Reflection on Interactivity #3

This activity was a great way for all of us to learn about some new technologies that other students find important for learning. My group posted technologies that I have never heard of like "Create your own Jackson Pollock", and glaze softwares which could be very helpful for a future ceramics classroom. Im really happy that I can now use this sheet to come up with lesson plans that include new technologies that students will be able to associate with.

We all added technologies that we thought were important, and it was collaborative because we each posted a few of them on the spreadsheet. As more of our group added things we started moving things into better categories, and putting them into art fields that they could be beneficial in. We have technologies for jewelry design, ceramics, drawing, and more. This spreadsheet can really help us in the future when we want to include a technology successfully into a lesson.

"Teachers explore digital age" with Edscape conferences

Matthew McGrath discusses in The Record article "Teachers explore digital age", how over 300 educators from seven different states came to New Milford High School last Saturday for sessions on how to use technology in their classrooms more effectively. It is called an Edscape technology conference. Classes on digital storytelling, iPads, podcasting, SMART boards, and cyber-bullying brought teachers who are not as tech-savvy as their students up to date. One example of a positive learning experience by a student using these technologies is how a tablet computer application can record a student reading and they can play back and hear the actual mistakes they are making. Many teachers feel that it is necessary to know exactly what their students know about computers, and other technologies.

I thought this article was really interesting because it explains how important it is to use technology in the classroom in an effective way. Most of us will know how to use recent technologies but we will need to get to know future technologies just as well. I like the idea of conferences for teachers to learn new strategies on using technology. I would definitely attend a conference like Edscape. To learn more about this you can visit the website at http://edscapeconference.com/.

Technology Image- sorry first one did not show up

Television can kill the creative and imaginative processes.

Technology Image

Television can kill the creative and imaginative processes.

Interactivity #2

The technology that I think influenced education in my content area the most throughout history is the television. In 1966 television was introduced to schools as an educational tool. In the 1970’s and 1980’s educational shows like Sesame Street, and Channel One were brought into the classroom as well. While I do think that some shows on television may help students become more familiar with cultural diversity and thinking outside their own world, I believe that it has hindered the creativity process a student goes through when making art. Television can disrupt concentration, while creativity requires no distractions. This technology has impacted students time outside of school and has taken away from imagination, play, and thinking of creative solutions. If this ability is held back in a students daily life it will also effect the students participation in the classroom.

During the interview Grace talks about how the television shows aesthetically caught students attention but there was no way to incorporate them into her lessons. It seems to me that the only reason the shows were played for the students was so the school could receive the free equipment that apparently no one used. Although I feel that television ultimately has had a bad impact on art classrooms because it can interrupt original ideas, I do see the positive use for them in rare instances. Every student has a specific way they learn new information, and if the television helps just one student find inspiration for an art activity it is worth using in a few lesson plans.