Final Blog Post

While I saw a potential use for all of the technologies we learned in class, there were three in particular that I believe will be very beneficial tools in my future classroom. The Inspiration/Kidspiration project, the Multimedia/Power Point project, and the Google Earth project are all technologies that I plan on using with my students. Even though I'm not sure where in the K-12 spectrum I will end up teaching art, I believe all three of these technologies could be used at any one of those grade levels.

The Inspiration/Kidspiration project will really get students interacting with technology and with each other. When using this technology, I would definitely want to use a SmartBoard with it, so students get the full interactive experience of the technology. For younger children, using Kidspiration will not only help them in becoming more familiar with using technology and computers, but it is also a very visual activity, perfect for an art classroom. For older children, Inspiration would be the better tool. All ages would be engaged in this activity, both physically and mentally, because it is outside of the ordinary learning style students are used to from their other classes. It is a great tool to have students teach each other, and have them visually and physically engaged.

The Multimedia/Power point project would be great for a number of things in the art classroom. Again, it is a very visual technology. However, I will encourage and teach my students to think outside of the box when it comes to power point, for it can become boring very quickly and would not keep students' attention. If used correctly, such as having interactive buttons, sounds, images, etc., Power Point can be an engaging technological tool. Again, students can use PowerPoint as a tool to teach other students, which is the best way of learning. It, too, can be used interactively with the SmartBoard.

Google Earth is yet another technology I am planning to use in my future classroom. This technology however, is more for a class centered around Art History or Architecture, rather than a studio art class (although it still could be used there, too!) Particularly for architecture and art history, students can go on tours of the world and see things and places they wouldn't normally get to see, all without leaving the classroom. Google Earth is a great way to visualize distances and architectural structures in cities throughout the world, rather than just hearing or reading about them in class.

One technology I don't think would be age appropriate for younger kids is the InspireData project. I think this technology is too advanced for younger kids, especially around the kindergarten and first grade age. However, for older, high school kids, this would be yet another effective technological tool in an art classroom. It's interactive and engaging, and it could be used to have students teach other students and give presentations. But, like I said, younger students would have tremendous problems with this technology, and I think it should be reserved for older students.