2020 Vision

     The reading by Anderson & Balsamo about the “2020 Vision” delves into ideas of technology advances, differences between technology ideals and experiences between generations, and how it all can and does affect a classroom. The 2020 vision takes you to a time of a teacher sitting behind a screen viewing his/her students floating about on the screen.  Immediately the relationship between the students and teacher is very different than how I experienced throughout both my K-12 and university days. I grew up walking quietly and nervously into my classrooms on the first days of school, anxious to please my teachers and eager to follow the rules. I always thought of the teachers as authority and those to be respected, even during my angsty teenage days. In the 2020 vision, the teacher immediately must prove why the students should remain, learn and participate. “My IM-patch starts to heat up; one of them has already hacked my earring. I take a deep breath and think, “Let the Games Begin!” (Anderson & Balsamo). The assessment grid, various technologies, advanced games and exercises as well as bots are introduced and the students are now engaged. Ironically, there is a an opportunity called the “Make Space Practicum” which includes reality based course work; student and teacher meeting and working face to face like classes are today! When I read this, it made me realize how lucky I truly am as student to have my professors right there in front of me, entertaining my senses but also there to ask questions, discuss with, and connect on a higher human degree.

    When I reclined with my eyes shut and imagined my ideal teaching space, I envisioned myself in a K-5 school of sorts.  The classroom had old wooden floors with paint splattered on them, old tables and desks from thrift stores, chalkboard walls and kids’ artwork hanging from all of the walls. Quite the opposite of a high tech cyber-school that includes a sleek, clean computer screen, and precisely typed words. Something however I would like to tie over from the reading would be the learning experience from USC’s Institute for Multimedia Literacy. “…the IML draws deeply on tradition of visual expression, narrative and sound, which are often underrepresented in conventional academic production”(Anderson & Balsamo).I would love to integrate a large variety of different mediums into my classroom, whether it is paints and clays or videos and installations with audio or video.  “Retooling our sense of students not as younger versions of ourselves, but as members of a generation with its own unique disposition, provides a starting point for the creation of pedagogical protocols that acknowledge and embrace their essential mutability”(Anderson & Balsamo). I think it will be for myself as an educator to continue to learn new processes, techniques, softwares and possible resources for art making so that I can share them accurately with my students. 

    An advanced tool that I find connects art, senses, perception and technology all in one would be the interactive projections by Luminvison. These projections can be a variety of visuals, games and even advertisements. I would try to not include in my classroom any advertisements, but the sheer entertainment and exercises of sense of vision, body movement and space would be excellent for students! The projections make students explore the very complex connection of human body to the projection through advanced means of technology. I could easily see myself using projections that provide various visuals that correlate directly with lesson plans for the different units for each grade. Whether it is nature, animals, art concepts such as color theory, pattern or perhaps even familiar characters and settings from pop culture. For young students especially, I know this technology would truly grasp their attention and help me to connect major dots and have fun as explore and learn about various concepts. Students could also feel free to work with, adjust and manipulate the software themselves to feel more sense of creation and not simply experience or play. Games could also be a reward after a good day full of hard work from the students! 

  I would much rather have a software like these interactive projections rather than a row of computer against the wall that students are only allowed to use at certain times, for certain reasons and have a rather controlled experience. I never thought much before of making a conscious effort of bringing more technological softwares and tools into my art room but I am beginning to see that it will only enhance my class and the students' experiences, not take away from or make confusing. 

Has anyone ever seen or experienced an interactive floor or wall projection like those from the Luminvision website? Any thoughts on having this sort of software in a classroom?

Anderson, S., & Balsamo, A. (2008). A pedagogy for original synners. In T. McPherson (Ed.), Digital youth, innovation, and the unexpected (pp. 241-259). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.