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Technology tools continue to be produced to fulfill the demands of users' needs (even if they don't know they need them). :) There are many creative tools available as well. I have explored a variety (and I know there are many, many more out there!) and have enjoyed trying to find applications for what I've found to enhance my future art classes. To start I found several brainstorming websites, as I plan to have my students really process their ideas before attempting their art pieces. The first site really isn't a "creative tool", but I liked the idea so I have included it here. CREATIVITY TOOLBOX asks the question: "How would someone with the job below solve my challenge?" and shows a different profession with each click. While it's not super extensive, it gets the ball rolling on thinking from a completely new perspective and would hopefully make the students think of other unique ways to approach a problem.

Another brainstorming site, BUBBL.US, provides the creation of a more elaborate brainstorming network. This could be a great tool to use with a group of students so they can corporately add to the web of ideas outside of school. 

Another site that I can see classroom application for is PREZI as it incorporates graphic design and animation for presentation creation, and it's capabilities have more variety and visual interest than Power Point. As an example, I could see students creating a Prezi site for an art history assignment. And I personally liked this Typography Prezi. :)

But my all time, most favorite creativity tool is Adobe Illustrator! I can't imagine my life without it, and I plan to illuminate my future students to this glorious program! :) This creative tool is a vector (line art) digital art program that allows for the creation of images that are not confined to pixel size. Students could use this program in infinite ways, just as they would use a pencil, paintbrush, or word processing program. Files are easily shared, allowing for outside feedback and group exploration/collaboration. Entire projects could be created with this program, or fine art pieces can be scanned and enhanced with type or other digital creative features.

Adobe Illustrator

An example of a high school or middle school class' use of Illustrator using the TPACK model is through the creation of their own alphabet letter. First, several typography lessons, discussions, and activities would be given (including the hunt for typography in their environment and why these are effective or ineffective). Then each student would pick an existing font (Futura, Helvetica, Garamond, etc.) and pick a letter to redesign, providing reasons for their choices. (I personally wonder why there isn't more variety between "b", "d", "p", and "q". Could we really not come up with something that's visually cohesive with the rest of the letters, while still being more unique from each other? I think we should try!) :)

Letter P in Illustrator

An introduction to Illustrator would also be given, allowing for student exploration. This assignment is a great first introduction to the program as it uses the primary tools, allows for the manipulation of fonts (a benefit of Illustrator), and is not overly technically complicated. Sketches of their new letters would then be discussed in class critiques, followed by revisions, and revisited class discussions. Students would then proceed to their digital letter creating. Because so much thought and detail was worked out prior to the computer use, the student's focus is primarily on using Illustrator as a tool and not feeling doubly overwhelmed with simultaneously trying to find a creative solution for their letter and learn a new program. While it will still be a challenge to create their letter for the first time, the outcome should be rewarding as they are able to create art with a new (amazing!) program. After completion, each student would incorporate their letter into the entire font alphabet. Then they would choose a favorite quote or song lyric, typeset in their chosen font, and replace the old letter with the new character. Each student will print their final piece and get class feedback. The class would also upload their work onto the class blog and ask college design professors/students or professional graphic designers for feedback. This activity would broaden the student's outlook on typography and the extent that it effects their everyday life, gives insight into the thought and care designers give typography, gives them experience using another creative tool, and provides a "problem" (that they may not have been observers of before) that needs a creative solution.

The applications of this creative tool with students are endless. Packaging, greeting cards, illustrated children's books, signage, fine art, etc. are most likely created with Illustrator. Having experience with this, and other creative tools, allows students another means of creative exploration and expression. And while not every student will pursue a career that uses Illustrator everyday, they will probably hire a designer in the future to design their business logo, signage, restaurant menu, letterhead, and more. Having knowledge about this tool and how the creative process works will make them better judges of quality design, and hopefully they won't fall victim to some of the typography they became aware of in my class that is distracting, poorly designed, and just plain ugly. ;)

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After reading and exploring different providers of ePortfolios, it seems that they all offer similar solutions to build a personal website or blog customized to highlight the users philosophies, objectives, work, etc. Some providers have different templates/skins that could either have a website layout or blog layout. At this point, I personally like the website format for my personal education ePortfolio, as the content can be grouped together as appropriate, instead of a timelined blog layout. Works can be clustered as needed and descriptions can be added in a cohesive manner, allowing for elaboration of the details in the purposes, thinking, and connections between the selected items. An example is the site of one of my favorite artists/illustrators, OLIVER JEFFERS. While his site doesn't include the affordances listed previously, it does show his artwork groupings and cohesive layout that lends itself to a clearer navigation of a portfolio.

Still Life with Logic and a Choice of Beverage : Oliver Jeffers

I checked out Wikispaces, Foliotek, Carbonmade, Posterous, Wetpaint, Wix, and Jalbum before making my decision, and am hoping I made the right one. :) I've chosen to use Weebly for my ePortfolio as it's very user friendly, has lots of design options that can be easily tweaked, has an education specific sitebuilder for my future classroom, and it's free!

In this preliminary stage, I would have my future art students use this same website layout for their eportfolios as well, for the same reasons listed above (see also KATE BINGAMAN-BURT'S SITE). Because there are so many different formats available online, I do think student exploration would be beneficial, as some may find one platform easier to conceptualize themselves in than others.

If the student's portfolio was specifically for art (and not for their entire school career), their portfolios will be predominantly visuals of their artwork, and so I do also like aspects of Tumbler (see
KATE BINGAMAN-BURT'S Tumbler site) for an artist eportfolio or blog. I think that it could be another option for an art student as it showcases images, but may be more of a challenge to incorporate specifics of their process and exploration. It would depend on the student's personal mental organization and what makes sense for them. One of the pros to using Tumbler could be the benefit of multiple images clustered together on one page, and this grouping along with the artist's personal insights reflecting on each piece and the whole of the works, could be an intriguing way to view all aspects of their art.

Personally, I will be making significant adjustments and updates to my eportfolio as I've only had a whole 3 weeks taking education classes! But I'm glad to get the process started so I can have a place to compile, document, contemplate, and build as I go.

Here's the link to see my site in progress: SHE AND ART EPORTFOLIO

In many ways, creativity can be learned. It makes me sad that very young kids have no inhibitions making art, and then somehow as they grow older many decide they aren't creative. Creativity and art skills/aesthetic are two separate monsters. And just like practicing typing, fine-motor hand skills and eye-hand coordination can greatly improve with practice! 

By Me

As I've learned from drawing classes, readings, and experience, learning to draw is learning to see what is really there, not what you think is there. If a student practices detailed seeing - the contour of the shape, relation to the other parts of the object, etc. - then their hand skills will get better with practice. Since one of the affordances of a blog is a visual timeline, posting the progress of the student's work will help them see how far they've developed, and allow them to easily show fellow classmates and family their work.  

quick sketch by: Sam Sneau

After the student has more drawing practice and confidence, it will be much easier for them to draw from their imagination since they will have the skill to draw what they really see in their minds. My goal is that the student's creative thinking will expand as their skills and confidence improve. The better a student can communicate with a pencil and paper, the more options they have for expression. 

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A blog can also be a place for an online swatch book in creative thinking and observing. If every student posted a photo of a clever way of seeing the world around them (a scene the student created, or seeing something in their environment in a new way) there could be (24 weeks x 20 students per class) 480 images just by one art class! 

First Image: The Photo Argus : Second Image: Make Something Cool Everyday

As mentioned in the Koehler & Mishra video, "The best way to have good ideas is to have lots of ideas" - Linus Pauling. The goal is to foster creative ideas, again like the mentioned video stated, that are N.E.W., "Novel, Effective, and Whole (organic, elegant, and understandable)". 

Make Something Cool Everyday

It would be such a fun project to see the compilation of fellow classmate's creativeness outside the classroom. And with the bonus of blog commenting, students can dialogue about the posts online. Also, because the project is personal and public, it encourages intentional thought given to each image.

An obstacle for the second blog use could be a challenge if students don't have access to a camera. If this was an issue, the students could create something inspiring with materials at school. Overall I think the project would be a valuable learning tool for creativity and technology, and if the equipment isn't personally available to a student, it adds the benefit of creative resourcefulness to search for an alternative.