Website, Turley Art

sites.google.com/site/amturleyart

UEN- using it in the classroom

UEN is a comprehensive resource for teachers, students and to my surprise, even parents. This will be a valuable tool to use with my students. It can direct their online learning activities in a manner that is safe and relevant.

I will use various help tools found on UEN in my classroom. The Pioneer Library is an excellent source for student research. Interactives enhance the classroom experience.

Lesson plans and Core Curriculum are accessible for the aid of curriculum development. From within the site I can access various helps for teaching. It only makes sense that teachers post successful lesson plans for others to use and or modify.

I appreciate how broad UEN is. Its reach is global yet much of the content is still tailored for Utah education. We need this considering the world wide interactivity of the digital world our students inhabit. Yet at the same time the site acknowledges particular needs of children and their teacher right here in our state.

Why we should use the Internet in Education

• We should use the Internet because our students already use it. It dictates how they receive and distribute information outside of the class room.
• We need to evaluate the sites we use because anyone can post information on the Internet. Thus information may be erroneous, misleading or hurtful.
• To keep my students safe while surfing-

1. Prompt them to use specific, predetermined sites
2. Have them review Internet safety sites and play the games
3. Have them and their parents sign a contract as to safe Internet practices.

Google Sites Reflection

1. The benefit of a Google Site is that it engages students outside of the classroom. It allows them to have access to course materials and information via the Internet. It communicates with them in a way that echoes much of current student activity.

2. One drawback could be lack of access for students who do not have the Internet at home. Some students may not be used to the idea or may prefer to communicate with me in a different way. I cannot become comfortable with most students engaging in the process if that means I am ignoring those who do not.

3. I plan to try using a course website for one of the classes I will teach this fall as an adjunct instructor here at UVU. I decided to start with just one to see how it works and how students react. I am even considering having the students add to a class wiki to help define key terms and discuss artists and artistic movements. This strikes me as somewhat frightening, turning over the reins, but I am hopeful that the students will respond well.

My Beliefs

In an art classroom I would separate assignments clearly into ones that will require the use of new technologies in the actual production while others will need to be completed completely by hand. Of course the internet would likely be the most common source for researching visual source material and investigating the most current contemporary art trends.

Lessons Learned

The articles and videos have provided an insight into just how incorporated technology is in the lives of our students. We need to accept that not only is their world different than ours but that it is in a constant state of flux.

I most enjoyed the concept from The New WWW, that states that we must engage the students directly in "experiences that are real, rich and relevant." We also need to stress "action and creativity" over "consumption".

Strengths and Weeknesses

Though I tend to be technoresistant as an artist, I am willing to accept that I need to use the newest tools in order to prepare my students for the future.

One reason I am drawn to creating unique pieces of art is that they can only truly live in real space and real time for the viewer, in contrast to most of our new visual experiences which are digital, flat and remote.

Online are many tutorials which can help me develop web design and graphic art skills in order to guide my students in an ever changing arts landscape.

I do have a general knowledge of using a PC, but have resisted digital art for some time. My strength lies in my willingness to incorporate it into my curriculum despite my personal philosophies and ignorance.