Following is an outline of a talk I gave this past weekend at a retreat for art supervisors from around the U.S. that was sponsored by Davis Publications and hosted by the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence. Special thanks to Paul Sproll from the RISD Art + Design Education Department for serving as such a gracious host.
Web 2.0 is a term being used [and debated] a lot lately to describe the Web’s transition from a collection of static Web sites to a more dynamic, interactive, and sharing environment.
What is the Web 2.0?
- Read/Write Web — users can easily consume and create content
- Network as Platform — Offers users application tools through their Web browsers
- User-generated Content — users contribute and “own” the data on a site
- Social Networking — connecting people, ideas, and resources together
- More multi-media content (like animation and streaming video)
- Interactive, user-friendly interface (powered by Ajax)
Blogs, Podcasts, Social Bookmarking & Wikis
A blog is a frequently updated, personal or group website featuring news items, commentary, and/or personal anecdotes.
Examples: TAB, Carrot Revolution, SchoolArts
A podcast is usually a radio-style program with regular episodes broadcast over the Internet [there are also enhanced podcasts that include pictures and vodcasts that use video]
Examples: SAAM Podcasts, Watts Towers, iTunes
Social bookmarking is a Web-based service, where shared lists of user-created Internet bookmarks are displayed.
Example: Delicious
A Wiki is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using their Web browser.
Examples: Wikipedia, Wikispaces.com
What’s it all mean?
The best discussion I found concerning the implications of the Web 2.0 comes from Danah Boyd, a Social Media Researcher @ Yahoo!:
The Web 2.0 is about making global information available to local social contexts and giving people the flexibility to organize, create, and share information in a locally meaningful fashion that is globally accessible.
Another term being tossed around to describe the shift that’s occurring on the Web is GLOCALIZATION.
How can we use these new tools and capabilities of the Web to improve and transform art education?
Art teachers and students can easily:
- connect to people, resources, and ideas
- collaborate locally and globally with colleagues, experts, and peers
- create and contribute their own content to the Web
What’s wrong with this picture?
Our system of education is locked in a time capsule. You want to say to the people in charge, “You’re not using today’s tools! Wake up!”
Now for the tips:
Tip 1: Develop a technology plan with specific targets or top priorities.
- District technology plan?
- School improvement goals?
- Teachers’ personal technology goals?
- Technology grants?
Tip 2: Set reasonable goals.
- Take little bites!
Tip 3: Collaborate! Develop a district technology team. Include:
- Other Teachers?
- Students?
- Parents?
- Administrator?
- Tech Specialist?
Tip 4: Try something new, something old.
- Go High Tech—High Touch!
- Use local and global resources
- Use digital and conventional media
Tip 5: Use free (or almost free) software.
Tip 6: Provide teachers with professional development
- Conference workshops
- Specialized district workshops
Tip 7: Provide teachers with tech support.
Tip 8: Stick with the (art) program.
- Link plans to state and district learning standards for art
- What new capabilities are available?
Tip 9: Remember that this is going to take time.
- Time to set up and learn how to use new technology
- Time to try new approaches to integrating technology in the classroom
- Time for teachers to reflect on use and impact
- Develop a 5-year plan.
Tip 10: Enjoy the ride!
Very good! I will print this out and see if I can make use of this. I was just at a seminar in Helsinki for art teachers and we had a guest speaker, Fullbright Scholar Karen Keifer-Boyd from Penn State U. who spoke about just these things, especially virtual learning communities in art education. You can find her url with vast amounts of information at my blog: http://artedmanifest.blogspot.com . Welcome!