ETEC 532: Technology in the Arts and Humanities Classroom

Description

The arts and humanities have traditionally encompassed the study of literature, music, visual arts, performing arts, social studies, rhetoric, and philosophy as a means to understand the human condition. Education has played a vital role in engaging learning in school settings as well as life-long learning through community-based organizations. The arts and humanities can be studied within specific disciplines, but it can also extend to learning about the many aspects of society around us. In this course, the arts and humanities will be explored as a way to bring people together to discuss shared values and differences in communities and critically inquire about our personal and social heritages.

In ETEC 532 you are invited to explore the possibilities and challenges of integrating technology into the art and humanities classrooms. We will inquire into questions of access, equity, culture, multiple representations, voice and change. We will draw on your previous experiences as we explore new questions that arise from the use of technology in the art and humanities.

The offering of courses over the Internet was forced on schools and students by the COVID 19 pandemic and is still a relatively new medium for both student and instructor and is always in a state of change. The Internet has many advantages over distance education print-based courses and the classroom, and some disadvantages. On balance, you should be able to learn as effectively using distance education and technology as you can by participating in a face-to-face classroom.

Learning Objectives

In this course, you will have opportunities to:

  • Identify and investigate through digital learning environments how conceptions and contexts of the arts and humanities are being maintained and transformed in contemporary societies.
  • Explore the connections between pedagogy, curriculum and technology in multiple settings.
  • Examine and reflect on particular educational aspects of technology in your own personal and social contexts in light of course readings and discussions.
  • Identify teaching and learning strategies for using technology in K-12 schools and adult education, particularly in the arts and humanities.
  • Examine how meanings and values of the arts and humanities have been and continue to be re-interpreted.
  • Work Collaboratively.

Activities

This course is organized into 13 weekly tasks to be completed over the duration of this thirteen week course of study. Participation is paramount. Most of the communication between students will take place in the discussion forums. Small group discussions will be between designated course members working in groups of 4 or 5 individuals, depending on the work week modules, and are open to the instructor. The large group discussions are open to all course members and the instructor.

  • Week One: Getting Acquainted and Introduction
  • Week Two: Using video and YouTube: Making (viewing) connections
  • Week Three: Building online communities: Learning through visual representations
  • Week Four: Culture, identity, representation, and the net-generation
  • Week Five: Polymodal / interdisciplinarity and critical pedagogies
  • Week Six: Objects of learning: Online games, materials for education
  • Week Seven: Contemplation and possibilities
  • Week Eight: Vignettes: Teaching and learning using educational technologies
  • Week Nine: Collaborative inquiry project (your CIP): Preparation of annotation and literature/media content review
  • Week Ten: A(n) (ecological) perspective on integrating technology into educational contexts
  • Week Eleven: CIP work
  • Week Twelve: CIP work: Sharing our inquiries
  • Week Thirteen: CIP presentations; Reflections, multi-literacies in a digital world

Readings & Resources

A variety of readings and resources have been compiled for this course. All will be available online through the course website or via links to open access materials.

Examples of required readings and resources

  • Chung, (2018). The washed ashore project: Saving the ocean through art. Art education, 71(2),109 – 113.
  • Nuhoğlu Kibar, P., & Pettersson, R. (2021). Making good use of pictures. In M. Avgerinou, & P. Pelonis (Ed.), Handbook of research on K-12 blended and virtual learning through the i²Flex classroom model (pp. 109-129). IGI Global.
  • Subhani, K. (2015). Photos as witness: Teaching visual literacy for research and social action. English Journal, 105(2), 34-40.
  • Wilhelm, J. (2014). Teacher as trickster: Navigating boundaries into blended transformational spaces. Voices from the middle, 22(2) 42-44.

Assignments & Assessment

  • Participation (30% instructor assessment; 30% self-assessment)

As course participation, on a weekly and modular basis, is crucial to learning and the successful cohesion of the course, online discussion forums and group participation are graded accordingly.

A. Course readings, discussions, and writing

You are expected to read the weekly assigned readings resources on the website and to participate in class discussions in the communication spaces.

B. Analysis and peer edit of (2) vignettes (pass/fail)

This task has two parts: one completed in Week 4 and the other in Week 8. Working individually, you will respond to the questions listed in Weeks 4 and 8. As you respond to the questions, you will prepare a 500 word analysis of the vignette, which you will share with a member of the class for a peer editing exercise.

  • 2. Creative Inquiry Project (CIP) (40%)

The Creative Inquiry Project is collaborative and the culminating assignment for the course. For this assignment, you and your group will critically examine the use of technology in your own setting. It is divided into the following five areas:

    • Statement of the Topic
    • Research Outline
    • Articles Annotation and Critique / Literature Review
    • Collaborative Inquiry into Self Selected Research Area
    • Collaborative Peer Review

Minor course topic, activity, reading/resource, and assignment details may change from year to year.