Signs of Hope for the City's Cultural Sector?

The new commissioner for the Department of Cultural Affairs was named, and for the first time since Rahm was elected Mayor, I've got some real hope that things will go in the right direction. Michelle Boone has been a tireless advocate for the arts, and she'll have the pulpit from which to spread her message now.

Read more about it here.

Gotta Share! Musical by Improv Everywhere

Thought you'd get a kick out of this. Good idea for future video projects?! :-p

Browse websites at Design Meltdown

This site showcases various types of websites from designers and as well as popular styles, ranging from space and retro themes to particular subject sites like travel and tourism. Look at some popular examples to get you some fresh ideas for your final project:

• Design Meltdown 2010

Augmented Reality: Apps & software for the classroom

I'll be demonstrating some useful ways to showcase Augmented Reality (AR) in educational learning environments, which can be useful for future workshops or curriculums you may plan on doing someday. I've included some links to the examples that I will be showcasing:

• Free Augmented Manipulatives
• String - Augmented Reality development (iPhone)

More examples of AR for the iPhone/iPod touch (4th generations with cameras):

• acrosshair
• Word Lens

Museums and Social Media

Museums and Social Media
One more quick post from the NY Times (Get your articles while you can! Is this worthy of being one of your free 20 per month?)

+1

Google Wave
Google Buzz

Now Google +1

Their latest foray into the social networking field that seems to be Google's only obstacle to finally taking over the world is a course adjustment from their recent strategies. Will it work? Who knows. Find out more here.

Contact lens as the next computer?

Here is the most recent new about the future of contact lens. Perhaps we will be able to surf the web with just our eyes and maybe project holograms?
Internet-Enabled Contact Lense Could Bring You Eye To Eye With Web Surfing

New York times Subscriptions

Pay for the NY Times?

You're gonna need to soon if you want to get a regular fix!


Is this where printmedia is going to have to venture in order to survive? Are there other strategies that they could undertake to avoid the subscription route? I guess we'll all find out soon enough.

Augmented Reality in our daily lives?

I found an interesting article from my twitter feed that showcases a video the possibilities of integrating augmented reality (AR) into the real world. It's another video from Keiichi Matsuda (he has an exhibit at the Modern Wing at the AIC). Rather than viewing AR from a mobile device or a computer screen, we can actually see it all around us. Just like the article asks, will this be through special glasses? Will we be the only ones able to see it? It will have to so people nearby don't read our emails or private messages. And another good question, how would AR be displayed, especially the ads littered on the sidewalks from the video? Holograms come into mind and we've already developed certain technologies that incorporate this. How far would this become into a real and usable medium? I can see a lot of potential for this technology, especially in a learning environment (remember this scene in Iron Man 2?).

Interim CPS chief criticizes predecessor Ron Huberman, crafts a new long-term education plan but hasn't talked to Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel - chicagotribune.com

Interim CPS chief criticizes predecessor Ron Huberman, crafts a new long-term education plan but hasn't talked to Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel

Hope for CPS? Just the same old retooling and patching up we've seen in the past? Unfortunately we won't really know whether anything (even if the plan is solid) will happen until the Mayor-Elect gets in office and hires his new CPS CEO. Keep your fingers crossed!

Augmented Reality Apps for Art Education?

So like I mentioned last Tuesday, AR (Augmented Reality) apps are slowling becoming a possibility for mobile devices, especially among cell phones and portable tablets. I remember seeing the first version early last year where a person with a camera on their phone, mounted on their car dashboard, viewing the cars ahead of them. As the camera shows on the screen (live video) it also shows the average speed, warnings if you get too close or if you're driving to fast, the exact distance between you and the car(s), and more. AR was also shown as a possible game ability, especially in the creature-collecting aspect like Pokemon.

Here is a link that talks about the subject of AR with video examples. Check it out!

• Top 6 Augmented Reality Apps

Today there are several apps out there, some free to try, that incorporate AR with iPhone and Android devices (I recommend doing a search "AR" in the app store). With this capability it would be possible to interact in the real world and have it digitally calibrated or recorded on the phone, say, trips to the museum, art project in class, etc.

Art Education, the Innovation Economy and the PISA tests

While checking my twitter account, I stumbled upon an interesting article from The Huffington Post regarding USA's art education is falling behind in global comparison. What do you think about PISA testing? Why is Shanghai at the top? And do you agree with this quote: "America is not going to succeed through cheap labor or cheap raw materials, nor even the free flow of capital or a streamlined industrial base...to compete successfully, this country needs creativity, ingenuity, and innovation."?

Just what is your position on the arts?

Looking at Devan's choices for articles this week reminded me of something I saw recently on the tribune's website. A series of questions that were asked of each major candidate regarding the arts and culture in the city. Some pretty standard answers here, but a couple of interesting insights. Take a look.

Mayoral Candidates answers questions about Chicago's arts and culture

It's Big. It's fun. And it's Art!

Lee's making me look bad, jumping on the blogging and even putting up one of the links that I love, the TED talk re: smart boards and wii remotes. Instead I'm going to share with you all a site maintained by one of your very own, a current art education student. Abigail Rudner is one of the minds behind Big Fun Arts, which you may or may not have already come across. If not, check it out. video based tutorials for the arts. Very cool stuff.

Arts Criticism in the Digital Age

Here is an interesting article that talks about the issue of art criticism in today's modern age of rapid information sharing:

• http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2010/06/5across-arts-criticism-in-the-digital-age180.html

Cheap interactive whiteboard - with Nintendo Wii Remote!

I'm sure Ray will show this in class sometime this semester. But if he forgets, this TED talk from Johnny Lee is pretty cool! Another plus for creative engineering!

SAIC Gmail accounts

Here is a link to CRIT's webpage that details about switching to the school's gmail system:

https://onlineservices.artic.edu/kb/email/mail_clients/gmail.html

For Photographers + iPhones

I started using this free iPhone app called Instagram. It's like twitter but in this app you upload images and can get people to "like" it, attracting Followers (like twitter) and leave short comments about the picture. So far it's one of the most popular photo apps on iTunes.

As an artist & educator, its a great app to view and critique on people's pictures as well as drive me to have a good photographer's eye next time I snap pictures with my iPhone. Great tool to get students into photography and incorporate it with mobile devices. If you do download it, you can find me as mleemay.

Technology Link for Art Educators

Greetings! Hope everyone survived the snOMG blizzard.  I got this link from a workshop I attended last December at the Art Institute of Chicago. We learned various types of technology K-12 educators are using to help aid in their teaching methods: interactive white boards, mobile technology use, response (clicker) technology, and free open-source websites.

Here is a link to the Art Institutes's blog that includes information about the technology and helpful PDF files and links to the tools available for teachers:

• http://artinstituteteachers.wikispaces.com/Technology+in+Art+Education

Welcome to Cyberpedagogy!

Our course description states: 

Cyberpedagogy introduces students to the philosophical, pedagogical, and practical aspects of using digital technology in cultural production and art education. While facilitating student experience with particular software and hardware, the course also promotes a critical discussion of the social impact, aesthetic ramifications, and pedagogical strategies of these technologies. 

What does it all really mean? That's up to us to figure out! Welcome to class and we're looking forward to an engaging and exciting semester!