Tonight I reviewed the website of Partnership for 21^st Century Skills, a national organization advocating 21^st Century readiness for students. What I found was an advocacy for strengthening programs of instruction that meet the challenges that today’s students would face following graduation in terms of knowledge and skill development.  The focus of the tools and resources presented are on strengthening the 3R’s.  The 3R’s are the core subject matter such as English, Reading, Mathematics… Surrounding this is the umbrella of, Life and Career Skills, Information, Media and Tech Skills, and the 4R’s, tools necessary for synthesizing the core content, such as Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Innovation.  The outcomes are strengthened with support systems that relate to instruction. The result will deliver instruction in a manner that will lead to mastery and the ability for the student to engage their future effectively.

            The objectives present a sound program of development of the skills necessary for a student to meet and maintain growth in this new century.  Within the current, economic, social and political climate, the support for effective implementation of these objectives would appear to be cloudy at best particularly in terms of the cost of implementation and the complication of oversight. With this in mind the program that Partnership for 21^st Century Skills advocate does present a strong model from which the educational community needs to develop instruction thus providing the roots from which our children can effectively engage their futures.

(http://www.p21.org/index.php)

digital options in the classroom

Today while studying for coursework I came upon an article in an online version of a Harrisburg PA newspaper.  The story was about local schools exploring digital options for the education of their students.
In use within some of the classrooms where digital flexbooks, and online homework services, with a discussion in the school systems of, all-digital textbook programs, incorporation of social network systems, use of fiber optic networks over servers, feasibility of one to one technology. The article is just one of an increasing number of recent articles that show the growing move toward instruction that is digital based. Though the focus for most is on the excitement that new technology generates this article also presented the financial and technical conflicts that exist in the current economic and political climate.  This presents the dichotomy  that prevails within most school systems. The article does not present a clear answer but does raise the opportunity for what is possible and the direction that education is moving in.
   
The article is - "Harrisburg-area schools explore digital options for use in classroom" written by, BARBARA MILLER, The Patriot-News  
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/01/harrisburg-area_schools_explor.html

on the use of blogs in high school art coursework

On looking for ways in which I might incorporate blogging into the student’s experience, I can come up with two possible scenarios.   I teach two courses at the advanced level that might present two opportunities for interaction of this type. One use might be student blog development within the context of the AP Art History course that I teach focused on research results. Another avenue would be for students working within the studio arts courses.  Studio arts courses at the advanced level are by their nature places for hands on study with little interaction beyond the introspective reflective practices of the student, and small group critique.  Because of the nature of studio art, being limited to study in situ, access for review has been limited until the development of possibilities such as blogs. With the ease at which one can now capture an acceptable image and post for peer critique analysis a blog would present the student with a broader range of review and feedback for their work.  A blog situation that might be established would be a site setup for advanced fine art studio students in which students would post photographs of work in progress to a dedicated class blog site that interacts with student peers. Interaction could be in the form of type, via audio or video feed. Though under the guidance of an adult administrator the site would be student run.  A site such as this would provide the student with an avenue for critical feedback, a community with a common focus and interest, and the ability to step outside of the insular environment that tends prevail In studio art activity.  

Have any thoughts?

social media resource site

Though not trained in art therapy, I as an artist, art teacher, and teacher recognize the importance of it's use and incorporation into at the very least, the thinking process of developing affective teaching strategies. I found this art therapy site that includes a presentation of social networks and associated internet links and thought it might be an added resource for review.

"Fear No Art, Fear only Ignorance",   Anonymous
http://www.slideshare.net/gretchenmilleratrbc/social-mediaandarttherapy

educational blogging

"I think it’s the most beautiful tool of the world and it allows us the most magic thing..."

—Florence Dassylva-Simard, fifth-grade student

I found this quote in reference to the blogging experience and thought that it was inspirational.

It was found at an article on educational blogging by Stephen Downes.

http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume39/EducationalBlogging/157920

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