Semester Reflection

i will admit, that I walked into this class rather skeptical and apparently lacking any recognizable skills that you could call technologically related. In the end though I not only feel more comfortable on my own computer, but also on Macs, (which it might have been hard to find someone who was more uncomfortable on one) I seem to be more comfortable learning new "tech" things in general. When we began I was really slow to understand the wiki and how to navigate between places, sites, and editing. Now however, I not only panic less when a new project comes up, but I learn the new program quickly. well, at least I feel less defeated when I don't know how to do something, versus in the past when I couldn't figure a program out I would usually just scrap that part of the project and do it a different way, or i.e. by-hand, completely. While i know that many of these tools I have learned will come in and out of fashion and not be up-to-date perhaps when I get a job, but I do now feel confident in learning. I think this is what perhaps they, as in those that are requiring me to take this course, want me to be able to model to my students, a willingness to learn. Of which I now have. Delicious and I are still good friends and I made an Animoto video to promote my trip this summer. So, slowly but surely i am getting it. The website, though it feels a little redundant, since it really just has everything that already exists on this blog on it, is perhaps still very useful to learn. Because, despite my nervousness about taking this course, from day one I wanted to know how to make my own website, and YIPPPEE, I actually learned what I set out to from the beginning, a rarity in many of my courses this semester. Technology, i am fighting my tendencies to fight you, so for now I'll call you a good acquaintance, maybe one day we'll be good friends.

Exultation!

Well, here it is - the final cut. Given a few more days I could probably spend several more hours tweeking this and that, but deadlines ensue. iMovie, all-in-all is a pretty decent program, it suffers though from what I feel most Mac products suffer from. That being that they don't have any real concern for what the user wants to do. Yes iMovie is far more self explanatory than most Mac programs and features, but it is not compatible with any other form of media. For instance, I checked out an audio recorder from the fourth floor AV center and it was SO smart - sleek, small, easy to use, even came with a well creased manual just in case I didn't get something. However after self-consciously finding an empty Art-Ed room and sitting there by myself reading from a script, I had tons of clips to sort through. I then plugged the recorder into the computer and could download, and ACTUALLY hear my own voice come out of the computer. Only then to not be able to convert the files into any format that iMovie would take. After a half hour of frustration I walked up to the fourth floor computer lab, plugged in the recorder, and there my files were, along with a "convert" button that turned them right into MP3's, and TADAA, a PC had fixed the issue in less than three minutes. Then skip over a few hours worth of listening and moving items one or two seconds back and forth, I finally called it finished. In my personal classroom I can't see using this as an instructional tool nor really as a way of introducing a lesson, this I feel must be tailored to the interest of the current class. Perhaps though these videos, if created over a long summer or break without anything else to do could sit very happily on my website and serve to excite those few students who need to be pushed. This could also be a way for parents and fellow colleagues to see how the Arts play out in other cities, or schools, depending on the content of the video. In the end, I appreciate the experience, and the resulting video, my only regret is the inability to come back to this project on other Mac computers other than my own that this video was created on.

Triumphs and Turmoils of iMovie

Well here is the in-process version, with the images, titles, and credits in place. I am planning on narrating the video myself and changing a few minor aspects, timing, transition, and such. Although the program seemed to be having such a hard time playing my video, i had to export it just to get it to run smoothly. Note that I have an in-process video post. At least now even if I can't ever view it streaming from iMovie I have a reference from which to view and make minor alterations. All-in-all this project, while it felt daunting, is rather exciting. Hope to post the final cut sometime tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Color Wheel Excel Quiz

Well Excel 2010, my you are an interesting program. Apparently the version on my PC is completely different from any other version I have seen so, both from the Macs in our computer lab and the Macs in the lab in my studio. Interesting. i myself found that the codes and formulas necessary to create this quiz were so complicated and specific while at the same time appearing flawlessly simple to the user of the sheet. I don't know if I particularly see myself using this sort of tool in the classroom, however as the push to quantify learning moves further and further towards digital and therefore written assessment, this may be an easy way to implement some more written assessment into my classroom without mush effort for the student, and only minimal start-up effort on my part. The best thing about excel I feel is that once you have written the code in for whether an answer is correct or not it can be pulled to any other box, so it only has to be written once. This means that is I unhide the answer column, I can type in any question, change the answer and the word bank and I don't have to remember any of the code at all. This makes using the program seem a lot more likely for than if i had to keep up with the code mhyself outside of the program. now I can just keep this quiz in my records and I have the code with it.

Reflecting on the Group Wiki

I was just thinking about the experience we had with the group wiki. I feel mixed in regards to this assignment. In reality the idea of working with people that you've never met, and combining resources of many people to accomplish rather large assignments with less energy from everyone involved. In theory I love this idea. The actual project though, brought up many issues that we have addressed before in class when we did the internet evaluation assignment. Not knowing the people who are contributing to something with your name on it, then requires that you in addition research the work of others to then evaluate the quality of their work and references. When working with responsible, quality people a collaborative wiki could be a gret opportunity. I do feel though that this aspect of the quality of people involved is something that must be addressed when later on I, or others, potentially re-explore this experience. Overall, it seemed a very interesting experiment of sorts.

Exploring Prezi

Well, I needed a presentation for my wood sculpture class, and was sick at the idea of making another powerpoint this semester so Prezi it was. The program was a little twitchy, but then again Google docs doesn't work well on my computer either, so perhaps its me. i found a rather interest artist though, with lots of different work, something for everyone in my opinion, if anyone wanted to actually scroll through it. Learned a lot through the many hour process, like if all you were going to make is a simple, black background Powerpoint with one image per slide and no titles, its still probably a lot quiicker, but defintely not more interesting.

Inspiration!

Wow, Inspiration is really rather intense. I can completely see how you could use this for any classroom with almost any assignment, to organize information or present topics in a new way, plus everything is visually pleasing. I would love some feedback on how easy this image is to understand for non-Art people. not sure how many people look at their classmates blogs, but if you happen to check this one out leave me a comment if you have a second. I downloaded the Inspiration 9, thirty day trial and I really hope that I have a chance to use this software again before it runs out. This could be a great way to make posters, I'm not sure how well the graphics and images will transfer to say a 24" by 36" sheet of posterboard, but I can really imagine this printed large and laminated, and having tons of these timelines or artist bios and images hanging all over my classroom. this program took a few minutes to figure out how to use and where all the controls were, but it really is worth it. Can't wait to use it again.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Extra Credit Animoto Videos

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Digital Collection

I was amazed at how easy it was to use Picasa. Finally a site that just does what you need without having too many extras or missing any key needs of the user. What was wonderful is that I tested the site by embedding my collection into my blog with only four images in it, then uploaded the last one to see if Picasa, would in fact "update" my collection in my already embedded blog. And TADAAA! There the fifth image was. I am a huge fan of this and can really see having students use this in the classroom. I can imagine if students could work collaboratively on projects and be collecting images of their favorite artists throughout the whole semester it could be amazing. If each student collected an image a week based on either the projects we were doing in class or their own research and at the end we could share and view each classes joint slide show, well, WOW how easy it would be for students to do and what a large repertoire of images we could amass for future classes to see. Each year the new class of, for example, fifth grade students could view the digital collections of artworks that last years fifth grade students put together based on the artwork that they would be making throughout the year! In the same way I could photograph student work and keep an updated digital collection of it on my class website/blog so that parents and administrators could see up to date class assignments. How useful. I am definitely a fan.

Scavenger Hunt

I can easily see how this can be used in the classroom, however, i guess as with any project I feel it needs to be very carefully and specifically targeting at learning or enforcing something that has been learned. i fear that this could easily become a time-filler sort of project if a day or class period needed to be filled. All that said i could see sending stundets out into the community and having them document the art they see with school-loaned digital cameras and coming back and making this sort of presentation together. then i begin to think about the age-range of students this could be done with, too young and you can't send them into the school or community by themselves, too old and if it is njot a difficult task they may be bored or not take the assignment seriously. in the end though with a specific grade level in mind and a specific enough task, this could be a very fun way to reinforce the learning taking place in the classroom.

Digital Collection of Collage Art

WebQuests!

I personally can say that I had no idea what a WebQuest was before last Wednesday. Therefore with my unclouded hands on opinion of them I feel . . . that they have there place in the educational environment. They seem to be a great way to control internet content, guide students without having to state each direction, and to transmit information without lecturing. I feel this sort of self directed assignment would be great for giving students a change of pace from the regular day-to-day activities they experience in the classroom. Although i do see issues with maintaining focus with some students, or perhaps more of an issue with assessing their focus, because essentially a WebQuest looks like playing on the internet, while secretly being educational. In this case I really appreciate the idea of bringing in the group work aspect, to give a little peer pressure to the situation so that everyone has a a bit more incentive to thoroughly read and explore their WebQuest. I do also have a concern with using internet sources to teach standards-based education to students. Typically it is difficult to find good Art sources on the internet that are both reputable (which their are many) and also age appropriate (for which their are few). Apparently in the Art community no one ever mentioned that some parents don't appreciate students being able to view such images as a nude figure drawing on the internet, and in this case many of the best and most extensive collection on works contain many such artist's works. Although perhaps with proper linking and security blocks this situation may be a simple one to ratify. All in all i feel this is an interesting direction for self-directed learning to go in.

Wikis

Sigh.

Sadly, i am not quite yet convinced about their awesomeness. Yes, information does go up quick but I don't know how much I will ever really use them in the classroom. This may be where my lack of enthusiasm stems from. For many other classes besides Art the story is different, but in a classroom where I feel that if students aren't actually holding some sort of expressive creation making tool in their hand I'm wasting their time it doesn't yet clearly fit in my mental conception of my class. The future will tell.

Web 2.0 Tools?

Admittedly I am not a big technology user, of any sort. So . . . I was pensive at best about this assignment, but I must say there are a few useful tidbits I learned. Delicious, will solve my remember web address problem, with a Latin American Studies course that meets Mondays for lecture and has a podcast Wednesday, and a Bio class that where all content is web-based I NEED DELICIOUS. Knowing that I may use any five differerent computers, in different buildings, and at times PC and Mac, with each class having a different website where information is kept knowing those addresses is difficult. I originally was just saving the initial emails my professors had sent and basically using my UT email account as a less organized, more annoying, and far less efficient version of Delicious. So, yes I will soon be signing up for at least one more account in the coming days.

Prezi on the other hand, is super cool in concept but I feel requires a certain understnading of the pace of presentations and a rather large "taste" level that I am not sure most users will have. I shall remain optimistic though.

Lastly, Wordle, simple as it may be it makes adding graphics a no-brainer. Needless to say in my rather intense urge to make everything I do time-consuming and super "artsy" I will use this tool over and over to attempt to actually finish on time and under budget.

Education Resource

After searching through many, many websites that seemed to be written by people who had no idea what they were talking about I finally settled in on site I have used before the National Art Education Association's website, or http://www.arteducators.org/. It is kind of an over-arching Art Education site with almost every topic you could imagine, from lesson plans, to attending conferences, to tips on writing grant proposals for your classroom. Another bonus is that it has links to many other reputable websites that go into further detail and description about some of the topics that are represented in sub categories on the main NAEA site. While I was disappointed not to find a particularly new website, I was not surprised this is often the case in Art Education, which really seems to need to catch up on the times when it comes to internet resources for teachers, not to mention students, where content-controlled information is virtually non-existent. I will definitely be using this site over and over again. If anyone is interested in the conference it's in Seattle this spring!

Website Evaluation

http://lib.nmsu.edu/staff/susabeck/checs98.html



After much searching i found a site that i feel both helps as a general quick overview of issues related to teaching students how to evaluate web information, and also has information available for a more thorough investigation. Under each of the headings and subheadings is a vast amount of links and resources. All are from authoritative sources and seem to be well connected to the issues at hand. While I was searching I was concerned that the information was out of date because it was mainly from a presentation given in 1998, but upon further looking, i realized when i chose to link this site it had actually been updated a mere 4 MINUTES before I was reading it. If that isn't up to date than I don't know what is.

TECHnically Challenged

I literally acquired my first working computer during my college career the day before yesterday. I know that it is hard to imagine for most students, but I made it through six semesters without a computer. This being said I learned to do most projects in the library and on a PC. So my comfort level is low when it comes to technology especially anything to do with a Mac. I learned to do most assignments by hand and actually feel that this has positively contributed to my work as an artist. I remember years ago when I heard that there was a program that would match colors for you; I was disgusted. In the "olden' days" an artist might be hired solely because of their ability to put slight variations of color together to create a desired effect or emotion, a true talent. There is now a program that does this! At the time a computer was out of the question, but I began to rather internalize this lack of technology as a way of life; no Facebook, Myspace, or Twitter. I would actually call people and arrange events ahead of time. Labor intensive as this sounds I rather like it, my close friends now know that if they want me to be somewhere at a certain time they must call or find me in person and actually tell me. That all being said I do understand the advantages to the use of many technologies and am looking forward to learning about their differing capabilities.

All About Me

I am excited to be a Ceramics and Art Education major. I enjoy spending my time both learning the principles and theories surrounding learning and also practicing my individual art as a Ceramicist. Both I feel have their challenges, education a constantly changing source of challenges to overcome and problems to solve. While Ceramics becomes a battle with my own perseverance and want to be creative. I am interning next year and can not wait to get in the classroom. In my free time I work at Buffalo Wild Wings, am hoping to teach students through the Full Service Schools program and am representing the Fine Arts on the Dean's Student Advisory Council. Along with this I hope to find a spare minute to hike, camp, and backpack this semester as well. After all that I feel tired just thinking about it, but how rewarding it all ends up being.