ICT in the secondary visual arts classroom: A study of teachers’ values, attitudes and beliefs
Renata Phelps and Carrie Maddison Southern Cross University
SNIPPETS FROM THE ARTICLE:
What little has been written of visual arts teachers’ use of technology consistently indicates that, while some teachers have embraced new technologies, many continue to use ICT in a limited manner. Little, if any, research currently addresses the factors that impact on visual arts teachers’ willingness to integrate ICT, particularly within the2 Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2008, 24(1)
Australian context. This paper proposes that the values, attitudes and beliefs of visual arts teachers can have a significant impact on whether they embrace and integrate ICT as part of their teaching practice, and whether they choose to take up professional learning opportunities.
The potential of ICT in secondary visual arts classrooms
ICT presents unique opportunities for supporting creativity (Brown, 2002) and extending visual arts “beyond clay, crayons and paint” (Stankiewicz, 2004: 88). This potential was recognised as far back as the 1980s when Crowe (1988) commented that ICT could assist with exploring design problems, enhance artistic decision making and provide new opportunities for learning. Since then the literature has continued to highlight the potential for ICT in supporting visual arts teaching: “For visual education these are incredibly exciting times offering new possibilities” (Long, 2001: 262).
Drawing and painting software, digital still and video cameras, electronic portfolios, scanners, colour laser printers, samplers and sound mixers, image manipulation, video editing, 3D animation, Internet and web page construction can all play a role in supporting students’ artistic expression (Ashford, 2002; Brown, 2002; Neylon, 1996; Taylor, 1999). Furthermore, as a medium for exploring solutions to design problems (Crowe, 1988; Freedman, 1991; Matthews, 1997), students are able to record and save ideas quickly, manipulate line and colour, modify and incorporate images and employ motion (Hubbard & Greh, 1991). ICT can allow students who might not possess skills with traditional media to focus more on the message and less on execution of art works, thus enhancing self expression (Long, 2001; Wang, 2002; Wood, 2004). Mistakes can be easily corrected, resulting in decreased anxiety and promotion of experimentation, which lies at the heart of creativity (Freedman, 1991; Grenfell, no date; Hicks, 1993; Wood, 2004). While new technologies do not, of course, replace traditional art processes they do extend the possibilities of art expression, communication and perception (Wang, 2002; Wood, 2004).
With an ever increasing emphasis on still and animated imagery, symbols and iconography in society, analysis, interpretation, extrapolation and evaluation of visual imagery has become just as important as art creation. Students need to be wise consumers, familiar with how the mass media operates (Hicks, 1993) and visual arts education has an important role to play in preparing students as visually literate and critical members of society (Brown, 2002; Schwartz, 1991). Furthermore, as the use of digital media has expanded, new career opportunities have opened up for visual artists. Students with knowledge, skills and proficiency in digital art and design are well situated to obtain employment in commercial visual arts contexts, such as advertising, film, animation and other computer graphic industries (Matthews, 1997; Taylor, 1999). Web 2.0 technologies such as Second Life and Flickr, together with the expanding games industry, represent environments in which digital visual art and design skills provide new opportunities for self expression, as well as enhanced commercial potential.
Technology provides exciting opportunities for enriching and transforming visual arts teaching, providing teachers and students alike with new tools to access, organise and present information and to enrich lessons through multimedia (Bridwell & McCoy, 1991; Garnons-Williams, 2002; Schwartz, 1991; Wood, 2004). Technology enables the establishment of communities of practice and cooperative learning (Henning, 2000;Phelps and Maddison 3
Hicks, 1993; Neylon, 1996), with communication not only between students and teachers, but between students from different schools, countries or cultures, and with practising artists from around the globe. The world wide web also provides a virtual international gallery for students’ work (Loveless, 2003). ICT can engage and inspire students, and this has been cited as a factor influencing ready adoptors of ICT (Grenfell, no date; Long, 2001; Wood, 2004)
What role is ICT currently playing in the secondary visual arts classroom?
The majority of the teachers highlighted the benefits of ICT in accessing, organising and presenting information. Seven teachers, for instance, discussed its role in supporting student research, providing immediacy and the ability to search for obscure artists and art movements. “With ICT we have access to every image and every artist. No books have it all. We can access all galleries, Australian and international” (Liam). These benefits were particular significance for this group of rural teachers as there was a real sense that “the world is at our fingertips” (Kevin). “The world can come to us. In a rural area we are so removed from a lot of culture” (Liam). Jodie explained that technology helps art teachers keep up with what is happening in contemporary art practice, views reinforced by Diana. “We can access more exciting things now, like performance art. Kids can now experience a whole range of art influences, film, technology and art practice. Kids can see what is happening overseas”. The ease and efficiency of displaying images, for instance by using PowerPoint and a data projector, was also a strength; “Now images can be larger, on a grander scale; they are more real”. Beth commented that she could “reuse it all, it is more interactive, keeps kids occupied. ICT can be quick and allows the classroom to be more dynamic”.
While most teachers used ICT for theory, about half indicated that they were using technology with their students to create art works. These teachers indicated that ICT helped students play around with art and see progressive changes. Beth, for example, encouraged her students to use ICT in their body of work, including digital photography and scanning images from pieces they had created.
Interestingly, however, none of the teachers referred to harnessing ICT to transform their pedagogy. For instance, no reference was made to implementing webquests, virtual excursions or other online learning experiences, or to including interpersonal exchanges, with students communicating with other students or artists from the community or from different cultures. No teachers referred to using the web to assist students to exhibit their work.
Conclusion
This study indicates that the adoption and integration of ICT by visual arts teachers is as similarly diverse as that by teachers more broadly. While some teachers have led the way with innovative and exciting applications of technology, others continue to avoid it all together and this is exacerbated and perpetuated by beliefs about the nature of visual arts and the relationship between technology and creativity. This study reinforces the findings of other studies that suggest professional development is not simply about ‘attending courses’ or ‘receiving training’, but that it is much more complex and proactive, and requires a clear emphasis on addressing not just ‘how’ to do it, but on ‘why’ it should be done (Higgins & Mosley, 2001). Certainly, understanding teachers’ beliefs and values is a vital ingredient in effective support (Taylor, 1999) and studies such as this are essential in enabling school systems to support teachers in ways which take account of teachers’ values, attitudes, beliefs, motivations, and discipline specific concerns.
(For more please see link: http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet24/phelps.pdf)
Annie has made some really vital points, particularly regarding transfer in learning. This idea of applying knowledge to create and solve is fundamental to the learning process and lies at the higher end of bloom’s taxonomy. I agree that ICT has the potential to play a huge role in this and given the “scope”, there are so many areas to branch off and benefit from ICT.