Future Learning Goals: VI

I am guilty of not spending enough time on social, ethical, legal and human issues before students use technology. Perhaps because it seems so boring and I am so eager to begin the creativity portion of technology, that I fail to emphasize the importance of such issues. In the future, I plan on introducing the PowerPoint to students based on legal and ethical issues on the Web before any technology projects themselves are introduced. However, I feel I nail diversity and acceptance within both my classroom and my curriculum as well.

REFLECTION on VI: social, ethical, legal & human issues

In order for technology to be beneficial rather than harmful, it is vital for teachers to understand the ethical side of websites, blogs, Web Quests and the like. As an educator, it is important to educate students on the laws- from copyright to social- of which effect them and of which they could inflict on others. I use various websites to teach ethical laws as well as PowerPoints on SlideShare.com which introduce such regulations and issues. Concerning diverse backgrounds, students are encouraged to study artists from different cultures around the world from Diego Rivera to Georgia O'keefe to Jacob Lawrence. All students participate in all art lessons both hands-on and utilizing technology...Lessons are either simplified or expanded upon according to individual needs.

Future Learning Goals: Productivity & Professional Practice

I use my art website www.mrsmooresartroom.blogspot.com to communicate with parents, students and the larger community. I have found that people I do not even know, but whom recognize myself, come up and complement me on my website and on my student's artwork simply via my school website. It seems everyone is online, bored and roaming and what better way to advertise your program? I think it may even have actually saved my program a year ago...The superintendent once even came directly to my room to tell me how much he admired my website. But more importantly (really, truly) is that students gain self-confidence when their work is displayed. On the other hand, I use art websites to find lesson plans and innovative art projects online as well as utilizing art education blogs.

V. Productivity & Professional Practice REFLECTION

Without question, art sites on the web have improved my productivity and professional practice within the art education arena. My favorite site, http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/middlelessons.html is full of reviewed, effective and successful art projects and art history lesson ideas...I use it at least once a month and have never been disappointed. Unlike the past, I am also a part of various art forums via Facebook, whereas I communicate with art teachers through blogs and shared art websites. And, as a matter of fact, can I not include this online technology course as a valid, effective resource for professional practice utilizing technology? :)

Future Learning Goals: Standard IV

Eventually, students will bore of the use of rubrics and will be refreshed with a new evaluation tool. I would like to investigate alternatives to rubrics in the future, such as using online quiz assessment and the like.

Technology Standard IV: REFLECTION

By using RubiStar.com, I am able to apply technology to assist in comprehensive assessment and improve the effectiveness of student evaluation. RubiStar allows teachers to easily create rubrics and allow them to become publicly available online to students, parents and the like. Technology resources are used to collect data through various online resources, such as artencyclopedia.com, which are then used for student-created PowerPoints. Students will use a rubric found on RubiStar.com to create such PowerPoints. Furthermore, assessments are given based on online creations through peer evaluation and shared with at least one guardian. In this way, technology is used not only as an effective evaluation tool, but as a parent involvement opportunity as well.

Future Learning Goals: Strand III

Although I feel I have a solid base of activities to support the teaching, learning & curriculum strands, I know I could improve on increasing students' higher order thinking skills. In the future, I'd like students to analyze, compare and respond to more questions regarding the 21st Century PowerPoint. For example, having students compare 21st century art to art of the Italian High Renaissance period would maximize student learning at a higher level of the Bloom's taxonomy.

Technology Standard III Reflection:

Every aspect of integrating technology into the Pinconning High school art lessons, incorporates the Michigan Visual Arts benchmarks. For example, students must learn to use SlideShare.com in order to view a PowerPoint online about 21st century art. Learners of all levels are able to successfully learn how to go to SlideShare.com; the teacher guides students with learning needs accomplish the basic task, while able students are able to move forward by creating their own, brief PowerPoint to download onto SlideShare. Online rubrics from rubistar.com are used to manage learning activities as well as to inform and remind students what is expected of them and why.

Future Learning Goals: Standard II

Managing technology resources is necessary in order to allow for nearly 100 high school students to have the lab time in order to complete their online art portfolio websites. A future goal of mine is to research and apply for grants which would provide laptops for the art room to utilize for such technological purposes. Also, I would like to learn how to better manage student websites, giving the teacher complete control over what is published and when for security and safety reasons. Copyright laws are another angle that I could spend more time researching and implementing into my technology assignments.

Techology Standard II Reflection:

As students take digital images of their artwork to design a published art portfolio website, they are provided with learning opportunities to apply Web Quest research as well as utilizing technology with higher order thinking assignments. Gifted students are able to expand on their websites by adding links and enhanced aesthetics while special needs students are able to simplify their website. Student learning is monitored by peer & teacher conferences as well as by addressing given rubrics. I have found wix.com to be a valuable resource which provides free online websites that includes create art templates for students. Wix.com also allows students to publish their websites online free of charge, providing students to share their work with parents, family and friends.

Future Learning Goals

Although I feel successful in integrating technology into the art curriculum, there is always more to learn. I would like to better understand Web Quests as well as viewing examples of previous art Web Quests completed and executed by other teachers. Also, I would like to find a solution to the large amount of time it takes to complete online assignments. Our school only has two computer labs and it is very difficult to reserve enough computer time to adequately complete technology assignments in an efficient manner. It is also imperative to include every student into the art technology assignments, and this can be very frustrating given the fact that my smallest class size is 26. But perhaps if I brainstormed alternatives for special education students, I would indeed come up with some solid solutions.

Technology Standard I. Reflection

As an art teacher at Pinconning High School, I ensure students gain a solid understanding of technology operations & concepts in the following ways: WebQuest assignments, art portfolio Website publishing & creating, PowerPoints, and utilizing photography editing software. Students begin with locating reference pictures online through various search engines for acrylic paintings and are guided later into the ability to manipulate images through the use of picnik.com. After students have created at least five art project utilizing a range of art mediums, students are able to take digital images of their work. These art images are then used to create an online art portfolio using wix.com or blogspot.com. Certainly, as their teacher, I give a wide variety of guided tutorials on the technology to be utilized in class. I have found the use of technology to be an easy transition for most students, likely due to the fact that technolgy is a part of their daily world.