Technology and Pedagogy

I was browsing the web looking for an art lesson that included digital technology. I came across a lesson called Monochromatic Self-Portraits, by Judi Morgan. As I read through the lesson, I was pleased to discover that it was mostly student centered. I think it is very important as teachers that we guide our students, but give them the opportunity to make their own choices and learn by doing. This lesson allows the student to choose either themselves or another person to use for the image they will be basing their artwork on. It seemed optional for the students to either take digital pictures in class and download them to the computer, or bring in a picture to scan into the computer, so the camera and scanner both appear to be essential. This lesson also introduces the student to Photoshop basics, by giving them step-by-step instructions so they can posterize the image they have chosen. I believe the use of Photoshop was important to the lesson plan because certain elements of this software are used to alter images. This lesson requires the image to be posterized in order to break down the different values of color within the image. The students are then able to paint these different values with their color of choice. I think the use of the particular digital technologies in this lesson support the goal of the objectives listed by the teacher. The only other technology I would use would be a power point in the beginning of the lesson to introduce the students to Andy Warhol, Expressionism and the meaning of colors.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgUQZOYRuKbNdDJkTFJZQmdxQUVRaW1oU0F2aU8zTnc&usp=sharing