Learning in a Digital Age (3/2)

Photo: TeroVesalainen pixabay.com

Kylie Peppler's article "Arts Learning in a Digital Age" brings up some interesting points about the accessibility of new media to today's youth. Kids seem to be exposed to technology earlier and earlier every year. It's inevitable that we will continue to rely on technology as our digital world keeps advancing, so it's important as art educators that we learn to use this technology as a mode of art making in the classroom.

Peppler provides some examples in her introduction about kids connecting, creating, and learning through online platforms. I loved the example about the Tw1tterBand, a group of people who have never met in person but create music together over the internet. Technology also offers a new way for people to learn from each other with youtube, facebook, and even lynda.com videos. In this way, it also relates to Peppler's argument about technology providing access. Anyone who has access to a phone, iPad, or computer can learn new skills from the internet and create things virtually if they don't have access to an art classroom.

But even in the classroom, one of my personal learning objectives was to learn new ways to effectively incorporate technology into my lesson planning. Some students may not see the creative possibilities inherent in technology, so I would love to gauge their interests and then push them to use technology they've already been using but in even more creative ways.