http://www.mowa.org/home.html
I was very disappointed with this site. it's a site dedicated to web art and the design is horrible, boring and outdated. i felt like this site was made ten years ago. it has multiple home/main pages and i found it difficult to navigate. i tried to take a tour from one of the creepy looking characters and it would not work. normally i would take more time to navigate the site but i was becoming very frustrated. i am definitely not visiting this site again. booooo :)
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
web critique #12 - chicago artist's coalition
http://www.caconline.org/default.asp?page=services
i came across this site about a year ago when i was searching for art related jobs. i was a bit disappointed when you needed to sing up and become a member with a fee. i'm always a little reluctant to pay for access to a site. after a more in depth look at the site this time around i have more confidence in contributing my money if i wanted to become a member. there is a lot of great information for chicago artists including health insurance. i am real curious to see the job postings :) but can't afford to be a member at this time. the event calendar is jam packed and updated. it bothers me when a site isn't updated because then i won't want to go back and visit. i looked through the gallery. can't say i was too impressed with a lot of the work, but being an artist i understand the process and emotional dedication that goes into the art-making process and appreciate all art work. the site has a clean simple design and it is extremely easy to navigate.
i came across this site about a year ago when i was searching for art related jobs. i was a bit disappointed when you needed to sing up and become a member with a fee. i'm always a little reluctant to pay for access to a site. after a more in depth look at the site this time around i have more confidence in contributing my money if i wanted to become a member. there is a lot of great information for chicago artists including health insurance. i am real curious to see the job postings :) but can't afford to be a member at this time. the event calendar is jam packed and updated. it bothers me when a site isn't updated because then i won't want to go back and visit. i looked through the gallery. can't say i was too impressed with a lot of the work, but being an artist i understand the process and emotional dedication that goes into the art-making process and appreciate all art work. the site has a clean simple design and it is extremely easy to navigate.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
higher art?
just a few thoughts after reading this article...
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/10/05/higher_art/?page=4
i have been to a variety of colleges and have enrolled in many art-related programs and classes including art history, fine arts, and art education. being at different schools i have found that art students can be very cliquey. i think this idea of universities relishing the arts to the greater campus community needs to start with the art students. it seems some art students need to come out of their bubble in the art building and be willing to make their classes, programs, galleries, interests accessible to other students on campus. at arizona state university i noticed a somewhat arrogant cliqueiness in and around the art building. i notice this in other buildings as well but not as distinct as the art building since a variety of students take math, science, humanities classes and not so much art. art students can be a bit hard-headed and closed-minded when non-artists are involved in their world (i am mainly speaking of younger college students, those which are mostly represented in the universities population). i think the professors also need to step up and involve all students on campus and not focus all their attention on a small group of talented art students. there should be more emphasis for non art students to take art classes. art classes could be more interdisciplinary to encourage this outside enrollment. possibly a math in art class where math and more technical students can learn about art through there preferred medium of numbers and equations. any subject can be incorporated into art. also, guest speakers, lectures, exhibits, etc on campus need to make a clear relevance of their purpose to the whole campus community and not just creative students and community members. this will also encourage artists, speakers, etc to think outside their box. when i attended artist lectures at asu i saw the same students and staff at them. it would have been nice to see a variety of people interested.
i believe it is the people who learn, work and play on campus that are the ones to take this idea to the next step. i definitely think it is possible if not already in the works.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/10/05/higher_art/?page=4
i have been to a variety of colleges and have enrolled in many art-related programs and classes including art history, fine arts, and art education. being at different schools i have found that art students can be very cliquey. i think this idea of universities relishing the arts to the greater campus community needs to start with the art students. it seems some art students need to come out of their bubble in the art building and be willing to make their classes, programs, galleries, interests accessible to other students on campus. at arizona state university i noticed a somewhat arrogant cliqueiness in and around the art building. i notice this in other buildings as well but not as distinct as the art building since a variety of students take math, science, humanities classes and not so much art. art students can be a bit hard-headed and closed-minded when non-artists are involved in their world (i am mainly speaking of younger college students, those which are mostly represented in the universities population). i think the professors also need to step up and involve all students on campus and not focus all their attention on a small group of talented art students. there should be more emphasis for non art students to take art classes. art classes could be more interdisciplinary to encourage this outside enrollment. possibly a math in art class where math and more technical students can learn about art through there preferred medium of numbers and equations. any subject can be incorporated into art. also, guest speakers, lectures, exhibits, etc on campus need to make a clear relevance of their purpose to the whole campus community and not just creative students and community members. this will also encourage artists, speakers, etc to think outside their box. when i attended artist lectures at asu i saw the same students and staff at them. it would have been nice to see a variety of people interested.
i believe it is the people who learn, work and play on campus that are the ones to take this idea to the next step. i definitely think it is possible if not already in the works.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
need some inspiration? or just some good ol' fun?
i came across this video a few years ago during one of my many "searching for dancing cat videos on youtube" episodes. when feeling stressed my old roommate and i watch this for some comedic relief. also, a bit of inspiration for our imovie assignment- ha- not really. enjoy...
web critique #10 - videomachete.org
unfortunetly the site is not working. did i miss a memo on this? hmmmmm... i did find a few sites that briefly describe the organization. all the sites had the exact same information so it's good to know they have a clear description/mission statement. i noticed the location too and it's somehwere i pass all the time. i love learning about all these organizations that are just moments away from me. i would love to work directly in my neighborhood or nearby. would love to read more about this organization, the populations they work with and see the projects they are producing. here is the information i got from varoius site....
"Video Machete is a Chicago-based, inter-generational, collective of cultural workers. We are activists, students, media artists- both youth and adult- who are all committed to cultivatng images, ideas, and words that transform our communities, raise consciousness, and generate collective analysis and action. We use multi-media, video production, and alternative press to explore and document the stories and perspectives of communities that are erased and distorted by mainstream media. Video Machete is committed to producing cultural work that addresses real change in our communities and society."
"Video Machete is a Chicago-based, inter-generational, collective of cultural workers. We are activists, students, media artists- both youth and adult- who are all committed to cultivatng images, ideas, and words that transform our communities, raise consciousness, and generate collective analysis and action. We use multi-media, video production, and alternative press to explore and document the stories and perspectives of communities that are erased and distorted by mainstream media. Video Machete is committed to producing cultural work that addresses real change in our communities and society."
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
web critique #10 - streetlevel.org
www.street-level.org
right away i like the home/introduction page. it's clean and animated but still has the clickable links at the bottom for users who may not be familiar with the moving links. i click on about us and hoping to read what this organization was about. it just listed upcoming events, programs and news. then i realized you had to click the small links to the right. there i found their mission statement and such. i think that should have been the first visible link under their about us tab. i then explored their programs. i like how some of their programs involve their participants as kind of leaders/teachers as well as learners/students like the female action voicing change. making t-shirts with youth is always fun too. the sound projects look interesting. i am so concerned with visual media these days i forget how important sound is. then there is a more intensive program called changing community project. i wish i knew of something like this when i was in high school. i was very artistic but just came home everyday and watched tv after school ... boring. then i spent a lot of time under the media section. watched the videos made by young women. very impressive. the audio section was impressive as well. quality beats and the skills of the youth rappin'/singing are better than some music on the radio right now. i would love to see all these songs performed live at a special event.
this organization seems very committed and stable. the site is easy to use and offers a lot of rel event information. i will defiantly be checking back to read about new programs.
right away i like the home/introduction page. it's clean and animated but still has the clickable links at the bottom for users who may not be familiar with the moving links. i click on about us and hoping to read what this organization was about. it just listed upcoming events, programs and news. then i realized you had to click the small links to the right. there i found their mission statement and such. i think that should have been the first visible link under their about us tab. i then explored their programs. i like how some of their programs involve their participants as kind of leaders/teachers as well as learners/students like the female action voicing change. making t-shirts with youth is always fun too. the sound projects look interesting. i am so concerned with visual media these days i forget how important sound is. then there is a more intensive program called changing community project. i wish i knew of something like this when i was in high school. i was very artistic but just came home everyday and watched tv after school ... boring. then i spent a lot of time under the media section. watched the videos made by young women. very impressive. the audio section was impressive as well. quality beats and the skills of the youth rappin'/singing are better than some music on the radio right now. i would love to see all these songs performed live at a special event.
this organization seems very committed and stable. the site is easy to use and offers a lot of rel event information. i will defiantly be checking back to read about new programs.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
art:21
i know we aren't required to critique this site but i just wanted to express my love for this program. i accidentally discovered this show on pbs about four years ago. i barely watch tv due to bad reception. there's only so much telemundo i can watch so when i found this show it was like winning the lottery. even though i don't consider myself as innovated and complex as the artists displayed on the show, i gain inspiration from them and appreciate their quirky and original processes and lifestyles. lately i have visited this site to see the interesting art projects/lesson they provide. helps me brainstorm and think of creative and captivating lessons of my own. this summer i hope to catch up on each season. it's been a while.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
web critique #9- chicagoartdepartment.org, proarts.org, messhall.org
http://www.chicagoartdepartment.org/
at first viewing i found the design to be a bit dull for an art related website but i have defiantly seen worse. also when first viewing i was unsure to what the site was about and what it was offering. i read the mission statement and saw that it emphasized on contemporary art. i thought that could be more apparent in the somewhat boring title of the organization. titles aside i think what they are doing in chicago is creatively great. the polaroid program looked like a lot of fun. i like their programs that introduce different art forms that i think are relevant too current cultures and sub-cultures such as the live visuals project and the dj/scratching project. i think the youth can relate to these projects because they may be relevant to interests and lifestyles.
http://www.prosarts.org/index.html
i noticed right away is the lack of color and creativity, which again, is strange for being an art-related website. i found the information on the main page very useful and direct (minus a few grammar/punctuation errors). i love their commitment to a particular neighborhood and that their programs/projects are influenced by the people/children that live there. i like how they concentrate on both school related programs as well as programs in the community. it's great to see that there are so many activities going on on their calendar and it is up to date. and i like their strong emphasis on performances. "Performing since 1979, the Pros Arts Ensemble presents its shows in English, Spanish, Italian, and Clown". -- i am curious to know more about this clown aspect :) looks interesting from the few photos they do have on their site. when you click on the showcase link the font and layout is a but different on that page and possibly how all the other pages should look. it's a little cleaner and stylistically up to date.
www.messhall.org
i have heard messhall mentioned a few times since i have been in chicago but have never been quite sure what it was all about. i thought maybe it was a gallery, a collective of local artists, or non-profit organization. i am still a bit unclear what messhall is all about. when visiting the main page i wanted to see a mission statement, background, or some other information right away. there was nothing there. took me a moment to find a link that would help explain this site and "organization". under frequently asked questions it provides me with a brief description of messhall's purpose. here it tells me it is a cultural center. i wish that was evident on the main page. then another link leads you to another description of messhall written by dan s. wang. i found his writing and information may be difficult for an "average" art enthusiast to grasp and gain meaning from. it is if he's writing to a more "educated" audience but since it is a website i feel it should cater to the massive, but interesting non the less. i found other links kind of scattered through out the main page and a little difficult to navigate due to it's lack of categorizing. a the bottom of the page are an abundant of links. i feel these links could be placed on another page rather than the main page. the archive still needs some updating. i would like to see what sorts or projects, exhibits and events they have had. i think i may need to visit the space and people for myself to get a better grasp on what they are all about.
at first viewing i found the design to be a bit dull for an art related website but i have defiantly seen worse. also when first viewing i was unsure to what the site was about and what it was offering. i read the mission statement and saw that it emphasized on contemporary art. i thought that could be more apparent in the somewhat boring title of the organization. titles aside i think what they are doing in chicago is creatively great. the polaroid program looked like a lot of fun. i like their programs that introduce different art forms that i think are relevant too current cultures and sub-cultures such as the live visuals project and the dj/scratching project. i think the youth can relate to these projects because they may be relevant to interests and lifestyles.
http://www.prosarts.org/index.html
i noticed right away is the lack of color and creativity, which again, is strange for being an art-related website. i found the information on the main page very useful and direct (minus a few grammar/punctuation errors). i love their commitment to a particular neighborhood and that their programs/projects are influenced by the people/children that live there. i like how they concentrate on both school related programs as well as programs in the community. it's great to see that there are so many activities going on on their calendar and it is up to date. and i like their strong emphasis on performances. "Performing since 1979, the Pros Arts Ensemble presents its shows in English, Spanish, Italian, and Clown". -- i am curious to know more about this clown aspect :) looks interesting from the few photos they do have on their site. when you click on the showcase link the font and layout is a but different on that page and possibly how all the other pages should look. it's a little cleaner and stylistically up to date.
www.messhall.org
i have heard messhall mentioned a few times since i have been in chicago but have never been quite sure what it was all about. i thought maybe it was a gallery, a collective of local artists, or non-profit organization. i am still a bit unclear what messhall is all about. when visiting the main page i wanted to see a mission statement, background, or some other information right away. there was nothing there. took me a moment to find a link that would help explain this site and "organization". under frequently asked questions it provides me with a brief description of messhall's purpose. here it tells me it is a cultural center. i wish that was evident on the main page. then another link leads you to another description of messhall written by dan s. wang. i found his writing and information may be difficult for an "average" art enthusiast to grasp and gain meaning from. it is if he's writing to a more "educated" audience but since it is a website i feel it should cater to the massive, but interesting non the less. i found other links kind of scattered through out the main page and a little difficult to navigate due to it's lack of categorizing. a the bottom of the page are an abundant of links. i feel these links could be placed on another page rather than the main page. the archive still needs some updating. i would like to see what sorts or projects, exhibits and events they have had. i think i may need to visit the space and people for myself to get a better grasp on what they are all about.
web critique #8- three-walls.org
http://www.three-walls.org/
i must have missed seeing this web critique on the syllabus two weeks ago. sorry for the late response:) right away i like the lay out and design of the site. very simple and clean. and i love the wood panel. have used it for many of my own design purposes. the home page does not initially inform me about the organization and purpose of the site. i like to see that right away. luckily it's only one click away to the left in the easy to navigate and bold menu bar. it's nice to see fairly new programs going strong today. being an artist i have always been interested in the residency experience. i am trying to stay in touch with my artistic "lifestyle" but still wanting to be involved in the community and expanding my art beyond my living room walls. i like the archive of all the past artists. their events, lectures, etc seem very interesting. seems like they're full filling their mission statement to the fullest.
i must have missed seeing this web critique on the syllabus two weeks ago. sorry for the late response:) right away i like the lay out and design of the site. very simple and clean. and i love the wood panel. have used it for many of my own design purposes. the home page does not initially inform me about the organization and purpose of the site. i like to see that right away. luckily it's only one click away to the left in the easy to navigate and bold menu bar. it's nice to see fairly new programs going strong today. being an artist i have always been interested in the residency experience. i am trying to stay in touch with my artistic "lifestyle" but still wanting to be involved in the community and expanding my art beyond my living room walls. i like the archive of all the past artists. their events, lectures, etc seem very interesting. seems like they're full filling their mission statement to the fullest.
ooh MCA...
as i mentioned in a previous post, i really enjoyed the design, information, and accessibility of the MCA's website. now to say the same thing about the museum itself... it's a bit different. some people may not feel the same but i enjoy the layout of the museum. some galleries are very open and some are more intimate. i like the variety. i found that navigating through the museum was pretty easy. what it lacked is the great information that was available on the site. especially all the wonderful interactive activities and education information. i wish there was more, a lot more hands-on activities for both adults and kids. contemporary art can be a bit intimidating and not easily absorbed just from viewing. i think viewers would benefit from physical interaction with the art. also, i feel a better space could be provided to display and embrace all the education resources and events. if you're a regular museum goer i feel this museum is great. for newbies, may be a bit lost, uncertain, and informed properly about the works.
Friday, March 13, 2009
how much are you making?
i currently read a piece in chicago magazine about who makes what in the city. i wanted to take notice to jobs in the art/education field since i don't see myself working anywhere else in my future. these salaries are from particular people...
arts:
tattoo artist- $70,000 (wow)
self-employed photographer- $39,000
managing director for harris theater- $151,000
toy designer-$80,000
painter/art teacher for children-$0 (haha, been there)
education:
instructor/graduate student at nw university-$21,000
associate professor of biomedical engineering at ITT-$372,000
third year teacher at cps-$56,000
music:
lead singer in local band-$1,000
hip hop artist, kanye west-$30 million (whatever)
artistic director of chicago children's choir-$88,000
others:
president/ceo frank lloyd wright preservation-$139,000
excutive director of developing communities project-$59,000
president/ceo of YMCA-$412,000
actor, wall climbing instructor, clown (ha)-$21,000
freelance costume/fashion designer-$27,000
arts:
tattoo artist- $70,000 (wow)
self-employed photographer- $39,000
managing director for harris theater- $151,000
toy designer-$80,000
painter/art teacher for children-$0 (haha, been there)
education:
instructor/graduate student at nw university-$21,000
associate professor of biomedical engineering at ITT-$372,000
third year teacher at cps-$56,000
music:
lead singer in local band-$1,000
hip hop artist, kanye west-$30 million (whatever)
artistic director of chicago children's choir-$88,000
others:
president/ceo frank lloyd wright preservation-$139,000
excutive director of developing communities project-$59,000
president/ceo of YMCA-$412,000
actor, wall climbing instructor, clown (ha)-$21,000
freelance costume/fashion designer-$27,000
web critique #7- mca.org
http://www.mcachicago.org/
i have visited this site numerous times since moving to chicago. i like to be in the know of current exhibits in the city whether i can find time to see them or not. the main page is great. i like the non-stop moving images and text. i am attracted to the movement which then encourages me to read the information. also on the main page is area dedicated to planning your visit which provides a link to useful information. i found that it takes a few clicks to find the price of the museum. that is something i always search for when visiting museum sites since i am on such a tight budget. it gives decent information on current and past exhibits. i would love to see more images associated with those exhibits though. i was surprised that there was a lot of great educational resources on the site, including podcasts. the interactive section is great! there are games and quizes and ecards (i love sending ecards, well mainly someecards). i love sites that have a fun aspect to them because searching just information can become dull and i need some entertainment. looks like there are many great activities and events for children and their families. the design, color pallette, and lay out is fitting and effective for the museum. in addition, yours truely in under the photo section for the first friday event :) first fridays an okay time. a bit pricey and a bit of a meat market but i always enjoy the museum setting out of it's orginal centext.
web critique #6- areachicago.org
http://www.areachicago.org/
i agree with everyone else that the design of the site is pretty boring and uninspiring. especially since it is a site for artists, art educators, etc. at first the site was a difficult to navigate. if it wasn't an assignment i think my interest in the site may have dwindled due to the design and layout. i was interested in the "5 questions about art in chicago" link. i liked the the questions asked about socially engaging art in chicago and the variety of artists/professionals that responded. i always like to hear what my current contemporaries have to say about important issues. i liked that a list of topics was available to follow when searching this site. the "notes for a people's atlas" was a cool feature. viewers can make their own maps. this feature could be advertised better with eye-catching design and color as well as all the other links. there is some very useful and fun information on this site that could really be emphasized by a better designed site. i will defiantly return and recommend it for other peers.
i agree with everyone else that the design of the site is pretty boring and uninspiring. especially since it is a site for artists, art educators, etc. at first the site was a difficult to navigate. if it wasn't an assignment i think my interest in the site may have dwindled due to the design and layout. i was interested in the "5 questions about art in chicago" link. i liked the the questions asked about socially engaging art in chicago and the variety of artists/professionals that responded. i always like to hear what my current contemporaries have to say about important issues. i liked that a list of topics was available to follow when searching this site. the "notes for a people's atlas" was a cool feature. viewers can make their own maps. this feature could be advertised better with eye-catching design and color as well as all the other links. there is some very useful and fun information on this site that could really be emphasized by a better designed site. i will defiantly return and recommend it for other peers.
Friday, March 6, 2009
ron mueck
a little eye candy for y'all...
i know, ron mueck is so four years ago (ha), but i am still amazed by his work. i just learned that we was a puppeteer on Labyrinth, one of my favorite movies of all time.
i know, ron mueck is so four years ago (ha), but i am still amazed by his work. i just learned that we was a puppeteer on Labyrinth, one of my favorite movies of all time.
podcasts
for our techno teach-in i choose the topic of podcasts. i didn't know too much about them and wanted to explore more. also, it seemed to be a more interesting topic than some of the others offered :) i use itunes quite often but was still not quite familiar with the podcasts offered in the itunes store. jess showed me how she browses the store. i didn't realize you could download so much free music. good to know. beyond music i really wanted to know what roll the podcats could take in the education field, especially art education. in our powerpoint presentation i posed some advantages and disadvantages the podcast could present in educational world as a young student, college student, and teacher. for the use of pocasts for students prek-12 i stated a few advantages:
-provides an engaging way to learn
-gives them an authentic platform for publishing, gathering information, etc
-record poetry, stories, etc
-creatively share work in the classroom
-portable
and disadvantages:
-possibly no face-to-face interaction
-lack of equipment (computers, voice recorder, software, bandwidth, etc)
-lack of knowledge by teacher
-finding appropriate podcasts for viewing can be time consuming
advantages for college students:
-wide-range of educational content available to download for research, etc
-class lectures available with in days
-mobility
-research tool
disadvantages for college students:
-poor attendance
-no audience participation
advantages for educators:
-allows teachers to create authentic audio and video material (curriculum, lesson plans, examples, lectures, websites, resources for other educators)
-include technology into their classroom
-easily available and inexpensive equipment, portable
-parent and community involvement
-tutorials, lesson plans, activities available as teaching resources
for each group we asked the class what other advantages and disadvantages could surface when using podcasts in teaching environments. i was hoping for more input and discussion from our class. possibly i did not present much excitement in the topic? did we not define the term podcost appropriately making it easier to discuss? did they fear their ideas were non-relevant to the topic? or was everyone just tired and ready to go home? all of the above? instead of being stared downed by blank faces we continued the presentation. in the future i hope not to do this. i did at this time possibly because these were classmates rather than my students. i want my students to engaged in dialogue. possibly this is a skill i need to work on... exciting a classroom to want to talk, even if it's a boring subject. students and fellow classmates.
jess and i decided to create our own podcast. we didn't just want to talk the talk but wanted to walk the walk as well. the process of creating a podcast wasn't as hard as i thought but it was more time consuming than i thought. since everyone seems to be extremely stressed by the beginning stages of our thesis as well as other classes and life in general, we decided to make a fun and entertaining podcast. apparently not. from the confused and blank faces afterwards we assumed folks were not impressed. maybe just tired? this was in no way to offend any of our piers but merely put a smile on our stressed faces. we hope people found humor in it. we then struggled to show exactly how we created the podcast. we should have had our laptop hooked rather than the class computer which had minimal resources on it to use for examples. we could have also had a step-by-step process written out to show/hand out to the class. hopefully the class can now have at least an interest to explore garage band and the use of podcasts.
here are some of the sites we mentioned in the presentation that contain educational podcasts:
Podcasting News
http://www.podcastingnews.com/
The Educational Podcast Network
http://epnweb.org/
Princeton Online:Art Education Blogs and Podcasts
http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/links/blogs.html
here are instructions on how to get to saic podcasts on itunes:
Go to www.saic.edu not the portal
Click on Wired at bottom of page
Open with your iTunes
Log in using your usual name and password
Explore lectures, Visiting Artist Series, tutorials and more
-provides an engaging way to learn
-gives them an authentic platform for publishing, gathering information, etc
-record poetry, stories, etc
-creatively share work in the classroom
-portable
and disadvantages:
-possibly no face-to-face interaction
-lack of equipment (computers, voice recorder, software, bandwidth, etc)
-lack of knowledge by teacher
-finding appropriate podcasts for viewing can be time consuming
advantages for college students:
-wide-range of educational content available to download for research, etc
-class lectures available with in days
-mobility
-research tool
disadvantages for college students:
-poor attendance
-no audience participation
advantages for educators:
-allows teachers to create authentic audio and video material (curriculum, lesson plans, examples, lectures, websites, resources for other educators)
-include technology into their classroom
-easily available and inexpensive equipment, portable
-parent and community involvement
-tutorials, lesson plans, activities available as teaching resources
for each group we asked the class what other advantages and disadvantages could surface when using podcasts in teaching environments. i was hoping for more input and discussion from our class. possibly i did not present much excitement in the topic? did we not define the term podcost appropriately making it easier to discuss? did they fear their ideas were non-relevant to the topic? or was everyone just tired and ready to go home? all of the above? instead of being stared downed by blank faces we continued the presentation. in the future i hope not to do this. i did at this time possibly because these were classmates rather than my students. i want my students to engaged in dialogue. possibly this is a skill i need to work on... exciting a classroom to want to talk, even if it's a boring subject. students and fellow classmates.
jess and i decided to create our own podcast. we didn't just want to talk the talk but wanted to walk the walk as well. the process of creating a podcast wasn't as hard as i thought but it was more time consuming than i thought. since everyone seems to be extremely stressed by the beginning stages of our thesis as well as other classes and life in general, we decided to make a fun and entertaining podcast. apparently not. from the confused and blank faces afterwards we assumed folks were not impressed. maybe just tired? this was in no way to offend any of our piers but merely put a smile on our stressed faces. we hope people found humor in it. we then struggled to show exactly how we created the podcast. we should have had our laptop hooked rather than the class computer which had minimal resources on it to use for examples. we could have also had a step-by-step process written out to show/hand out to the class. hopefully the class can now have at least an interest to explore garage band and the use of podcasts.
here are some of the sites we mentioned in the presentation that contain educational podcasts:
Podcasting News
http://www.podcastingnews.com/
The Educational Podcast Network
http://epnweb.org/
Princeton Online:Art Education Blogs and Podcasts
http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/links/blogs.html
here are instructions on how to get to saic podcasts on itunes:
Go to www.saic.edu not the portal
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web critique #5- stockyardinstitute.org
http://www.stockyardinstitute.org
lately i've been thinking about redesigning my website. why, i don't know, since i have little to zero time to focus on it due to school work, thesis, work, painting and my sorry attempt to have some sort of a social life outside of talking to my cat. my first viewing of this site i was really attracted to it's simple design and lay out. exactly what i would like for my site, design wise. small yet noticeable icons for the links to other pages and a logo/title at the op of the page make it visually pleasing and as well as user friendly.
as any site, i really appreciate it when they describe what the site is about from the get go, whether it's in a headline, mission statement or a brief description on the main page easy to see. stockyard institute has done just that. right away i am intrigued by what the organization is offering to it's audience. i love the projects they have listed and described on the site. projects are creative, collaborative, and educational for participants and viewers. many of the projects that involve local chicago youth implement dialogue about certain issues, themes, ideas about their community as well as . this is something I am very interested in pursuing when working with future youth. the dialogue and discussions students have is just as important as the hands-on art making experience as well. and with new technology i'm learning here in grad school i can record and share these group discussions, which excites me greatly. i also took notice to projects that involved youth physically into their neighborhood, such as the austin community history book project. here students walked through out their community and took photographs to better understand and share. there is project listed that sounds extremely interesting but i'm not too clear on what was actually accomplish because of some of the terms they used. the fast eddie's car wash was an attempt to raise radical ideas of pedagogy. i am really curious to know how this attempt was executed during the exhibition. i love their creative way to make relevant resources in their binder archives project. as an educator, i want interesting ways to document and store all my information and work. i like how the team consists of a handful of versified talented and young people. gives inspiration to young art educators as myself.
lately i've been thinking about redesigning my website. why, i don't know, since i have little to zero time to focus on it due to school work, thesis, work, painting and my sorry attempt to have some sort of a social life outside of talking to my cat. my first viewing of this site i was really attracted to it's simple design and lay out. exactly what i would like for my site, design wise. small yet noticeable icons for the links to other pages and a logo/title at the op of the page make it visually pleasing and as well as user friendly.
as any site, i really appreciate it when they describe what the site is about from the get go, whether it's in a headline, mission statement or a brief description on the main page easy to see. stockyard institute has done just that. right away i am intrigued by what the organization is offering to it's audience. i love the projects they have listed and described on the site. projects are creative, collaborative, and educational for participants and viewers. many of the projects that involve local chicago youth implement dialogue about certain issues, themes, ideas about their community as well as . this is something I am very interested in pursuing when working with future youth. the dialogue and discussions students have is just as important as the hands-on art making experience as well. and with new technology i'm learning here in grad school i can record and share these group discussions, which excites me greatly. i also took notice to projects that involved youth physically into their neighborhood, such as the austin community history book project. here students walked through out their community and took photographs to better understand and share. there is project listed that sounds extremely interesting but i'm not too clear on what was actually accomplish because of some of the terms they used. the fast eddie's car wash was an attempt to raise radical ideas of pedagogy. i am really curious to know how this attempt was executed during the exhibition. i love their creative way to make relevant resources in their binder archives project. as an educator, i want interesting ways to document and store all my information and work. i like how the team consists of a handful of versified talented and young people. gives inspiration to young art educators as myself.
visit to hyde park...
if you haven't noticed i've been a bit behind on my critiques and other class related blog posts. some of my "excuses" are beyond my control (health issues) and yet some due to my prioritizing skills. regardless, excuses aren't acceptable and i'm back to bloggin' away. i hope to post more images in my posts. from both our class and other outside resources that i hope everyone finds of interest.
here are some photos i took from our hyde park art center visit... enjoy...
here are some photos i took from our hyde park art center visit... enjoy...
Friday, February 20, 2009
web critique #4- communityarts.net, artsedge kennedy center.org, arted20.ning.com
http://www.communityarts.net/
this has become my favorite site yet with in the art education realm. i spent a good three hours straight exploring all the different resources offered. i've discovered this site in perfect timing for gathering information for my thesis. it has been a bit of a challenge finding information but i found a handful of very relevant articles related to my topic on this site. a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.... phew.
at first i was a little overwhelmed by all the information with in the different links. after some browsing i became more comfortable with the site. because i was able gain so much relevant information from this site i can see how it could be possible that the site has too much non-relevant information for other viewers. i really like the array of topics and sub topics on the left of the page (disciplines, populations, etc.). when searching for a specific interest these links are a great time saver. the site offers much updated news and events. but i did notice that many events listed are on the west coast. possibly that could be updated with east coast events as well. in addition to all the wonderful resources this site offers it also has a book store from which you can order from.
again... so happy i found this site! thank you!!
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/
my first visit i took notice to the simple and clean design, great color palette, and i was not overwhelmed with many links. i liked this. but i do wish more was said about the site on the home page. just one or two sentences under the main title would suffice. i like the variety of art lesson plans, etc. not just visual art but music and theater as well. the teach tab offers so much useful information for school teachers. the connect tab offers a handful of links relevant for teachers in the classroom. the explore tab is a great feature. here is a great example of how to use technology in learning/teaching. here are interactive lessons, websites that i feel will put excitement into classrooms. i like the link that leads your to a whole list of art quotes. reading the quotes gives me a few free moments away from homework yet still inspiring. i also enjoy the calendar on the homepage giving attention to an artist born on that day. it's the little fun additions that bring me back to a site again.
http://arted20.ning.com/
right away i felt welcomed to the site. they explained who they were and what the site was about and was easy to access on the homepage. more sites need to do this rather than concentrating on design elements that keep this information from being displayed. to use this site you must sign up and become a member. i am always reluctant to sign into sites or create an account. this site doesn't offer much browsing with out being a member. i'd like to look around the site before signing up- not much leway to do that. from the tabs and links there seems to be a lot of great information but i feel at this point i will search for other sites with similar information before signing up.
this has become my favorite site yet with in the art education realm. i spent a good three hours straight exploring all the different resources offered. i've discovered this site in perfect timing for gathering information for my thesis. it has been a bit of a challenge finding information but i found a handful of very relevant articles related to my topic on this site. a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.... phew.
at first i was a little overwhelmed by all the information with in the different links. after some browsing i became more comfortable with the site. because i was able gain so much relevant information from this site i can see how it could be possible that the site has too much non-relevant information for other viewers. i really like the array of topics and sub topics on the left of the page (disciplines, populations, etc.). when searching for a specific interest these links are a great time saver. the site offers much updated news and events. but i did notice that many events listed are on the west coast. possibly that could be updated with east coast events as well. in addition to all the wonderful resources this site offers it also has a book store from which you can order from.
again... so happy i found this site! thank you!!
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/
my first visit i took notice to the simple and clean design, great color palette, and i was not overwhelmed with many links. i liked this. but i do wish more was said about the site on the home page. just one or two sentences under the main title would suffice. i like the variety of art lesson plans, etc. not just visual art but music and theater as well. the teach tab offers so much useful information for school teachers. the connect tab offers a handful of links relevant for teachers in the classroom. the explore tab is a great feature. here is a great example of how to use technology in learning/teaching. here are interactive lessons, websites that i feel will put excitement into classrooms. i like the link that leads your to a whole list of art quotes. reading the quotes gives me a few free moments away from homework yet still inspiring. i also enjoy the calendar on the homepage giving attention to an artist born on that day. it's the little fun additions that bring me back to a site again.
http://arted20.ning.com/
right away i felt welcomed to the site. they explained who they were and what the site was about and was easy to access on the homepage. more sites need to do this rather than concentrating on design elements that keep this information from being displayed. to use this site you must sign up and become a member. i am always reluctant to sign into sites or create an account. this site doesn't offer much browsing with out being a member. i'd like to look around the site before signing up- not much leway to do that. from the tabs and links there seems to be a lot of great information but i feel at this point i will search for other sites with similar information before signing up.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
web critique #3- saic portal
pros:
of course there are many pros to this portal. it is essential for students here at SAIC. not all colleges i have been to have had a portal or one with relevant resources. right away your email is visible. that's helpful for me because i do not want to miss any important messages from professors or classmates. important announcements are displayed for your immediate attention as well. some of the announcements or more critical than others but none the less it is a great feature. i really enjoy how events for both the school and museum are posted on the main page. it's nice not to have to retrieve the museum's home page to get this information. the courses tab reveals all your current and past courses. at first it was a little difficult for me to navigate through my courses using the files, photos, contacts, etc links. when used correctly, gaining and spreading information through your courses home page is very useful. events calendar and public programs tabs offer a lot of information, which is great. the academic resources tab i feel offers all the useful information we need when inquiry about the library, equipment, and training resources.
cons:
i mentioned above that the clearly visible email box was very useful, but i have found that i receive many irrelevant emails. in the past i have over looked important emails mixed in with others i wanted to ignore. possibly there is a way to sort these emails as they come in. i am not sure. one major issue i have with this site is that some of the links offered in the tools and services tabs and very user unfriendly. i find it quite annoying to have to log into another site for my academic information or job hunting information. the self-service site and the career development website are separate from the portal. i wish it was all obtainable on the portal. when first using the portal i found myself getting frustrated having to use different passwords to gain this information. also, when i contacted help/support about these sites i would get a very late response if any. today i am still trying to log onto the career site grrrrrr. and why wouldn't the self-service site be under the services tab and not the tools?? on top of every page is the helpful hints bar. maybe mine does not work but every time i type in a keyword, question, etc. nothing appears. i am still waiting for help/support to email me back about that...sigh...
as for the design of the portal it is simple, clean, and easy to navigate. since we are all artists using this portal i wish there was a little more character and color. possibly that is something that can be created under the customize me tab, which i have yet to explore.
of course there are many pros to this portal. it is essential for students here at SAIC. not all colleges i have been to have had a portal or one with relevant resources. right away your email is visible. that's helpful for me because i do not want to miss any important messages from professors or classmates. important announcements are displayed for your immediate attention as well. some of the announcements or more critical than others but none the less it is a great feature. i really enjoy how events for both the school and museum are posted on the main page. it's nice not to have to retrieve the museum's home page to get this information. the courses tab reveals all your current and past courses. at first it was a little difficult for me to navigate through my courses using the files, photos, contacts, etc links. when used correctly, gaining and spreading information through your courses home page is very useful. events calendar and public programs tabs offer a lot of information, which is great. the academic resources tab i feel offers all the useful information we need when inquiry about the library, equipment, and training resources.
cons:
i mentioned above that the clearly visible email box was very useful, but i have found that i receive many irrelevant emails. in the past i have over looked important emails mixed in with others i wanted to ignore. possibly there is a way to sort these emails as they come in. i am not sure. one major issue i have with this site is that some of the links offered in the tools and services tabs and very user unfriendly. i find it quite annoying to have to log into another site for my academic information or job hunting information. the self-service site and the career development website are separate from the portal. i wish it was all obtainable on the portal. when first using the portal i found myself getting frustrated having to use different passwords to gain this information. also, when i contacted help/support about these sites i would get a very late response if any. today i am still trying to log onto the career site grrrrrr. and why wouldn't the self-service site be under the services tab and not the tools?? on top of every page is the helpful hints bar. maybe mine does not work but every time i type in a keyword, question, etc. nothing appears. i am still waiting for help/support to email me back about that...sigh...
as for the design of the portal it is simple, clean, and easy to navigate. since we are all artists using this portal i wish there was a little more character and color. possibly that is something that can be created under the customize me tab, which i have yet to explore.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
A-Z = fun!!!
i really enjoyed the last assignment, a-z. i felt like i was in my first year of photography school ten years ago... ikes... ten years ago! this is an adventure i would not endure with in my current priorities. i'm glad i had this chance to explore the city more and enhance my perspectives on it. i had a different experience once they were on my computer and the battle between me and the pdfs began (video soon to come). below are some of my favorite shots...
A
D
O
Q
R
X
A
D
O
Q
R
X
Friday, February 6, 2009
web critique #2- hydepark art
http://www.hydeparkart.org/
content: there is a lot of great, useful information available. i was not overwhelmed with too much. i like how the site welcomes you on the first page. it encourages you to view more. it inspired me to read more about the center.
design: the design is simple and clean. the color palette used for the fonts could be more vibrant. also, the font size a little small which might make it difficult to read for some users.
usability: this site is very easy to navigate. links are accessible but i feel the fonts could be larger to make them more accessible. i like how there is abstracts for each sub subject followed by a link that says "details>".
content: there is a lot of great, useful information available. i was not overwhelmed with too much. i like how the site welcomes you on the first page. it encourages you to view more. it inspired me to read more about the center.
design: the design is simple and clean. the color palette used for the fonts could be more vibrant. also, the font size a little small which might make it difficult to read for some users.
usability: this site is very easy to navigate. links are accessible but i feel the fonts could be larger to make them more accessible. i like how there is abstracts for each sub subject followed by a link that says "details>".
web critique #1- cps, artic, naea
http://www.cps.edu/Pages/home.aspx
content: i am not too familiar with the chicago public schools but site is loaded with information that i feel will educate me as well as be informative to others familiar with the system. i really like how the site is accessible for different users- parents, students, teachers, community, etc.
design: the design is very simple, clean, and straight forward. it lends to easy navigation. from an artistic point a view it seems a bit bland. but i realize this site is catering to a large, diverse population, so an eye-catching design is not necessary.
usability: the site is very user friendly. there are many clickable links that lead other easy to use pages. the larger and bold fonts that direct users to more information is noticeable and functional. i feel that all ages can surf this sight.
http://www.artic.edu/aic/
content: i feel this site covers the basic information needed for a museum but also "covered" other interesting information such as the history of the museum. because it is such a large museum i find surfing on their online collection a little overwhelming. there are great resources for students and teachers.
design: again, i find the design a bit bland. but again, i know this site is intended for many viewers and accessibility is more important than an intricate, artistic design. the color palette chosen coincides with the nature of the museum- clean and classic.
usability: this site is user friendly. i wish the links to the left of text/images of the sub pages were larger and more distinct. the information there is interesting and useful. if i overlooked them i'm sure many other users would as well.
http://www.naea-reston.org
content: i am a visual person and enjoyed the great images accompanying the text through out the site. there is a lot of useful information as well as resources. it is up to date with news and events. outdated sites always annoy me.
design: the design of this site is my favorite of all three. it is more colorful, imaginative yet still clean. the slide show of images and text on the main page is a great way to grad your attention.
usability: links highlighted better than the art institute site. it is extremely easy to navigate and relevant information is easily available in headers/footers/side of pages.
content: i am not too familiar with the chicago public schools but site is loaded with information that i feel will educate me as well as be informative to others familiar with the system. i really like how the site is accessible for different users- parents, students, teachers, community, etc.
design: the design is very simple, clean, and straight forward. it lends to easy navigation. from an artistic point a view it seems a bit bland. but i realize this site is catering to a large, diverse population, so an eye-catching design is not necessary.
usability: the site is very user friendly. there are many clickable links that lead other easy to use pages. the larger and bold fonts that direct users to more information is noticeable and functional. i feel that all ages can surf this sight.
http://www.artic.edu/aic/
content: i feel this site covers the basic information needed for a museum but also "covered" other interesting information such as the history of the museum. because it is such a large museum i find surfing on their online collection a little overwhelming. there are great resources for students and teachers.
design: again, i find the design a bit bland. but again, i know this site is intended for many viewers and accessibility is more important than an intricate, artistic design. the color palette chosen coincides with the nature of the museum- clean and classic.
usability: this site is user friendly. i wish the links to the left of text/images of the sub pages were larger and more distinct. the information there is interesting and useful. if i overlooked them i'm sure many other users would as well.
http://www.naea-reston.org
content: i am a visual person and enjoyed the great images accompanying the text through out the site. there is a lot of useful information as well as resources. it is up to date with news and events. outdated sites always annoy me.
design: the design of this site is my favorite of all three. it is more colorful, imaginative yet still clean. the slide show of images and text on the main page is a great way to grad your attention.
usability: links highlighted better than the art institute site. it is extremely easy to navigate and relevant information is easily available in headers/footers/side of pages.
belated introduction...
finally, the blog of sophistikatie has some substance. due to circumstances out of my control i missed the first week of classes and now taking the time to complete past and current web critiques and any other assignments. i'm excited for this class. it does not seem to be too stressful but at the same time practical and fun. enjoy my critiques, comments, rants, images, etc. 'til the next blog...
peace
katie.
peace
katie.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
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