New Media in Art Education

New media in art education opens the venue for a creator rather than consumer model. For example can be seen here: http://chinatownbanquet.org/about.html The banquet project is a multimedia project to raise awareness of Chinatown culture and its history. This site is a great example in how the visual arts can create community development and education. This site was made by high school students that is a great example of interest driven learning.

In my opinion today’s new media can be a great tool to propel interest driven learning with youth. New media allows youth to choose what they are interested in and access it.

While doing some research I came across an article titled New Media and Its Superpowers: Learning, Post Pokemon (A talk for 
The National Association of Independent Schools
February 25, 2010), in the article the author said “We know that most learning and engagement happens outside of school. For decades, progressive education has worked to integrate the learning happening in schools with what kids find important and meaningful outside of schools.” New media is a great way to do what this author is talking about.
Imagine if we can sneak in learning onto kids online social activity. For example, I often check my facebook page. It is a great way to keep up with folks. I also play Farmville. I have a nice simple farm. In the game I must harvest my crops in time or they will die. This automatically gives me insight of the sense of urgency or timing it takes to be a farmer. Now they say on Farmville that co-ops will be coming soon. I’m looking forward to that. Visual media will keep my attention for hours on end if I am not careful.

I then went to this site: http://www.uic.edu/classes/ad/ad382/
which gave the following information about media education:
Studies show that media education is most effective when it includes:
both media analysis and production
teacher-created combinations of activities, rather than off-the-shelf curricula
coordinated efforts across all subject areas

This site was very interesting: http://www.uic.edu/classes/ad/ad382/ and had some curriculum which incorporates new media.

I also found an artist named Cao Fei who is featured in season 5 of art 21. In her art she creates a world in second life called RMB City. It can be seen here http://www.pbs.org/art21/index.html.