13/1

Selfie

I have met each of my three learning objectives to a certain extent this semester.  In general and from the beginning of this semester, I wanted to immerse myself in new media and different technologies.  I wanted to experiment with the most common difficulties to each material and learn how to bring different media into the classroom. 

In regards to my first learning objective, I now feel confident enough to use each of the different technologies introduced throughout this course.  I have already used a handful of these technologies outside of class.  I edited a short movie with footage taken from the first Trump protests in iMovie.  I used a scanner to reproduce an old photograph for my digital photography course.  I now work in photoshop and plan to used it independently as an artist.  These are only a few of the examples of different media I have worked with outside of class.  I plan to continue working with these media.

In regards to my second learning objective, I learned about different media through my peers.  I learned about a variety of materials from my partners for various assignments.  Each student provided an alternative perspective to the material and his/ her experience with a given medium.  I learned about movie making from Wei, circuitry from Sophia Di Vitto, laser cutting procedures from Zhenzhen and Dahye, and many other students.    

In regards to my third learning objective, I practiced combining multiple technologies throughout this semester.  Throughout the semester, I combined multiple media together to make many new projects.  I would like to continue this practice. 

All of my learning objectives pertain to the art making aspect of the technologies introduced in class.  I intend to continue with a number of different media as discussed above.  

As an art teacher, I would like to integrate and bring each of these media into the classroom.  Each medium poses a set of different challenges and differs in accessibility.  Students challenged by programming may or may not react well to programs such as scratch or other programming tools.  The cost and affordability of each of these technologies plays a significant role in the classroom as well.  I would love to bring each of these materials into the classroom even though I am still shaky on a couple of them.

13/3

My project touches on circuitry, found materials, and nature.  I wanted to create a scene on a two-dimensional surface and thus found an old Dell computer available to take away on Columbia’s campus.  I took only the monitor since it reminded me of a canvas inside a frame. 

Without really working from my sketch and working spontaneously, I taped down conducive tape and LED lights to the screen.  The conductive tape plays a bigger role in this piece than the LEDs since it outlines the tops of a mountain range.  While I use four extra strips of conductive tape to perform no electrical function, these pieces of tape create the illusion of a continuous mountain range.

I use red, black, yellow, and a number of other colored pieces of thread to represent a natural fire.  Small pieces of conductive tape keep the thread in place since I intend on hanging this piece like a traditional painting or work of art.    

12/1

Documentation of our basic circuit project
Partner, Sophia Di Vitto

12/2

3 connections between "making" and an art-classroom

1. Papert and Solomon introduce the basic ways in which one can direct a robot called Turtle.  These commands can help children develop their own logical thinking.  Turtle follows simple commands made through a computer.  Turtle language might help a child develop his or her computer fluency and mathematics skills.  Students can make and program the Turtle. 

2. Papert and Solomon identify a music box as another potential “device” relevant to a child’s interests.  Students could work on this project in music class and/ or a maker classroom.  Teachers must clearly explain all parts of a music box project since key terms and musical measurements might not make sense to students less engaged in music than others.    

3. Dieter and Lovink recognize the importance of people continuously making things of the future.  Children should learn to make as artists and feel invested in their designs.  In an art-classroom, the teacher should incorporate up-to-date materials and encourage students to “build new things” and “improve the world” (p.1).  Students must be given the tools to participate in the creation of new ideas.