TECHNOLOGY PLAN FOR THE ART CLASSROOM 1

Technology Plan for the Art Classroom

Sierra D. Tiedman

Bradley University: ETE 371

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Classroom Technology Plan

I am comfortable and knowledgeable of most daily-used technology. I own and operate

an iPhone and Mac computer, and am familiar with Microsoft office applications. Im also well-

versed in the use of Google drive, docs, and slides. Additionally, I have a base knowledge of

Photoshop and illustrator, along with a few other Adobe Creative Cloud programs. In the

schools, I am still getting used to operating both a SMART board and the projector, but have a

little experience with both. I would love to have a deeper understanding of these two things,

along with the Creative Cloud. I see these few things as being crucial to teachingespecially in

a high school setting. Digital art has surpassed studio arts in popularity, so its important for me,

as an art teacher, to have a good grasp on the programs used to make digital art so that I can

provide opportunity for my students to use those programs. Additionally, using the SMART

board and projector will help my lessons to be interactive and easily seen throughout the whole

classroom.

Regarding assistive technology, I am not well-educated. So, as a short-term goal, I hope

to have a larger grasp on what kind of assistive technology is available and how it can be

integrated into my instruction and classroom. Additionally, when working in an elementary

school for novice teaching, a girl communicated strictly through her iPad, so specifically

learning what kinds of apps or programs available for the iPad may be one of the best ways to

easily integrate assistive technology into the classroom. One of the best ways to attain this goal is

to have access to the technology, be involved in a school with special needs students, and attend

teacher conferences/seminars about assistive technology. I must take the initiative to become

educated since, the teacher...will make the difference in the integration of assistive technology
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in the context of instruction and its potential impact on student outcomes (Garrick Duhaney &

Duhaney, 2000).

For classroom assessment, I hope to integrate informal assessment using online

resources. For example, online sketchbooks or artists statements to gauge how students are

understanding and applying the learning goals. This is a great way to integrate informal

assessment at technology which, can improve student learning interest and student scores

(VCU Center for Teaching Excellence). To achieve this, I need to find a good online program to

use that will cluster one classs work rather than having hundreds of emails clog my inbox.

Additionally, I need to find ways for students to access technology, being sure to make

alternatives for students who dont have access to a computer at home. As far as training goes, I

know my cooperating teacher for student teach has digital sketchbook assignments, so I will see

how it works in a real classroom.

Integrating family-inclusive art events is another short-term goal of mine. Not only are

these events fun, but they can be crucial to the esteem of student-artists and allow

parents/guardians to see how the classroom functionssomething they dont usually get to

experience. Additionally, these events are important because family and community

involvements foster partnerships among schools, family and community groups, and individuals.

These partnerships result in sharing and maximizing resources. And they help children and youth

develop healthy behaviors and promote healthy families (Why Family and Community

Involvement Is Important). With this in mind, I would plan an event or two each semester to

allow for maximum family involvement. I would use technology, in some form, to send

reminders and details of the event, and I would purse training by talking with other art teachers

to find out whats worked for them or what hasnt. Alternatively, if planning an actual event is
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not possible, I could find a way to bring parents into the classroom digitally through online

resources like ClassDojo. Regardless, I would need a computer with internet access to

communicate with parents and community members.

Another short-term goal for my classroom is to try a flipped classroom. This is

especially effective in the art classroom since so much of class time can be taken up by

demonstrations. By posting demonstration videos online and assigning them as homework,

students can watch the demo as many times as they want, on their own time, and come to class

prepared to apply what theyve learned. This gives them more time to experiment with the

medium or technique, maximizing the time they spent creating art in class. Additionally, for

students that need to see the demo more than once in class, or have a hard time focusing on in-

class demonstrations, this flipped classroom will help them to be more prepared and less

stressed about having missed important information. In summation, this technique is beneficial

because, ". . . the focus of flipped teaching is different from other examples in that the

technology itself is simply a tool for flexible communication that allows educators to

differentiate instruction to meet individual student needs and spend more time in the classroom

focused on collaboration and higher-order thinking" (Musallam, 2011). I would use a camera and

computer to upload resources online to YouTube or ClassDojo, and I would talk with teachers

who have successfully implemented a flipped classroom. Additionally, I can attend seminars

about flipped classrooms at teacher conferences.

Lastly, I have a short-term goal of strengthening my knowledge of the Adobe cloud and

integrating it into my instruction. These programs are the best and most used in the world of

digital art, and in order to give my students an experience with digital art, I first must have an

understanding of the programs. Providing these opportunities for my students is important

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because, because [digital art] expand[s] the vocabulary that an artist is able to use in order to

explore ideas. When you expand your vocabulary you're able to articulate ideas better and you're

able to ask different kinds of questions, (Ask the Experts, 2011). One of the best ways I can

learn these programs is to take a classliterally investing in my education. I would need a

computer with the adobe cloud paid for and downloaded.

Five years from now, I hope that technology is not simply well-integrated in my

classroom, but that it would be a means by which we make and learn about art. This means using

the SMART board to allow students to watch a research process or for student presentations,

using online resources like YouTube to watch class demonstrations, using computers and

programs to make digital art, and much more. My hope is that students view technology as a

resource and art format, not something that is separate from the world of art-making. Of course,

we will be doing traditional things like drawing on paper and building with our hands, but our

classroom should expand beyond those things and into the digital world.

In summary, my goal is to take initiative to learn about digital resources and art-making

programs and integrate that knowledge into the art classroommaking technology a daily part

of the art classroom, and not something that we use once in a blue moon. My hope is for this to

create confident, digitally-educated artists who have experienced a broad array of art-making

techniques, and whose ideas they feel can be articulated in the best medium. Additionally,

integrating technology into the classroom includes integrating parents into the classroom via

technology. Whether this is hosting them for an event (which was announced through

technology) or having online resources available for both students and parents to access (maybe

through flipping the classroom).

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Works Cited

Ask the Experts: Richard Rinehart on digital art. (2011, September 15). Retrieved November 07,

2017, from https://www.bucknell.edu/x71590

Garrick Duhaney, L. M., PH.D, & Duhaney, D. C., PH.D. (2000). Assistive technology: Meeting

the needs of learners with disabilities. International Journal of Instructional Media, New York

Vol. 27(4), 393. Retrieved from

https://search.proquest.com/openview/c5d287780b31d6bf242691094d8f087a/1?pq-

origsite=gscholar&cbl=30932.

Musallam, R. (2011, October 26). Should You Flip Your Classroom? Retrieved November 07,

2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/flipped-classroom-ramsey-musallam

VCU Center for Teaching Excellence. (n.d.). Online Assessment. Retrieved from

http://www.uwec.edu/CETL/resources/upload/online-assessment.pdf

Why Family and Community Involvement Is Important. (n.d.). Retrieved November 07, 2017,

from https://www.education.nh.gov/instruction/school_health/health_coord_family.htm