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 Ratings
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| Reviewed: |
Jun 27, 2011 by Teacher Education |
| Overview: |
Art Education 2.0 is for art educators at all levels who are interested in using digital technologies to enhance and transform teaching and learning in their classrooms. The aim of Art Education 2.0 is to provide a safe and comfortable environment in which its members can pursue shared artistic and educational goals. Through the technology tools, forums, projects, and resources offered through Art Education 2.0, the intent is to promote effective art education practices, encourage cultural exchanges and joint creative work, and support technology-enhanced projects and activities deemed important by our members. Sign up is required but free. |
| Learning Goals: |
The aim of Art Education 2.0 is to support a global community of art educators exploring uses of new and emerging technology. To carry out this mission, we promote:
* professional discourse
* best art teaching practices
* innovative uses of technology in the art classroom and studio
* the production and study of art and visual culture
* collaborative creative work
* joint curricular projects and student art exchanges
* sharing information, ideas and experiences
* other activities deemed important by its members. |
| Target Student Population: |
Geared as a highly interactive site for K-university art educators and student teachers |
| Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills: |
None needed. If you have a particular curriculum interest in visual art, you will most likely find information and other educators with whom to interact and share on this Ning site.
Membership is free, but members must complete a profile including a photograph in order to participate in the Ning. |
| Type of Material: |
Online Ning site |
| Recommended Uses: |
Uses for the site include supporting, encouraging, and sharing art education teaching strategies, curriculum development and assessment approaches in visual art; Exploration, information, and uses of new and emerging technologies provide opportunities to model networking, professional development, and collaboration with other K-University art educators. |
| Technical Requirements: |
Internet access; QuickTime or Windows Media Player for viewing video clips from YouTube, TeacherTube, etc. |
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| Strengths: |
This site is highly interactive and currently features 94 interactive groups for art education content and focus for the nearly 6800 current worldwide members of the Ning. The information you seek is easy to find, the networking is consistently supported, and since the site is global, there is always activity. The collaborations of the art educators really is the key strength of this site for sharing educationally significant concepts, skills, materials, video clips, etc. The members provide a filter for curriculum content that is a huge time-saver. The interactive groups provide learning opportunities not only for the students of these educators, but also for the teachers. This is a model educational Ning providing projects, ideas, and ways for art teachers to connect with each other. |
| Concerns: |
None. The site is consistently monitored and kept current. |
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Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool |
Rating:  |
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| Strengths: |
The intent of the site is to serve a social-educational networking site focused on K-12 art education content. If you are in higher education, there is still plenty of information and immediate connections to be made as well. The site contains a plethora of curriculum and instruction content for planning, developing, and delivering lessons, as well as actually collaborating with classes from other parts of the country and world. The learning material presented and shared here can be integrated into art education instruction in a variety of creative way and there is always someone to ask for more information. Images, video clips, lesson ideas, trends, and specific content within the field of Visual Arts can be found and mined at this site.
This site provides support for educators who may find support lacking in their own schools and districts. |
| Concerns: |
None. |
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Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty |
| Rating: |
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| Strengths: |
The site is well-maintained and easy to navigate. You must be a member to login (free). Information is organized in a systematic way for viewing the thousands of images, reviewing the groups available to join, and the current discussions and questions being pursued. Across the top, clearly-labeled are tabs that take you to other pages of the site, including Members, Photos, Videos, Forums, Groups, Blogs, Chats, Flinkt, and FAQs. A search engine for the site is strategically placed in the upper right corner. The site is sponsored discretely by an art education publisher. Monthly updates and features keep the site fresh and continually inviting. You can easily contact the owner, report an issue,procure a badge proclaiming your membership in Art Education 2.0, and review the Terms of Service along the bottom of each page. |
| Concerns: |
There are many, many possibilities for educators in the site, so it may be overwhelming for some new members. |
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| Comments from Author: |
The new emphasis is reflected in the subtitle "connecting art educators around the globe" as opposed to the previous subtitle "exploring new technology in the art classroom." While the site is still concerned with promoting uses of technology in art education it has become more of "an online professional learning community of art educators." This shift represents a trend in educational technology away from technology itself toward a concern for the new possibilities the technology engenders for teaching and learning. So, as I suggested above, the current description you have for the site would not be inaccurate, it just doesn't describe the recent change in the site's mission. |
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