A Wiki Enhanced Art History Lesson Plan

ORIGINAL

This lesson plan was built based on a year-long Art History course syllabus that I found by searching Google for examples. The original class covered the history of art from prehistoric to post-moderism periods.  The source is Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School a private school in Georgia.

LInk to Source Document Download

Link to Source School Webpage

The source syllabus included a combination of readings, teacher power point presentation, and online tutorials for teaching content.  The homework and evaluation tools in the original plan included individual writing assignments (paper-based), workbook pages, a portfolio (hard copy), quizzes and exams.

WIKI ENHANCED

I have selected one of the four 8 week segments from this lesson plan and incorporated the use of Wikis and Blogs for some of the assignments and evaluation tools.  I also proposed the use of a class page in a Blackboard-like tool for some of the content materials and other class support.

Leonardo Da Vinci: Annunciazione

(1) Title of the lesson/training

Art History

(2) Target audience

AP art history students in high school, introductory university-level art history students, or continuing education students interested in the history of art.

(3) Learning/Training objectives

1. Student evaluates how history shapes art, and sometimes, art shapes history
2. Student interprets historical references and/or events necessary to understand art work
3. Student can explain the techniques and processes of creating art
4. Student demonstrates command of architectural theory concepts and terminology
(Paraphrased from source document)

(4) Materials needed (handouts, worksheets, etc.)

Texts: (From original source document)

Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, 12th edition, Kleiner and Mamiya
Gardner’s Workbooks Volume 1 and 2
Barron’s AP Art History

Class WebPage/Blackboard: 

Instructor should build a class page and populate it with the following...

Files and Content

• Powerpoint presentations
• Electronic version of workbook pages
• Course Syllabus & Schedule
• Wiki, Blog, and Comments Rubrics

Access to internet-based lessons
Message Board (with Q&A, FAQ’s)
Links to example/helpful wikis and blogs

Student Online Development Tools:

Wiki (see next section)
Blogs (see next section)

(5) Instruction procedure/Learning procedure/Class outline and methods

Classroom: 

a) Powerpoint presentations of content
b) Class discussion of key topics from the reading, especially related to upcoming blog questions and/or hot discussion topics from the blogs
c) Group wiki work planning, checkpoints, development time, refinement time

Wiki:

The students will be working in groups of 4 to build an online portfolio of images, discussion, and vocabulary for each major art movement/period/region.  The instructor will establish a wiki for each session/class and provide the students the link to that site.  It is recommended that the wiki be private and the students must be invited by the professor to join.  The home page of the wiki should explain the purpose of the portfolio wiki, ground rules, due dates, and the like. It is also recommended that the professor pre-populate or frame the wiki with sections/pages for each student group's portfolio, including a sandbox area for practice and a planning/process area for each group.  Finally, it is recommended that the instructor provide an example of a completed portfolio entry, so that students have a clear image of what is expected.

Student Wiki Instructions to be distributed by instructor:

Wiki Instructions: Teams of 4 students

• Portfolio: includes one “section” per major art movement/period/region. Sections should be titled as follows…
• High Renaissance
• Reformation
• Baroque
• Rococo/Neoclassicism/Romanticism
• Non-Western Art of China, Asia and Korea
• You may choose to have one or multiple wiki pages to present your portfolio.  At a minimum for each section you must include
• Important Images 
• Key Vocabulary
• Summary: 3-4 paragraphs on the key artists, ideas, and innovations of the period/movement/region, plus historical or social events that had major impact on the art.  
• You are encouraged to link with other sources and critiques such as 
• Links to museums’ resources or sites
• Links to art historians’ critiques
• Additional Images/Photos
• Videos
• RSS Feeds
• Completed sections are due by midnight on Friday of the week portfolio checkpoints are indicated in the syllabus
• See Rubric for Wiki Grading

Blog: 

Students will be creating individual blogs for posting their responses to a weekly assigned art history question, comparison between two art compositions, or analysis of one work of art.  The instructor should provide the students ample instruction on how to create their blog in a chosen tool, such as Blogger or Wordpress.  Links to example/sample blogs should be provided to support understanding.   The instructor may also want to connect students to prior semester examples of good, average, and not so great postings.  It is also highly recommended that the teacher educate students on the privacy risks related to web-based composition.

Student Blog Instructions to be distributed by the instructor:

Blog: Capture Critical Thinking and Analysis

• Respond to weekly class assignments and/or discussion questions and/or art analyses via your blog page 
• Title page "Week ### - Question Topic or Art Work Name"
• Posted by EOD Friday 
• Comment to at least 3 classmates postings the week following a posting
• First round of comments are due by EOD Wednesday 
• See Rubric for Blog Posting and Comment Grading

(6)  Learning activities/practices - Suggested 8 Week Schedule)

The specifics of this lesson plan come from the source document (i.e. chapter names, workbook page assignments, questions/art comparison text, etc.)  I enhanced the schedule to use wiki and blog technologies. 

3^RD SESSION: HIGH RENAISSANCE THRU ROMANTICISM AND NON-WESTERN ART

Week 1

Reading:

Chapter 22 – High Renaissance and Mannerism

Chapter 22 Lecture Notes Power Point (available on class site)

Book companion vocabulary

Individual Homework

Garners workbook pages 46-55 (copies available on class site)

Wiki:

Portfolio –Begin composing entry for High Renaissance

Blog:

Compare Cimbaue’s Madonna Enthroned with Giotto’s Madonna Enthroned.

Comment on your classmate’s blog postings

Week 2

Reading

Chapter 22 – High Renaissance and Mannerism

Chapter 22 Lecture Notes Power Point (available online, class webpage)

Individual Homework

Gardner’s Book Companion site Internet Exercises (available on class site) – Renaissance Painting; architectural innovation, and characteristics of mannerism

Wiki

Portfolio: Complete High Renaissance entry

Blog

Discuss two images in which the two separate artists have portrayed themselves.  Discuss how each work reveals the artist’s view of herself or himself and reflect ideas about the artist’s role in her or his society.

Comment on your classmate’s blog postings

Test Chapter 22

Wiki Portfolio Checkpoint: High Renaissance Pages Due

Week 3

Reading

Chapter 23 – Reformation

Chapter 23 Lecture Notes Power Point (available online, class webpage)

Book companion vocabulary

Individual Homework/Graded Assignments

Gardner’s Workbook pages 63-68

Wiki

Porfolio: Begin working on Reformation entry

Blog

Write 3 paragraphs answering the following question

Discuss the combination of Northern and Italian tendencies in Durer’s work. 

How might this statement from Durer’s relate to these tendencies? “We regard a form and figure out of nature with more pleasure than any other, thought the thing itself is not necessarily altogether better or worse”.

Comment on your classmates’ blog postings

Week 4

Reading

Chapter 24 – Baroque

Chapter 24 Lecture Notes Power Point (available online, class webpage)

Book companion vocabulary

Individual Homework/Graded Assignments

Gardner’s Workbook pages 75-88

Wiki

Portfolio: Continue/complete Reformation entry, begin Baroque entry

Blog

Using the Analysis of Art hand-out from your packet, write a formal analysis of Diego Velazquez’s, Las Meninas

Comment of your classmates’ blog postings

Week 5

Reading

Chapter 24 – Baroque

Chapter 24 Lecture Notes Power Point (available online, class webpage)

Individual Homework

None

Wiki

Portfolio:  Complete Reformation and Baroque entries

Blog

Compare Bernini’s David to the David’s from the Renaissance.  How does Bernini’s work epitomize the Baroque period?

Comment of your classmates’ blog postings

Test Chapters 23-24

Wiki Portfolio Checkpoint: Reformation and Baroque Pages Due

Week 6

Reading

Chapter 25 & 26 – South and Southeast Asia & Later China and Korea

Chapter 25 & 26  Lecture Notes Power Point (available online, class webpage)

Book companion vocabulary

Individual Homework

Gardner’s Workbook pages 101-104 and 107-110

Wiki

Portfolio:  Begin Non-Western entries

Blog

Compare two images from religious art (wall decorations, sculptures, or other objects), one western and one non-European.  Discuss how the images conform to the beliefs of the cultures in which they were produced, and in what ways each contributed to reinforcing those beliefs.

Comment on your classmate’s blog postings

Quiz Chapters 25-26

Week 7

Reading

Chapter 28  – Rococo, Neoclassicism, and Romanticism

Chapter 28  Lecture Notes Power Point (available online, class webpage)

Book companion vocabulary

Individual Homework

Gardner’s Workbook pages 119-132

Wiki

Portfolio:  Rococo, Neoclassicism, and Romanticism

Blog

Using the Analysis of Art hand-out from your packet, write a formal analysis including visual an contextual analysis in your post of Gericault’s Raft of the Madusa

Comment on your classmate’s blog postings

Week 8

Reading

Chapter 28  – Rococo, Neoclassism, and Romanticism

Chapter 28  Lecture Notes Power Point (available online, class webpage)

Individual Homework

None

Wiki

Portfolio:  Rococo, Neoclassism, and Romanticism

Blog

Comment on your classmate’s blog postings

Test Chapter 28

Wiki Portfolio Checkpoint – Non-Western Art and Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism Entries due

(7) Evaluation (rubric, grading criteria, etc.)

Grading Components:

Major Tests/Quizzes - 25%
Homework -  10%
Wiki Portfolio - 30%
Blog Postings - 30%
Class Participation - 5%

Wiki Portfolio Rubric: 

Grade is an accumulation of individual and group scores from instructor plus self-scores by each student and a score from each team member
Rated on Four Criteria: Constructive Process, Balanced Contributions Organization, Cohesion
Scored 1-4: 1 (below average), 2 (average), 3 (above average), 4 (exemplary)
SOURCE: West & West, 2009, pp 43-44

Blog Posting Rubric: 

20% Engagement (minimum entries, minimum word count, on time)
70% Content (solid analysis, demonstrates understanding, logically organized, proper grammar)
10% Visual Appeal and Interactivity (structure, readability, graphic use, etc)
SOURCE: Dr. Kang

Blog Comments Rubric: 

Rated on four criteria: Active, Relevant, Reflective, Promotes Group Learning
Scored 1-4: 1 (below average), 2 (average), 3 (above average), 4 (exemplary)
SOURCE: Dr. Kang

(9) Other Useful Lesson/Training Plan Examples

College Board Art History Lesson Planning Website

The Pros and Cons of Wikis in Adult Education: Module 3

This Week's Question From Dr. Kang: 
Based on this week's readings and your prevous experience with Wiki (if any), you are to blog about the pros and cons that you think Wiki may bring to enriching adult learners' learning experience.

As is true for all technologies, there are pros and cons to incorporating wikis in Adult Education curricula.  While the practical benefit of ubiquitous, any-time access that is inherit in all web-based tools is also true with wikis, this technology offers adult learners additional pros.  Specifically, Wikis have the unique ability to facilitate a collaborative learning environment, where the learner creates or constructs their own understanding, and in a way that is more democratic than the traditional classroom experience.

PROS...

+ COLLABORATIVE: 

Wikis are an collaborative writing tool where multiple authors can add or edit content.  They differ from blogs and discussion boards in the way that entries are not static,  a given wiki's members can continually update the posting (West & West, 2009).  By design then, a Wiki allows a uniquely collaborative knowledge production experience within a given community of practice.  The distinctive learning that takes places within a community of practice is described by Carter (2011) who writes, "Members...constructed knowledge and contributed to shared ways of knowing through their actions, learning the unique vocabulary, share norms, and common meanings specific to the community" (p.92). Wikis can be particularly effective in combining individual and group knowledge building. They are a practical example of cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) learning which Fenwich (2008) explains is when, "learning combines collective expansion and innovation with individual expansion in conceptions, interactions, and practices" (p.20).  The wiki learning experience and focus is an interesting shift in our traditional Western, individual-oriented learning focus.  In their discussion of Non-Western perspective on learning, Merriam and Kim (2008) write, "learning is the responsibility of all members of the community because it is through this learning that the community itself can develop"(p. 73).  So, because Wikis allow multiple authors to build and maintain entries on a give topic, they are an ideal tool for collaborative, community-based learning.

+ CONSTUCTIVIST LEARNING

Another benefit of wiki use within adult education venues is that these tools allow a user to be more constructive in their learning. Constructive learning theory holds that a greater understanding is achieved when the student is actively engaged in creating their own learning, particularly via experience and social engagement. Taylor (2006)  defines this concept by explaining, "the constuctivist framework holds that rather than discovering an objective reality (learning knowledge that is separate from the knower), the knower creates (constructs) knowledge through interaction with and reaction to experience, which is also socially mediated" (p. 201).  There is value in such learning described by Lari (2011) where the students, "engage in interaction with the learning materials, and by doing so, they can integrate new ideas and try to make meaning of the new information" (p. 125).  Wiki's, that allow a learner to develop, adjust, and build on their collected knowledge and writings, all with the input and critique of their peers, then provide a particularly effective tool for this constructive learning.

+ DEMOCRATIC: 

Finally, Wiki's, like other Web 2.0 technologies have democratized the creation of knowledge.  This is a topic that I have discussed in other blog/message board entries, because I see this as a unique and particularly power aspect of introducing technology in Adult Learning.  Wikis put the power of knowledge creation, review and synthesis in the hands of the students.  Hazari, North, and Moreland (2009) state, "no longer are users' passive recipients of information...user can add information to the web environment in which they interact with other interested members" (p. 1). This democratization within the traditional educational system begins to realize the vision of critical theorists like Horton, Friere and Foucault.

CONS: 
As always, there are some cons related to wikis use in the classroom that adult educators must consider.

- VALIDITY/RELIABILITY OF INFORMATION:

While the democratization of knowledge creation is generally a good thing, wikis are not subjected to the same institutional rigor that occurs in other forms of academic writing.  There are not necessarily peer reviews or quality assurance programs in place for materials on the web, so Adult Education instructors should advise their students on ensuring the quality of their postings.  This has certainly been a topic of concern related to the larger, public informational sites such as wikipedia.

- COLLECTIVE BIAS

Lari (2011) uses this term when describing some of the issues related to wiki content.  Her point is a valid one. While there is a democratization of knowledge creation in a wiki environment, it is a group effort, so there is the risk that some voices may be drowned out by dominant members. There is also the risk that, as the group composes and edits their work, truly original thinking may be eliminated in an effort to reach consensus thus leading to a "collective bias" (p.123) in the posting.

- PRIVACY:

Wikis have the capability to be password protected and limited to members who are approved for access by the owner.   This feature makes wikis safer in some ways then other social media, like blogs.  Still, they are in the public domain at least as far as their membership extends and therefore have all the privacy risks that instructors must consider when incorporating them into adult learning experiences.  Lari (2011) explains how people may view a wiki and utilize the information found without ever being noticed by the wiki authors.  She calls this a "hidden audience" (p.123) that must be considered when posting to wikis.


CONCLUSION: 
Overall, Wikis add another powerful tool to the arsenal of adult educators seeking to improve the learning experience of the students.  They provide groups of users a convenient tool that allows a more collective/community-based creation and maintenance of thoughts and information.  They encourage a constructive learning experience that builds on experience and social interaction, while placing the power of knowledge creation squarely in the hands of the people.  Still, quality is a concern in any non-reviewed source of information and users should always be particular in their reliance on or contribution to wiki content.  The ability to create one work with many authors is certainly a benefit of wikis, but has the potential downside of creating an environment of collective bias.  Finally, like all web-based tools, privacy is an issue that must be constantly monitored by adult educators.

REFERENCES:

Carter, T. J. (2011). Blogging as Reflective Practice in the Graduate Classroom. In K.P. King & T. D. Cox (Eds.) The Professor's Guide to Taming Technology (pp.89-104). United States of American: Information Age Publishing Inc.

Fenwick, T. (2008). Workplace Learning: Emerging Trends and New Perspectives. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 119(Fall). 71-81. dpi:10.1002/ace_302.

Hazari, S., North, A., Moreland, D. (2009). Investigating the Pedagogical Value of Wiki Technology. Journal of Information Systems Education. 20(2), 187-198.

Lari, P. (2011). The Use of Wikis for Collaboration in Higher Education. In K.P. King & T. D.
Cox (Eds.) The Professor's Guide to Taming Technology (pp.121-133). United States of American: Information Age Publishing Inc.

Merriam, S. B. & Kim, Y.S. (2008). Non-Western Perspectives on Learning and Knowing.  New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 119(Fall). 71-81. dpi:10.1002/ace_302.

Taylor, K. (2006). Hoare, C. (Ed.) Autonomy and Self-Directed Learning: A Developmental Journey. Handbook of Adult Development and Learning. pp 196-218.  New York: Oxford University Press.

Check out this video with Foucault and Chomsky discussing power, knowledge, and the role of universities (Foucault is cited in my post this week on blogging in Adult Ed)

Blogging Pros and Cons for Adult Learners - Module 2

This Week's Question from Dr. Kang: 

Is blogging the same as discussion board activity? Based on this week's readings on blogging, discuss about the difference between blogging and discussion board activity (if any) and  the pros and cons you think blogging brings to adult learners. 

As is the case with any technological tool used in learning, there are pros and cons to blogging within Adult Education.  Weblogs (commonly referred to as blogs) are internet-based sites for posting journal-like entries that are date cataloged.  Authors can add dynamic links to websites, videos, or any other web-based content.  In contrast with personal websites or home pages, blogs can be commented on by readers, creating an interactive online dialog (Carter, 2011, p. 90).  While discussion boards allow similar functionality and are restricted to members only, blogs are available to the public.  This open access can be viewed as both a pro (expanding the community and reach of the discourse) or a con (adding risk to the learning experience especially for younger users).  Still, additional benefits of blogging can be found in an ability to transfer the power of knowledge creation to learners; facilitation of cross-generational engagement; and support for apprenticeship teaching. Other risks or concerns with adult education blogging include a lack of face-to-face interaction and technology skills gaps.

The ubiquitous availability of free blogging software has distributed the power of knowledge production to the masses.  As such, the creation, synthesis, and validation of new content is no longer limited to those at universities and other formal educational institutions.  This democratization of knowledge creation is a benefit of incorporating blogs into the adult learner experience. Santos (2011) argues that, "the freedom that the internet grants its users is unheard of in the old world of written, spoken, and broadcasted media, as less and less scrutiny, bias and pressure to conform is experienced.  Freedom of expression is uncurtailed" (p. 15).  Blogging also moves the critique of new knowledge to a more organic level.  This is important as Foucault (1976) describes how "local" criticism has the power to question "institutions, practices and discourses" (p. 80).  He calls this type of knowledge creation, "an autonomous, non-centralized kind of theoretical production, one that is to say validity is not dependent on the approval of the established regimes of thought" (p. 81).  Thus, the distribution of knowledge power is a benefit of blogging in academia.

What's more, blogging enables a collective approach to knowledge creation, review, and sharing even among differing generations that have not traditionally worked together.  Witte (2007) described a program in which she paired middle school students with pre-service teachers to write, "two-way journals collaboratively" (p. 92).  While there were some frustrations and improvements to be made to the process, both age groups found value in the blogging project (p. 94-96).  In another example, Lincoln (2013) described a cross-generational blogging experience where students from three high schools and senior citizens in a lifelong learning program participated in web-based discussion about Gerda Kliens book (pp. 1-2).  This ability to link groups of people who would not otherwise share in a learning experience is a clear benefit of incorporating blogging into any education curriculum.

Finally, blogging, by nature of its capacity to encourage reflection, feedback, and synthesis of material, is an outstanding tool for use in apprenticeship based adult learning.   Pratt and associates (2002) explain that an apprenticeship perspective sees learning as both a product and a process.  While the product is a change in the learners understanding, the process involves the, "testing, building, revising, and integrating of schemas within context of application" (p.86).  The steps of this process match well to the capabilities found in blogging.  Not to say that blogging would removed the need for hand-on, in-person learning with one's master, but it can serve as a canvas for critical thinking and an organizing space for knowledge related to one's field.  Pratt et al. provide further support for this idea when they explain how the situated learning inherent in apprenticeship is "reciprocity between individuals and social groups" (p.87).  Clearly, the comments functionality in blogs made this reciprocity readily available to a broader group of people regardless of physical location.

As with any technological solution in an educational setting there are limitations or cons to consider when adding blogging to curricula.  As mentioned above, there is no privacy in a blog.  The posts and materials included are available publicly to anyone with access to the internet.  Adult learners must be attentive to safety by limiting personal information in posts.  In academia, authors must also consider protection of unique knowledge, research, or ideas that could be used without proper consent or recognition.  Both Witte (2007) and Oravec (2002) highlight the issue of privacy in blogs.

Also true for any technology integration with learning is the problem of skills gaps in some students.  While fairly intuitive and definitely simplified with the increasing availability of free, user-friendly blogging solutions, the technological capacities of some adult users will be strained with the introduction of blogging to their curriculum.  Carter (2011) warns that there is a, "disconnect between students' adept use of technology in their personal lives and their lack of savvy with digital media in the classroom" (p.95). This disconnect may be larger for some learners than others depending on their previous exposure to technology, socioeconomic group, or age.

Finally, their are limits to how much learning can be done using blogs, without tacit experimentation and face-to-face interaction.  As explained in the discussion above on apprenticeship, it may be necessary for a student to have situated, tacit learning opportunities with their master.  A blend of technology-enabled and traditional learning events may be required for some types of material.

Therefore, as educators, we can gain much through the addition of blogging into adult curriculum.  It allows a shift of the power to create knowledge, in a public forum that allows broad interaction across groups not normally connected, and a canvas for growing one's expertise,.  As long as the learner is advised of the privacy concerns, and instructors provide necessary skills building in the blogging technologies and blended curriculum approaches when required, blogging can be a powerful addition to adult learning.

REFERENCES:
Carter, T. J. (2011). Blogging as Reflective Practice in the Graduate Classroom. In K.P. King & T. D.
Cox (Eds.) The Professor's Guide to Taming Technology (pp.89-104). United States of American: Information Age Publishing Inc.

Foucault, M. (1972-1977). Two Lectures. In G. Colin. Michael Foucault: Power/Knowledge (pp.78-108). New York: Vintage Books.

Lincoln, M. (2007). All But Her Life. School Library Journal, 53(11), 1-5.

Oravec, J. A. (2002). Bookmarking the world: Weblog applications in education. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45(7), 616-618).

Pratt, D. and Associates (2005). Five Perspectives on Teaching in Adult and Higher Education. Malabar, Florida: Kreiger Publishing Company.

Santos, N. E. (2011). Blogs As A Learning Space: Creating Text of Talks. Contemporary Issues In Education Research, 4(6), 15-19.

Witte, S. (2007). "That's online writing, not boring school writing": Writing with blogs and the Talkback Project. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 51(2), 92-96.

Welcome to The Techie Teacher!

Welcome fellow EDACE 765 classmates and other readers.  This blog site will be used to post my ideas, critiques, and analysis of materials related to the integration of technology in adult education.  The content will be centered around the readings and curriculum of the EDACE 765 class at Kansas State University being taught by Dr. Kang.  I look forward to the comments from my blogger team and invite other classmates or readers to share their thoughts!