Saragib’s Weblog

Just to get this off my chest, I am struggling a little bit with the blog and response thing. It still feels a little unnatural and disconnected from my everyday life. When I do take the time to open up the computer, read blogs and write responses I see its value and enjoy seeing what other people are thinking about. However, since getting in front of the computer is something I don’t do regularly it still feel kind of forced; like something on my “to do” list that is constantly looming over my head. Hopefully, this will change. Maybe as I spend more time in school, and hopefully through this class, technology will become more integrated into the rest of my life. I really enjoyed Christina’s podcast presentation last week and have already been using my ipod more in the last week. So I guess there is hope yet for the computer and writing blogs.

I enjoyed reading people’s suggestions for art education blogs. I thought that the one that functioned like a class newsletter was really interesting. It seemed like a great way to keep parents informed and speak directly to them, on a regular basis, without sending home mountains of paper.  That concept could be really useful for working parents who may not have the time to volunteer at their child’s school but still want to be involved and have a relationship with children’s teachers. It is great that there is so much information and support out their for art teachers. It makes me feel like I am entering a dynamic profession where people remain involved in issues and ideas beyond undergraduate and graduates school.

Before I start answering the blog question, I have to admit my thinking about blogs has really evolved over the past week. Prior last Monday’s class, I hadn’t really thought much about blogs or if I did my impression was generally negative; people pouring out their thoughts, feelings and the minutia of their lives to strangers. I am pretty sure my thinking was shaped, in part, by the fact that for the last few years computers have not been a big part of my daily life. Since I stopped working in an office, the computer is not always in front of me and I find myself going to it only when I need or want specific information that I have decided on in advance. I guess, since I haven’t really been exploring and experimenting with it, it never really occurred to me that the kind of information I have been finding over the past week was out there. 

The above being said, I have found a wealth of information, over the last week, about areas of art that I am interested in.  I really enjoy working with clay and subscribe to the magazine Ceramics Monthly. It was amazing to find that many of the artists I like and read about in the magazine keep blogs and share everything from their techniques to influences. I can already see that using blogs to find ways to inform and enrich my own art will help me be a better teacher. 

One of the art education blogs I looked closely at was http://artjunction.org. I was drawn to it drawn to it because of the title. The Art Teacher’s Guide to the Internet was what I was looking for; ideas, tools and resources for teaching art and design in the digital age. Although I am not well versed in blogs, the design seems to be pretty standard. The categories feature at the side allows you to access information based on general concepts like digital storytelling, social action projects, and a whole host of other topics that seem very relevant in designing art curriculum. I liked the informal, semi-conversational tone of the posts. There was a good mix of “how to” combined with reflection on the practical application of the project/assignment. Both student and teacher reactions were discussed and reflected upon. This kind of blog seems to really expand the idea of a teaching community. Instead of just sharing ideas and thoughts with teachers you already know, it allows you to share ideas with people you may never have meet in person. 

I found the next blog http://digitalarted.blogspot.com through the blog roll on the first blog. I really like the blog roll feature because it allows me to get a snapshot of the bloggers thinking. By seeing some of the blogs the blogger chooses to look at it helps me sort through the influences or underlying assumptions that come with the information on the blog.  Design-wise, this blog seems at little more sophisticated than the first one.  There are compelling examples of student work that make you think more about the ideas and techniques behind digital image making. It seems well organized with logical links to other blogs when they are referenced in the posts.  It is this linking aspect of blogs that presents such a unique learning opportunity. However, it is also something that is taking time for me to learn to use constructively. Occasionally (like when working on this assignment), I feel overwhelmed by the amount of information out there.  I feel that I am missing something if I don’t click on the links but once I start clicking I go off on a tangent and may never get back to or get a good overall sense of the original post.  I can see how figuring out how to harness the power of blogs while minimizing their distracting aspects will be a key to learning how to use them effectively both in the classroom and my own life. 

The last blog I looked at was http://carrotrevolution.blogspot.com.  I found it through a link in one of the posts in the previous blog.  Again, the design seemed really sophisticated. There are images, links to videos and graphics designed to pull the viewer in and get them involved. The categories are arranged in a fun, non-traditional way with fonts of varying sizes. In terms of content, it covers a really wide range of topics from political activism to lesson plans. What I like about a blog like this is that it seems to integrate the insights provided by art into life as a whole (politics, the environment, etc. ) making the idea of teaching and learning into a lifestyle choice and less of a compartmentalized thing that begins and ends at the classroom door.

It is really amazing what is out there. I just hope I can find a way to use it constructively and not feel overwhelmed and paralyzed by the volume of information.

To me, digital media means largely computer-based ways of creating and sharing information. The scope of information is basically limitless ranging from facts and opinions about a subject, to criticism of events and policies, to sharing and creating music and artwork.  One of the major differences between digital media and traditional media / traditional media-based learning tools is greater user involvement in creation and dissemination. As opposed to the slide presentations, lectures, and textbooks that I grew up with, digital media technologies allow students to participate in their education on a whole new level. 

I would never have imagined being able to participate in some of the learning activities described in the reading. As an elementary or high school student, I would have been thrilled to participate in a historical simulation, to assume the role of a historical figure or to decide how I would have responded in a certain historical situation.  Digital technologies allow students to become immersed in the ideas and facts of subjects, such as history or biology, and these kinds of personal connections seem to be very powerful motivating tools. Even the chance to share my thoughts in response to the reading with the whole class effects the way I take in and process information. Writing for a larger audience makes me feel greater pressure to read the material closely and carefully craft my response. 

My own experiences with digital media have been generally positive. About a year and a half ago I took a digital photography course to learn about how to use Photoshop in my own art.  The class was really well organized. It was a combination of classroom learning and distance learning which was a great way for me, personally, to ease into the subject. When I first started the class I really appreciated the classroom time and having the teacher there to answer my questions but as I gradually became more comfortable with the technology I was able to expand my learning by asking questions and sharing my own solutions, with both the teacher and other students, via email and the class message board.  Everyone in the class shared their artwork online; posting their art after the completion of each assignment. It was great to be able to look at each person’s artwork; something not always possible in a regular classroom due to time constraints, etc. The online format allowed me to take my time and look in-depth at each work.  In addition, the ability to look first, without hearing other people’s comments, gave me a fresh perspective on each piece. Finally, I was able to respond after reading and considering other people’s comments.  I came out of the class feeling that both my concrete technology skills and my thinking about art, my own and others, had improved. 

Our class reading and reflecting on my own experience makes me really excited about the possibilities for digital media in art education.  I think for many students feedback from others, either from other students or those outside of the classroom can be a real motivating factor. The internet makes it possible for students to learn about artists and types of art they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to learn about. The expanded research capabilities of the internet make it possible for students to learn practical skills about techniques and materials.  Social networking sites allow students to connect with groups that share their interests and make it easier for people to collaborate on projects and influence each other to create. This increased information and communication about art will hopefully create an expanded and more deeply involved artistic community.

However, the sheer volume of information now made available to both teachers and students through these technologies as well as their new roles as creators and distributors of media present challenges as well as opportunities.  As digital media technologies expand the boundaries of the classroom both teachers and students lose some of the comfort of a controlled environment.  Questions about how to understand and navigate these technologies constitute some of the most pressing issues for educators and society as a whole. How do we insure that the information we take in is accurate, how do we understand the biases involved and what are the implications of sharing our own work and information about our lives with others?

I am excited about this class and really hope to gain a better understanding of the technologies that are out there.  I have some familiarity with certain digital media tools but am by no means comfortable enough to be part of the emerging participatory culture. As a future teacher and a parent of a 16 month-old son, who will grow up and be educated in this environment, I feel I really need to make a concerted effort to understand the technologies and the culture they create.  With a basic understanding I can, at least, feel more comfortable making educated decisions about how to approach these technologies and what skills to teach to my son and students.  It is clear that these new tools can’t be ignored or simply demonized.  They and the culture they create offer a lot of benefits.  The idea of greater participation and diversity of opinion are things that as good educators and citizens I feel we should encourage.  Hopefully, by learning more I will be better able to find the balance in my own life and through that be able to positively affect those around me.

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