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Lesson Plans


Re: Innovative Kids' Computer Crafts Book

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Sue Palfrey (stp7msb)
Wed, 22 Jan 1997 17:30:01 -0500

Without having seen your product, I would ask you to look at your project
designs with the following scrutiny: Do the lessons not only teach about
the computer, but are the students going through a real art process? Are
the students doing problem solving where they are synthesizing their
knowledge about the world and forming their own product. In other words,
is the child doing the thinking, not the adult? Products that ask the
child to make a series of decisions (i.e. choosing colors or patterns to
fill in objects coloring book style), but have a model of the final project
already created (i.e. an outline of a puppet figure that will be colored in
by the child, cut out, and assembled according to directions), are not
allowing the student a genuine art experience. Furthermore, it can
undermine the student's understanding of what art actually is.

Sue Palfrey
Art teacher, Falmouth Middle School, Falmouth, Maine
graduate student, Computing in Education, Teachers College, Columbia
University

----------
> From: Sabbeth
> To: artsednet
> Subject: Innovative Kids' Computer Crafts Book
> Date: Wednesday, January 22, 1997 2:40 PM
>
> Hi
>
> I appreciate the chance to reach art teachers! We developed 50 arts and
> crafts projects which are designed on the personal computer, and then
> fabricated with paper, glue, crayons, etc. The idea was to teach kids how
to
> use computers as creative tools, instead of entertainment.
>
> We found that kids are familiar with PC's, but need help learning how to
use
> their skills productively. The projects are assembled in a book called
Kids'
> Computer Creations, published by Williamson Publishing Co.
>
> Additionally, we give seminars for teachers who need help with their
> computers in the classroom. These seminars are very successful here in
> Portland, Oregon. We think art teachers will be happy with these
projects,
> and would like to discuss our ideas with you!
>
> Best, Alex and Carol Sabbeth