End of Year

Well another school year has come to an end. It is commonly time to reflect and take notice of some things that may have been done different. Upon reviewing my appraisal there were key elements that could have been worked on. As my administrator and I reviewed the appraisal we communicated about using our appraisal system as an indicator for next year and the upcoming evaluation we are to face once again. I would have to say that the my Masters program has really made a difference in my personal learning environment and it will continue to provide the momentum to plan and develop framework for next year.

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IMAGES RETRIEVED FROM http://www.imgspark.com/.

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As I sit and write this blog topic, I am watching and listening to 60 Minutes. The topic is the “SEED school” the first urban, public boarding school. A new way to educate students and change our youth is the concern of every community. Giving students the opportunity to show themselves that they can be a success story is the reality of every educational environment. Creating a successful learning environment is crucial to motivation and participation by students.

Developing engaging activities for students in the art room has proven to be a trying effort. I will have to testify that WEB2.0 has really opened the door to some new and innovative ways to allow students to contribute to their own personal learning environments. This week I have chosen Image Spark a web sharing database used for storage of inspiring images. As an artist myself I thought it would be an interesting service to use for storage of creative images we may create in the art room. Designed to enhance the creative spirit and work of artists, my intentions are to utilize this service towards the creative aspect of my action research.

I understand that we use flickr for some of our photos for our action research but this avenue would allow us to showcase my own personal creative contributions and that of my students.

It is always refreshing to come across a type or form of technology that could enhance the learning environment. Especially when it is with regards to the production side of education. It is amazing to come to this current stage of technology and the many uses it may have in the classroom. My formal education came in the form of 18^th Century standards or theoretical manner of instruction.

Our Fine Arts Department at that time was still very traditional and used traditional ways of creating art. It was an experience that really laid the foundation for my visual experiences and career. Not having or possessing any form of technology at that time I graduated and entered the work force determined to become an art teacher. My experiences with technology came in the form of computers that came our way in the classroom and my own investments and purchases. Looking back at our latest technological advancements we have truly come really far in the past ten years. It is easy to see how some individuals may not have been part of this technological revolution in the past and have not made any effort to change.

Thus I have chosen IMAGESPARK to help me document the next few years of our own personal growth in my learning environment.

http://www.imgspark.com/

Ricardo Mireles

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Hello All! Here is my One Minute message.

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