An interesting lead to follow, research-wise!
Social Media Today has posted a Big Brother-Social Media link which, though not remotely academic or even particularly well expressed, pinpoints my growing dissatisfaction with the obscured underbelly of social media - cynical, targeted marketing techniques masquerading as creative self-expression and community building. The more I see of how little we can actually, meaningfully accomplish through social media, the less I'm inclined to naively write up a paper about its supposed educational goldmine.
Article for my reference...
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Crumb...
New resource to check out: Curatorial Resource for Upstart Media Bliss... once I'm on a decent computer with Adobe Flash.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Hurray for RACC!
An increase in arts donations during a recession? Only in Portland... thanks to the Work for Art program, which simplifies the process / encourages local businesses to donate to RACC, which in turn matches the donations with public funds. It would be interesting to study their formula... I admit that I don't quite follow how "public funds" can be summoned to match private funds. But, I guess it works.
Arts Education Salon...
Note to self: September 21-25, I want to remember to check out the Arts Education Salon -- an upcoming blog project of Americans for the Arts.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Catalysts for Community Activitism and Commitment!
Bingo! Research topic coming into focus -- thanks to Jane Remer, whose questions in "Beyond Enrichment: Building Effective Arts Partnerships with Schools and Your Community" have haunted me since Lori's class last Winter. Why not acquaint myself with these behind-the-scenes catalysts / cheerleaders / resources, who work primarily on the local and state level to promote awareness of and resources for arts education?
Remer asks: "What constitutes an effective catalyst for local community activism and the arts in the education of all children?" (p. 430).
As an educator, I've long been intrigued by organizations who are not directly involved in the classroom, yet whose work provides a pool of community-based cultural experiences and professionals to indirectly enrich what schools often lack, due more to the district's anemic arts funding than the teacher's lesson plans. Remer describes the need for these "catalysts" to build community partnerships and to unify/nurture local arts and culture constituents; that is, this isn't Young Audiences; these are the groups who strategically orchestrate opportunity windows for community needs, state and national policy, and systemic educational reform. On a good day.
Nationally: Americans for the Arts, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies - or more locally, the Creative Advocacy Network.
I guess being in DC for the summer has encouraged me to take a more active interest in the politics which ultimately shape education and community - I'd say it's certainly worth my year of research to get a grasp on this enormously complex "state of the arts." Hurrah!
Remer asks: "What constitutes an effective catalyst for local community activism and the arts in the education of all children?" (p. 430).
As an educator, I've long been intrigued by organizations who are not directly involved in the classroom, yet whose work provides a pool of community-based cultural experiences and professionals to indirectly enrich what schools often lack, due more to the district's anemic arts funding than the teacher's lesson plans. Remer describes the need for these "catalysts" to build community partnerships and to unify/nurture local arts and culture constituents; that is, this isn't Young Audiences; these are the groups who strategically orchestrate opportunity windows for community needs, state and national policy, and systemic educational reform. On a good day.
Nationally: Americans for the Arts, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies - or more locally, the Creative Advocacy Network.
I guess being in DC for the summer has encouraged me to take a more active interest in the politics which ultimately shape education and community - I'd say it's certainly worth my year of research to get a grasp on this enormously complex "state of the arts." Hurrah!
Article on Portland's Creative Advocacy Network in today's Oregonian.
Buliding a network of support for dedicated funding for the arts, echoing the successful models of environmental coalitions... cool.
Buliding a network of support for dedicated funding for the arts, echoing the successful models of environmental coalitions... cool.
Friday, September 4, 2009
From Americans for the Arts: Defining Arts Education Policy
"Arts education policy is a clearly identified course of action, infrastructure, and/or framework established by a governing body—school boards, state legislatures, federal government—designed to guide present and future decisions regarding arts programming, facilities, instruction, curricula, and funding. While arts education policy is adopted, implemented, and funded at the national, state, and local levels, school boards play a fundamental role in designing educational policy at the local level within their school districts."
So the question is: do I wish to pursue research in local, state or national policy?
To understand the local process is valuable, but it surely would be worthwhile to understand who on high is giving the orders.
Hmmm...
So the question is: do I wish to pursue research in local, state or national policy?
To understand the local process is valuable, but it surely would be worthwhile to understand who on high is giving the orders.
Hmmm...
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Questions about standards...
The following questions and Big Ideas are from the syllabus of Professor Conley's class, EDLD 541. I've placed in bold the questions/ideas that most intrigue me:
1. Why do we have accountability systems in public education? Is it possible tomake public schools accountable in a way that achieves policy goals?
2. What is the relationship between accountability systems and the political process in states and at the federal level?
3. What are standards? What is their proper role in public education systems?
4. What do standards systems look like? What are the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches?
5. What types of data do we need to collect to determine whether we are achieving the standards?
6. How should cut scores be established for standard systems?
7. How can we summarize information to determine program accountability?
8. What is the legitimate role of the state in the establishment of systems of
standards and accountability?
9. What are the effects of standards and accountability systems on teaching,
teachers, students, and learning?
10. What are the political and social issues associated with the adoption and
implementation of standards and accountability systems?
Big Ideas
• Standards and accountability systems are here to stay, however imperfect they may be. The goal is to learn how to do them right and how to balance state control and local creativity.
• States are just now learning how to express their newfound role as the primary
controllers of K-12 policy and finance, and current standards and accountability
systems represent a trial-and-error approach.
• Standards and accountability systems are inherently political, yet can also be tools that mediate between the state and school as expressions of common values and goals.
• State standards and accountability systems serve multiple sometimes-conflicting purposes.
• Implementing standards and accountability systems involves changes that are central to teaching and learning, and changes in these areas are the most difficult for schools to make.
Indeed. So now I'm wondering how arts education can fit into this picture -- and whether I can feasibly devise a research proposal with all of these questions swimming in my head.
Pity the class is only offered in the Spring!
1. Why do we have accountability systems in public education? Is it possible tomake public schools accountable in a way that achieves policy goals?
2. What is the relationship between accountability systems and the political process in states and at the federal level?
3. What are standards? What is their proper role in public education systems?
4. What do standards systems look like? What are the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches?
5. What types of data do we need to collect to determine whether we are achieving the standards?
6. How should cut scores be established for standard systems?
7. How can we summarize information to determine program accountability?
8. What is the legitimate role of the state in the establishment of systems of
standards and accountability?
9. What are the effects of standards and accountability systems on teaching,
teachers, students, and learning?
10. What are the political and social issues associated with the adoption and
implementation of standards and accountability systems?
Big Ideas
• Standards and accountability systems are here to stay, however imperfect they may be. The goal is to learn how to do them right and how to balance state control and local creativity.
• States are just now learning how to express their newfound role as the primary
controllers of K-12 policy and finance, and current standards and accountability
systems represent a trial-and-error approach.
• Standards and accountability systems are inherently political, yet can also be tools that mediate between the state and school as expressions of common values and goals.
• State standards and accountability systems serve multiple sometimes-conflicting purposes.
• Implementing standards and accountability systems involves changes that are central to teaching and learning, and changes in these areas are the most difficult for schools to make.
Indeed. So now I'm wondering how arts education can fit into this picture -- and whether I can feasibly devise a research proposal with all of these questions swimming in my head.
Pity the class is only offered in the Spring!
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