Using the pages on PBworks really does cut down on the time and stress involved in a typical collaborative project. The convenience of each member of a group being able to edit a page from the comfort of their own computer is unmatched.... it definitely beats trying to find a day and time that is good for everyone to meet and collaborate. Those days are over!
Wiki's provide full control to all members of the group to analyze information on their own and then post or edit information on the collaborative site. If one person makes a typo, another person can proofread and fix it. One student posts a link to a resource, another person can add two more under the same heading to expand on the topic. The creative and collaborative potential is extensive within the Wiki universe, and just waiting to be utilized by educators and learners alike.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
WeB 2.0
This newfangled idea known as Web 2.0 opens up tons of possibilities for educators on various levels, giving them tools to show students information and open up subjects to new levels of interactivity. For any teacher that has access to a computer with the internet in their classroom, the many Web 2.0 tools create new ways for them to teach, helping to hold students interests for longer than traditional methods.
Out of the 10 tools we discussed and researched in class, the one that stands out to me with possibilities in the art classroom would have to be VoiceThread. This tool would make critiquing and analyzing artworks more interactive, and most students could cooperate on their own time at home. The ability to draw on the screen and comment in real time really makes an online critique come alive!
also, Glogster isn't bad either... :)
Here's a link to my own "glog" I made for class:
http://brandonwd.edu.glogster.com/intro-to-glogster/
Out of the 10 tools we discussed and researched in class, the one that stands out to me with possibilities in the art classroom would have to be VoiceThread. This tool would make critiquing and analyzing artworks more interactive, and most students could cooperate on their own time at home. The ability to draw on the screen and comment in real time really makes an online critique come alive!
also, Glogster isn't bad either... :)
Here's a link to my own "glog" I made for class:
http://brandonwd.edu.glogster.com/intro-to-glogster/
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
The Reliability of an Artistic Reference Database
Our latest assignment was to find and evaluate a website that relates to our selected field of study. I chose ArtNet because of its massive database of artists, art auctions, and gallery listings.
ArtNet has an extensive reference database that is international, and covers artists from the past and the present. Artists are listed alphabetically by their last name and have their birth/death dates and/or their active dates listed as well. On each artist page, the left-hand column lists the results available for the artist in different categories like # of artworks for sale, galleries, events, featured magazines, catalogs, biographies and other links. Some artists obviously have more of these results than others. Edgar Degas for instance has extensive results on his ArtNet page.
ArtNet also features old and new auctions for artworks, but some features require a subscription to the website.
One of the re-occuring problems art teachers face when presenting works to students is content. Many major artworks contain content deemed inappropriate for students, most often nudity. The nude in art is used in various ways, sometimes almost seemingly just to give it a "fine art" effect. This characteristic of fine art has edited what can and cannot be shown to students in a K-12 setting.
After reviewing and evaluating the site, I came to a conclusion of recommending the site with reservations. I feel like teachers can use the site as a guide to what is being bought and sold in the art world today, as well as a reference database for preparing information for lessons on particular artists. It might be interesting for students (as well as teachers) to know what some famous artworks are selling for in today's market.
ArtNet has an extensive reference database that is international, and covers artists from the past and the present. Artists are listed alphabetically by their last name and have their birth/death dates and/or their active dates listed as well. On each artist page, the left-hand column lists the results available for the artist in different categories like # of artworks for sale, galleries, events, featured magazines, catalogs, biographies and other links. Some artists obviously have more of these results than others. Edgar Degas for instance has extensive results on his ArtNet page.
ArtNet also features old and new auctions for artworks, but some features require a subscription to the website.
One of the re-occuring problems art teachers face when presenting works to students is content. Many major artworks contain content deemed inappropriate for students, most often nudity. The nude in art is used in various ways, sometimes almost seemingly just to give it a "fine art" effect. This characteristic of fine art has edited what can and cannot be shown to students in a K-12 setting.
After reviewing and evaluating the site, I came to a conclusion of recommending the site with reservations. I feel like teachers can use the site as a guide to what is being bought and sold in the art world today, as well as a reference database for preparing information for lessons on particular artists. It might be interesting for students (as well as teachers) to know what some famous artworks are selling for in today's market.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Website Evaluation
For anyone seeking to evaluate the credibility of a particular website, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) created this site that gives you some criteria to assess the questionable site on. The "EVALUTECH" site lists topics to look for involving the content and technical aspects of websites, and tells ways you can evaluate it. I recommend this site if you come across a site that might seem too good to be true.
http://www.evalutech.sreb.org/criteria/web.asp
http://www.evalutech.sreb.org/criteria/web.asp
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