This document discusses an art teacher's experience using a blog for her classroom. It outlines the benefits of a classroom blog for both students and teachers, including using it as a showcase for student work, a forum for class discussion, and a way to connect learning to real-world applications of art and technology. The teacher discusses how her blog has grown over 3.5 years and how she chooses artworks to feature from both well-known and lesser-known artists. She also provides examples of blog tools and cautions teachers to follow copyright rules and district policies when publishing student work online.

1. Blogging in the Art Room
One art teacher’s experience
Presented by Christine Miller
Williams High School
Plano Independent School District
TAEA Conference November 2009

2. What is a
blog?
...aka Weblog

3. Electronic conversation
(in the art class a blog can be......)
Vehicle for the teacher’s Web based teaching
views about art instrument
A linear diary exploring Showcase for teacher/
artists, exhibitions, student work
techniques, events and
Resource for links to
more!
related art blogs,
Forum for class dialogue museums, web pages
- regular assignment or
extra credit A creative space

4. Personal
Pleasure
A fun endeavor!

5. Ms. Miller’s Art Blog
http://tagartteacher.blogspot.com
3 1/2 years of art
exploration
I choose the art - from
the little known to iconic
Personal diary of
discoveries
Fun way to stay up with
technology

6. Student
Benefits
They love technology!

7. A showcase of work and words
Web gallery for their
artwork
“Blog pals” with other
classrooms
Their personal art
discoveries can be
included in teacher blog
Students ideas matter -
they have a voice

8. Educational
Benefits
Learning can be fun!

9. Technology - it’s everywhere!
Web based info can be You and your students
accessed anywhere become more proficient
with technology
Plug into their interest
24/7 convenience
Hyperlinks expand their
path - the World Wide Win points with your
Web becomes their school administrators
classroom

10. District Web Portals
Limited public access
Forums for online
discussion
Survey and voting for
favorite capabilities
Text and image boxes

11. District Blog
Featured Artist

12. Personal blog post - showcasing student art

13. Art CAN contribute to school’s testing
objectives!
Connect classroom
instruction to real life
Broaden understanding
about studio projects
Develop higher level
thinking
Strengthen writing skills

14. Requirement to increase use
of technology in classroom
Dichotomies of limited
equipment, space and
software
Create a virtual
classroom outside the
classroom!
Connect to District,
State and National
Standards

15. Course, Age and
Extra-curricular support
Interdisciplinary connections
with science, history, math,
etc.
Post art work to support
Academic Decathlon, Art I,
AP Studio, AP Art History
Showcase Art Club
Broad age range - make
age specific

16. Keeping up
with
Technology
Benefits of doing it!

17. There’s no going back
Creative space to Easy to customize your
strengthen your blog with:
technology skills Widgets
Blogosphere is rich and Flickr
exciting
You Tube
Just google a question Google Docs
and find the answer
Imbed, upload, attach....

18. Have fun & breathe easier
Feel the satisfaction of:
providing fun for
students
keeping up with
change
be a life long learner
look good at school

19. Blog Tools
Blogger:
http://www.blogger.com/start
Edublog:
http://edublogs.org/
The Art Teacher’s
Guide to the Internet:
http://artjunction.org/blog/

20. Some of my favs...
Masterpiece Cards
www.themasterpiececards.com
Smart History
http://smarthistory.org/blog/
Art Blog by Bob
http://artblogbybob.blogspot.com/
50 Best Art blogs for Art
History Buffs
http://www.onlinecollege.org/

21. Some cautionary notes
Be sure you follow district
policies for publishing student
work, photos & names
Moderate the blog so
unwanted comments won’t
be posted
Take care that you carefully
screen web pages for
objectionable content
Be mindful of copyright rules
- cite, cite, cite

22. How far can it reach?
Install counter - find out
who’s going to your
blog
View keyword activity
Data about search
engines

23. Think no one is looking?
Find out who in the
WORLD is looking at
your blog!
Most are hits, but cherish
those who linger
My average monthly stats
- reporting 2 mo.
1st time visitors 2,000 p/mo
Returning visitors 60 p/mo

24. Resources
Douglas, Katherine, “The Art Blog,
Your Own Place on the Web”,
School Arts, 52, Oct. 2006
Overby, Alexandra, “The New
Conversation, Using Weblogs for
Reflective Practice in the Studio Art
Classroom”, Art Education, 18-24,
July 2009
Technology Teacher Workshop -
Blogging Resources, Dallas
Museum of Art, February 21, 2009