Coding towards the future of art
Let's face it, folks, technology is moving at a fast pace, and it's time for us art teachers to catch up. It can be daunting as an art teacher to incorporate new technology when doing the same things for years... paper, pencil, done.
When it comes to introducing technology into the art room, a great form to start is coding. Coding may be something that you have heard of before, and it is something that can be very helpful to our young students and be a skill that they will use potentially for the rest of their lives and possibly help them find a job in the future. It sounds like a win-win to me!
What is coding, exactly? Coding is a set of instructions that computers follow. To make your computer do something, you type in step-by-step directions in "computer language," and your computer will obey. Coding is at the root of every software, website, or app we use today and can be an engaging activity for your students. More schools around the United States are implementing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math), coding will eventually be a familiar feat implemented in most content areas.
So how do we code in art? When you think about the core of both coding and art, they seem to have the same basic building blocks: problem-solving and design (Schukei, 2016). With the internet at our fingertips, we can easily find engaging coding activities for our students. Video game design is a fun way to introduce coding to your students... you have your students design a simple game or even a simple paint program. Even if your room doesn't have access to a lot of technology, some programs provide "unplugged" coding activities that only require a printer and pencils for your students. Code.org is an excellent website to help your students get started with coding and give you some ideas of where to begin! Now go forth and TEACH, and may the force be with you.
Schukei, A. (2016, February 17). An Introduction to Coding in the Art Room. The Art of Education University. https://theartofeducation.edu/2016/01/18/an-introduction-to-coding-in-the-art-room/
This is really nice! I would imagine that coding teaches much of the planning process that is involved in a great deal of art processes. I think it teaches this process without stamping out the creativity involved in making it. I think of it as simply using a different medium.
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