Exploration #2: Cultural Artifacts

iPhone 6

In selecting my cultural artifact, I began with an object so ingrained in our everyday lives it seems to have become an extension of our very bodies.  The iPhone. What are some contemporary and personal meanings encoded in this object? A connection to everything needed throughout the day. For me, it is my husband, my school-aged child, my sister, my mother, my students, my calendar, the News, my interests, my momentary musings. This device is my repository of pictures, videos, contacts, data, budgets, most frequented online shopping spots, ideas, and music. It is my navigation system both physically and emotionally. The iPhone has become an extension of my person, my hand, my fingers. I turn to it during my leisure time, down time. It serves as a welcome distraction, an escape. I never leave home without it.

Smart phones, particularly the iPhone, represent connectivity. These devices break down the barriers of time and space, language and culture. iPhones speak a global language and open the lines of communication and exploration between groups that otherwise would remain isolated. While they come in a beautiful slick non-gendered package, each owner seeks to express herself by personalizing the exterior and interior with skins, protective cases, wallpapers, screens, apps and keyboards. 

iPhones are so embedded in our culture that imagining life without them is as foreign as looking to the Encyclopedia Britannica as the primary source of information on any given topic. Although, my personal investigations started with the iPhone, I chose an older, but related, artifact to continue my discussion.

This rotary phone is an old version with the "guts" removed for my children's use. 

The rotary phone. This image of an “antique” phone (as one of my high school students described it) represents a simplified idea of how a phone functions today. It marks a moment in the technological evolution of the telephone. It is neither the beginning nor the end, but rather somewhere in between. At the time of its popularity, this object was used to communicate, personally and professionally with people in close proximity, cross-continentally, or internationally.

The year 1919 marked the beginning of the rotary phone era. After WWII, Henry Dreyfuss created the shape in the image above that would dominate the visual form of the rotary form for most of its lifetime. Rotary phones (and phones in general) initially appeared only in the homes of the wealthy and installation of one into the home was a sign of status. As their popularity spread, cities and suburbs began to see phones in homes. Rural areas were often excluded due to a lack of infrastructure. In the beginning, phones all shared a similar appearance to the original black model. However, as phones became more accessible, the styles became more individualized. Such an example is the princess phone that was popular among women.

This is an image depicting a "French Phone" like the one my grandmother gave me as a teenager. This image is part of my personal experience with the rotary phone and part of my reason for selecting this image.  

Unfortunately, the 1960s mark the beginning of the end for rotary phones as they were slowly replaced by newer touch-tone technology (Roberts). However, these phones can still be found in homes of "hold outs" today (my grandparents included).

The subjects asked to respond to this image were forced to look back at their own memories or the memories of others in order to interpret the meaning of the object. I asked eleven people to respond to the images, 5 male and 6 female, ranging in age from 18 to 72 of mixed socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. The responses gathered from this exercise illustrate how “meanings of objects are derived from a continuum of memories” (Boyd, Amburgy, and Knight, 2007 p 20) and support the idea that “memory is never objective and fixed; rather it is subjective and fluid” (Boyd, Amburgy, and Knight, 2007 p. 20). One respondent, a 29 year old Vietnamese woman, replied “I associate communication, advancement, connectedness, relationship and help with this image. I also associate a period of time with it that seems a little more simple and probably a little magical because we weren’t part of it.” She credited her “personal interaction with phones, history class, [her] background and classes in communication studies, museums, books and personal observation and reflection” as the sources for such a statement. Her “magical” experience was evoked by movies, readings about the periods in which this older technology was popular and a general since of “wonder and curiosity” for things of old. Several of those I asked recalled seeing these types of phones used as props in period piece movies and television shows. One women noted the sexuality found in a beautifully manicured hand dialing on a rotary phone from a popular television show. 

One older gentleman reflected on moments of “sitting and talking, devoting time to speaking with another…in kitchen nooks.” Another recalled it as his primary connection to his distant grandmother and noted the large amount of time spent in conversation with her on such a phone.The women in these memories are 1950s housewives, pictures of domesticity with the latest technology dangling from their ear. These memories evoke an image of white middle class American women gossiping away on their phones.

The sense of nostalgia and familiarity this object evokes is telling of both the primary user of the phone as well as the marketing of the telephone at this time to women in the home. Of course, the phone was transformative for businesses as it increased the numbers of persons that could be accessed on any given day. However, the most widely associated person (from an image search and those I showed the image to) is the housewife, mother, grandmother, a female figure. Memories from my own childhood include my mother talking on the phone "for hours." 

However, the domestic housewife was not (and is not) the only subject of these images. My search revealed working class women and even pin-ups talking on these phones. In her article "Shaping the American Women: Feminism and Advertising in the 1950s," Christina Catalona calls attention to a group of feminists that identify "the 1950s as the pinnacle of gender inequality"(Catalona 2002, 45) claiming that "mass media especially advertising in women's magazines, perpetuated the denigration of women" (Catalona 45). While women in this era are portrayed in a variety of other occupations, the primary usage for the phone image appears to be the home and the switchboard or secretarial position. However, in both, women are presented as prim and proper objects of beauty to be looked upon and appreciated for their aesthetics. 

A younger female noted the irony of this image as she confessed to feeling connected to this phone with a cord whose purpose was to remain stationary. She states “I felt more freedom when I used a phone like this than my fancy smart phone that remains with me wherever I go.” Pondering this image, she journeyed back to a “time when I used to run around the lawn in a t-shirt and no shoes playing in the mud and getting dirty. We didn’t watch TV or play video games. We played outside and hunted for lost treasure in the creek behind my parents’ house. We didn’t worry about what so and so said about us to hurt our feelings or whether they were our friend on facebook. We had each other that’s what mattered most.” Her connection to these images are not necessarily gendered but rather class related. Growing up in a poor rural area, these memories of a time gone by are ideals. They are memories shaped by what she knows today and what she thinks she remembers about yesterday. A time when she was too young recognize class divides. Or that the phone in her home was not the newest technology. 

A male subject, age 30, reminisced of using “one at my grandmother’s house as a child” and noted “the competence it takes to use one would probably be lost on current children.” Searching for current readings of this image and illustrations of the out-dated technology, I uncovered an interaction between children of varying ages, gender and ethnicities interacting with a rotary phone. What is revealed is both amusing and indicative of the culturally obsolete quality of the device as well as a dying telephone jargon. 

Another male also associated the image with his grandparents as “they were the only ones to have this still in their home and in use” even today. His response was that the technology was “outdated” just as grandparents are often considered “outdated members of society.” 

One respondent noted the “form signifies its function” or lack there of as he mused on the roles that phones play in our lives today. Phones today are our connections with the world. They are keep us connected with our friends, family, activities, and information. Phones allow us to know and understand the world around us on a global level. 

Just in case you did not already know, here is a "how to" for the telephone...not to be confused with a cellphone.... 

Resources: 

Catalano, Christina (2002) "Shaping the American Woman: Feminism and Advertising in the 1950s," Constructing the Past: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 6.

Keifer-Boyd, K., Amburgy, P. M., & Knight, W. B. (2007). Unpacking privilege: Memory, culture, gender, race, and power in visual culture. Art Education, 60(3), 19–24.

Martin, D. (1994, January 10). Rotary Pay Phones Return, This Time to Foil Drug Deals. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/10/nyregion/rotary-pay-phones-return-this-time-to-foil-drug-deals.html

Roberts, William Lee. “Western Electric A look at the evolution of the Dial Telephone.” http://www.arctos.com/dial/

Rotary phones ring true for few. (n.d.). Sacramento Business Journal. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2001/03/12/focus3.html

This Attention Deficit World: Frantic, Free, and Out of Control. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2014, from http://www.enotalone.com/health/5651.html

Exploration 1: Identity Mapping

"Hi, my name is Martee. You know, like the guy." Yep, according to most people I know, I have a boy's name. Thanks, Mom and Dad.  

Privilege and Oppression. Which Social Identities are privileged by the oppression of others? What are forms of privilege and by oppression? Which social identities are the targets of oppression by unearned privileges granted others? What are forms of oppression experienced by the targets of oppression?

 

Exploring these questions seemed quite fluid as I speedily typed words into the wordle screen for the image seen above. For many years, I feel that I have been aware of such inequalities. However, the most stunning revelation came as I began to see my own “identities” staring back at me from the image produced: an educated middle-class white female (I did mention, I was a girl, right?) from a southern religious background. The truth is I like to exclude myself from this group of "oppressors" and I feel justified in doing so because I do not exploit any power or privilege I might possess. But is that enough? Can I deny parts of my identity that are undeniable? Forget them? Is that possible?

True identity can be neither delivered or denied nor stored as mere information...true identity is something known in one heart and recognized in another.

 -- John Berger, "Concerning Identity"

Below I have mapped out what I consider to be the most significant and influential parts of my identity: 

 Map Key: (I utilized color instead of the varying line model suggested)

Blue - parts of my identity that I had no control over, the environment into which I was born/raised (with the exception of English speaking, needing to be added to this category as well) - primary dimensions.

Pink - distinctive innate characteristics that are mine, a part of my DNA (I originally included English speaking solely in this group, however, after some thought, it overlaps with the blue) - primary dimensions.

Orange - identities that I have assumed based on personal choices, ideals, and convictions - secondary dimensions

Yellow - geographical places that I believe have deeply impacted my identity at the corresponding stages of my life (and beyond) - secondary dimensions. 

The idea of privilege. Coming from a lower/middle class farming family in a very rural part of Louisiana, I never felt particularly "privileged" growing up. I always "had" less than others; however, my parents valued education and instilled within each one of us the importance of working hard. To this day, I have always taken pride in that I was the first generation of my family to go to college and complete a degree (one that I am still paying for) within a field that I have great interest and passion, the Arts.

With that said, I do not recall feeling a wall of separation between myself and what I wanted to achieve. Being white was a privilege. Being educated offered privilege and a small degree of power. Being an educated white middle class in the South, I was afforded opportunities (privileges) that many of my African American counterparts were not. 

Oppression. If I was oppressed, it was because I was female (despite my name). My family had definitive gender expectations that extended into all aspects of life, right down to the "chores" we were assigned. My arm still bears a scar from a rusty barbed wire fence that reminds me of my early "rebellion" against these assigned roles. My attitude was simply to prove that I could do anything my brothers could do...thus the scar.

My identity. Parts were chosen for me. Others I have selected and shaped. Who I am today is different from the person I was yesterday and will be tomorrow. In looking back through the years, I am always a bit surprised at how much I have grown, shifted, changed. How different I look from my roots. A primary example for me is race politics. Although I grew up in the rural South, the race politics that exist stood out as injustices to me from my first awareness of them. However, as Weedon describes, I took a self-proclaimed "liberal, colour blind position which claimed to see no difference" (Weedon, p 2). This position seemed sufficient until 1) I had children and 2) I moved back to the South after a decade long hiatus.  At which point, I realized that this passive approach presupposes difference as unimportant rather than something to be celebrated. Differences are vital to the understanding, appreciating, accepting and nurturing of one another. Weir suggests "a model of identity not as sameness, but as an historical process of holding together; not through stasis but through transformation. ... [and] that a transformative identity politics must incorporate both relations of identification and recognition of relations of power: thus, transformative identity politics are politics of self-critique and self-transformation, and transformation of a 'we'" (Weir, 2008, p 112). Discovering that "we" has been my challenge over the past year. Searching for how to identify with a collective, rather than simply as an individual. To which "we" do I belong? How does that redefine my identity? Alter it? Add to it?

The courses I teach are completely online with little to no physical connections between my students and myself. We all exist in a virtual world of texts, emails, documents, voice over slides, and the occasional phone call (the most common link to the non-virtual world). With a name like "Martee," I am often mistaken for a male instructor. I find myself in a constant state of self-critique and self-transformation in order to shape the way that my students "see" me through our interactions in each of my courses. The reason I teach? So that hopefully my students will more successfully navigate these spaces than I currently do.

Resources: 

Weir, A. (2008). Global feminism and transformative identity politics. Hypatia, 23(4), 110-133.

Video: Concerning Identity (9:25 min.) A reading by John Berger.

Weedon, C. (2002). Key issues in postcolonial feminism: A Western perspective. Gender Forum: An International Journal for Gender Studies.

Exploration 6: Reciprocal-Reflexivity (Action Research Plan)

When I began this course, I had a hard time envisioning the role Action Research could play in my online teaching. In fact, I was simply approaching this course as a means to understand and implement new and innovative methodologies to inform, improve and expand upon my current practices (i.e. action research;). Looking for simple technologies or techniques to implement, I did not see my activities as "research" for change. Little did I realize, that this was exactly what was taking place. As Karen Keifer-Boyd articulates in Critique, Advocacy, and Dissemination: I've Got the Data and the Findings, Now What?, action research is "a conscious effort to change conditions...a form of intervention into the public pedagogy of objects, signs, ideas, and practices of our everyday world" (Keifer-Boyd, 2012, p. 198). 

As a teacher, I desire to ignite an interest for art and art history within my students similar to and even greater than the one I experience. I want my students to leave my course as museum goers, supporters of the arts, locally and globally, and mindful of past, present and future cultures and how they are represented through the arts. Ultimately, I want them to be comfortable and confident with their new and/or expanded knowledge in such a way that allows for them to think, speak, and interact critically with the art they encounter and, in some cases, create. For students to explore and develop a voice of their own is the underlying goal of the courses I teach. Until now, I have encouraged this through discussion post interaction. Throughout this course, I have been slowly implementing and interjecting new technologies for students to explore as tools for reflection and expansion upon what they are learning. Through voluntary student participation, I have been able to explore and examine the potential of these media to motivate online dialogue making visible the networked ripples and interconnections of conversations beyond blog posts and replies. 

For this final exploration, I offered an opportunity for students to reinforce the knowledge they have gained in Art History 253 (a survey of Renaissance to Modern Art introduces students to the major stylistic tendencies and shifts within Western art history) as well as explore how art is an agent for change in the world, the United States and their own personal experiences. Utilizing the Art for Change Webquest I created for A ED 811, I asked students to complete a series of activities (that included readings, explorations, videos, searches, and reflections) that examine the communicative power of art. As this assignment was voluntary (and offered as extra credit), participation was (surprisingly) low. However, even the sparse participation has been extremely beneficial in working through the effectiveness and clarity of the webquest, namely the flow of the quest and how students can post their contributions and interact with others in this space.  

Getting Started for several of the students was actually the hardest part. None of the students had participated in an Webquest prior to this assignment and without clear guidelines or expectations, several expressed frustration and confusion as to how to begin the quest. Students were first asked to read an article on Achieving Social Change Through Art and watch a video of Iranian female artist, Shirin Neshat. While doing so, they were to reflect on these questions: 

How does or can an artist use his or her position as an artist to start conversations, challenge thinking, and reverse stereotypes, injustice or discrimination

What qualities and characteristics does art have that make it an ideal conduit for change?

Do you see instances where artists go too far in their efforts to challenge perspectives? Or even the opposite, artists who are too conservative in their work?

Where do you see art utilized to bring about change like this in the US? Are there existing social issues in the US that call for this extreme activism? With these questions as your base, compare and contrast her work with that of  an artist working in the US today. 

These responses were documented in blog format, some posted directly to the Webquest blog, others emailed their responses to me. Here is a sampling of their reflections: 

One student reflected "artwork has a magnificent impact to political and social change in America and in other countries. An artist can use his/her position to ignite conversation and debate on specific topics through the development of a unique style and purpose in each creation. Political art is one of the most powerful forms of art due to its ability to express the issues or topics of the governmental realm of the country. An artist can depict objects or use arbitrary colors or develop emotional paintings in order to start conversation and challenge the daily thought process of an average citizen."

Another expressed that art "must have slight controversy to it or it will not bring about deep thought and emotion."

Another described Neshat's work as "capturing the raw emotion of the public, in particular women."

Common ideas that appeared in these posts include: audience, impact, subject matter (i.e. "villain and hero), standard for art, "ever changing ideas," challenging injustices, conversation starters, therapeutic, and advertising.

One student observed that "our culture is by far more conservative than other countries, possibly because of the freedom[s] we possess, which makes the need for rising to issues seem unimportant or unnecessary...[when] in fact, art that expresses the struggles and obstacles of the government are [in her opinion] the strongest and most appealing art...." 

As quoted in Keifer-Boyd's article, "Critical action research toward social justice advocacy emphasizes a 'commitment to social transformation, challenging power relations, showing solidarity, recognizing and using emotions, being the change you want to see, and building spaces for critical dialogue'" (Keifer-Boyd, 2012, p. 198). This initial exploration illustrates the beginning of this process for my students. They are beginning to pinpoint areas in which art can function as an agent of change, examine how it serves to function this way in their own experience, and start to dialogue (ideally) with one another about art's role in this capacity. With the reading and video as a prompt, students take a closer look at the role of political art in the US and abroad while comparing, contrasting and critiquing its effectiveness. 

Unfortunately, the blog forum on the Webquest was not conducive to student interaction. Therefore, students worked singularly and did not interact with one another. I am still exploring how to foster a more participatory culture within this space.

In the next step, Make Change Happen, students were asked to brainstorm and reflect upon social issues where immediate change is necessary. This activity allowed for students to brainstorm issues, select one of personal interest, and explore ways in which that issue is already being addressed in art, by activist groups, etc. Students discussed a variety of topics: politics, inequality, discrimination, rape, bullying, education, war, poverty, arranged marriages, human trafficking, homelessness, propaganda, hunger, respect, and stereotypes, just to name a few. Students could utilize any form to display their brainstorm and reflections. Here are a few examples: 

"DISCRIMINATION: an unjustifiable reason why someone is denied or allowed certain things;
based on gender, race, sexuality, or economic status, etc." 

"EDUCATION: a vital part of childhood, enabling children to mature into productive members of society. Unfortunately, it has become so far removed from its original intent, it has become something that does more harm than intended -- as it places more emphasis on teachers and school systems than the students it should be helping." 

"BULLIES: people who put down and make fun of others to cover up their own insecurities. Not OK in any setting."

The research unearthed by this step of the process indicated that students moved outside of the bounds of the webquest and its resources for their information. Students looked to social networking sites (Facebook), non-profit groups (American Civil Liberties Union and Students First), as well as popular artists such as Banksy. Students also made connections to artists working in other industries, such as fashion. 

The Next Step, students were asked to further reflect on their research using these questions:

What do you SEE?

What do you THINK?

What do you KNOW?

What do you FEEL? 

Students were then asked to create a piece of digital art that addressed the issue they selected and articulated their responses to these questions. They could utilize the internet for tools and websites useful in creating online/digital art and could display their work in any (but not limited to) of the following forms: slide show, video, single image, sound bytes, voice, text, etc. Asking students to translate the information that they had gathered into an art form of their own was both intimidating (for some) and challenging (as many are not self-described "artists"). As this project was optional, most skipped this end exploration. However, a few did give additional voice to their causes. 

Instead of creating her own piece, one student selected this image by Banksy to illustrate her "cause."

In reflecting upon my current methodologies and this project, I was struck by an observation Keifer-Boyd made of student participation with avatars in virtual environments: "Most students find that the chat discussion removes some of the obstacles found in face-to-face discussion, such as having too little time for all to speak, too little time to reflect prior to contributing before the topic changes, or being too self-conscious to speak out. Those who have found their voice privileged in physical encounters are often initially resistant to the dialogue in virtual text-based approaches" (2012, p. 200). Many of my students, as well as myself, are still learning to navigate the virtual classroom. Finding a comfortable space to speak out, participate, and engage is challenging in that it requires a desire to connect with those around us, confidence in what you have to contribute and the assurance that you are participating in a safe space. Online courses offer flexibility in schedule and the opportunity for students to complete course work in a fashion that best suits their lifestyle and schedules. Within this structure, it is easy for students to remain disconnected from one another.  Instead of being discouraged by the low participation, I am challenged to investigate more inclusive methods into my "research" that will motivate students to interact with one another and collectively develop their "voice" while at the same time "making visible inequitable power relations, dialogue, reflection, and collective production" in an effort to "[change] perspectives" (Keifer-Boyd, 2012, p.  198).  

Resources: 

Keifer-Boyd, K. ( 2012). Critique, advocacy and dissemination: I've got the data and the findings, now what? In S. Klein (Ed.), Action research: Plain and simple (pp. 197-215). New York City, NY: Palgrave.

Future Vision

“To fully experience any fictional world, consumers must assume the role of hunters and gatherers, chasing down bits of the story across media channels, comparing notes with each other via online discussion groups, and collaborating to ensure that everyone who invests time and effort will come away with a richer entertainment experience. “  Henry Jenkins (2006, pg 21)

As I walk into my (at home) “classroom,” coffee in hand, the walls slowly begin to glow and the hum of distant chatter begins to feel the room. Eager students are already engaging in conversation about today’s topic, “Gender in Art in the 19^th Century.” This topic is part of a course entitled Rediscovering Female Artists: the oppressed, the ignored, the lost, and the forgotten. The course is designed to discuss the discrepancies in female artist representation in the arts across time, space, and culture, while exposing and addressing how gender is presented and represented within these contexts. This virtual classroom experience “provides situations, processes, and environments to conceptualize one’s self in relation to the world, and to connect artmaking to issues that matter” (Keifer-Boyd, Envisioning a Future Techno-Infused Eco-Pedagogy). In this case, the issue is gender. The subject matter supports art education’s role to “shed assumptions of normalcy by investigating beyond the surface signifiers and contextualizing the meaning of the signifiers deep within cultural narratives” (Keifer-Boyd & Smith-Shank, 2006, p 144). The narratives explored within this context wrestle with issues such as gender discrimination, gender disparity, and gender oppression. Students are encouraged to make connections between past, present and future perspectives and explore instances of and opportunities for change. As well as seek to pinpoint and dispel the paradigms in thinking that cultivate and proliferate such ideologies.

As the class “begins,” I see images by Mary Cassatt, Cecilia Beaux, Berthe Morisot, Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau, and Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale (just to name a few) begin to collage the walls. Students are displaying the results of this week’s research and discussion assignment. Throughout the week, students have been holding asynchronous and synchronous video, text, and voice chats. Each student has selected excerpts from these conversations to display along side their projected images. These prompts highlight key points from the previous discussions and serve to stimulate and further a lively interaction as the class begins. Students “warm up” with an exercise to “get their juices flowing”: a rotating discussion forum in which students have to sum up their week’s experience in one sentence and respond to one another’s statement with a simple, critical thought. The caveat: you only have 30 seconds before you move along to another student. This exercise allows for participants to engage with every member in the course at some point during the semester. Both students are challenged to develop critical and spontaneous thought about the material they encounter and share. Students may revisit these encounters throughout the course through video technology. While this course does not focus on the student’s artmaking, it does “create new insights, invite participation, and can evoke transformative learning [as] individuals discuss their perspectives with each other…” (Keifer-Boyd, Envisioning a Future….).

Our classroom is an organic, informal, and very personal space for all participating in the course. Students can join from anywhere, a museum, a coffee shop, home, or a floating classroom space. Once “in the classroom,” students utilize technology that allows them to participate via video, image, text, avatar or hologram (many choose to juggle several of these modes throughout the class). Their personal “classroom” can consist of display walls alive with activity or (depending upon their chosen space for the day) can be contained within their personal device. This week one student is “projecting” from the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC. She will be guiding a discussion through several of these female artists grouped in a special exhibition. As preliminary discussions taper, this student extends the conversation into her space as she guides us through the exhibition. This “peer-to-peer information sharing” (Anderson & Balsamo, 2008, p. 248) of  her week’s experience with the collection offers insight and perspective while encouraging a “participatory culture” (248) on which the course in founded. Class ends here today.

Together we are a community of learners sharing with one another ways in which our lives intersect, support, or challenge the histories, ideals, stereotypes that we are addressing in the classroom. Students are strongly encouraged to “take the class” on field trips throughout their community to view a local mural, engage with local artisans, visit a local museum or traveling exhibition. By “decenter[ing] the authority of the instructor [myself] in favor of learning and activity that takes place along multiple axes” (Anderson & Balsamo, 2008, p 250), the classroom shifts ownership to the collective rather than the instructor. This is OUR classroom, not MY classroom. While the structure at first glance may appear a bit amorphous, the character of the class is shaped by its participants and the information that they bring to the discussions.

“Art is not a distinct part of what and who we are, but rather, it is inseparable from our values, beliefs, and sensitivities of how we know the world and ourselves.” (Keifer-Boyd & Smith-Shank, 2006, p. 143)

A new day awakens. One week (or two or three) has passed. Time for “class” to reconvene.  The topic of discussion today takes us around the world to a group of predominantly female artisans in West Africa. A collaborative classroom has been established between our class and a class in West Africa. This collaborative effort allows for students on both ends to examine, address, and discuss current issues in valuation of female artists and artisans in cultures throughout the world. Today, students will witness, explore and discuss the techniques, materials, traditions and history of basket weavers. Together the classes discuss the implications and valuation of this art form in their respective cultures seeking to gain insight and understanding into how each culture views, treats, and values the female artists working within it. Additionally, students seek to find parallels within the cultures that exist to support or oppress such groups or individuals. Such explorations aid students in understanding “not only their creative potential as cultural prosumers, but also their role as cultural mediators of the futures we will inhabit” (Anderson & Balsamo, 2008, p 257).

Art is an avenue for exploration, experimentation and engaging with the world(s) in which we occupy. There is no “wrong” answer when exploring who we are through the arts, only new and different ways of viewing ourselves through the lenses of art. However, we are part of a larger community, thus a broader conversation. Students “must learn how to engage in conversations with those who do not hold the same cultural values or intellectual commitments” (Anderson & Balsamo 2008, p 245). We must see ourselves as part of this larger community.

Acting as a facilitator rather than “teacher,” my responsibility is to weave together the threads of thought posed by the students and interject critical unexamined information when needed. However, given a framework for the course that includes relevant reading, webquests and collaborative projects with classrooms across the globe, prompts and personal experience, students utilize a multitude of resources at their disposal to drive the discussion. I am not the center of the class, but rather a peer. Assessments are steered by participation. For these students, “occupying more than one physical or mental space at a time” (p. 249) has become second nature just as the devices that serve as vehicles for interaction, collaboration, information dissemination, and connectivity have become extensions of themselves. My role has become that of “educational designer, whose expertise may include deep disciplinary knowledge, but whose practice involves mobilizing the efforts of communities and individuals in relation to institutional resources” (Anderson & Balsamo, 2008, p. 248). By facilitating and nurturing the roles of hunter and gatherer within each student and the collective group, I support students in becoming producers of information as well as consumers. Interest is ignited and within the collective, no stone goes unturned in the search for knowledge.

One final thought: while my students are not necessarily “art makers,” my hope for any course I teach would be to foster creative thinking as students critically assess the information presented and unearthed throughout the class for “when creativity is absent so is hope” (Keifer-Boyd & Smith-Shank, 2006, p. 148).  And “creativity is a generative activity that results from gathering multiple perspectives, finding connections, and critically evaluating diverse information” (p. 148).  It is this process that will teach students “the power of art in their lives and the lives of others” (Keifer-Boyd, Envisioning a Future…). 

The hum of voices ceases and the lights dim....

Key components of my future vision.
In its original size, the words in this image are crystal clear. However, in that size, it is barely legible.
I have intentionally enlarged and left this image blurry (sorry, Eyes) to illustrate that as my vision for myself, my students and my classroom grows and expands it will go through moments or periods of such "blurriness." I will not always be able to see exactly how things are or how they will be. But time, persistence, openness, interaction, collaboration, and imagination will eventually bring everything into focus...for a moment... then blurriness may appear just in time for another growth spurt.

Resources: 

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

Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence culture: where old and new media collide. New York: New York University Press.

Keifer-Boyd, K., & Smith-Shank, D. (2006). Speculative fiction’s contribution to contemporary understanding: The handmaid art tale.Studies in Art Education: A Journal of Issues and Research in Art Education, 47(2), 139-154.

Keifer-Boyd, K. Envisioning a Future Techno-Infused eco-Pedagogy. Advocacy White Papers for Art Education. 

Webquest

As an art history teacher, I feel that it is my responsibility to provide (at least part of) the scaffolding students need in order to think critically, speak intelligently, and find personal and relevant meaning with, about and through art. Not just the art that I teach, but the art that is all around them. While I use my own course as a spring board for discussions and analysis, I hope that students will synthesize the information and tools gained and developed in these introductory art history courses across their entire art (life) experience. It is my hope that this webquest will aid in that process.  

http://thecommunicativepowerofart.weebly.com/

Exploration 5: Embodied Sculpted Analysis

Moving in SLOOOOOOOOOOW MOOOOOOOTION.

ME: “Who likes to play games?” Children: “Me!” “Me!” “Me!”

This exercise was a bit challenging in both its inception as well as its application. As my students never meet in a physical classroom, I was forced to look into my personal daily life for ways to execute this exploration.  Fortunately, I have two tiny little subjects with a few fun-spirited friends: my children. For this exploration, I arranged for four playdates: one at a park, two at my house, and one at a friend’s house. Subjects varied in gender, age, and ethnicity from playdate to playdate. Four children were present at all four playdates. Four others were able to attend only one of the playdates. Each playdate consisted of 4 to 5 children ranging in age from two years to seven years. Subjects were predominantly female (5 females and 3 males).  Ethnicities represented include Caucasian (5), African American (1), and Spanish (European) (2).

Observing the children on our local playground, I noticed many tended to move in circles throughout the playground, gravitating to other children of the same age, gender and ethnicity. Sometimes another, more extroverted, child, would break into one of these circles for a time, sometimes to stay and sometimes for only a short period of time. These trends seem to be more prevalent in older children (which may be because they come to the park with or to meet a specific friend or friends). Younger children tended to move a bit more singularly throughout their play infusing themselves into others play and incorporating new friends into their circles depending upon the activity and excitement level.

From these observations, I started to wonder: Are young children more interested in the process or the people with whom they are interacting? How can a challenging situation introduce problem solving and encourage collaborative play? How can the teacher (or facilitator, in this case) encourage or discourage group cooperation and collaboration? And how can I use Boal’s games to gather such information?

First, how can I use Boal’s games to gather such information? Taking Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development into consideration, I looked for exercises in which the children would physically interact with each other in a series of “scaffolded” activities. From Boal’s games, I selected the Cross and the Circle, Equilibrium of the body within an object, and Slow Motion from the category Feeling What We Touch. The age of the children participating in this activity determined the activities selected and focused on during the playdates. Not all children had the same verbal, mental, social, or even physical skills. However, I felt confident that (with the exception of the two year old) all participants could be successful and engage in each of these “games” with a little modification. Each “game” (as we called them) was broken down into a series of smaller steps that were repeated until the child became confident to move forward to the more challenging activity. For example, we repeated making a circle and cross separately several times before attempting to put them together. During each playdate, we moved through the three activities (some more successfully than others, some more quickly than others) and concluded with a “drawing” of how the “games” made them feel.

Equilibrium of the Body with an Object: The Hula-Hoop

Are young children more interested in the process or the people with whom they are interacting? The first attempt felt like a flop. Quickly one child (age 3) was frustrated with the challenge of putting the cross and circle together. Once she noticed that she was making the same motion with each hand, she suggested “we do the Hokey Pokey” instead. Of course, all agreed and a delightful song and dance to the Hokey Pokey ensued. Next, using a ball, sidewalk chalk, and hula-hoops children explored the relationships of their bodies to the objects and to others moving around them. The idea of  “game play” was so exciting this turned into a “hula hoop contest” initiated by the six year old (the most efficient “hooper” in the group).  The “slow motion” game was arguably the most popular with all of the groups. While challenging, it was attainable with the proper self-restraint.

How can a challenging situation introduce problem solving and encourage collaborative play? As the play dates progressed and the “core group” became more familiar with the exercises, something interesting happened. In some of the activities, they would help each other. The older child offered to move one child’s hand in a circle while the child moved her own hand in a “T” (the group collectively renamed the cross). The “slow motion” exercise became a competitive game in which the children would experiment with various ways of moving slowly (i.e. backwards, side ways, etc). Children watched one another more as they became more familiar with the activities. They began to transform the activities into something more “exciting.” While I am not sure if it was the age or enthusiasm of the individuals or the mere labeling of the activities as “games” but the children seemed to always shift the activities into competitions of some sort. It was my observation that this was their way of making sense of the activity. One child (6) even asked “why are we doing this?” As their levels of thinking are more concrete and less conceptual (to some degree), each child sought to understand the purpose of the game by how it related to him/her and/or to those around him/her. While the play groups where small to begin with, children would break into further groups of two or three based upon 1) age, 2) energy level, 3) interest in the activity, and 4) gender. Females did not prefer females over males in the smaller groups. However, males did seem to gravitate toward one another more frequently than their female counterparts. Ethnicity did not seem to matter. However, this may be in part to the low number of participants. Energy and interest level seemed to be the major factor in determining with whom and how the children interacted. The older child did seem to be more frustrated with the younger children as her efforts to control the group were thwarted or met with disinterest.

How can the teacher (or facilitator, in this case) encourage or discourage group cooperation and collaboration? As the facilitator of these activities, I attempted to remain neutral after introducing the “game” and let the children take it from there. This posed a significant challenge after the first introduction when one child shifted the entire activity into the “hokey pokey.” I quickly realized that I could subtly be in-control leading and directing the activities while the children still felt safe and in-control of their own decisions and choices within the activity. As a teacher, facilitator, etc., it is imperative that you are able to “read” your students, intuitive about the situation and provide an atmosphere that fosters and encourages diversity of opinion and thought. Each of these children was exploring his or her ability, space, and relationship within the activity and to one another. The activities were challenging and avenues for further exploration. Their energy and creativity pushed them to investigate the core components of the “games” and move beyond them. While many of their diversions seemed to be "chasing rabbits" they were still tangential to the core activity.

 

When analyzing discussing the post-activity drawings with each child, I noticed the responses fell into a few specific categories: place, people and feelings. The reflections also tended to be less emotional and more recollection and documentation. Some of the reflections included:

Image 1: “This is me with a hula-hoop around my head and those are birds flying into a nest. The hoop was my favorite. It made me excited.” (We were in a heavily wooded area with engaging wild life).

Image 2: “That’s the house. We were at a house, not a park. I like the park better.”

Image 4: “This is Sam. He was beside me in the slow motion game. He was slower than me."

Image 1: “[All of these games] made me want to play hopscotch. Here is my hopscotch.”

Image 2: “I drew on the trampoline…Windows on the trampoline…next time I want to jump on the trampoline.” 

Image 3: “This is my name. See I can write my whole name. This is me. [Tell me how you are feeling as you draw this?] Frustrated that they didn’t want to play my game.”

Image 1: “This is the circle. The hula hoop. The green is the spinning. [The circles] are Asher, Liza, Imani, and Sam.”

Image 2: “This is me. [That hand] is the T and that [hand] is the circle. [What are the lines over the top?] Sweat.”

Image 3: “I wrote letters because I am tired.”

Image 4: “This is my happy dance.”