Technology plays a new role in the arts that was nonexistent 100 years ago. I can share with you many ways that technology can be utilized in the classroom and the benefits and drawbacks of it when used with different types of platforms, but I am going to address its importance in child development. This is a topic I have seen in my experience to be commonly overlooked. Educators that receive a bachelor’s degree as a certification of training must understand the importance of child identity and socialization that occurs. Disregarding technology as an educator is equal to disregarding an element in a student’s development. Given my encounters, technologies largest contribution is to children’s self-concept.
During early adolescence, students begin to have an increase in complexity between self-concept and school achievement. Middle school students start to approach each of their classes differently based on confidence for the subject and the success achieved in that subject. As discussed previously in my blog post, "Artistic Development and Identity Construction", students at this age make decisions about continuing to pursue art given their self-concept of art in regards to their struggle or success with technical drawing abilities. Technology influences student’s self-concept in relation to art making. Technology in the art classroom allows for students to visually see their higher technical abilities, given tools that seem to be more manageable. Although technology reduces the risk some students may take due to simple “undo” commands, it provides further exploration without high levels of frustration and self-doubt. Although frustration plays an important role in problem solving which correlates to higher critical thinking, permanent changes in tangible art limit a student’s realization for a second opportunity to create improvements. Technology serves an important role in the art classroom to boost self-concept, but should not be the dominating method of art-making. Students still need opportunities to take risks as a means to experience break through ideas which would most likely otherwise not be discovered.
Additionally, teachers must recognize and address the importance of growing with their students. We must not be ignorant as educators to see ourselves as the all-knowing in a classroom, but allow for students to guide us as we begin to understand the new ways technology works. The reciprocation of learning and teaching among teachers and students is a successful method to be applied in the classroom proposed by John Dewey. This promotes a learning environment where students can feel responsible and empowered when teachers value their students’ knowledge. It is important to note that technology does not steer a student away from creating tangible art. In fact, Douglas Boughton and Kerry Freedman state that “‘the more technologically mediated a kid’s lifestyle, the more he longs for contact with physical reality, and the more he values real objects for their authenticity’ (Rushkoff, 1999, 110)”.
The additional component of performance art aids student’s self-concept as they create social connections. Students rely on acceptance during early adolescence as they develop. Students often compare themselves to their peers as confirmation for their self-concept and self-perception. Providing performance art offers opportunities for collaboration where students can express their strengths. For example, fictional character Suzie may discover she is excellent in stage lighting and finds pleasure in doing so, but may feel anxious and insecure when reading lines. Suzie will be able to practice her strengths if she is given the opportunity to do stage lighting, and can learn from observation ways to reduce anxiety and insecurities if she needs to read lines in the future. She receives positive social experiences when she collaborates with peers. Additionally, students may record the performance using a video camera and have the opportunity to self-reflect.
Technology provides a contribution in the art classroom that enhances student’s self-concept in the art making process by providing more manageable tools which reduce risk and promote exploration, by allowing students to take on the role of a teacher by providing them with empowering positions attaining responsibility, and by exploring new strengths and social collaboration through performance. Art contains many mediums which function as tools and mediums. Art educators that promote the use of technology as a new tool will allow students to experience higher levels of self-concept which contribute to a student’s overall level of self-esteem. Educators want to watch their students flourish in all areas of their life and technology in the art classroom provides one of the elements to allow their students to do so.
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