The questions attached to the video were very rudimentary fill-in-the-blank questions with the exception of the last prompt which was an open-ended question.
This lesson was a fantastic use of the TED Ed technology. There had to be almost a hundred different pieces of art work in the video to support the ideas of the narrator. You simply can't achieve that using a slide projector or teaching from an art history text.
The "flipped classroom" idea is a brilliant way to educate students on visual art. The dynamic animations coupled with the ability to showcase images of many different artistic works with ease is highly appealing to me. I always felt that an art classroom should never delve into text based lessons - save that for English and Science! In my opinion, the flipped classroom seems like a fun, stimulating way to teach children while embracing the convenience and functionality of technology.
A major limitation would be that the student might have questions during the video that an educator would not be able to address directly. A student could, of course, write the question down to ask in class but it would take a certain level of motivation to do such a thing. Another limitation would be purely technological - less tech savvy students or those without stable access to the internet might find it difficult to fulfill the requirements of a flipped classroom. That being said, these issues are likely rare nowadays.
Personally, I relish the idea of using a flipped classroom. As an art teacher, a lot of my assignments would be tactile. However, for those times in which I want to give an overview on a specific method of art making or perhaps the history of a style or artist, I would be very comfortable using a video-based lesson.
Bianca,
ReplyDeleteAs a mathematics educator, I find art education truly fascinating, so thank you for opening me up to your field. Your comment about how one limitation of a flipped classroom might be that a student with a question might not bother asking, or simply may forget after the video clip is over is an insightful comment. If a student is not motivated to write it down, I definitely would feel that that is a lost "teachable" moment. Do you have any solutions to such a problem?
Also, the Dig Deeper section on the TedEd page had some interesting links. Learning about aniconism, iconography, and anthropomorphism was something that intrigued me. Although I know you wrote above that you feel that an art class shouldn't be text-based, in this sense, I feel that perhaps the art classroom can include vocabulary or texts such as the ones linked in this section, to further enhance the student's understanding of the art being studied.
Ms. Lejtman,
DeleteThanks so much for your reply. As far as taking advantage of a "teachable" moment is concerned, one solution to this problem might be to assign students to write a list of questions that can be discussed in class. Conversely, in keeping with the idea of keeping technology front-and-center, you could have the students submit the questions via email or as an optional addition to the "dig deeper" section.
In my opinion there is definitely a need to reinforce certain vocabulary and "buzzwords" in an art classroom. These words are essential for identifying pieces, understanding the meaning of the work and stylistic choices, and for critiquing. I feel the most valuable way to instill the meaning of these words is by associating them with images directly, versus a simple definition. From my own experience, I certainly held onto words and their meanings easier when I was shown an example versus provided a textbook definition. All that being said, there is certainly a place for note taking and reviewing text in the art classroom.
I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment about how a more efficient use of class time in art is for the students to be engaged with creating art! But, with that said, students still need to develop an understanding of content and technique. Modeling and encouraging your students to use the video-lessons in a flipped classroom context would certainly work to your benefit!
ReplyDeleteYou presented some really interesting insights in your post--especially with regard to students who may not have access to technology at home. How do you think you could accommodate these students?
Hi Professor,
DeleteThank you for your reply. The issue of accomodating students who lack access to the internet at home, while in all likelihood rare nowadays, should definitely be considered when moving forward with a flipped classroom model. Thankfully, most school facilities do have a computer lab or a library with computer access available for students to use when class is not in session. In this case, I would advise the student set aside an extra fifteen or however many minutes is applicable after school so that he or she might utilize the computers provided at the school. Naturally, I would accompany the student and address any questions he or she has directly. I feel as though extra time should be devoted to the student who is limited in his or her access to current technology as the student might be at a slight disadvantage compared to his or her peers.
Great response, Bianca. I don't think teachers should remove technology from their teaching just because students may have limited access. If anything, those students need more exposure!
DeleteBianca,
ReplyDeleteGreat post on the use of technology to get students interested in art. I feel the same can be done with history, as some educators do rely too much on text, rather than allowing students to experience the raw emotion that can come from a picture, painting, drawing, etc. Art (and history) has all the aspects of our students favorite TV shows (betrayal, romance, violence, beauty), but sometimes we forget that students are not at our level of understanding of a subject matter.
Any other suggestions on how art (and history) can be shown to students in order to break the convention of boring, or old?
Thanks!
"You simply can't achieve that using a slide projector or teaching from an art history text." Definitely agreed! You really can't appreciate art with low quality viewing. I like that you mentioned less tech savvy students. Even in our increasingly tech savvy world, there will always be some who have a little bit of struggle in this area. I'm 29 and my parents think I'm a computer genius - but I'm far from it and can be pretty bad with technology. Again tho, like others posted here and you yourself posted, it probably won't be a HUGE issue. I appreciate the fact you pointed it out!
ReplyDelete