Technology Integration Plan

     The matrix that I compose that will allow me to construct an effective lesson plan for my students to learn about photography. My core concentration in the art education program photography and I want to be able to share my knowledge with my students. The lesson plan is broken down by six categories which is to identify, understand, analyze, create, communicate, and produce. Each of the categories that I mentioned in the previous statements are attached with a standard. The matrix has a row designated for standards, strategies, and technologies. I will explain how to integrate technologies into my lesson plan for photography.

    In the first row of the matrix, I want my students to be able to identify a photograph. One of the standards state that they will use digital tools in order to enhance creativity as well as to construct the knowledge. One of the strategies that I can use to help my students develop the skill to identify the photograph is to use a video presentation. A video presentation will provide a visual representation for students to see the process of how photographers compose a picture. Looking into the process of photographers will help students develop a sense of style as well as creativity. I want to inspire my students to take pictures of the world. Art is all around us, and a camera will allow us to capture the moment in time. While they are watching the video I will encourage my students to take notes of what they see in the video. It is always good to refer to notes when you want to clarify a new concept. Concept mapping with assist the students create ideas, as well as peer critiquing. The technologies that will accompany the standards are pen, paper, smart board (for visual aid), computers (for research), camera, and internet.  

     The second row is for understanding the aesthetics of photography. The strategies accompanied with the previous statement is to demonstrate, and provide a visual presentation. I will have a camera out to show the students how to hold it. I believe that students should have a knowledge not only of the technical material directly related to their own work of the moment, but they should also have a knowledge of the technical material based on other concerns than their own. The smart board will be used to show the pictures taken on the camera to the class.

    The third row is the meant for students to analyze the qualities of a given photo. Now the major strategy that I will use is to have small groups. I want my students to work together so that they can bounce ideas off each other. They will use a pen, pencil and paper to sketch out ideas. I want my students to record the conversation that they are having together. They must in fact listen to each others opinions to come to a conclusion of what makes a good photograph versus a bad photograph.

    The fourth row students will be able to take photos that convey a message or tell a story. In this lesson, I want my students to compose a storyboard. The students must be creative, so they will have to look into their notes and pull out some ideas. I will give them an assignment that will encourage them to create several images they relate to each other. The purpose of the assignment is to have them create a story using just photographs. They will need a pen, pencil, paper, internet, and computer to complete the task.

    The fifth row students will value photography as an essential part of the newspaper/magazine and develop an understanding of photo journalism. Students will get up in front of class and present their storyboard, which would be an oral presentation. The six row students will be able to take photos that demonstrate their understanding of aesthetics. In other words they will know how to produce original work. The strategies that will assist the students would be discussions, peer critique, and brain storming.

       This project is important because it helps the teacher create a graphic organizer that will help build the bridge between standards and integrating technologies. I love photography and when I started I taught my self the basics before I started to take pictures. Photography is not about just clicking a button, you must compose the shot (image) then capture the moment. I was able to construct my ideas by using this matrix model.  

Matrix

Using a Slideshows in the Classroom for Photography

I plan to use a smart board to display a power point from the unit. The unit is will require the students to see the picture. For example if the topic is about Nature and how take Landscape pictures then I will need to show examples. Power points are particularly helpful when used in the classroom as it can attract the learner and make learning interactive. When using power points set to music you can time your slide transitions. Power points also support the use of animations, and you can animate objects in power points or insert movie clips to make your presentations interesting. This can prove to be useful when you are helping the students study. Using power point will allow me to show the difference between a picture using the rule of thirds and a picture that does not. Students should also have a thorough knowledge of the history of photography, for this knowledge provides for a richer experience in the use of materials and in the making of aesthetic judgments. By understanding the past, we can more fully explore in the present. Some high school students may know about some common famous artist; They have certainly heard the names of most of the photographers, but for the most part, lack any in-depth feeling for and real knowledge of their work. With many students it is almost impossible to carry on a conversation about photography in which one refers to examples of past work. The slide show is meant to provide a visual bridge. 

Tv Project

Since I want my students to be familiar with a camera I will have them produce a video. The video will be about the lesson in class and make a TV commercial or short clip. This will require to develop a storyboard for the assignment which meets the visual arts standards. I want my students to create a three minute video every two week. Maybe by the end of the year they will take this project further actually develop a television series. At the end of the year they will have to present the television series to the class and try to sell it to the network. I plan to take the videos produced by the students and show it to the parents. This is a way to promote art education in school. I will have the music class collaborate and they can provide movie score instrumental for a video with no sound.

Advocating for Art with Technology

    Recently, in one of my Art program classes, a student came to me very sadly relating how much he felt cheated by the lack of art instruction he had received in his elementary school. When he was in elementary school she had very much wanted to learn to draw. I understood where the student was coming from because when I was in art class, I did not receive much guidance. I am a self taught artist and I learned a lot of skills that I in turn teach to others. Art may be difficult to teach but if we provide a time for students to sketch out ideas, we can help them process that design into something concrete.

    An idea that can help promote art in schools and outside of school is using Flickr. Flickr is a site that promotes images around the world. Flickr is like you tube but only for pictures. Teachers can scan the work of the students and post in on Flickr account which can be the name of the school. You can organize this pictures by putting them in a set by year. Students can come back years later and look at their progress. 

http://www.flickr.com/

Unit Plan Canvas Remix

The subject area that I collaborated with helped developed a future lesson plan for my class. The unit canvas that I remixed focused on the how music can change your emotions. Listening to music can make you feel a certain way. If you listen to smooth jazz, it will will without a doubt cause a person to feel relaxed. Now in relation to the previous statement, colors can in fact do the same thing visually. Linking colors to music is great way to diversify education. Mixing subject areas will allow students grasp the meaning of knowledge. During the process of the creating the remix I had to find some videos that related to both content areas. I found a video on teaching the primary color using music. The artists who composed the song go by the name Ok-go. They are a popular band, and they can reach out to the younger generation. Ok-go is known for making creative and catchy music. The next video that I linked to the canvas was called "Hearing colors and seeing sound," and that video was meant to build a bridge on why music and art correlate with each other. 


Remixed Canvas

Finding a purpose for Technology within the classroom

Integrating technology into classroom instruction means more than teaching basic computer skills and software programs in a separate computer class. It must support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and situations that connect to the “Real world”. Proficient technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is routine and transparent and when technology supports curricular goals. Now how I relate technology to art is on another scale. I want my students to visually see what I am explaining. I show them examples by demonstrating my work. Having students photograph their artwork and create digital portfolios can be something a lot of kids are interested in. Teach your students to use digital cameras, though they already know how, but they can learn to photograph their artwork after it is finished, matted and labeled. This allows students to retain a digital portfolio, allows faster publishing to their online art gallery, and gives you a digital database of the lessons you teach. That's just an idea for future lesson plans.

The image below is a photograph that I took for my portfolio:

Unit Plan Canvas

This board will act as a guide to help create a story board. Have you ever wanted to tell a story through pictures? On this board you will see pictures that convey a story. I will create a story using the concept of "Toy Story." The purpose of the lesson plan is to show students how to convey a story using just images. This is important because it deals with real life situations outside the classrooms. In relations to the previous statement, we see logos in advertisements, traffic symbols, and other types of images that convey a story or message. I want my students to be able to identify with the image on a critical thinking level. In order to achieve my goal for the lesson, I want my student to create a series of images that related to each other. They will tell a story with no words or captions. Now my students will have no choice to think outside of the box. Art is about being open minded and letting your creativity run wild. 
Using the website was intimidating at first, but after using it I realized it is a great tool to use in the classrooms. It makes the lessons fun and interactive. My only concerns with the website is that it is slow. The site seems fairly new, but it still needs minor adjustments. I do plan to use this in the near future. 

Story Telling Through Photography

Monitoring the Success of a Student

    I feel that technology needs to be integrated into education the same way that it is integrated in the students' lives. By integrating technology in education, we will enable our children to collaborate. There are many technology tools that allow children to connect with others. They can use these tools to work with others within their class or school. Connecting with other classes outside their schools will allow students to explore other cultures, widen their audience and learn from a different point of view.
    An idea to help integrate this process would be to have a laptop for each student. The laptops will remain at the school designated to a specific student for a school year. The grand idea is that the laptops would be able to be linked to my the master computer and I would be able to screen share. Screen share will allow my screen to show up on their laptop share. The students will be able to follow along with the lesson up close rather that be position to look at a board. Each student will have an equal view. The purpose of this process would be to monitor what students look at while doing an in class assignment. I can see where they are struggling. Monitoring the students screen will allow me to know if they are on task.  

Teaching arts in the classroom

    Teaching arts in the classroom is not about the grading its more about the process of thinking outside of the box. As teachers we want our students to think critical and visually analyze a image. In terms of grading we must monitor a teachers process as well as test the students knowledge on historical references to the project. Art is a difficult subject to define for number of reason but it does serve a purpose to help the students develop. The three major areas to focus on are sketch book drawing time, large group time, and art projects.

    As art educators we want to develop a teaching technique that will get the students engaged. The students should feel confident to go beyond their expectations. Implementing art activities will start by having the student sit down to work on their sketch books. Teachers at the beginning of the class should give time at the beginning of the class to work on their sketch books because it acts as an exercise. The purpose of the sketch book time is to experiment with different drawing materials. As a result students will try new ideas and techniques. Mix medium is a great way to promote diversity within a persons art work. The next stage would be to move students into a large group. The purpose of working in a large group is so that the students can bounce ideas off each other. Learning from on another will help boost interest. As they work together I would walk around and mediate their progress and discussions. The final stage would be to create an art project. The main objective for the art project is for the students to use the all knowledge from the lesson, sketch book time, and group discuss. Composing an art piece requires the student to work at home and think of ideas. Turning your ideas into a reality is truly an amazing experience.

   In conclusion, the sketch books will allow the students to develop and create conceptual designs. Large group discussions will allow students to compare and contrast their work with others. The art projects will promote the freedom of creativity. 

Technology & Pedagogy

     I choose this lesson plan because photography is a popular medium for students to take part in. Students have cameras on their phone take pictures of everything. This lesson is designed to help the students understand the basics of photography and develop a story. They say “A picture is worth a thousand words,” well in this case that means that each picture has a story to tell. My goal is to have students take a pictures and be able critically think about their image of chose.

    The curriculum goals, teaching strategies, and technologies used were aligned. After I broken down the lesson plan, I was able to put the goals in the appropriate locations. Vocabulary was the main lesson because I want the students to apply it when we discuss it in class. Asking the students questions with allow me to mediate their discussions. As a result students will able to analyze the qualities of a given photo.

    The technology listed is meant to support the instructional strategies. Photography is visual and I have to accommodate that using technologies such as a smart board or projector. In the first class I would have the students watch a video on Youtube. The video will show students different types of photography such as portraits, landscape, photojournalism, and etc. I want to make lessons diverse so that the student can choose which style they want to follow. The strategies for the goals would be the smart board to show a power point or video for visual representation. Each technology will help the students understand the concept of photography.

URL: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsmuWRDVohIYdHhScEZmYW5mY3RaQWxkVHM5Rk1IVXc&usp=drive_web#gid=0

Power Point Game Show

Since a majority of schools have smart boards integrated in the classrooms creating a power point game show will be a simple task. At the end of every chapter I would want to have a game show power point. The purpose of the game show is to get the students motivated to play a game and learn in the process. When I was in elementary I would always have to read a chapter then answer questions at the end, which was ultimately boring. In relation to my previous statement, if there was a type of fun exercise at the end of the chapter I would have retained more information intrinsically. I want my students to want to read a chapter or articles that I give out in class about photography. The review games would be shows similar to jeopardy, and the weakest link. Depending on the grade level, I would use photograph vocabulary cards to help any ESL or special needs student understand clearly. I want all my students to be on the same level of understanding. A visual presentation will help a large majority of my audience. When I talk about the history of photography, I will zoom up on a image and have the students work together to try to figure out the object or person. The goal for the game show is to have the students actively engaged in the exercise. What will end up happening is the students will want to read the chapters carefully and search for important information. The entire class will be treated as one big team, so that they all win together. Teamwork is a major element that I want my students to take with them outside the classroom. After the game, I will assign the students to create a digital story board about what they read in class. Developing a story requires creativity which I encourage my students to strive for. In regards to my previous statement, this will allow my students to experiment with new ideas.

Digital Photography: Tablets vs Dslr (digital single lens reflect) cameras

I believe tablets are slowing removing desktops in certain schools. In the urban school districts they are behind when it comes to updating computers based on the schools budget. Usually the academy schools that I substitute at have newer computers. Never the less tablets are becoming more affordable and popular. I own a tablet because it allows me to view my emails and pictures. The screen on my tablet is much bigger than my cellphone. In addition you can take pictures on the tablet as well. The picture quality is not the best, but the purpose of taking a picture is to capture the moment.


Tablets and I-pads have influenced photography in a major way because people love taking pictures and making videos. Pictures have always big a popular element to the world. An app called Instagram has been a major player is a technology world. Its a software that you can download on a tablet, I-pad, or phone. The purpose of the software is to take pictures and show it to the people who follow your account. Its a cool app because its simple and fun to use. You can add all this cool filters to your photos as well as make it black and white. People are really into taking pictures and its great for my content area because my students will come into my class with prior knowledge of digital photography.

I have always been a “technologically wiz kid.” I love learning about new technologies or software’s. There was a time when I did not know how to use a computer and my mother had to show me the ropes. I had trouble typing and at the time spell check was not invented yet. Over the years I learned how to type and eventually worked my way up in exploring the internet. Now I am able to help other people understand the computer world. Everyday computers change and so do humans.

I found that there are some advantages when owning a tablet. The number one reason it is light and works like a phone (only with a bigger screen). Secondly you are able to have one on one video chats.

The only down side is that a dslr camera gives you more control when taking a picture. Yes a tablet and I-pad has many capabilities but a dslr only focus' on one feature. Most profound pictures have a great depth of field. A depth of field refers to the range of distance that appears acceptably sharp. It varies depending on camera type, aperture and focusing distance.

History of Technology in Photography

History of Technology in Photography

     After watching the video “History of Educational Technology,” I noticed how school settings were designed to tech students how to be obedient. Teachers during the late 1800s did not implement discussions, which would mean students sat through hours of lectures. During the historical time period the chalk board was a key medium for visually demonstrations. Years later the television was created in 1910 by George Klein. My particular content area is photography, so television played a major influential role. As television became more popular among Americans television became integrated within classrooms. Around the year 1930s films were used in classrooms for educational purposes. It took roughly twenty years to have televisions within classrooms and it has proved to be very usefully within school settings. Thirty eight years later, the children television network workshop came into existence. Cartoon programs, such as seasame street created a fun educational process. It essentially became one of the most innovative and effective educational programs for children. Computers in the 1980s used virtual games to spark an interest for the students. According to Donna Howar, “It helps to organize information and extract information from that information...”
       One of the technologies that I believe to have the greatest impact is television. As a photography film and photographs go hand and hand. In relation to my previous statement I can teach my students about photography using clips from a movie or television show. The rules of photography still apply when filming. A major technique for photography is following the rule of thirds. The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have nine parts. You use the rule of thirds for composing your shot (picture). Now on the downside of using television can have a distracting side effect. Most of the time television provides other programs which are non educational, as a result if the student gets bored he or she will simply change the channel. In other words, students don't want to bring school home. According to the book rethinking technology in schools, it explained how progressive era “was a period of reform in the united states between 1890's and the 1920's that emphasized social justice and equality. It was also characterized by the belief that industry and technology could address many social problems.” Technology will always continue to grow because society demands it. Cellphones used to have one major purpose and now they have been integrated with camera capabilities. Digital Photography can now be done via cellphones. I use my camera and cellphone to produce photographs because the purpose is the capture the moment. I will not always have my dslr camera at hand, but my cellphone will provide me with a decent shot. Simple point and shoot digital cameras can give surprising quality when they have the right lenses. Cellphones are automatic in focus and exposure, they just have to be pointed at a subject. They have limited capabilities for controlling the image, although even very inexpensive cameras often have white balance controls. Some are exceptionally compact, are able to fit easily into a shirt pocket, making them ideal cameras to keep at hand.

"Smart Board"

       

Technology has grown so much over the years. A few years ago I notice a new technology that has been integrated in most school districts. Its called a smart board, and it is an interactive whiteboard system. Now the key feature in this technology is the interactive feature. As teachers part of goals is to have students engaged in class. Students want to be able to focus on thing creative, such as video games. Video games are not a waste of time, because if you develop a cool concept and introduce some fun characters; it will be possible to entertain a general audience. My first interaction with the smart board was when I went to substitute for a teacher and one of the lessons required the smart board. I am tech person, so figuring out how to operate the system was not an issue.
      I would use this technology to show my students how to compose a image within their camera before they click on the shutter button. I am a digital photographer, so most of the lessons will be taught on a computer screen. Most people in the world own a cell phone and each phone has camera. You don’t need a high end camera to take beautiful pictures. My goal is to teach students three key factors: composition, lighting, and technique. In relation to my previous statement, I would then show my students example of the difference between a good image and a bad image. Composition is essentially the placement or arrangement of visual elements. Lighting allows use to control the exposure of a subject. Technique is knowing the capabilities of camera and using it to your advantage. In other words if you want to take pictures of a race car event, you want to freeze the subject (car) but add a little blur to the surrounding area around the car. Also the key to make sure the subject is in focus. The benefits to the smart board is that I can show them clips of a race car event and have them focus their camera on the whiteboard.

       The smart board costs about $6,295.00. That is an expensive hardware that will come from the schools budget. Most schools already have a smart board, so I would not have to make a personal investment. If I were to convince the school to purchase a smart board I would explain the interactive elements. If we want students to excel academically, then we must adapt to the technology around us. It is important for us to use technology because it is another form of communication.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U05WeXPGlk

Technology Autobiography

       The three most influential communications technologies in my life up to this point have to be my laptop, video game systems, and my cell phone. I use my laptop for so many situations such as graphic designing, editing photographs and promoting my business. There is not one day when I didn't turn on my laptop to check my emails. The laptop is a mobile technology that links me to the world. I am able to reach out to my clients all over the world, which is a plus for my business. As a graphic designer I use Photoshop to compose digital images for my clients. YouTube has taught me a lot tricks and secrets when it comes to developing a dynamic design. When I am not designing on Photoshop  I am taking pictures. Given that I am also a digital photographer I rely on my laptop to store my unedited images on the computer. In post production I use a software called Adobe Light room to edit my pictures and give each photo the correct exposure.
     Video game systems (consoles) have been a major influence on my life because it used them to reduce stress. Most children play video games because it is with out a doubt fun. Being in school most of the day was stressing at times and the last thing on my was doing homework. As soon as I got home from school I turned on my play-station one. When I play games I usually zone out and indulge myself within a fantasy within the screen of the television. When video games first came out, no one thought it would come so far. If we can incorporate video games within the lesson plan, I believe we will be able to communicate with students on a new spectrum. Video games stimulate interest and can reduce stress levels.
      The third most influential technology that I possess is my cell phone. I can not image a world with out cell phones. Cell phones are a means of communication and you can call anyone around the world. Without communication then chaos is usually the outcome. In relation to my previous statement, when people do not communicate it causes a state of confusion, which eventually leads to chaotic situations. I did not have internet on my phone for many years, but when I did it changed my life. I was able to open emails from clients without the use of my laptop. If I were to get lost, I can always rely on my phone to search for the target destination. My cell phone has truly played a major role in my life. I learned how to navigate through social media such as twitter.
      Negative aspects of these three technologies is how lost I would be if I did not have them to balance my day. Most of my work revolves around my laptop. I would not be able to develop or produce work for my clients. In relation to my digital photography, I would have no where to process my photographs. Not having a video game system wouldn't be such a big deal, but when I want to relax I would be at a lost.
      After watching the video, “Learning to change, changing to learn,” I learn that most of the students have a deep passion for their technological influence. One student mentioned that it “teaches people to think in another way.” I agree with the previous statement because as the years progress technology is growing in different shapes and size. Humans are adaptive and technology should do the same. Another student said that in “Soccer you can kick a ball and miss, but technology provides an undo option.” In relation to the previous statement, reality does not have a replay button. 

Introduction

My name is Phillip. I come from an artistic family, in which I was inspired to become an artist. I am very creative, and love to explore new ideas, and ways of achieving success.

Phillip Dias