Thing 23 the final of this series.....

Whoa! what a journey it has been and I'm glad to have done it, even in the middle of creating a fundraiser for the children of Haiti.

Many of the items we explored in 23 Things I have used before or are currently using. I think the most useful tool has been how to find blogs of interest, where to store them for reading, and how to create my own blog. Now, I'm not so sure anyone will ever ready my blog unless I post it on several of the listservs I am a part of or post it on the education-social sharing network I belong to. Through this journey I can envision ways to utilize technology in my art classroom, my only problem is the limitations available in school. A technology lab that only has 15 working computers and in the classroom only one computer for the teacher, well a few upgrades in the tech department are going to have to come. Or, I just might have to do some fundraising to support what I see as necessary to bring technology into the art classroom.

I will never stop learning and the PLC's I have developed will keep me reading and exploring in the technology world. If not for that, well my 16 year old son is always showing me something new and a different way to solve a problem that I didn't think of.

The idea of creating a podcast, well I'm not sold on that only because I can see students creating a video to post or maybe I would. The wiki, it looks like the right place to create an online presence for a classroom that can have all the right accessibility for the administrator.

Overall, the journey has been swift and a good reminder what is out there to be utilized, and what might be on the way.

Thing 22

I did this once before and didn't have as much trouble as I did tonight. I think some of the trouble comes from having so many more options in the pbwiki program. It works like a power-user needs and right now I don't have a need for that much power. I liken it to using Picassa vs. Photoshop and I'm in the Picassa stage.

I also notice that I am beginning to really like the blog idea and yet it isn't the best option for student usage within the educational field. We have a need for more security when dealing with students. And still, I think using a blog might be the first place I post student work-very carefully and let parents know where to find their student works. Here I can or rather I know how to use it and so much of what I want.

The wiki site I created is Art4kids. This might just be the future of art from my elementary schools on line.

Thing 21

Ok, Wikis are another of my previous visits. I created one for the students of Hazel Park H.S. when I student taught. The problem can be who can access the site and who can leave messages on it. I like the idea of having a secure site and one that I choose what elements are utilized and what are not. With elementary students, I feel like I must be very careful with revealing their identity or where they are from. I have found a wiki like site that is secure called wiggio that might just be a good class site with many options.

Of course, the idea of a blog serves may purposes and might be the one that does not pose so many restrictions for the user and the viewer.

Thing 20

Throughout Thing 19 I searched and looked at the various sites while Carol Mayer from Wayne RESA talked about them. I had been familiar with what a podcast was yet I had not used it much, probably because I thought of it as a way to use an iPod. I'm glad to know that using the creative technology on a desktop is just as possible. Now, well, I joined the ranks of the iTouch generation. My purchase of this device was for two reasons but mainly for technology usage in my classroom, personal usage is not to be dismissed it just isn't the first thing I think of doing.

Now that I have a device that will allow me to download and be mobil, I think I will be using podcasts or vodcasts more. It still begs the question, will I become more like the kids and become sedentary while using this technology? Will I be so hooked like them? Will I look at this technology and seek ways to utilize it? In order to utilize it more, the bigger question is how do I get it in the hands of all my students? Heck, plenty of them don't have a computer and their parents hare having a rough time just making ends meet. How will our school district implement using this technology and integrate it into the curriculum? I can see the usage but, is there a way for all to use it?

The podcast that caught my eye and I subscribed to was Pencilmation, an animation cast. I was thinking that I might find a way to utilize animation with my students. As they grow through the visual arts, they need to know there are multiple ways to express themselves an a variety of animations could be a way to do it.

Many of the searches we went on in this journey are not new to me. I did find it useful to revisit a few. The one that we have not utilized here is a Google Advanced search. This little gem will bring up a host of material more specific and on target when utilized such as powerpoint and slide shows. Another search that many may not have access to are the data bases that universities subscribe to. Here one can find the 'deep' web relevant searches that do not come up on a Google, Yahoo, Bing, or MSN search.

Thing 19

The idea of podcast, is it beginning to get old already or have we just begun to scratch the surface? I ask this because I've had a computer since the mid-1980's and have watched some things come and go,it seems like things are headed a different direction. In my observation, it seems as though podcasts are going the same direction 'bluetooth' has. Not that podcasts are not out there, more like the favorite has become the 'vodcast' or v-cast--- but really, it is known as YouTube. That medium has exploded in so many more ways. As an example, Apple has created and updated it's iPod in such a way that they have answered the demand to view the 'cast' be it YouTube videos or the music type.

When I search for relevant visual art educational content, found is a huge range of downloadable media and yet, not really relevant. I believe I will find more in the video area and know of art teachers who have their creations out there to purchase. Often they are on specific art related sites such as Art Education 2.0 and the connections created by this network and others.

Will I create a podcast? At this time, I'm just getting my feet under me in teaching and creating curriculum examples and units. I am one busy art teacher in 2 elementary schools. So, I highly doubt that I will be creating a podcast or vodcast any time soon. Will I utilize the media? In my personal life it seems like there would be a better fit. I know that learning another language would be helpful and this may be the way I utilize podcasting.

Thing 18

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Comprehensive Or DBAE Art Education

View more presentations from nwalkup.

Slideshare.net is an awesome online program. I can see PLC's creating slide shows that they can tweak and share. Then there is the possibility of making a PP that can be embedded and viewed by students who missed a class or just want or need to review. I can also see creating a student work slideshow (art product) that they can see all of their classmates work as well as their own.

FUN!

Thing 17

I investigated all of the links provided in Thing 17. I can see various uses for a variety of online collaborative products. Students would benefit by using bubbl.us and Knotes.com. Older students may find some of the other products listed as useful too.

I'm going to suggest that the PAVA group use librarything to list books that we have and are willing to share. I wonder if it will allow us to also list videos and posters as these are tools we would share as teachers. The other way to utilize this will be to have it embedded on ORCA in our tab.

Thing 16

In the past I have used Google Docs in two ways. First, I used it as a way to create documents that I didn't have to carry around and could access from work or home. I found that sometimes I was without my flash-drives but not without internet access. The pitfalls here were compatibility between platforms (Mac vs. PC) and compatible years of the program. As long as I used a typical font, or command then everything transfered from using MS Word, Excel, or PowerPoint to Google Docs. Let me explain a little further, I was using the Docs to keep track of Microsoft documents created on 2 computers of different platforms. Often, I did not even use the Docs as stand alone programs but as a parking place when needed.

Most recently, I have been part of a large group that uses Google Docs as a way to communicate, create docs, up date a calendar, and send out group emails. Each member uses the same username and password to log on and access the account. Using the online program in this way, I can't tell who is on or who has been there unless someone changes a document or leaves an email. Email usage is interesting in this format too. All emails are not sent to the group. Often, emails are created and sent to the 'self' so that it is only there to be read by the participants.

Another way this online program is being used is in lieu of purchasing the costly Microsoft program for high school students. The only thing required for my high school age son's computer is access to the internet and a gmail account. Less for a parent to have to shell out and less cost in updates.

This type of online based program usage is something that my husband foresaw about 10 years ago. He even went so far as to suggest that at one point all programs would be online based where the consumer would not have to worry about having a copy on their own PC. Hum, well we are getting there.

Haiti Houses

As the pictures show at the top of this blog, Haiti Houses are being created and sold my the students of Waterford Village Elementary and Schoolcraft Elementary. The PTA president at Village, Sue Risko, contacted the local newspaper to have them check out what the kids were doing. I was about to post this short article and the picture of 3 students when the thought struck me, on this blog through the 23 Things, I have been concerned that I would not post student names in full due to security reasons. So, until it becomes more clear when to do this and when not to I will not post photographs of students without specific consent.

Graphic Olympics

As an admitted Olympics junkie, I love it when I can connect to the art and artistry used at and in the games. This great clip shows a history of the pictograms in previous olympics. Though I don't agree with the journalist's views of each, they are an interesting reference and memory to see.

Enjoy!

Olympic Pictograms Through the Ages

by Steven Heller

Thing 15

Is RSS becoming easier to understand? Do you recognize new benefits of using this tool? Do you remember to check your feeds regularly? Has it become a habit (or obsession!) yet?

I can see where checking the Bloglines reader can be obsessive almost as much as FB. The part that is a little frustrating to me is this: I've followed directions here and now I think I may have as many as 3 readers collecting information for me. At this point, I have tried to put them in only the Bloglines reader but not everything will go there, it is as if there are competing formats. It might just be that I don't have it all down yet.

Thing 14

I've been using Delicious as an online bookmarking site for nearly 3 years now. I mainly focus on art education related entries and some web design. My bookmarks can be found at kdeterman. Due to slow connections at work I do not often access the site as I once did. If I had the technical access for a class, this might be an avenue that I might explore for student usage and maybe not. I'm thinking to keep students on track and not exploring content not relevant to the task at hand I might choose to create a private site with relevant links to be shared.

As far as sharing goes, if I were to do online critiques and had students create responses and post links that they found, Delicious might a good sharing site.

Thing 13

I've used tagging in 2 forms so far. I've used del.ici.ous for probably 3 years now and love the access it gives me to my favorites. I can't say that I have utilized the work or tags of others and I have shared tags with friends who use the system. I have found the sharing part less useful as I am looking for art educational sites and that is rather limited.

Tagging on Facebook, well that is a more personal version. Family and friends are part of that community and the colleagues I teach with are not part of that community. Any tags here are of photos.

Thinking about tags and organization, after having made 3 websites from scratch one gets a sense of how to organize folders and information. I choose tags based on how the site or information might be used by me. As for student use, I think they would need a formula on how to name tags so they won't forget what they have done.

Thing 12

This is a fun widget to mess with, but watch out.... it is very addicting. The advertising widget can be removed by clicking the X in the upper left corner or just waiting a few seconds and the abstract Pollock widget will be there. The edges of pages blend in but it is on. Just start moving your curser and you are a budding Jackson Pollock! Don't get lost.....



Embedding a widget in the post of the blog was not so hard. It was much easier when using the Html editor to see just where it was going. The more difficult one was getting the widget to be embedded in the area labeled gadget. I wanted to put up the Jackson Pollock widget there but I kept getting an error message about disallowed characters or code. That would take some learning to understand why they won't allow that code in that place. Now that I'm spending time looking at blogs and such, I do see some that I would like to utilize.

As a newer graduate of higher education, I have had to learn to use online technology. The online communities have been a place to find resources, answers, pose questions, and make friends. I joined Facebook after hearing other teachers at my previous job talk about being on there. As a new employee, I thought this might be a nice way to befriend some of them and I found this to be true. What worked in that school was that the majority of teachers were a good 10-15 years younger than myself. Right now, I find myself between colleagues who have young families (and are very dedicated) and older colleagues who have yet to embrace the technology.

Some of the most useful groups have been, Art Education 2.0, TAB teaching for artistic behaviors, NAEA-Ning, and the Getty Museum Listserv. I also have utilized online educational resources such as Whole Brain Teaching, Teachers.net, ASCD, and Education Week. In my bookmarks, I must have 200-300 in various folders that organize them. The amount of information and resources at ones finger tips is staggering and yet I know I have only scratched the surface. My 16 year old is always finding ways to accomplish a task or apply and use technology in a way I would never have thought of.

As for MySpace and Facebook, I see the usefulness and the inherent problems that are associated with these forms of communication. Right now, technology is creating a gap between those who have and those who do not. Will the educational system be able to close that educational gap, this remains to be scene.

Thing 11

What do you like / dislike about leaving comments?

The LifeHacker article was fitting. Since I have had experience with posting to a blog, social network, and listserv I'm well aware of how one can be perceived. I've had to participate in online discussions before and it is an interesting concept. Knowing how to respond and seeing the direction others may take with your post helps one to think before responding. This could be an asset for older(middle-high school) students utilizing this as part of a classroom. It just might help to keep them more focused if their response is being monitored. Yet, I've seen and read plenty of junk out there.

One of the things I do like about responding or receiving a response is the community that can grow. When I began my former job of Art-on-a-Cart, it was the responses by others in the same area that was most helpful. I enjoy reading and seeing the positive from communities like this. In fact, many of the participants post and respond I find inspiring. This PLC, as I like to think of them, helps ground me in knowing it is OK to not know all the answers and that there is a place where I can find a few- answers that is. Right now, we have a space on ORCA and because I am new I feel intimidated when using it. We have a very small PLC and not everyone participates. In the larger setting of a 'group' or listserv, one can be as anonymous as they want to be depending on how you identify yourself. Even it that setting, it is relatively few who post compared to the numbers who have subscribed or are just reading.

Women in Art

Credit where credit is due:

eggman913
April 22, 2007

(less info)

by Philip Scott Johnson

500 Years of Female Portraits in Western Art

Music: Bach's Sarabande from Suite for Solo Cello No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007 performed by Yo-Yo Ma

Nominated as Most Creative Video
2nd Annual YouTube Awards

For a complete list of artists and paintings visithttp://www.maysstuff.com/womenid.htm

High resolution version:
http://www.vimeo.com/1456037

Contact information:
eggman913@gmail.com

Category: Film & Animation

Tags:

art woman paintings face morph morphing animation classic classical arte kunst 芸術 예술 艺术 藝術 τέχνη искусство

Thing 9 & 10

This is an embedded link to a video I created on Animoto.com On the Water Fun

Check out this video that is shared and created on line!

Videos can be a great tool to learn from and to just have fun with. YouTube is blocked as is Teacher Tube at my district. There are ways for teachers to utilize this media, in fact I find it necessary to do some of my prep work at home where technology is up to date and makes incorporating media such as videos possible.

The above video is one made from the online source called Animoto.com

I utilize my photos, their music (could have used my own) and they do the mash-up. I posted it here and on my FaceBook account. The idea of embedding video in a web blog makes it more interesting to look at. Students would have fun viewing their work this way and could be encouraged to utilize it if the technology exists in school.

Thing 8

Playing with a montage program is a fun thing to do. For an authentic experience. I'd rather have created this type of work from my own files of pictures. I have explored a 'cool tools' site that allows one to do this.

Using Flickr or another site where you are using 'others' work begins to teach students that they can use the work of others and this isn't what we foster in the educational system. I do see ways to utilize this, but again- I would find a way for students to share among the class instead of looking to the web.

This image was created in Flickr Montager.

Thing 7

For an art teacher, Flickr may just be a nice place to put photos of student work or create a gallery. The draw backs that I foresee are tagging the work so that each may easily find their own work. I hesitate to do this due to stalking issues and child predators found on line. I think I would rather utilize a more secure site for a student gallery. Having more control and privacy is very important when working with students.

Thing 6

This is real Michigan. I'm in love with Michigan in the winter and how our beautiful state changes with the seasons. This handsome male has a wonderful song and really makes a bleak day brighter.

Sharing of photos is a wonderful way to see a variety of places that you may never get a chance to visit. I like the idea of having my photos stored in a secure place away from my own system. Flickr is but one place to do this.

Thing 5

Using a RSS feeder and creating folders to organize the blogs I want to follow is but another way to stay organized. I have used other sites to keep links organized and on line, I have used gmail as a shared account.

This makes keeping one's information organized but is it making us more addicted to the technical? How will we know if we are addicted or ned to get out? Will we feel we can't do without? How will this affect students, their family life, their personal life and their overall well being?

Thing 4

The sheer volume of blog posts is incredible! I know it is very easy for me to sit and be absorbed into the internet now-without reading blogs.... OK, using a RSS will help me run through and limit what I peruse when I want to. Keeping track of good information is always a problem to work on.

Thing 3

As I reflect on the searching/posting of blogs, I have come to realize that there are as many types of blogs and how people use them as there are individuals on-line. It opens the door to many possibilities and yet it can be frightening too. Mostly, it makes me think of a professor I had at EMU, Chris Bocklage. Chris said that there will always be more information out there to read and get lost in, what one will have to do is edit and limit in order to keep working forward. That's where I'm at, edit, focus and make a plan to utilize the available technology to make my program and what I can offer my students better.

How might I use a blog in my classroom...

I'm thinking that it could be used to showcase artwork created by students. I could post their work and possibly an interview about their work. Student interaction is not necessary at this level, but I wouldn't rule it out. If I did allow student comment, I might turn on the feature where I have to approve the posting first. The prospect of doing this with over 500 students to my class load is a little daunting. This is where I see limiting it to various grade levels or creating an online gallery where students and their families can view work and leave messages might be more manageable.

Thing 2

Why are you participating in 23 Things? What do you hope to learn? What new insights did you have during Thing 1? How does writing on the Internet, knowing anyone could read it, change how you write or feel about writing?

After reading the article, I think it is a 'nice' thought about the future and may be possible with future technology and teachers who are ready and willing. With all the demands of teachers today, it will be a quite a step to get most toward daily usage and integration of 2.0 technology. Then, to get them to put their ideas out there on the web forever and for 'all' to view- well, many never will. Then to begin to think about how a district could even begin to keep up with the technology needs, I sadly shake my head. As necessary and integrated as technology is in a student's life and could be in an educational setting, the reality is technology costs and not enough can afford it.

At this point, I am willing to do what most are not, that is provide my own technology to enhance my program. If that is what it takes... I'm ready to go there.