Extended Digital text

I went through the process of creating two video demos which I had never done before.  The most interesting to me was the screenshot.  It was really cool to see how I could record what I did on my screen and share it with others.  The easiest way to do it is through this website  http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/.  For the most part I think these methods of creating instruction were pretty fool proof.  Figuring out how to get the screen cast uploaded was a little tricky because I didn't have a YouTube channel.  I had to create one and then connect it to screen cast.  I can see this being a little tricky for students as well since you have to download the program first.  Once you have those things figured out it's really easy.  The regular video was pretty straight forward.  These things could be beneficial for students to watch.  It could be on the class blog for them to look at.

I think these little demo videos would be a great thing for students to create because when you teach something it reinforces it in your brain.  You have to know it to teach it.  Then they can share them with the other students in the class.

They could also create visual narrative art videos using the both the screen cast and normal video method.  They could make little animations on the screen and narrate it with their own voices.

There are many possibilities with video recording.  They could make 6 second videos (kind of like vine videos that are really popular right now) about an issue in art to share with the class.  It could be funny or serious.  I can see students putting a lot of personality into these.  They could record whatever they wanted as long as it was applicable to the topic and made sense.

I would help them by providing links and instructions on how to do the screen cast since it is a little tricky if you haven't done it before.  We could go through the process in class.  As far as the video it might be a good idea to create a little video in class to get their minds going  and help them feel more comfortable about doing it on their own.

I imagine that evaluation would mostly be based on participation and completion of the assignment, but a rubric with specific criteria would be helpful.  As long as they met the requirements them they would get credit for the assignment.

Here are my examples of the videos I created.

Screenshot Picasa Demo

Video Watercolor Demo

Final Blog # 5

I would really like to incorporate literacy into my content area through a variety of mediums in order to reach the most modalities of learning as possible.   For my final project I further explored digital texts.  My natural instinct is to avoid technology, but I think digital literacy can really reach the students.  I'm going to be a little creative in how I incorporate comprehension.  The most obvious think people usually think of is reading comprehension, but with art you are looking at a painting more often than a reading (that could be argued, I know).  I want to teach students how to comprehend and interpret visual texts.  I think the best way to learn is through pictures so I would pair vocabulary terms with pictures to help students understand and remember.  Oral language is very important in critiques.  I might first have students write down what they are thinking to get them started and then have them share.  As far as writing texts, I think it could help students to see an example of good writing in my discipline.  I for one, always benefit from seeing a good example.  The nice thing about art is it is a universal language.  I think it helps with language barriers, but I could definitely think of ways to accommodate these students.  I would be sure to check with them individually after class instruction has been given.  Digital technologies can be incorporated through Photoshop, illustrator, indesign, ect.  There are lots of art mediums based on technology.  I want my students to see lots of examples of art history.  I would incorporate these texts (visuals and writing)  into my lesson plans.  Overall I think this class can relate to my discipline in many ways.

Digital Literacy

I tracked the digital devices I used all last week .  Keep in mind last week I was on vacation so it wasn't typical- for example I only looked at a computer screen for about half an hour to book a hotel.  This was super refreshing because during a school week I find lots of reasons to use my lap top.  I use it for things as simple as music.  I've never had an ipod and I can't stand to paint without music so I'm constantly streaming spotify.  But lets get back to last week.  I mostly just used an android.  My boyfriend and I both have one.  I used mine to take instagram pictures to document our trip.  I'll include some in this post cause they were really fun.  I'm sort of against instagram because it makes everyone think they are a photographer, but it is fun and I got sucked in.  I find there is a big art community on there so I post my art as well.  In case you guys are interested you can find me @ jennseeley.  The main purpose for my android use was the GPS.  I'm still not the best navigator, but thank goodness for the GPS because California freeways are impossible to newcomers without them.  I also watched a movie on a laptop we brought so i lied that's a couple hours of being glued to a screen. But I'm happy to say these were the only digital mediums I used last week.  I can see this is the direction the world is going, but I still like the simplicity of not having them sometimes.  I think you enjoy the little things in life more.

As far as online texts I think I use facebook the most (if that counts as a text, but from what I understand the term is very broad).  I just think it's fun I guess.  As I got back to school I searched some educational websites like www.uen.org for lesson plans.  It's awesome how willing teachers are to share.

How am I going to apply this to my students?  Well I tend to post a lot of art on digital formats such as this blog, my instagram, and facebook.  I think it would be cool to have students share their work with the world somehow.  We could have a class blog.  I think students will take more pride in their work if they know they can share it with people.  I've always loved doing art and I think it's important to find inner reasons for it, but sometimes I have felt like I spend all this time on something no one will ever see.  Although there can be other reasons like art therapy I think art is meant to be shared.  We had a good lesson for this today in class.  I found that there are all sorts of art games on pinterest.  Caitlin and I found one where you can create your  own Picasso using famous features he used in his art.  It was a lot of fun and I can see students getting into it.  We also found one on color.  It went through about six colors and had little illustrative clips on the colors meaning.  This would be a great intro to an assignment dealing with color.  It was entertaining and informative.

Connecting Home and School Experiences

I've always been a create little being.  I started when I was very young. I made paper collages with stickers, glue, and pretty much whatever I could get my hands on.  As I got a little older I started making what I called "clay figures", mostly tiny animals made of clay you could bake and harder.  People were always amaze at the intricacy of them.  The list goes on and on, but you get the idea.  When I walk into a craft store like Hobby Lobby or Micheal's I'm flooded with memories of all the things I have tried.  Through this I learned to love creation and this is what my discipline is all about.
Hopefully all the knowledge I have obtained by doing these things will help me to be a better teacher.  I can see myself resorting back to things that I had the best experiences with, but I will try to mix it up and try things that I didn't like for two reasons.  1- To give it a fair shot and hopefully change my own negative perceptions that I could have gotten from previous teachers.  2- Not all my students will be like-minded.  It is up to me to introduce things and let them form their own opinions.

SCED 4200 blog 2: Affective Dimensions of Writing

No, I don't really think of myself as a writer, I never have.  I always had a hard time writing papers as a kid because I have a hard time organizing it.  I had a lot to say, just a loss of the right words and where to put them.  Pictures make sense to me.  I much prefer to express myself through a painting or a photograph than writing.  I love to paint because I can just pick up a brush and do it- no instructions, no limitations, no writing.  My hand coordinates with what my brain wants much more fluently than with writing.

I did do a little writing for fun as a child.  I wrote my own stories.  Most of them were short- if they were long I never finished them.  I also wrote faithfully in my journal for a little while.  It's the only time in my life that I've done that.  Now the format has changed, everything is digital.  I text, instagram, facebook, blog, and write for school.  Free writes are rare now-a-days unless they are correlated to school.

Sometimes I did enjoy writing in school, when there wasn't a harsh structure where I could relax and forget about grammar-things like reflections.  I like the reflections because when i have to write about something long enough, I am always surprised with the thoughts I develop.  Thoughts I don't think would have come to surface otherwise.  As mentioned in class today, writing does help us to collect our thoughts.  I also remember a particular essay that I enjoyed writing.  This being because I got to choose the artist I researched, Picasso.  Learning about this artist was very intriguing and enlightening.

Having had these experiences, I think as a teacher I will have my students write, but I won't put a lot of pressure on them to do it a certain way or in a certain format- those things were always stressful to me.  The most important thing I am looking for is brain stimulation.  I want them to write meaningful things verses the generic bs most students do just to get by.  I also know that most people like options and will try to provide options for my students.

Blog 1: Self Introduction

For those of you who don't know,  I plan on being an art teacher and for one of my classes I am required to do blog posts.  I will be using this blog for that purpose.  For my first blog I get to introduce myself.

Well I'm in my senior year of college here at USU this year and my emphasis is drawing and painting.  I'm fun loving and art is perfect for my personality.  I'm a little ADHD and love adventure, which only helps me as an artist.

I'm an avid volleyball player.  Indoor, outdoor grass, outdoor sand, 2's, 4's, 6's, coed, women's, I love it all.  My favorite type of volleyball is outdoor 4's.  It's a little too crowded with 6's and hard to cover the whole court with 2's, but 4's is amazing.  Little do most people know, outdoor volleyball is much different than indoor- everything from the environment to the rules.  You're never going to have to deal with wind in indoor, but outdoor, knowing how to deal with these environmental changes can make or break the game.

As I said earlier, I love a good adventure.  I went on two week-long trips to Cali and other adventures on most weekends.  I explored caves, fished, hiked the narrows in Zion, Yosemite in Cali, the grand canyon, goblin valley the "Y", and many others which I can not remember the name of.  It all helps me to be a better artist.

Art is not a thing, it's a lifestyle

Angel's Landing in Zion National Park
(these kind of experiences are my biggest artistic inspirations)

I'm sure some would argue that art has little to do with literacy, but I think it does.  Literacy is someone's interpretation and understanding of something.  It takes practice to be able to look at a painting and tell what the artist did and try to interpret why they did it.  I would go as far as saying that many people are irliterate when it comes to the subject.

-Jenny Seeley