I just got back from the Utah Art Educators Conference. What a kick! I am always amazed and delighted at the diversity of this group and most especially at their open-heartedness and kindness to one another, to me.
One thing we all agreed on: digital artmaking is here to stay. We are all still both feet into drawing, painting, sculpting, all of it. But we know that computers will make up a big part of what we do.
And that includes especially instruction. One of my many conversations during the conference went like this:
Me: I just love YouTube for demos.
She: I know! I use it all the time! Fortunately in my school, it’s unblocked for teachers, but I’ve heard that some districts block it entirely.
Me: Too bad! It’s so much easier to demo making a pinch pot, say, using Youtube or a Powerpoint, than to try to make it in front of the class.
She: I know! and something like cutting a lino block! It’s much safer and easier to show the demo.
What else need be said? Viva SmartBoards and YouTube, at least in my classroom.
