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Hi everybody,
I am excited to have a couple of new pieces of technology in the art room. With money from the Enrichment Foundation I bought an external webcam that I can film videos for use in class. Since we have gone to the Chromebooks these instructional videos are available to the art students at all times. This is a great plus for them. They can now watch and re-watch a demonstration on an as needed basis. That is really important for people in art. Whether it is a basic forms drawing/shading video or a "how to do build it on the wheel" video for pottery, it is there 24/7. It can even be used to film during a class so any questions that might be asked by a student are captured as well. It is truly a win win for everybody in art including me, the teacher.
I also received a new projector. My old projector finally burned out in the Fall of 2017. The new projector has a lot more lumens so I can leave the lights on while doing a demonstration on either the Elmo or most likely now, on the webcam. If you have ever had to set in the dark in art so you could see a demo on the Smart Board and then try to mimic what is being demonstrated, you will understand how important this brighter projector is. The projector also is linked via bluetooth to my Chromebook. That may not seem important but it really is. It gives me the capacity to be filming a demonstration while at the same time, the demonstration is being broadcast on the Smart Board. It is during these times that students may be asking clarification questions and the question and answer is captured in the video so it is there for future references.
I am excited to have these two new pieces of equipment. They will add immensely to the learning that is possible in art. They also make it possible for students who miss school to be able to watch the demonstrations on their own Chromebooks so they won't get far behind.