Journal 6

Vaidyanathan, S. (2012). Fostering creativity and innovation through technology. Learning & Leading with Technology, 24-27. Retrieved from www.iste.org

This article was about creating a technology class at the elementary school level in order to teach students from a young age about technology subjects like innovation, design, and creativity. The class that the author teaches focuses not on teaching kids about technology or aiding student learning with technology; it is focused on teaching kids how to accomplish their creative goals through technology with the use of different graphic and design tools. The author brings up an important point: currently we are very focused on increasing the availability of technology classes at the high school level and of getting girls interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects in middle school. But the best way to approach these problems is to begin addressing them while students are at a very young age. By teaching kids that they can use technology to be creative, and that it can be fun, we are establishing a lifelong interest in learning STEM topics. As the use of technology in the job market and beyond continues to expand, it is increasingly important that students learn how to use the technology that is available to them in order to make themselves desirable to employers. Many of the lessons described by the author are also valuable tools for teaching students math concepts in a fun and engaging way. A lot of the projects she described focused on developing students' spatial awareness, use of geometry concepts and terms, and performing simple calculations. They would be a great way to reinforce student understanding.

Q1: How can a school that is underfunded get and use the technology described in the article?

A1: Many schools may not be able to afford to have a dedicated computer lab or enough computers in each classroom to serve all students at once. One way that teachers could approach this problem would be to practice rotations among groups of students. That way, while the class as a whole is working on something, the teacher can have a small group of students working on their creative technology assignments on the few class computers that are available, then have the rotate with another group, so that everyone gets to spend at least some class time on the computers. Also, the programs described in the article are free either in the full version or as a sample version. And there are many other free design programs available on the internet like Active Pixels, which is similar to Photoshop (a list of additional free programs is available on creativenerds.co.uk). If a school needs computer equipment, they may try asking parents and the community (businesses, community members, etc) for donations or compete for grants earmarked for technology in schools.

Q2: How could a teacher convince the school that it would be beneficial to add a technology art class to the curriculum?

A2: In order to convince an administrator or other educators that it would be beneficial to the school and to students to start a technology art class it would be helpful to point out some of the information mentioned in the article. Studies have shown that letting children express themselves artistically increases self-esteem and academic performance--something that is highly desirable considering high-stakes standardized testing. By starting a technology art class, the school could allow students to express themselves artistically while at the same time learning and building an interest in STEM concepts. As the author described, by putting STEM in the context of art, students are more relaxed while learning and are better able to absorb and apply math and technology concepts because they do not have the fear of doing something wrong. Also, setting up a technology art class is likely to cost the school little money since most schools have at least a few computers available to students and the programs used are free to download. In fact in the long run a technology art class will cost the school less than a traditional art class because the school will not have to continue purchasing supplies like paper, paints, and glue. And implementing this type of program will help the reputation of the school with parents and the community; parents recognize that it is important for their children to stay abreast of the latest technology in order to be successful adults.