GLOBALIZATION & ME PROJECT
Abstract
Throughout the past 20 years, technology has evolved throughout the world exponentially. Welcoming this technology into classrooms has always been met with doubt, but after the year 2020, we can say with confidence that it is essential. I will discuss how it is not only important to be able to appreciate the rise in technology in classrooms and how beneficial it is but also explore further how this can be used for good in pushing students to make a difference in causes they believe in. I will also discuss the cons that artists bring up about the negatives of technology in the art world, to include both sides of the discussion.
Summary
Technology sprinted to the forefront of classrooms during the year 2020. The COVID-19 global pandemic forced teachers to think on their feet, even more so than before, while teaching classes online and communicating with students from afar simultaneously. Although welcoming technology has been seen with caution (Davis, 2020), it has proved vital in classrooms today after nationwide virtual teaching. Educators have learned new ways to present lesson plans to students, how to think outside of the box to keep students engaged through a computer screen, and opened up a whole new world of opportunities in communicating and understanding this generation's students.
Weighing the Pro’s and Con’s
While the intersection of technology with education has become increasingly essential, there are still pros and cons to work through. Although students have access to technological materials at school, Education Week conducted a study alongside teachers and reported that statistically, only fifty-six percent of students have the resources to, "Consistintley and fully participate in online learning” (Lieberman, 2021). These statistics varied around the nation, but severely lacked the high percentage of students with an access for it to not be a concern. Hopefully, after this year, schools around the country will adapt to this necessity and push for more funding to provide equal opportunities for students.
United Nations (2020) took a more positive approach to how technology impacted the world for the better this past year and a half. Museums that students never thought were possible to see offered online tours, opening up a whole new world of art viewing. Social media boomed with people posting their new hobby in arts and/or crafts to not only send messages of resilience and to help pass the time, but to help with their mental health and overall wellbeing. Audrey Azouley stated beautifully, “Bringing people together, inspiring, soothing and sharing: these are the powers of art, the importance of which has been made emphatically obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic” (United Nations, 2020). Art became a safe haven, a way for the world to connect with one another and say with or without words that ‘We’re all in this together’. While there are obviously incredibly positives aspects of this, there are negatives that can be worked through overtime as well to make sure that technology is accessible to everyone.
Newer Art Mediums
Technology in the art classroom, specifically, has also had major growth in the past ten years. Almost every student now has a cell phone, and through this, they can find inspiration through research, social media, editing and art applications, etc. Being able to share art instantaneously online and it has the potential to be seen worldwide is an incredibly exciting thought, and pushes students to work hard to show the world what they’re capable of. Not only sharing their own art but learning through inspiration from connecting with other artists how to convey a message. Whether this is political, environmental rights, or feminism, students can collaborate through social media to learn how to best express themselves artistically, on matters that hold deep meaning to them.
The term ‘mixed media’ has continued to expand, as students in school now have access to tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign. This opens up possibilities in future career fields such as Art Direction, Videography, and Graphic Design. Giving students the tools to discover what they’re passionate about and how to best execute these ideas artistically before college can be incredibly beneficial, as they can craft their skills early on.
Reflection
Throughout my research, I saw incredible points on both sides of the issue of technology in the classroom. In my own experience, I have seen students who are addicted to it from an early age and have seen high school-aged students benefit from it exponentially. I believe that as long as we limit the time on screens, especially in younger students so habits aren’t built, tech in classrooms is undeniably beneficial. Personally, I was first introduced to Adobe programs in my high school AP art class, and this helped pave the way for my career down the road in Graphic Design. If I hadn’t had access to tools such as these in the classroom, I’m not sure I would have ever thought about trying it out as a new art form. Virtual art was vital for so many people around the world, and still is, and it’s something that should be both be further explored and welcomed with open arms.
References
Beyerbach, B., & Ramalho, T. (2011). Activist art in social justice pedagogy. Counterpoints, 403, 202-217.
Chung, S. K. (2009). Art education and cybermedia spectacles in the age of globalization. In E. M. Delacruz, A. Arnold, M. Parsons, and A. Kuo, (Eds.), Globalization, art, and
education (pp. 186-192). National Art Education Association.
Davis, B. (2020, March 23). How we should reimagine art’s mission in the time of ‘social distancing’. Artnet.
Dee, E. (2020, March 23). We don’t know what a post-coronavirus art world will look like. Here are 6 ways we can come together to build the one we want. Artnet.
Delacruz, E. M. (2009). Art education in the age of new media: Toward global civil society. Art Education, 62(5), 13-18.
Even during COVID-19, art ‘brings us closer together than ever’ – UN cultural agency. (2020,
April 15). UNESCO. https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/04/1061802.
Lieberman, M. (2021). Most Students Now Have Home Internet Access. But What About the Ones Who Don’t?. Education Week, https://www.edweek.org/technology/most- students-now-have-home-internet-access-but-what-about-the-ones-who-dont/2021/04.
Lin, C. (2009). Beyond visual literacy competencies: Teaching and learning art with technology in the global age. In E. M. Delacruz, A. Arnold, M. Parsons, and A. Kuo, (Eds.),
Globalization, art, and education (pp. 198-204). National Art Education Association.
Throughout the past 20 years, technology has evolved throughout the world exponentially. Welcoming this technology into classrooms has always been met with doubt, but after the year 2020, we can say with confidence that it is essential. I will discuss how it is not only important to be able to appreciate the rise in technology in classrooms and how beneficial it is but also explore further how this can be used for good in pushing students to make a difference in causes they believe in. I will also discuss the cons that artists bring up about the negatives of technology in the art world, to include both sides of the discussion.
Summary
Technology sprinted to the forefront of classrooms during the year 2020. The COVID-19 global pandemic forced teachers to think on their feet, even more so than before, while teaching classes online and communicating with students from afar simultaneously. Although welcoming technology has been seen with caution (Davis, 2020), it has proved vital in classrooms today after nationwide virtual teaching. Educators have learned new ways to present lesson plans to students, how to think outside of the box to keep students engaged through a computer screen, and opened up a whole new world of opportunities in communicating and understanding this generation's students.
Weighing the Pro’s and Con’s
While the intersection of technology with education has become increasingly essential, there are still pros and cons to work through. Although students have access to technological materials at school, Education Week conducted a study alongside teachers and reported that statistically, only fifty-six percent of students have the resources to, "Consistintley and fully participate in online learning” (Lieberman, 2021). These statistics varied around the nation, but severely lacked the high percentage of students with an access for it to not be a concern. Hopefully, after this year, schools around the country will adapt to this necessity and push for more funding to provide equal opportunities for students.
United Nations (2020) took a more positive approach to how technology impacted the world for the better this past year and a half. Museums that students never thought were possible to see offered online tours, opening up a whole new world of art viewing. Social media boomed with people posting their new hobby in arts and/or crafts to not only send messages of resilience and to help pass the time, but to help with their mental health and overall wellbeing. Audrey Azouley stated beautifully, “Bringing people together, inspiring, soothing and sharing: these are the powers of art, the importance of which has been made emphatically obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic” (United Nations, 2020). Art became a safe haven, a way for the world to connect with one another and say with or without words that ‘We’re all in this together’. While there are obviously incredibly positives aspects of this, there are negatives that can be worked through overtime as well to make sure that technology is accessible to everyone.
Newer Art Mediums
Technology in the art classroom, specifically, has also had major growth in the past ten years. Almost every student now has a cell phone, and through this, they can find inspiration through research, social media, editing and art applications, etc. Being able to share art instantaneously online and it has the potential to be seen worldwide is an incredibly exciting thought, and pushes students to work hard to show the world what they’re capable of. Not only sharing their own art but learning through inspiration from connecting with other artists how to convey a message. Whether this is political, environmental rights, or feminism, students can collaborate through social media to learn how to best express themselves artistically, on matters that hold deep meaning to them.
The term ‘mixed media’ has continued to expand, as students in school now have access to tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign. This opens up possibilities in future career fields such as Art Direction, Videography, and Graphic Design. Giving students the tools to discover what they’re passionate about and how to best execute these ideas artistically before college can be incredibly beneficial, as they can craft their skills early on.
Reflection
Throughout my research, I saw incredible points on both sides of the issue of technology in the classroom. In my own experience, I have seen students who are addicted to it from an early age and have seen high school-aged students benefit from it exponentially. I believe that as long as we limit the time on screens, especially in younger students so habits aren’t built, tech in classrooms is undeniably beneficial. Personally, I was first introduced to Adobe programs in my high school AP art class, and this helped pave the way for my career down the road in Graphic Design. If I hadn’t had access to tools such as these in the classroom, I’m not sure I would have ever thought about trying it out as a new art form. Virtual art was vital for so many people around the world, and still is, and it’s something that should be both be further explored and welcomed with open arms.
References
Beyerbach, B., & Ramalho, T. (2011). Activist art in social justice pedagogy. Counterpoints, 403, 202-217.
Chung, S. K. (2009). Art education and cybermedia spectacles in the age of globalization. In E. M. Delacruz, A. Arnold, M. Parsons, and A. Kuo, (Eds.), Globalization, art, and
education (pp. 186-192). National Art Education Association.
Davis, B. (2020, March 23). How we should reimagine art’s mission in the time of ‘social distancing’. Artnet.
Dee, E. (2020, March 23). We don’t know what a post-coronavirus art world will look like. Here are 6 ways we can come together to build the one we want. Artnet.
Delacruz, E. M. (2009). Art education in the age of new media: Toward global civil society. Art Education, 62(5), 13-18.
Even during COVID-19, art ‘brings us closer together than ever’ – UN cultural agency. (2020,
April 15). UNESCO. https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/04/1061802.
Lieberman, M. (2021). Most Students Now Have Home Internet Access. But What About the Ones Who Don’t?. Education Week, https://www.edweek.org/technology/most- students-now-have-home-internet-access-but-what-about-the-ones-who-dont/2021/04.
Lin, C. (2009). Beyond visual literacy competencies: Teaching and learning art with technology in the global age. In E. M. Delacruz, A. Arnold, M. Parsons, and A. Kuo, (Eds.),
Globalization, art, and education (pp. 198-204). National Art Education Association.