Assignment Week # 8 Pt. 1 Reading takeaways

The article introduces several types of new media arts and conceptualizes the role that new media can play in art learning.  The new technology with its advancement offers opportunities for easy communication and collaboration, that broadens my horizon for classroom teaching. As an artist who's still very much into the traditional approach to create art, I can't deny the benefit that new technology has brought us, where new art forms provide the opportunities for "DIY" and to work collaboratively, yet I shared the same concern with many working artists today, that how we can introduce new technology as a new art medium to students without affecting the process of art making, especially for younger kids? While at Judith's class, one of my classmates asked a question that shared a similar concern: if a kid is looking for reference/resource to make a new art work, should we encourage him to use the library, or he should be encouraged to just google for a quick answer? What new technology can offer is so rich that we get lazy on searching and take information we get for granted as it comes so easily.  For younger kids, they could lose their curiosity to dig deep on the subjects and turn a blind eye on many other things they could have discovered through the traditional process of learning.  I believe the same theory could apply to art making, as what new technology offers could have some people take advantage of its convenience to focus more on the outcome rather then the process, where ideas and inspiration bloom.  Finding a balance while applying the new media arts to the classroom teaching would be extremely essential as it could deeply influence students learning experience and learning ability, and it's teachers job to bring the new technology in the classroom at the right time, and lead students to the right path into the digital world.

The second reading was a very interesting read. The articles explains how technological revolution has changed our way of learning through several stories and that there is no reason why people shouldn't expand their ways to learn, to teach and to tell stories through new technology. In the reading, it talks about how traditional story telling form should not be limited within certain methods, such as writing, where kids should produce poetry anthologies, magazines and literary anthologies they can be proud of, instead of things they don't care about for an audience they will never meet. Obviously, traditional writing is just a way of storytelling, and we've had so many other new ways to tell stories, and to enhance your stories. I just want to point out that no matter how many new medium forms and opportunities out there, it's always the story and its substance matters.  It is important for teachers to remind students about this core value when they do their work, so that they do not get lost in the world of digital, and making use of new technology in a superficial way.  New technology has definitely enriched our learning experience that promotes diversity and originality, and while having the concern of digital access for younger kids, the expansive opportunities for children to become who they want to be are extremely exciting.