Monday, May 11, 2015

Art Technology Integration Pan

My integrated lesson is based off of a lesson plan I designed based on Mandalas. The lesson is geared toward 8th grade students and can be arranged to work for 6th and 7th grade students. It studies the cultural and historical uses of mandalas, such as the representation of wholeness, Navajo Indians and Tibetan monks, as well as current mandala artists like Paul Heussenstamm.  Finally, the lesson studies Photoshop and its digital manipulation tools.

In constructing my integration matrix, the first content-based standard I used, focuses on documenting the early stages of the creative process with traditional or new media. It raises the question of what the purpose of a cultural art if technology is integrated. This serves as an introduction to the topic of digital mandalas. The class begins with a lecture to give students a foundational understanding of mandalas. The teacher will use a PowToon video as a quick introduction to the subject. In pairs, the students then discuss the many forms and uses mandalas have culturally and historically. Students are then asked the question, “Can such a historical and cultural art form be modernized?” Students then formulate answers, ideas, and questions of there own to discuss. This then leads to the introduction of digital mandalas and a group discussion regarding the similarities and differences between mandalas of the Navajo Indians and mandalas of digital artists. The ISTE-S standard of communication and collaboration is reached here because students must discuss their ideas and questions together and formulate answers together. The teacher will use a Smartboard to write down the similarities and difference in a ven diagram within the lecture presentation. Once students have had time to discuss different perspectives, they are then shown a YouTube video on how to create digital mandalas on Photoshop.  To aid in the introduction of Photoshop students are handed a worksheet with vocabulary as well as a step-by-step guide to creating digital mandalas. Students then begin to sketch ideas of what they want their mandalas to look like in their sketchbooks. It is here where the ISTE-S standard of creativity and innovation is used because students have to imagine and design their own original mandala design. Additionally this is where the ISTE-S standard of critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making take place because students must decide the layout, the form, colors and shapes they want to use in their design. By creating 4 or more sketches students must select one of those to create an artwork.

The second row in the matrix focuses on the role of individuals experimenting, innovating, and taking risks to pursue ideas in the process of artmaking. Students will use computers to research images and inspiration to help create their final artwork. Students will create a final sketch to use in the design of their digital mandala. Once students are satisfied with their final drawing students will use digital cameras to take photographs inspired by their research and sketches, whether it be nature, family, or popular culture. Their photographs will be uploaded to the classroom computers. One uploaded the photographs are ready to be used for digital manipulation in Photoshop. From these photographs students will create a digital mandala using Photoshop and its digital manipulation tools.  The ISTE-S standards were reached threefold: Creatively and innovatively designed sketches and photographs to be used in final construction, researched images and inspiration to use, and made formal decisions on what to use in the final construction of their digital mandala.

The third row in my matrix aligns with the row above.  ISTE-S standards creativity and innovation, and critical thinking and problem solving are used. This is where students use the digital tools of Photoshop to revise and produce their final mandalas. Students will ask questions, examine and reflect on, and plan revisions on their mandala in progress. Students will refer to their sketch, inspiration, original photograph, and step-by-step hand out to help them create and finalize their mandala artwork.

The final row’s standard greatly aligned the use of technology in a visual art lesson. The students have now finished their mandalas. The will first print out their final work and fill out a self-assessment to see where they fall on the rubric scale. They will then hand in their finished work to the teacher. The teacher will use Edmodo to create a discussion board and quiz for the students to use. Students will post their final creations on Edmodo to share with each other. Students will critique each other’s artwork on Edmodo by describing, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating what they see on at least 4 classmates artwork. Students will also compare and contrast how technologies have changed the way artwork is preserved, presented, and experienced. Next students will take a quiz on Edmodo showing their ability to recognize terms and definitions, and important information used throughout the lesson: mandalas and their uses, JPEG, browse, network, edit, copy, layer, etc. Two ISTE-S standards were reached: Information fluency and critical thinking. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the tools and many uses of mandalas throughout history. Students also critically think to discuss one another’s artworks.


Using the computer, Internet, Edmodo, Photoshop, PowToon, and Smartboard in my lesson on mandalas has improved upon it greatly. My lesson had already required the use og digital cameras and Photoshop but by adding more and more technological uses to the lesson I think point of the lesson was enhanced. Students will clearly see the way technologies have changed the visual arts. I believe these technologies aid in reaching my content-based standards and the ISTE-S standards.

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