Over the past few years I have observed in eight different public schools and noticed that technology is very seldom used as a tool for teaching art. Because of this deficiency, it is important to me to find ways that technology can enhance learning, especially when teaching traditional, manual art techniques. The lesson plan I chose for this assignment studies a portrait by Vincent VanGogh to inspire 6-8 grade students to draw portraits of their friends using similar techniques. This plan allowed several opportunities to use the advantages of technology for teaching and learning.
A digital whiteboard can be used to study the VanGogh drawing, then to demonstrate hatching and cross-hatching drawing techniques required in the lesson. Students can use digital cameras to take photos of the friend they are drawing to use as a reference and save precious class time. Upon completion, they can take pictures of their final drawings and post them to a class blog or website, which will serve as a 24-hour public gallery of their work. Students can post constructive comments to each other's drawings. The blog can be reviewed together in class on the digital whiteboard for a group critique, using the posted responses and questions to begin discussions. Lastly, the original lesson plan contains an extension in which students study a painted portrait by VanGogh, comparing and contrasting his drawing with his painting, but few students can visit one of the institutions listed for research. Art Project by Google fills this gap nicely since it has one of these painted portraits from the MOMA's collection. Students can use Art Project to perform this research task in detail via the internet.
The technologies I incorporated into this lesson directly support each of the learning objectives in the original lesson plan. They also facilitate demonstration, research and critique methodologies for both the students and the teacher.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtEJ9FDuxTFTdEh1d0pLTzIzS3Y2aGdHX25EUDczcXc#gid=0
LOVE the idea of a blog-like gallery of their work! That is such a great way to encourage students to be proud of their work and for the parents/or guardians to see their child's progress and what they're studying in art class. I feel like this could also be a great way to advocate for arts/music in the schools.
ReplyDeleteHi Laura,
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is not often that technologies other than computers or overhead projectors are used in classrooms, and I think that this is especially unfortunate being that the subject matter of art is constantly moving in the direction of technology. Have you ever used a Bamboo tablet? I think this piece of technology would be an excellent way to involve the students and incorporate technology aside from the online gallery. Students would be able to not only create portraits using the traditional studio mediums but also create digital portraits using the Bamboo tablet.
Being that this project focuses heavily on the concept of line, have you given any thought to using technology to provide a background knowledge of this knowledge? Utilizing iMovie to create a short informative video about the elements of art could be an interesting and engaging way to inform students on the elements of art, specifically line, without actually lecturing.