Intro: Here I focus mainly on how community based projects hit the 21st century skills. I poke a little at how the National Art Standards can fit in and why creating and doing community based art projects that hit the 21st century skills are important to the futures of the students.
National Art Standards
More than likely if a teacher is doing a community based project there will be some history involved (dealing with the city, business, or organization) and more than likely various cultures (communities are diverse). Students will be working with each other to create/generate an idea for the project. So students will be assessing their work and others to agree upon a final project design. And students will be learning new skills and techniques to use on the community project. It is clear that the National Art Standards Can be met while doing a community based art project inside and outside of the classroom.
21st Century Skills
If one is to let their students help in finding an organization, charity, or business and communicating with other community members to create an art project there are at least six 21st century skills covered right there. From having students brainstorm issues in the community, to finding and communicating with community members about a potential project, collaborating with fellow students, having students divide jobs/rolls to each other, and communicating and critically thinking about a community art project students are using and learning the skills needed to go out into this world.
When a project like this is done critical thinking is always at work (with some guiding questions) and many of the 21st century skills are tackled before the project is even started. When a project finally gets started the students are free to be creative and innovative with the materials they have been provided making the project even more personal to them. While much work outside of the actual project must be done including: generating ideas, sketches, final plans, media choices, tools, etc. students are able to get their hands on learning in the whole way. Doing a community based project enables to students to work together while effectively using individual talents like planning, leading, using technology, generating sketches etc. Community based projects can make a class flourish because there is a place for everyone to have a job they are good at while also learning new skills from others.
My Thoughts
I feel that a community based project may be better suited for a teacher who knows their students well as compared to a beginning teacher. As wells as for a teacher who will not lose site of the fact that it is an art class and that skills should keep being taught everyday. I believe the biggest issue would be on how to assess the students in the end. The assessment is based off of your learning objectives and these could in many ways include all of the 21st century skills. I can see how it could easily become a painted mural project about a social justice issue where no new art skill/technique is learned. One must focus on teaching a new skill/technique of painting if one is to do a mural project. It is so important not to lose sight of the art skills while diving into community art projects.
In the end I feel that if one is to know their students, their abilities, gifts, challenges and how to greatly involve them in every step of the community based project I don’t see how one could go wrong. When you give your students options and choices they feel they have a say and are more than likely to be more involved. While not every student may like doing a community based project I feel there is a job for everyone during the whole process of doing one. Also, if a teacher can highlight the skills of his/her students during that process, making no student feel left out, I feel they have succeeded on one level, because more than likely that student will feel respected and wiling to continue with an open mind.
The 21st century skills are important because they are the skills that students will need to use in the real world. Student’s worlds come alive when work is done outside of school and with a hands on approach. This is when real learning happens…
21st Century Skills
Leadership and Responsibility
Productivity and Accountability
Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
Initiative and Self-direction
Flexibility and Adaptability
Information, Communication, and Technology literacy
Media Literacy
Information Literacy
Innovation
Creativity
Collaboration
Communication
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Go to www.arteducators.org for more information about 21st Century Skills and National Art Standards
It is hard as a new teacher to take on a challenging project that would involve getting students out in the community, but it's also one of the greatest ways to really get to know them. You develop close relationships with others when working on long-term projects and projects where students are more invested because it affects their own community. Assessment is hard no matter what, but when assessing community-bases art projects, think of what you wanted as an outocme. It can be as simple as working collaboratively to express the message of social equality in a mural. It could be about professionalism as students learn how public artist navigate the world and leave their mark. sometimes bigger projects are easier because kids learn more, reflect more, and there are more visible objectives to meet. Great post!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking about the social justice projects I also came across the drawbacks in assessing. The outcome you specifically want from these projects are often intrinsic and therefore immeasurable. There is also the confusion in group projects. Who was in charge of what? Do you grade on attendance, skill, difficulty of roll, or conceptual participation? I came across an idea for post cards that I thought could be adapted to the project by writing thank you letters for the helpers in the community stating a story from working or something they learned.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is true that community-based projects can be more time-consuming and demand more attention than a typical art lesson, that is precisely the point. They demand more attention. They take more time and effort. Using projects like these in the classroom will likely allow less time for teaching art skills. This is entirely true. However, it makes it easier to teach other skills necessary for success. Students become more invested in what they are doing. Then, when we teach them necessary art skills, they care more. Your quote that stuck with me is: "Community based projects can make a class flourish because there is a place for everyone to have a job they are good at while also learning new skills from others." They are still learning and making art all the while, and while they are doing that, we are learning more about them so that we gain information for creating lessons that are relevent to them. I agree though, this task is intimidating and achieving balance can only with time.
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