This article, by Kathleen A. Unrath and Melissa A. Mudd, speaks about the importance of media literacy for the current generation of iKids in school, due to the changing world we live in.
This article was written by Kathleen A. Unrath, an associate professor at the University of Missouri, and Melissa A. Mudd, who also taught at the University of Missouri and is currently working as an artist. I could not find much information about why these two individuals decided to write this article, however, I believe it is in reference to their knowledge and experience with pre-service art education students. As a teacher of art teachers, you must be weary of the current issues in art education, and teach contemporary teaching practices so that the upcoming generation of teachers advance the industry. Based on my experience as an undergrad in art education, and an attendee to multiple NAEA conferences, people are very aware that technology integration in art education is a crucial in this day in age. There are many panels each year that discuss the importance of teaching technology and exposing students to critical visual literacy.
These authors are on the side of art education, and the crucial role it has in today's society. They claim that students are living and learning in the Conceptual Age, and schooling is designed for the world of the past. They cite Howard Gardner and his proposed five types of minds that people would need to develop for the world to come- disciplined, synthesizing, creating, respectful, and ethical. The authors believe that all of these minds are developed through the arts. They reference Daniel Pink, who believes this new society is one of creators and empathizers, of pattern recognizers and meaning makers. Contrary to these beliefs, the current schooling system lacks the correct infrastructure to cater to these new ideologies and practices.
Marc Prensky coined the term, "iKid," one that refers to the current generation who withhold the following traits: technology driven, alternatively literate and increasingly multimodal, media creators as well as participants, synectic multi-taskers, connected yet disconnected global citizens, and in need of alternatives to traditional classroom instruction from a highstakes testing environment. These students are using technologies with "dazzling facility, and for a wide variety of purposes: social networking, information seeking, sharing, fun, commerce, self-expression, peer teaching, self-directed learning, and social action."
What really resonated with me is the importance of meaning-making in education. I believe that students will not thrive without making personal connections to the information at hand, and the opportunity to make meaning of this information. The assignments must capitalize on their unique abilities as well. The text says that one of the most important skills students need to develop is the ability to synthesize this apparent inundation of information and imagery in a meaningful way to be empowered. Yes! I feel strongly that art education does promote divergent thinking and problem solving, but so do many other subjects. What makes art so beautiful is the opportunity to combine many apparently unrelated knowledge nuggets from a variety of disciplines together, to produce a new and richer whole.
I have done a lot of agreeing with this article, however, that's because the article is correct in all of its big ideas. It never really gives any concrete examples on how to promote meaning-making in this conceptual age. It also doesn't speak to what technological tools are most successful in a classroom full of iKids. Based on our class thus far, I would suggest highlighting what students are already doing- creating videos, compiling and editing images etc, in critical response to the media saturated environment we live in.
These authors are on the side of art education, and the crucial role it has in today's society. They claim that students are living and learning in the Conceptual Age, and schooling is designed for the world of the past. They cite Howard Gardner and his proposed five types of minds that people would need to develop for the world to come- disciplined, synthesizing, creating, respectful, and ethical. The authors believe that all of these minds are developed through the arts. They reference Daniel Pink, who believes this new society is one of creators and empathizers, of pattern recognizers and meaning makers. Contrary to these beliefs, the current schooling system lacks the correct infrastructure to cater to these new ideologies and practices.
Marc Prensky coined the term, "iKid," one that refers to the current generation who withhold the following traits: technology driven, alternatively literate and increasingly multimodal, media creators as well as participants, synectic multi-taskers, connected yet disconnected global citizens, and in need of alternatives to traditional classroom instruction from a highstakes testing environment. These students are using technologies with "dazzling facility, and for a wide variety of purposes: social networking, information seeking, sharing, fun, commerce, self-expression, peer teaching, self-directed learning, and social action."
What really resonated with me is the importance of meaning-making in education. I believe that students will not thrive without making personal connections to the information at hand, and the opportunity to make meaning of this information. The assignments must capitalize on their unique abilities as well. The text says that one of the most important skills students need to develop is the ability to synthesize this apparent inundation of information and imagery in a meaningful way to be empowered. Yes! I feel strongly that art education does promote divergent thinking and problem solving, but so do many other subjects. What makes art so beautiful is the opportunity to combine many apparently unrelated knowledge nuggets from a variety of disciplines together, to produce a new and richer whole.
I have done a lot of agreeing with this article, however, that's because the article is correct in all of its big ideas. It never really gives any concrete examples on how to promote meaning-making in this conceptual age. It also doesn't speak to what technological tools are most successful in a classroom full of iKids. Based on our class thus far, I would suggest highlighting what students are already doing- creating videos, compiling and editing images etc, in critical response to the media saturated environment we live in.