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Upon researching the laws of copyright as they pertain to artists, I have found the answers to my questions. Apparently, any visual art is copyright protected just by virtue of being original artwork, and the only person who has the right to reproduce that work of art is the original artist. You do not need to purchase a copyright, and you don’t even need to place the well-known copyright symbol (the circle with the letter “c” inside) next to the artwork. Copyright laws even protect the art and belong to your family for 70 years after you pass away. (http://emptyeasel.com/2008/03/18/copyright-information-for-artists-how-copyright-laws-protect-your-art/) Also very important is the fact that once you sell your art, you still own the copyright. The purchaser, whether it be an individual or an institution, may not reproduce the image without the artist’s consent.

If you are somewhat paranoid, or just with to insure the work from reproduction and have documentation for your protection, there are ways to officially register your work with the US government. From the emptyeasel.com article referenced above, here is the process: “In the US you can register your copyright with the US Library of Congress Copyright Office by filling out an application and paying a fee. For further information about the application form and costs, make sure to visit www.copyright.gov/register/visual.”

Most people remember the Napster court case, in which record labels sued Napster for allowing legal downloading of music. Music is protected just like artwork, so by allowing the public to download and use this property was an infringement of copyright laws. This case highlighted the issues associated with the Internet and the ease of access to other people’s property. Eventually, the record companies, recording artists, and the online music file sharing companies came to a resolution that would allow legal download of music files for a fee, paid by the consumer. Though the American public was most likely disappointed in the verdict because they were able to use and store music for free, it was a landmark for artists and provided a system of checks and balances for the Internet.

Art enhances life in so many ways and without laws to protect the rights of those who create it, we would surely see the disappearance of art in the future. Copyright laws are important to know and understand for your own protection and to preserve the existence and integrity of the art we enjoy in every aspect of our lives. For a more comprehensive resource about copyright laws for various industries, visit: http://www.copyright.gov/

The theme would or could be something relating to the students themselves, so they would be more interested in the projects and assignments. For instance, the introductory assignment could be to research your name and what it means. What is the origin? Ask your parents why they decided on your name?  This could lead to a discussion about language or geography or history. We could talk about what makes a name unique and interesting. If the student would rather do the activity for his/her last name, we could talk about ancestry and culture.

The second activity could be that the student will measure his/her height in inches. Then we can talk about the relation of the student’s height to other measurable objects, like the aforementioned football field, or an airplane. How many Johnny’s Smiths would it take to make up a football field?

Third activity could be to read your favorite book (one without illustrations) and complete a storyboard for the book, with the illustrations the student would include if he/she were the illustrator.  We could explore various media to illustrate, i.e., drawing, collage, digital art, photography, etc.

These activities would need to have a central theme and purpose and the end activity should be a culmination of all prior activities.

Me: Yes. Hurry! Please! I am having a panic attack. Photoshop is in my house and is trying to kill me!

911: Ma’am , we don’t respond to calls of this nature. Perhaps you should contact the psychiatric ward at your nearest hospital.

Me: Perhaps, you didn’t understand! My life is in immediate danger, and yours will be too, if you don’t send someone over here immediately and arrest this maniac in my living room.

911: Get it together, woman! Photoshop is not going to kill you. Maybe, if you treat it better…you know spend a little time getting to know it, you and Photoshop can actually become friends.

Me: Clearly you’ve never met Photoshop.

This series of three images has proved trickier than expected. Photoshop has so many options that I found it difficult to navigate. With some more practice, I am certain that the options will prove to be valuable, but from where I sit right now, I am puzzled.

I had the most trouble when trying to copy an image and transfer it to a new project sheet. The magic select tool was actually the only way I could figure out how to copy and paste an image. The method of highlighting an image and moving it over only worked about 20% of the time. I bought Photoshop, thinking “I’m going to love using this and will get lots of personal use from it.” So far, or not so far, I hate Photoshop. I don’t know what to do with it and am feeling uninspired and incompetent.

I am also finding that there is a possible conundrum for people who are visual thinkers and are trying to learn what appears to be a visual program but is also highly technical. I learn by watching and by doing. Reading step by step instructions is hard for me. This is also why I do not cook. Inevitably, I will skip steps 4 or 5 in Betty Crocker’s easy to bake 7 step cake, and my creations in the kitchen typically evolve into some kind of petri dish science experiment. This is proving to be my fate with Photoshop as well. I haven’t even been able to bring myself to scroll over the icon for Illustrator or InDesign, for fear that it might accidentally open on its own.

Adobe is my arch nemesis. I’m hoping that, like most new terrain, it will become a familiar best friend, once I learn how to make it work for me. The learning curve, however, has yet to progress beyond first base. Actually, Photoshop and I have been on about 30 dates, and we aren’t even close to first base.

I don’t understand how to make art with it, because I can’t even figure out how to manipulate an image without making it look like a mistake.

**sigh**Alas, the motivation is still there. I DO want to “get it.” I know that a whole new world of creativity is on the other side of the door, but as of right now, my vision is blurry and my drive is a bit tainted. Perhaps there is a group for people like me? An AA of sorts…Adobephobes Anonymous! Surely there is a way to conquer my fears.

Presentation is .pdf and can be located at the link above.

It seems that her findings became the most intriguing once she required that the students read and review not only each other’s blogs, but also other blogs that they found on the web. Once this open dialogue started between the students and other bloggers on the web, the aversion to blogging seemed to subside, and the students were intrigued in their own right. Students seemed to enjoy the interaction with other bloggers and the debates that were spurred from comments they made that they assumed no one was actually reading. Once they realized that their comments could be traced back to them, the level of interest, good and bad, grew exponentially. The issue of social responsibility in blogging and commenting arose. Should one feel responsible for the results of their online words? Or should one not? Is the internet a platform for exercising freedom of speech with reckless abandon, or should one only speak when the comments run little chance of hurting someone’s feelings?

The initial resistance and downright hostility towards learning and executing new tactics is probably akin to the human’s innate resistance to change. Learning a new skill and thinking out side the norm requires a fervor for education and learning that many student’s lack in the traditional setting. It is clear in this particular teacher’s findings, that her class experienced that immediate feeling of being punished or being forced to do something they didn’t want to do, rather than embracing a new way of thinking, learning, processing information, and sharing with the world. The students with a different outlook and exceptional capacity for learning, were the ones who took the bull by the horns and really benefited from the experience of blogging.

Many of the students who were disengaged at first, became engaged when they learned that their comments on other’s blogs, could be tracked back to them, which opened up a dialogue not only between readers of a blog, but also between the blog’s author and the readers. The use of blogging as an educational tool is beneficial if the students buy into the idea and agree to actively participate. Otherwise, the quality of work is going to equal the standard of a paper turned in for the teacher. Younger generations may not be as hesitant to participate since they’re used to posting every detail of their personal lives on sites like facebook and twitter. Other generations may not feel comfortable expressing their opinions publically and having their writing judged by not only the teacher but also their peers.

It is interesting though, that the students in this teacher’s class seemed more excited about blogging once there was an open exchange between bloggers. If the students were at all concerned about having their opinions and writing styles judged by others, then one would assume they might be apprehensive to be controversial in their comments, in order to avoid an exchange or to provoke a dialogue on the basis of their opinions.

Blogging is now a well recognized and popular option for expressing one’s opinions and for reaching a wider audience. My concern for some students who may not feel very confident about their writing styles, is that when forced to publicize their writing, they may be pushed further into their shell. Not all students possess the same fervor for speaking publically or for being the center of attention. Some take naturally to this role and welcome it with open arms. The article mentions that students who write strictly for the teacher as an audience, might expreience a lack of motivation and might not be as creative or expressive. I disagree. I think some students are very comfortable wiriting for a teacher and are more apt to take a risk when only one person will read and review the submission. High school especially can be a hostile environment for many students and when forced to publically display not only one’s inner thoughts, but also one’ sability to articulate and perfect those opinions in a public domain, some students may withdraw and feel especially vulnerable.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule,  and what holds true for a minority of individuals should not inhibit the greater good of the group. But I think extra care and caution should be exerted when considering a public sphere for displaying student work. My opinion is contrary to the article, and I’m certain that it is contrary to many forward-thinking educators as well. Nevertheless, it is my opinion. And it is in my nature to consider the underdog and the potential averse conequences of group actions, especially when those actions are required as part of a grade of a required course.

With current technology, weblogs are a free means of introducing students to technology being used for many purposes. These forms of communication are being used across many disciplines, age groups, socioeconomic groups. They give the students a means to communicate without being hindered by potential limitations of having to speak up in the classroom. To some degree, the fear of judgement is removed, at least temporarily. Blogs are also relatively user-friendly. Most are organized in a template with easy instructions to follow when initially setting it up. For many teachers, the ease of use and the lack of maintenance is very attractive. Unlike Word documents, when students type an entry into their blog, they don’t need to consider the proper margin sizes, or font size and type. Blogs provide a more informal outlet for expression that allows the student to focus solely on the message they wish to present, rather than spending unnecessary time fooling with the format of the document. This could also be seen as a detriment. While focusing on the message and intent of the entry is the ultimate purpose, there is the potential for students to forget about the importance of effective, formal communication. Whether writing a college entrance essay or a business plan, the future will present many instances in which students will be required to compose a formal document, on in which the grammar, spelling, construction, and format are essentially important. As long as students are able to discern informal writing from formal writing, I think this potential for the problem to arise will be marginal.

The NY Times article mentioned earlier points out some other true benefits of blogs as an educational tool. Sometimes class discussions are limited by the length of the class. Blogs allow a class discussion to continue. The longterm benefit is that the deeper a discussion develops, when not restricted by time alone, the more meaning that discussion will ultimately have on the students and their beliefs. One teacher also mentioned that she used to have a stack of hard copy journals on her desk that needed to be read and graded. She would either have only the time she is at school to grade the journals or else she would have to cart the cumbersome journals home to finish the grading. With classroom blogs, she can access the students’ work anywhere, anytime, without the strain of staying long hours at school or having to haul the heavy load of journals home. One student also confessed that he takes more time and careful thought when making entries in his blog, because he knows that it needs to be not only good enough for the teacher to read, but also for the other students. Students can access information from all over the world, and can form relationships with students in any country. The NY Times article references a high school classroom that used blogs to study the Holocaust by interacting with students in Krakow, Poland.

One site that I found to be extremely helpful, especially for practicing teachers, was www.web20intheclassroom.blogspot.com. An article from this blog on October 21, 2008, actually lists 33 different ways to use blogs in the classroom. The site offers links to other sites about blogging in the classroom, includes links for rubrics as they relate to blogs, and may other helpful tidbits about technological terms, such as trackbacks and pingbacks. The article, “33 Ways” suggests that the teacher start by asking himself or herself questions about what the goal for the students will be and how the blogs might provide a medium for achieving those goals. Certainly, blogs provide a way to reach resources, perhaps experts on a certain topic, that the class might not otherwise be able to access. Depending on the age group, blogs can serve as a way to post pictures and display work for parents, or can achieve a much higher purpose, such as a suggestion from the article: “Create a blog that simulates a presidential blog and positions of this candidate on various issues. Encourage students to leave comments and questions on the cadidate’s policies or ideas.”

Regardless of the purpose, it is evident that blogs are the wave of the future, in and out of the classroom. Whether you are opposed to them or not, they are growing and will continue to grow. Coming to terms with the best way to use them will be beneficial for teachers who choose to do so. They are free, flexible, low maintenance, and provide an unprecedented forum for global communication. As an educational tool, they allow all students to have the opportunity to express themselves and to learn from their peers in an unlimited fashion.

The article we read defines the participatory culture as “a culture with relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement, strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations, and some type of informal mentorship whereby what is known by the most experienced is passed along to the novices.” It is extremely important to incorporate digital media into the lesson plan and curriculum, no matter what the topic. The biggest hurdle seems that it will be keeping the teachers and parents up to date and current on digital media, rather than educating the students. The students are dabbling with digital media at school and at home, whether or not the teachers or parents are involved. This is important to know for several reasons. It is important for parents ot be aware of how their children are using the internet. BEcause the Internet connects people all over the world with the click of a button, parents need to be educated on the ways in which their kids are exhibiting personal information on the web, what they are exposing themselves to and witnessing online, and how they are being affected by what they see online. As mentioned earlier, there are infinite benefits to all the possiblities available through digital media, but not all of these benefits are absent potential threats.

Another important reason for adults to be educated, is that unless teachers are aware of the technologies and tools available, they are not able to fully make use of the opportunities available to their students. This participitory culture should be facilitated in the classroom. The relationship between students, parents, and teachers, is the primary way that this young online generation will be able to use digital media as a learning experience and help steer them away from the potential hazards of being available to online predators and other inappropriate paraphernalia. The skills that should be taught to adults and students alike are: Play, Performance, Simulation, Appropriation, Mutlitasking, Distributed Cognition, Collective Intelligence, Judgment, Transmedia Navigation, Networking, and Negotiation. If used appropriately, these skills establish strong learning practices, research techniques, and behavioral traits that will make for confident and engaged students.

The more information that students are exposed to and the more resources they make use of through digital media, the more apt they will be to be independent, well-informed young people. The article mentions that young people that have made use of digital media available have felt that the school they attended was not challenging enough. Young people have much bigger and more intuitive ideas that many adults give them credit for. The interesting thing about digital media for young people, is that it gives them a space to be make or female or old or young or a student or a teacher. IT gives them a forum to speak their minds and be heard as someone they may not appear to be at first glance.

The current k-12 generations have been reared in a society infiltrated with media and technology. This age group does not know the world without the use of computers and the Internet. I believe that now more than ever, educational insitutions need to reevaluate the traditional approach of education by incorporating more tools that today’s generations are using in their everyday lives. Digital media allows for many positive changes to engage students in a visual manner. Though textbooks are still an important teaching tool, online information and media sources are a valuable addition to the education model.

One practical benefit of using media in the classroom is the cost savings for students and their parents. Instead of purchasing expensive textbooks for every class, certain subject areas may be able to use media purchased by the school. The flipside is that most schools have very stringent budgets these days, so the issue lies in that someone must purchase the software and user licenses. For the school, the purchase is an investment that can be used year after year. However, if these tools become the standard for educating in certain subject areas, there may be an unfair advantage provided to the students of one school over another who can not afford the investment in technology.

There have been studies conducted about the level of interest and engagement of students who are being taught through digital means versus those being taught in the strictly traditional sense, and the results have proven that students are more alert and attentive when using a digital approach. Today’s generation communicates through digital means. They are social online, but they also conduct their research online. Since they feel comfortable in a digital world, they are more intrigued by computers and the unlimited potential that the online world makes available.

Engaging the students can be a teacher’s most daunting challenge. I am sure that many of today’s educators prefer a visual teaching style in order to get the most out of class time. However, technology is always changing, so it isn’t just the investment of cost that can be challenging but the investment of time on behalf of the schools and the educators to stay current on the advancements in technology. The Adobe Suite is prehaps the most popular digital media package being taught in today’s k-12 schools. Many of the digital art educators teaching these systems belive that high school students are better prepared for post-secondary education if they have the benefit of learning these systems before attending college. This notion is relatively new. When I attended college six years ago, computer science consisted of learning the Microsoft Suite. There was more of a focus of information sciences as opposed to visual arts. In the past few years, the digital media world seems to have ballooned in popularity, and it is increasingly important to be familar with today’s digital media programs.

Balance is essential. It is important to preserve traditional means and to uphold their integrity for subjects where a textbook and lecture combination is most suitable, but it is also imperative to provide students with the opportunity to learn new technology and to learn how to think visually. Digital media is an effective tool to help students build important visual thinking skills. Without offering digital media as a vehicle for creative expression, many students would not realize their interest in fields such as animation, graphic design, audio or video production, and the media arts until they are out of college and out in the working world. Those students who are fortunate enough to have access to digital arts in high school or even in elementary school, may have the opportunity to discover their future careers at a very early age and to spend their formative years in education cultivating that passion and establishing a solid foundation for their futures. It is truly a disservice to today’s youth to spend an entire k-12 education without substantial exposure to digital media applications.