that they may utilize later in their careers.

• Technology use based on problem solving 

 Interactive lessons can solve many problems such as lack of attention and engagement. Roblyer & Doering (2013) say, “Students who learn by creating their own products with technologies such as word processing, multimedia, and other technology products report higher engagement in learning and a greater sense of pride in their achievements” (p. 25). Technology use can also give access to otherwise unattainable information, and save on time and money.

 Constructivist vs. Objectivist 

According to Roblyer & Doering (2013), “Proficient technology-oriented teachers must learn to combine directed instruction and constructivist approaches and to select technology resources and integration methods that are best suited to their specific needs” (p. 48). Many interactive classroom components could be used with either strategy depending on the activity chosen. The flipcharts seem to align more with the objectivist learning theory. Roblyer & Doering (2013) say that directed instruction is, “where teachers transmit a pre-defined set of information to students through teacher-organized activities” (p. 35). Overall, flipcharts are teaching specific information and eliciting a certain response from the student.

This article talks about the relationship of constructivism and arts education.

Flipchart 

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/33379/the-elements-of-art#.UnSUHvm3-So

I found a flipchart that deals with the elements of art. It teaches students things such as line, shape, color, space, texture, form, and value. The flipchart leads the viewer through different activities and multiple choice questions that measure their knowledge of the information. This could be used in the classroom to learn the basic skills that are necessary to create a work of art. It would also be a good way to reinforce information that has already been taught in class. Roblyer & Doering (2013) say, “Some educators assert that today’s entertainment-oriented students are increasingly likely to demand more motivational qualities in their instruction than students in previous generations did” (p. 52). Roblyer & Doering (2013) also mention that, “Teachers say technology’s visual and interactive qualities can direct students’ attention toward learning tasks” (p. 25). I feel that this flipchart has both the visual and interactive qualities that they are talking about and will keep the attention of the students.

 Here is a video showing a Promethean Board being used in an art classroom.