Technology For Art Teachers

Technology for Art Teachers:

Why is it important? What can we really do with it?

Technology is constantly changing and new innovative programs intended to enhance the learning and educational experiences of students are being created and refined every minute. It is important that we as educators keep up to date with these technologies so that we can maximize students learning and prepare them with the skills that they may utilize when faced with future challenges. Technology is all around us at school, in the home, at the store, at the library and especially in the workplace. Children and their parents are relying on us as teachers, to educate students to become familiar with these programs...so why not utilize these numerous exciting and interactive technologies to enhance creativity in the classroom?

It is our job as educators to create lessons that relate to the current trends and interests of our students in order to encourage motivation for learning and individuality. Many examples of the various resources and programs that are out there for teachers and students interested in using technology in art will be discussed later, but firstly we should cover the basics of what technology can do for us.

• Firstly, the internet is great for creating a class web page or blog to post and showcase artworks and artist profiles of students.These profiles can be viewed by students, family members, the school community, and can even be used as a marketing tool for the school by encouraging magazines, local and nationwide newspapers, various media sources and other schools to check out what is going on in that schools art classroom.

• Students can post and create blogs that showcase any special art projects that they feel may have an impact on others, such as works from a charity event, or works that surface from world events like the Tsunami, fighting world hunger or violence in schools. Creating a class web page or individual profile allows students to feel like individuals and makes them feel like their work is valuable; it also encourages other students to work hard to have their works posted as well.

• Technology also allows teachers to have all the resources and references they need at the click of a button. Instead of using slides and books for visual imagery examples, teachers may use power point and Google images to display art references in the classroom.

• Teachers may also use multimedia tools such as YouTube to present various videos pertaining to artist profiles and art history. YouTube also has various live-action art lessons that instruct students on how to master specific art techniques: for example, there are videos that instruct on pottery making, silk-screening, sculpting, painting and much more!

• Advancements and programs in technology pertaining to photography and video have also become a lot simpler and easier to use.Programs such as Photoshop, imovie, movie maker, and premiere elements have paved the way for students to create fun, simple or extravagant, individual videos that can be posted and shared with classmates and family through their class blogs and profiles.

As you have just read, there are many significant advancements that technology has on an arts classroom. Alongside all of these basic examples of how we as teachers can use technology to create an interactive atmosphere are some free art programs accessible on the internet. The following pages will discuss some new and innovative software programs that teachers and students can use to their advantage in the art classroom.

Images used on this page:

http://homeroom.pnca.edu/normalized/18429.
http://www.pelicantalk.com/images/Smart-board-2.GIF

check out my short Stop-Motion Animation Film:
Stop-Motion is an easy, collaborative and fun project that can be applied to any teachable subject!














http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=KhfI_OZ7-OI