Entry #9
April 13, 2020
#educatinggooddigitalcitizens
One of the requirements for a degree in Art Education is EDUC 331 which is Education and technology. One of my first reactions when realizing I had to take this was extreme anxiety. I didn’t care for implementing technology in the classroom at all before this. The thing is, there is more to teaching about technology in the classroom than just introducing cool electronics and gadgets.
One of the first thing lessons that helped me turn that switch from complete disinterest to genuinely wanting to know more, was the concept of digital citizenship in the classroom, and how we create a culture of good citizens and stewards in a digital era. Not only is information easily accessible online now, so is art. With access to Google images, Pinterest, and Instagram, I find it harder than ever to find untainted inspiration. Information and art are so readily accessible, it’s difficult to develop a project or idea that doesn’t have some element or component of something else that we build on. However, by building a culture of good digital citizenship regardless of the subject we teach, we should teach our students to always give credit where credit is due. Include artist’s names and ideas when relevant in the ideation process or even in artist’s statements. A large part of what has involved in this also includes that way I see my art making process and how I teach it. Ideation and planning for me in the past were practically nonexistent. I wanted to create something, and I would do it, not thinking much through in the process. A huge component of every project I’ve created in every studio class has been research and ideation, which involves, unavoidably, searching the internet for ideas and processes. There is nothing wrong with finding inspiration online, as long as we teach our students to be accountable for documenting how they come up with their ideas. Being good stewards of their digital footprint can also lead to venturing into skills they want to develop that might not be a part of the classroom curriculum, but will also keep us as teachers up to date with new ideas and artistic concepts we might not be familiar with.
This leads to another concept that opened new doors while learning about implementing technology in the classroom is the idea of a globalized society and how to make that a part of our classroom culture as well. We live in a rapidly changing global community. More and more, the demographics in our neighborhoods are changing, the languages we hear while out in public more diverse, and the genetic fabric of the ideas many had as a nation are a part of our reality. While to many (including myself) this is what makes the world beautiful, the changes and variety in culture, traditions, practices and languages, there are many that don’t see it this way and refuse to change with the times. Part of our responsibility of teaching digital citizenship to our students, I believe, also includes helping them embrace the global community through opening windows into the world from our classroom. Through social platforms it is easier to engage and establish partnerships with teachers, classrooms, and artists from all over the world to help give our students insight of what the world is like beyond our own backyard, and so as our communities continue to change be more than tolerant, but welcoming, compassionate and accepting of those changes.
I reiterate in every reflection how transformative my journey has been, in every class I take, every experience and new technique I learn and practice implementing, I am transforming and growing as a human, mother, artist and teacher. It feels strange to be doing this at twice the age of most of my classmates, it has been a challenge but also a blessing and an adventure I continue to embrace and evolve.
