[Reflection] What I Learned

LIX: The World’s Smallest 3D Printing Pen

At the beginning of this class, like everyone else, I was intimidated by using technology regarding all the software and possibly "coding." I considered myself a very traditional artist and I did not anticipate to incorporate digital media in art class besides using basic photography. It was hard to imagine how I would use these new media in a lesson plan. 

However, this class has completely changed my perception on digital media. Although some of the media displayed certain technical challenges, I find the overall course full of pleasant surprises. For example, I would never imagine using scanner, video, and social media to create art. Furthermore, I am surprised by the simple tools that are available online such Audacity for sound art, Scratch for video game, and Moviemaker for video art. These softwares have turned what I perceived to be difficult process into simple exploratory activities that young people would enjoy. 

Throughout the homework assignments I find researching artists and making lesson plans the most helpful. The fact we saved these information on a blog makes it easy to track and reference to after we started teaching. I particularly enjoyed the collaborative project in class because I got to learn from my classmates something I may not be familiar with before I started my own project. 

At the end of the course, I find new media a challenging yet stimulating medium to work with. Lots of it is centered on abstract and conceptual planning which confronts us as problem solvers to brainstorm solutions in order to execute the ideas in our mind. Furthermore, the fact that digital media is so accessible and abundant in currently days makes it a relevant medium to the younger generation. I think I definitely learned a lot from this class. (Thank you Richard!)